I give credit when credit is due. That was an great play and I absolutely expect that kind of play out of him. But there hasn't been a game where Tanger doesn't have a cringe-worthy moment. I don't want my #1 Dman have cringe-worthy moments. I realize it's a high-risk/high-reward thing and people say that pluses outweigh the minuses.
- chimpira

Okay hear me out. Letang and JJ for Dekeyser and Bowey.

Hagelin and cogs I think are 2 perfect ones! Grabner i have to say definitely not. Speed yes but effort changed from game to game. I think my point is its very rare for a player to have a mindset to always go at that intensity. Wheeler even pointed out Tanevs effort after they played saying they all need to remember how he played there and match that every game.
- pens4life-66

Your judgement of effort is severely biased therefore it’s not valid.

I give credit when credit is due. That was an great play and I absolutely expect that kind of play out of him. But there hasn't been a game where Tanger doesn't have a cringe-worthy moment. I don't want my #1 Dman have cringe-worthy moments. I realize it's a high-risk/high-reward thing and people say that pluses outweigh the minuses.
- chimpira

I think if you watched all the #1 D-men in the league regularly that you'd see they have a lot of these moments because of how much ice time they get and also how much they have the puck. Its going to happen. Pretty sure someone here the other day was saying that #1 D-men are usually towards the top of the league in giveaways.

Random thought also unlikely and unpopular, but I’d like to move Hornqvist. The Avs seem like a team that could benefit from him.
- Rinosaur

It's a move that would make sense after the season, but with that NTC and him being a Sully favorite and a team leader it's doubtful.

He was completely invisible for the first two months of last season and was arguably the worst forward on the team the last 10 games and playoffs.
- burgh4life87

Rust is back in like 2 weeks ish. I think there is definitely a difference that will be clear then.

Your judgement of effort is severely biased therefore it’s not valid.
- Feds91Stammer

Ill decide whats valid thanks for coming out. Yes thats so severely biased saying an opinion of someone whos clearly one of the hardest working players we have all seen this season. One of those guys thats never wrong about anything. Everyone likes those kinda people....

Depends on how he plans on being used.

Maatta-Letang
Dumo-Schultz
Petterson-Marino

Sounds way better than

Dumo-Letang
Peterson-Schultz
JJ-Marino(Gudbranson)

In my opinion.
- j.boyd919

I have no desire to break up the top pair. All the good data on Letang-Maatta is at least 4 seasons ago so no guarantee that clicks again.

Better plan is save money at LD with cheaper player that can get the same results. Hopefully POJ is the long-term answer. I've seen enough of Maatta.

I think if you watched all the #1 D-men in the league regularly that you'd see they have a lot of these moments because of how much ice time they get and also how much they have the puck. Its going to happen. Pretty sure someone here the other day was saying that #1 D-men are usually towards the top of the league in giveaways.
- MattStrat

Notable d with 100+ mins 5v5 with a higher giveaway per 60 than Letang: Klingberg. Petry. Ellis. Subban. Doughty. Gardiner. Klefbom. Green. Carlson. Josi. Karlsson. McAvoy.

The last 4 are the highest of the 90 d that met the criteria.

Bryan Rust
- joecool2931

He used to be, but he definitely didn't bring that effort every night last year. It's been widely speculated he was one of the guy Rutherford said had grown complacent.

I do expect him to come back and play hard though. He knows he's a guy they were willing to move and someone is going to be the odd man out.

Rust is back in like 2 weeks ish. I think there is definitely a difference that will be clear then.
- pens4life-66

I'm not saying he is worthless, I'm just saying that he isn't the relentless motor that Tanev has shown. Honestly, the guy is quite unique in that regard.

Ill decide whats valid thanks for coming out. Yes thats so severely biased saying an opinion of someone whos clearly one of the hardest working players we have all seen this season. One of those guys thats never wrong about anything. Everyone likes those kinda people....
- pens4life-66

I was referring to you discounting Grabners effort level. Also just because one guy looks like he’s working harder than another guy doesn’t mean that’s the case.

Notable d with 100+ mins 5v5 with a higher giveaway per 60 than Letang: Klingberg. Petry. Ellis. Subban. Doughty. Gardiner. Klefbom. Green. Carlson. Josi. Karlsson. McAvoy.

The last 4 are the highest of the 90 d that met the criteria.
- Feds91Stammer

Lots of Norris trophies in that group. Also, how good has Petry been for the Habs? Has to be the most underrated dman in the league.

I'm not saying he is worthless, I'm just saying that he isn't the relentless motor that Tanev has shown. Honestly, the guy is quite unique in that regard.
- burgh4life87

His speed might be unique. His “relentless motor” is not.

I'm not saying he is worthless, I'm just saying that he isn't the relentless motor that Tanev has shown. Honestly, the guy is quite unique in that regard.
- burgh4life87

Ya thats 100% what I was saying to. Severely biased though

Ya thats 100% what I was saying to. Severely biased though
- pens4life-66

Yes your judgement of effort is biased as is everyone’s.

He used to be, but he definitely didn't bring that effort every night last year. It's been widely speculated he was one of the guy Rutherford said had grown complacent.

I do expect him to come back and play hard though. He knows he's a guy they were willing to move and someone is going to be the odd man out.
- Tojo.

Ive never heard that speculation of complacency...But youre definitely right, i think they were willing to move him and seeing the way tanev is playing should give him an extra energy. i just hope they dont trade him, and we find cap space through the d-men or hornquist

Ive never heard that speculation of complacency...But youre definitely right, i think they were willing to move him and seeing the way tanev is playing should give him an extra energy. i just hope they dont trade him, and we find cap space through the d-men or hornquist
- joecool2931

It was at the start of last season JR said it in an interview. Not specifically saying rusts name I dont think but it seemed pointed that way. Something along the lines of there are a few guys who just came into the league won a couple cups and have gotten complacent. But we have been told its not unique how Tanev plays anyways and we cant judge that.

I think last night was exhibit A why $3.5M on Tanev was better money spent than $4M on Donskoi.

Donskoi is like paying $4M for Simon or Kahun. Tanev brings something the Pens desperately needed.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

People who understand hockey know this. People who watch hockey thru the lens of charts and graphs would disagree with you

Tanev had a quote in an article recently. "I play every shift like it's going to be my last"

Imagine if you could bottle that up and sell it

I kind of stopped. Usually skim through it a bit before going straight to the thread. The thing is, I think he can be a decent writer and seems to know stuff, but he doesn't utilize the platform for anyone to engage with him, so he comes off as quite a "listen to me from my high horse, for everything I say is a fact" douche.

Do you folks think he reads the posts? I am quite certain he does.
- chimpira

Yes he does. You can see the tone on his twitter or on the next blog if we've struck a nerve

His speed might be unique. His “relentless motor” is not.
- Feds91Stammer

The combination of speed, forecheck, ability to draw penalties, and frankly his ability to carry the puck up ice, is very unique and I can see why Sully and GMJR were so damn happy to sign him.

You are right though, just by simply saying relentless motor, it is sort of lame. It's the NHL, 95% of the players have it.

Bellerive is not having a good start down there. 0's across the board.

DeSmith's numbers are pretty awful, I'm sure half of the team being up is having an effect on the latter.

Pens feel locked in with Tanev and Hornqvist as 3rd line wings for a while with their contracts. Going to be hard for prospects that aren't too 6 caliber to make an impact.

Is Pavlachev a senior? I'm hoping he doesn't go the college FA route.
- Tojo.

Yeah I mean Hornqvist is probably a crappier contract than Tanev. On the scale of bad contracts its probably Johnson, Gudbranson, Horny, then Bjug.

Yeah Pavlychev is a senior. He's been slowing adding offense to his game.. 29 points in 39 games last season. He could be our version of Lowry.

Dude you’re from Hburg too???
- Grizzsh

Yeah man. Never played with/against Sam though... I'm a good bit older than him

Darren Helm.
Carl Hagelin.
Andrew Cogliano.
Michael Grabner.
- Feds91Stammer

I cant comment on game-to-game, shift-to-shift consistent efforts of guys I dont watch but, despite Hagelin's speed, he was about 50% effort for the first half of the regular season a few years in a row.

The combination of speed, forecheck, ability to draw penalties, and frankly his ability to carry the puck up ice, is very unique and I can see why Sully and GMJR were so damn happy to sign him.

You are right though, just by simply saying relentless motor, it is sort of lame. It's the NHL, 95% of the players have it.
- burgh4life87

Yeah definitely a major difference in value between relentless effort guy (Bobby Farnham) and relentless effort guy with useful hockey skills (Tanev)