Man that Kessel trade is gonna sting. I don't see how we come out of this offseason any better if the plan is to trade Phil, Maatta, and Rust. Just all the wrong lessons were learned after this year.
- Victoro311

They would definitely need to replace a good chunk of Phil's production in FA. There's a couple of attractive free agents that would look good on this team. Eberle had a down season, but I'd love to see him here.

As far as Maatta goes.... Obviously would rather have him over JJ, but he's kind of expensive and doesn't really seem capable of elevating his game much. He get's hurt a ton too.

I don't want to see Rust go either. He's probably more of cap clearing move. I heard Mackey saying the other day that management loves him. He'd be attractive to some teams for sure.

They would definitely need to replace a good chunk of Phil's production in FA. There's a couple of attractive free agents that would look good on this team. Eberle had a down season, but I'd love to see him here.

As far as Maatta goes.... Obviously would rather have him over JJ, but he's kind of expensive and doesn't really seem capable of elevating his game much. He get's hurt a ton too.

I don't want to see Rust go either. He's probably more of cap clearing move. I heard Mackey saying the other day that management loves him. He'd be attractive to some teams for sure.
- madmike71

I'm obviously a big Maatta stan compared to most people on here, but it's not so much that I'm devastated about losing Maatta in a vacuum. It's the implications that come with moving him that are the real problem. Johnson intrenches himself on Schultz's left and that complete tire fire of a pairing continues to get iced on a night to night basis.

Our luck is they trade Phil, dump the space then spend it on Dzingel

I'm obviously a big Maatta stan compared to most people on here, but it's not so much that I'm devastated about losing Maatta in a vacuum. It's the implications that come with moving him that are the real problem. Johnson intrenches himself on Schultz's left and that complete tire fire of a pairing continues to get iced on a night to night basis.
- Victoro311

Oh I get it. They should be buying JJ out. They won't of course.

I was arguing with Boyd that JJ wasn't capable of kneecapping the entire team. In hindsight, I think he's largely correct.....especially since we brought Guddy here. You can usually hide a player like him in a bottom pairing role, but him and Guddy would get abused on a nightly basis as a pairing.

I still think JJ is moveable to capfloor teams if they retain salary and throw in a pick.

Oh I get it. They should be buying JJ out. They won't of course.

I was arguing with Boyd that JJ wasn't capable of kneecapping the entire team. In hindsight, I think he's largely correct.....especially since we brought Guddy here. You can usually hide a player like him in a bottom pairing role, but him and Guddy would get abused on a nightly basis as a pairing.
- madmike71

I think that you can greatly reduce Johnson's effect on the team by putting him with Gudbranson, actually. The reason why JJ kneecapped us to the extent that he did in the playoffs is because he got put on a pairing with Schultz, and completely neutered the only other blue liner on the team that can help support the forwards in transition on a consistent basis. Pettersson and Gudbranson are fine, but they play pretty low event hockey. They're not gonna give up a ton, but they're also not gonna be a ton of help when it comes to generating offense. There's gonna be a lot of ping pong through the neutral zone being played when that pairing's on the ice. You can't have the Letang pairing be the only pairing generating offense if you want to play the kind of hockey the Pens are built for and score goals in bunches. You NEED Schultz moving the puck up and facilitating those chances.

If you were to give Schultz a competent partner and put Johnson on the third pairing with Gudbranson, that third pairing may absolutely blow, but you now have two pairing that are capable of facilitating offense again. I'd much rather have to scramble to hide one offensively bad pairing for 15 minutes a night and have two good pairings, than whatever the (frank) we tried to do during the playoffs.

I still think JJ is moveable to capfloor teams if they retain salary and throw in a pick.
- Rinosaur

Maybe....depending on the pick. We don't have a 2nd this year or next. I think the buyout is entirely plausible considering the only thing that matters is the next 2 or 3 years.

I think there could be some intriguing deals out there considering how the playoffs went down this season. Some "cup favorite" teams massively under-performed.

Days off have not been kind to the Jackets

Days off have not been kind to the Jackets
- Thorny87

Being interfered with on the forecheck hasn’t been kind to... anyone ever when it’s not called. Old Wings did it a lot, Bruins are doing it, Aisles are doing it. It allows the defender to break the puck out easier and doesn’t allow for a forecheck. Good hockey? Hardly

Being interfered with on the forecheck hasn’t been kind to... anyone ever when it’s not called. Old Wings did it a lot, Bruins are doing it, Aisles are doing it. It allows the defender to break the puck out easier and doesn’t allow for a forecheck. Good hockey? Hardly
- WSCTeton17

I agree. It’s crept back into the game big time. Jackets were completely outclassed that period regardless.

Yohe saying that Mario is super against the idea of trying to trade Malkin due to regret over the organization trading Jagr back in the day. Wants Geno to finish his career in the Burg. Glad to see that there's some kind of check on JR and he can't just trade Malkin on a whim without going through Mario.
- Victoro311

I saw Yohe's tweet about JR unsure of Geno's future.

I wonder if there's a way to get Trouba out of the Peg? Since Kessel is likely on the way out, maybe a deal can made around those two players.

I saw Yohe's tweet about JR unsure of Geno's future.
- Rinosaur

It was all one article. Rutherford said something along the lines that he’s not in a position to make a call on anything yet. That Malkin’s future was in doubt was kind of extrapolation on Yohe’s part, and he mentioned that a team source said Mario is super against trading Malkin.

I wonder if there's a way to get Trouba out of the Peg? Since Kessel is likely on the way out, maybe a deal can made around those two players.
- madmike71

Trouba is a rfa. They'd have to add imo.

I wonder if there's a way to get Trouba out of the Peg? Since Kessel is likely on the way out, maybe a deal can made around those two players.
- madmike71

Also, that would make Shultz expandable right?

Also, that would make Shultz expandable right?
- nateca44

We only have him for one more year. So we lock up Trouba and get something for Schultz. Maybe send Schultz and Kessel there for Trouba+. Clears over 12mil in cap and allows us to go shopping for Phil's replacement.

I remember people saying that Sundqvist was slow and that he would likely never get any faster and that his ceiling was likely as a 3C. He’s playing wing on the second line and is out at the end of the game to protect the lead and he caught Klingberg in a foot race. Sucks that we lost him. He’s a good forechecker and was when he was here too. Why tf can’t Maatta work on his foot speed

We only have him for one more year. So we lock up Trouba and get something for Schultz. Maybe send Schultz and Kessel there for Trouba+. Clears over 12mil in cap and allows us to go shopping for Phil's replacement.
- madmike71

Winnipeg would want a lot more back for Trouba, he’s on their shutdown pair and he’s damn good at it. They also need to clear space, not add more. Plus Laine needs a new deal. They wouldn’t have interest in Kessel. AZ, Nashville, maybe Calgary, Columbus if they had a different coach... lol. Minnesota maybe. Those are likely the Western teams that would be looking to add Phil for the right price

Also, that would make Shultz expandable right?
- nateca44

I’m not really sure how far he can stretch

I remember people saying that Sundqvist was slow and that he would likely never get any faster and that his ceiling was likely as a 3C. He’s playing wing on the second line and is out at the end of the game to protect the lead and he caught Klingberg in a foot race. Sucks that we lost him. He’s a good forechecker and was when he was here too. Why tf can’t Maatta work on his foot speed
- WSCTeton17

I never wanted to lose Sundqvist. Dude was playing 3C for them earlier this season for pennies too.

I never wanted to lose Sundqvist. Dude was playing 3C for them earlier this season for pennies too.
- j.boyd919

That trade really signified the direction change from JR.

I’m not really sure how far he can stretch
- Rinosaur

Lol, maybe he can stretch far enough to the west coast? Maybe him and Phil plus our first for Trouba, Lowry? Dreams are fun.

I never wanted to lose Sundqvist. Dude was playing 3C for them earlier this season for pennies too.
- j.boyd919

Thats one of the most overlooked blunders of JR's tenure.

He had SUndquest for cheap who is more than capable at 4C. Then he signs Sheehan for 2.5, brings Cullen back, throw the Brassard mess into it. Completely mis managed the 3C and 4C position.

Thats one of the most overlooked blunders of JR's tenure.

He had SUndquest for cheap who is more than capable at 4C. Then he signs Sheehan for 2.5, brings Cullen back, throw the Brassard mess into it. Completely mis managed the 3C and 4C position.
- sammy87

You can’t really blame him for moving Sundqvist. He was a player that could have gone either way, but the trade itself was bad and a sign that JR was going in a different direction than the one that made the Pens successful.

You can’t really blame him for moving Sundqvist. He was a player that could have gone either way, but the trade itself was bad and a sign that JR was going in a different direction than the one that made the Pens successful.
- Rinosaur

I just looked it up...i didnt realize he went to STL with a 1st for Reeves. Thats awful in hindsight.

Sundquist, 1st, 1st, Gustavson, Cole, Reeves.....all traded away.

Yeah mcCinn and Busted are good improvements.