Thoughts on trying to trade HQ for Zucker? What would we have to add? Seems like we don't need HQ on the PP and Zucker is a much better even strength player.

Thoughts on trying to trade HQ for Zucker? What would we have to add? Seems like we don't need HQ on the PP and Zucker is a much better even strength player.
- Kessel Doctrine

Actually pretty much all the evidence says that Hornqvist greatly elevates the PP even when he’s not scoring. That being said, that wouldn’t make me have reservations about trading him. A coaching staff worth their salt should be able to scheme a PP with Crosby and Malkin to be effective without Hornqvist if they have a whole offseason to do so.

Anyways, finally got around to actually reading the Yohe article and given the addendum in his tweet, it seems like Kessel actually wants to stay in Pitt rather than just not wanting to go to the places Rutherford wants to send him to. Lends credence to my theory that everything is perfectly fine with Phil and the rest of the locker room and that the problem is between Phil and the non-hockey players in the organization. Still, I don’t see how a feud between player and organization is tenable even if his teammates still like the guy.

Why would they trade him? He is in a perfect role behind Sid and Malkin, continues to put up 80 points a year and the Leafs are paying for part of his cap hit.

Why would they trade him? He is in a perfect role behind Sid and Malkin, continues to put up 80 points a year and the Leafs are paying for part of his cap hit.
- Zezel

Exactly. GMJR is going through a rough patch.

Exactly. GMJR is going through a rough patch.
- j.boyd919

At least he seemed explicit about not trading Malkin in the Yohe article. Seems like he basically through a tantrum after getting blanked and wanted to blow the whole thing up and now he’s thinking more rationally. That or Mario told him you’re not allowed to trade Malkin and be careful about trading Kessel.

Fix up the D a bit and get rid of the coach. Then you see a better team.

At least he seemed explicit about not trading Malkin in the Yohe article. Seems like he basically through a tantrum after getting blanked and wanted to blow the whole thing up and now he’s thinking more rationally. That or Mario told him you’re not allowed to trade Malkin and be careful about trading Kessel.
- Victoro311

I’m gonna guess the latter. Dudes a million years old, i would think he’d know that you need to let the dust settle before you evaluate things and run your mouth about your best players...

Fix up the D a bit and get rid of the coach. Then you see a better team.
- MattStrat

It seems like Sully wants to play one way while GMJR wants to play another way. Those two just need to sit down and figure out how exactly they want to play. I don’t even think they need a new coach, they just need to come up with a legit plan.

I say again, the D needs fixing. Trading anyone should address that first and foremost. Be it addition by subtraction or flat out improvement.

It seems like Sully wants to play one way while GMJR wants to play another way. Those two just need to sit down and figure out how exactly they want to play. I don’t even think they need a new coach, they just need to come up with a legit plan.
- j.boyd919

Yeah that could be the case, definitely seems like a disconnect between the two. What concerns me a bit more though is what seemed to be a disconnect between players and the coach.

Say "seemed" because I dont know for sure.

It seems like Sully wants to play one way while GMJR wants to play another way. Those two just need to sit down and figure out how exactly they want to play. I don’t even think they need a new coach, they just need to come up with a legit plan.
- j.boyd919

I lost my fair amount of patience with Sullivan this year, but he’s not any worse than the mean. Firing him will probably result in just rearranging deck chairs, which isn’t necessarily a wrong move given that sometimes coaches have shelf lives, but there’s other things that need to be fixed before having a change in bench boss will help.

I lost my fair amount of patience with Sullivan this year, but he’s not any worse than the mean. Firing him will probably result in just rearranging deck chairs, which isn’t necessarily a wrong move given that sometimes coaches have shelf lives, but there’s other things that need to be fixed before having a change in bench boss will help.
- Victoro311

I honestly think both need to be addressed. Coaching and roster. To me one of the signs a coach has lost his hold on the team is how frequently he changes lines. All coaches do this to some degree, but I felt Sullivan did this to a manic degree.

He wouldn't stick with anything. If it didn't work for one shift, he'd change it.

I did not. I think JR is open for business, but I can't see Letang being traded. I could see JJ, Schultz, Maatta, and even Gudbranson being traded.
- 123Kid

That's probably the list, I'd say Maatta, JJ, Schultz, and Gudbranson is the order most likely to go. Letang, Dumoulin, or Pettersson going would surprise me.

Some crazy stats on how good Gudbranson was. Most of his analytics like corsi, Fenwick, shots for, etc. were top 25 among all defensemen in the league He actually ranked 1st in both xGF and high danger chances and 2nd in scoring chances for among all defensemen.

He played with a lot of good possession players and probably can't repeat that. Still that's just insane for a guy who's been one of the worst in the league.

I honestly think both need to be addressed. Coaching and roster. To me one of the signs a coach has lost his hold on the team is how frequently he changes lines. All coaches do this to some degree, but I felt Sullivan did this to a manic degree.

He wouldn't stick with anything. If it didn't work for one shift, he'd change it.
- Rinosaur

I could see if they start this coming season repeatedly losing that Sullivan gets the axe. I just hope to God that they don't promote Recchi. I don't think he's much of a coach. I think the PP succeeded despite his coaching abilities. I just don't know who they would get as his replacement.

That's probably the list, I'd say Maatta, JJ, Schultz, and Gudbranson is the order most likely to go. Letang, Dumoulin, or Pettersson going would surprise me.

Some crazy stats on how good Gudbranson was. Most of his analytics like corsi, Fenwick, shots for, etc. were top 25 among all defensemen in the league He actually ranked 1st in both xGF and high danger chances and 2nd in scoring chances for among all defensemen.

He played with a lot of good possession players and probably can't repeat that. Still that's just insane for a guy who's been one of the worst in the league.
- Tojo.

Youd think that they'd want to keep him around? He's a good at clearing guys from the net, he's the enforcer they need and he can clear the puck. Why would they get rid of him only to go after another enforcer?
It only makes sense to keep him. I get that the price tag is hefty but look at what you just posted. To me, I'd keep him. He's a third pairing guy who gets the job done.

Youd think that they'd want to keep him around? He's a good at clearing guys from the net, he's the enforcer they need and he can clear the puck. Why would they get rid of him only to go after another enforcer?
It only makes sense to keep him. I get that the price tag is hefty but look at what you just posted. To me, I'd keep him. He's a third pairing guy who gets the job done.
- nateca44

He was taken 3rd overall, so he's good.

It seems like Sully wants to play one way while GMJR wants to play another way. Those two just need to sit down and figure out how exactly they want to play. I don’t even think they need a new coach, they just need to come up with a legit plan.
- j.boyd919

This is flat out baffling to me. It's hard to imagine how these two guys spend so much time with each other and yet don't seem to be on the same page about players and style. Not sure I've ever seen a more obvious example of "disconnect" than the last two seasons.

Youd think that they'd want to keep him around? He's a good at clearing guys from the net, he's the enforcer they need and he can clear the puck. Why would they get rid of him only to go after another enforcer?
It only makes sense to keep him. I get that the price tag is hefty but look at what you just posted. To me, I'd keep him. He's a third pairing guy who gets the job done.
- nateca44

I mean the dude is being payed $4 mil to play the bottom pairing. I actually became a big Gudbranson fan last season after poopting on the trade but I still wouldn’t be sad to see him go because the value’s just not there. Nothing against him anymore, he did well here last year. I agree though he’s probably back.

This is flat out baffling to me. It's hard to imagine how these two guys spend so much time with each other and yet don't seem to be on the same page about players and style. Not sure I've ever seen a more obvious example of "disconnect" than the last two seasons.
- madmike71

Would you say its "disconnect" or more a long the lines that some people arent playing to their cap hit? Or...Johnson just sucks and they both were hoping for the best?
I feel like when Rutherford said some guys won a cup and now they're content he was pointing at guys like Kessel, Rust, and Hornquist. Maybe that'll spark a fire under their ass? Meh, well see.

I mean the dude is being payed $4 mil to play the bottom pairing. I actually became a big Gudbranson fan last season after poopting on the trade but I still wouldn’t be sad to see him go because the value’s just not there. Nothing against him anymore, he did well here last year. I agree though he’s probably back.
- Victoro311

I just don't want to see him traded, then we give up more assets to find the enforcer again. I'd rather keep him and play him with Petterson. They do well for a 3rd pairing.

So, Next year at practice when Sullivan has the team in the corner in front of the whiteboard talking about team defense and backchecking, and hustle, etc, etc, and Kessel is off in the opposite corner F'ing around what should he do?

Bench Phil? (He doesn't care)

Scratch Phil (Also probably doesn't care)

Play him like it's nothing (What message does that send to the rest of the guys on the team?)

Phil has to go, If this "Team" is going to turn the corner they all have to be on the same page - Addition by Subtraction
- RoloTahmasee

I don't know that Phil cares one lick about any of this stuff... he just wants to play.

But he MIGHT care about being benched, as it relates to his consecutive games-played streak.

This is flat out baffling to me. It's hard to imagine how these two guys spend so much time with each other and yet don't seem to be on the same page about players and style. Not sure I've ever seen a more obvious example of "disconnect" than the last two seasons.
- madmike71

One could say this goes all the way back to Reaves, said Captain Obvious.

I just don't want to see him traded, then we give up more assets to find the enforcer again. I'd rather keep him and play him with Petterson. They do well for a 3rd pairing.
- nateca44

Thing is Pettersson is probably gonna have to be promoted to second pairing given that Maatta is almost definitely out the door. I think hanging on to a guy because he did well in one specific pairing/line is a mistake because pairings/lines change all the time. Especially when we’re talking about a good amount of money for a guy playing a smaller role (although 3rd pairings are still pretty important). I agree that I’d be pissed if we pulled an Oleksiak again and traded our enforcer away just for Rutherford to decide we need another enforcer and piss away more assets at the deadline. But that’s just anticipating a bad move on the GM’s part and doesn’t make the initial trade bad. Kind of like how using Sheary to dump hunwick and free cap wasn’t necessarily bad until we turned around and used the savings on Johnson.

I honestly think both need to be addressed. Coaching and roster. To me one of the signs a coach has lost his hold on the team is how frequently he changes lines. All coaches do this to some degree, but I felt Sullivan did this to a manic degree.

He wouldn't stick with anything. If it didn't work for one shift, he'd change it.
- Rinosaur

I thought roster was the bigger problem. Still think Sully is a good coach, not perfect, but better than most. He's hardly the first coach to clash with Phil.

Pre-deadline moves, the roster was a mess. Nobody stepped into Schultz minutes on the right side until Gudbranson was added. Brassard, Pearson, and Sheahan we're mucking up the roster. Then he had to figure out if McCann or Bjugstad was the 3C and where the rest of the pieces fit.

Hard to settle on lines with all those problems. Hoping for more stability this year.

I’m going to guess the actual dialogue between JR and Phil went like this.
“Phil, we are going to look at some trades that might involve you”
“ ok Jim”
“How does Minnesota sound Phil? Close to home”.
“Doesn’t work for me Jim”.
“Phil you’re a Penguin next season”
“Sounds good Jim”

Everything else is made up by shi tty bloggers like Ryan Wilson.