This is also possible. Would be kind of strange to trade a guy months after you get him when he greatly outplays expectations and it would still make sense.
- Tojo.

I was half joking. I highly doubt they find a way to move both of those guys out, but I guess we never know. It's expected they will re-sign Pettersson and they will then have nine dmen, so two guys have to go I'd think. Could it be them? We could only hope.

If he loved Maatta, da (frank) was he scratched for?
- j.boyd919

I was just wondering the other day if maybe Maatta was hurt. He didn’t go to the WHC (although they won gold without him)

I was just wondering the other day if maybe Maatta was hurt. He didn’t go to the WHC (although they won gold without him)
- WSCTeton17

Määttä had Hand injury. He said so in Finnish interview.
(Training in Finland with JYP Liiga team)

I highly doubt they move Galchenyuk.
- Rinosaur

I feel Phil has a lot of value around the league as a PPG player, and I feel as though JR wants someone good in return for Kessel. That is the only reason I figured someone like Galchenyuk coming back seems feasible. TIOPS have been stating Penguins continue to pursue Zucker. So maybe a 3 way deal with Zucker and a player coming to Penguins and Kessel going to Ari.

I was half joking. I highly doubt they find a way to move both of those guys out, but I guess we never know. It's expected they will re-sign Pettersson and they will then have nine dmen, so two guys have to go I'd think. Could it be them? We could only hope.
- Rinosaur

Absolutely not hoping Gudbranson gets traded. He is great value at that price. Keep snorting those fat lines of fancy stats. Sad part is he’s probably one of the most tradable players. Really hoping they keep and extend him though.

Absolutely not hoping Gudbranson gets traded. He is great value at that price. Keep snorting those fat lines of fancy stats. Sad part is he’s probably one of the most tradable players. Really hoping they keep and extend him though.
- Grinder47

Agreed. I liked Gudbranson and what he brought to the team. I feel he is a good 3rd pairing guy. He did a little of everything and showed some confidence on our team (compared to when he was on Vancouver).

Who knows, maybe they're planning on getting rid of both Gudbranson and JJ?
- Rinosaur

Well... that would be a huge cap move, and fancy stat wet dream... but I think most here believes Gudrowinston earned that bottom pairing, even being massively overpriced.

Absolutely not hoping Gudbranson gets traded. He is great value at that price. Keep snorting those fat lines of fancy stats. Sad part is he’s probably one of the most tradable players. Really hoping they keep and extend him though.
- Grinder47

4 mil for a #6 Dman? No... its still a bad value, but at least he is not playing bad for where he is slotted. Playing good, still overpaid.

4 mil for a #6 Dman? No... its still a bad value, but at least he is not playing bad for where he is slotted. Playing good, still overpaid.
- Guile

I thought he was great last season and I think you could make the case that he is on par with Schultz. Completely opposite players but Gudbransson may have actually been more effective than Schultz last year. I don't think he is a bad value if he picks up where he left off.

Edit:

If you view him as a bottom pair I get saying he is overpaid.

Letang-Schultz-Gudbransson is probably a top 5 RD lineup in the league. I do however believe JR is going to play the asset maximization game and move Schultz.

4 mil for a #6 Dman? No... its still a bad value, but at least he is not playing bad for where he is slotted. Playing good, still overpaid.
- Guile

Grabs Tom Wilson on a B line to JakeGuentzel and puts him on his ass. Wilson is stunned. 2 mil right there.

I thought he was great last season and I think you could make the case that he is on par with Schultz. Completely opposite players but Gudbransson may have actually been more effective than Schultz last year. I don't think he is a bad value if he picks up where he left off.

Edit:

If you view him as a bottom pair I get saying he is overpaid.

Letang-Schultz-Gudbransson is probably a top 5 RD lineup in the league. I do however believe JR is going to play the asset maximization game and move Schultz.
- MacPatty

I view him as a bottom pairing, because that is what he is here. And thats not to be a knock or insult, the mindset upon obtaining him was his worth would be around a #8 or #9.

Now, there were some games he had more minutes than JJ (our alleged 2nd pairing)... that does not make Guddy a proper 2nd pairing Dman. That is a obviously (frank)ed up scenario. If Johnson is dealt, Guddy is on the 3rd pairing right away. If JJ is not dealt, who gives a (frank), our D is (frank)ed.


edit: Also... he can't play above Schultz or Letang... pretty much automatically makes him the bottom pairing as a RD.

Grabs Tom Wilson on a B line to JakeGuentzel and puts him on his ass. Wilson is stunned. 2 mil right there.
- Grinder47

I'm not a big fan of having someone per se that is one-dimensional in that way (which is what I expected prior to Gud playing in a Pens sweater) but I have to agree, I'm sure once Jake saw the video of that he likely bought Gud a steak dinner. If Gud can continue to play at the level he did for his 20 or so games last year as a #5/6 I'm okay with him even at his cap hit, as long as they dump JJ! The fact that he was able to "push back" (I'm not agreeing with JR on this) some of the cheap crap that the stars have been dealing with over the last few years but not put the team on the PK for it is huge.

Again it's a lot like Reaves, he could've been a much better player here than he was given the chance to be...but that's on MS/JR.

edit: Also... he can't play above Schultz or Letang... pretty much automatically makes him the bottom pairing as a RD.
- Guile

I agree with this but I am ok having a high paid 3rd RD who is able to fill a 2nd pair role, especially considering Letang and Schultz injury history.

I think he can for sure be a 2nd pair guy if the Pens were to come across a mobile, offensively talented LD to pair him with.

I agree with this but I am ok having a high paid 3rd RD who is able to fill a 2nd pair role, especially considering Letang and Schultz injury history.

I think he can for sure be a 2nd pair guy if the Pens were to come across a mobile, offensively talented LD to pair him with.
- MacPatty

Like rookie Pettersson who he looked good with?

Absolutely not hoping Gudbranson gets traded. He is great value at that price. Keep snorting those fat lines of fancy stats. Sad part is he’s probably one of the most tradable players. Really hoping they keep and extend him though.
- Grinder47

hahaha

Like rookie Pettersson who he looked good with?
- MattStrat

I really liked that pair last year. Not sure if they could hold down the second pair full time, but I'd love to see them stick together and build some chemistry kind of like Dumo and Letang have.

honest question, with limited knowledge..

Why are the Pens so willing to trade a guy who averages 80 points over the past 3 years for a guy who had half the offensive season (and is much more defensively reliable)?

Is it a case of getting value before he declines? Or is his defensive woes so much worse than the points pg numbers?

Well... that would be a huge cap move, and fancy stat wet dream... but I think most here believes Gudrowinston earned that bottom pairing, even being massively overpriced.
- Guile

The weird thing is, Gudbranson had some of the best fancy stats on the team, while Schultz had some if the worst His larger history says he's not very good, but he was outstanding here.

The way I figure it, a bottom pair Dman who can move up is worth 3M, which is what he did with the injuries we had. Is that protection factor worth an extra million if he's playing well while doing it? I think so, his impact on Wilson was noticable and the Pens lack of push back was a problem.

So if we get that guy again, I'm ok with him at 4M. I'm just not sure we will, but have to admit I'm intrigued to find out.

I feel Phil has a lot of value around the league as a PPG player, and I feel as though JR wants someone good in return for Kessel. That is the only reason I figured someone like Galchenyuk coming back seems feasible. TIOPS have been stating Penguins continue to pursue Zucker. So maybe a 3 way deal with Zucker and a player coming to Penguins and Kessel going to Ari.
- 123Kid

Please this, I still really want Zucker.

Absolutely not hoping Gudbranson gets traded. He is great value at that price. Keep snorting those fat lines of fancy stats. Sad part is he’s probably one of the most tradable players. Really hoping they keep and extend him though.
- Grinder47

He has terrible value at that price.

honest question, with limited knowledge..

Why are the Pens so willing to trade a guy who averages 80 points over the past 3 years for a guy who had half the offensive season (and is much more defensively reliable)?

Is it a case of getting value before he declines? Or is his defensive woes so much worse than the points pg numbers?
- TheSabresTaco

Defensive woes are big, most analytics show he gives up as much offense as he scores at ES. He's brilliant on the PP.

He's basically out right defying the coach though which is the real issue.

Pens ask a lot more of their third pairing than most teams do. They play more minutes and eat heavy defensive zone starts, so it's important that pair is good. They can't put 2 bums out there and hide them.

They also need depth on both sides which is why I think keeping both Ruhwedel and Riikola as healthy scratch depth defensemen, one RD and one LD, might be the plan.

Gudbranson played great and is great value? I feel some perspective is needed here.

-Gudbranson definitely exceeded expectations, but his starting bar was VERY low.
-$4M isn't good value for ANYONE playing a bottom pair role on any team. Unless you simply have the luxury of spending that money, but then you better be spending it on a dman who's worth $4M.

Personally, my bar for Guds was as low as JJ and I'm glad I was wrong. He definitely performed better than expected. I thought he was a better skater, faster and tighter defensively than I expected. I won't be upset if he's still on the team next season, but I'd prefer the Pens find better ways of spending the money and I don't think offense goes to die with him the way it does JJ

Pens ask a lot more of their third pairing than most teams do. They play more minutes and eat heavy defensive zone starts, so it's important that pair is good.

- Tojo.

Honest question here and I'm really not trying to be a Richard, but you didn't look ANY of this up did you?

I liked Gudbranson but I’m not going to pretend like his numbers weren’t protected by playing with Petts. The biggest difference was that his defensive gaffs were severely fewer than when he was with Vancouver. He legit looked like a different player

I think Rino suggested a very good trade possibility before: Rust for Oesterle. This would be solid if we move out both JJ and Maatta for cap space up front. Dumo, Petts, and Oesterle would fill out our left side. Gives us plenty of options and room up front