I don’t know if we’re better for it since he is one of our 12 most talent forwards when healthy, but I also don’t really care all that much. His overall game is better than ZAR’s but ZAR has also been a top defensive forward in the league this year. I usually always default to icing the most talent, but ZAR’s skill set for that fourth line’s identity is such a perfect fit that in this case fit might trump skill.
- Victoro311

I might agree he's one of the more talented 12 forwards if it was the season before but in this season he was terrible in his showings, which were obviously limited, so I have zero confidence with how little hes played the past year that he'd be back to the Bjugstad we saw shortly after the trade for him last season. Add to the fact the coaching staff feels the need to play him even when he's not playing well so it might bump Bluey out, I think we're better off without him at this point. His foot speed was an eye sore when he came back in March and the Pens try and push a very uptempo game.

Well that at least makes decisions easier, but also reflects how good the Pens' depth is even with Simon and Bjugstad

Zucker/Sid/Sheary
Jake/Geno/Rust
Marleau/McCann/Horn
ZAR/Blue/Tanev
Rod

That's a very solid lineup even without Simon and Bjug.
- Rinosaur

It's been so long that I completely forgot the Pens got Marleau.

Well that at least makes decisions easier, but also reflects how good the Pens' depth is even with Simon and Bjugstad

Zucker/Sid/Sheary
Jake/Geno/Rust
Marleau/McCann/Horn
ZAR/Blue/Tanev
Rod

That's a very solid lineup even without Simon and Bjug.
- Rinosaur

I love the options we have for top 6 wing knowing Jake kills it with both Sid and Geno. Marleau was working well with Geno, so that's and option as well.

It's been so long that I completely forgot the Pens got Marleau.
- acdc1206

Haha yeah I actually forgot we got Sheary back a little ago.

I think even those teams can start to see an end to their rebuild and might not want a bad lomg deal. Bjugstad maybe. I think we might be stuck with JJ unless there's a compliance buyout.
- Tojo.

This organization refuses to use buy outs so I wouldn’t hold my breath. If we didn’t use one on the rotting corpse of Rob Scuderi, we won’t use one on Jack Johnson who the organization seems to think has been rehabilitated.

I might agree he's one of the more talented 12 forwards if it was the season before but in this season he was terrible in his showings, which were obviously limited, so I have zero confidence with how little hes played the past year that he'd be back to the Bjugstad we saw shortly after the trade for him last season. Add to the fact the coaching staff feels the need to play him even when he's not playing well so it might bump Bluey out, I think we're better off without him at this point. His foot speed was an eye sore when he came back in March and the Pens try and push a very uptempo game.
- MattStrat

Yea at this point his injuries have maybe kicked him out of the NHL. I'm sure he may get a prove it one year deal from someone. Hopefully not us. I think he's toast in the NHL unfortunately.

This organization refuses to use buy outs so I wouldn’t hold my breath. If we didn’t use one on the rotting corpse of Rob Scuderi, we won’t use one on Jack Johnson who the organization seems to think has been rehabilitated.
- Victoro311

I also don't remember if they also have a self-imposed rule to not retain.

Yea at this point his injuries have maybe kicked him out of the NHL. I'm sure he may get a prove it one year deal from someone. Hopefully not us. I think he's toast in the NHL unfortunately.
- 668710

Likely a Berglund situation. Decent enough 3rd line guy that can put up a respectable amount of offense into his late 20s. Injuries made him completely unreliable during his prime that prevented him from getting re-upped once on the other side of 30. Bjugstad is just simply not good enough to tie up any significant portion of your cap into since you know he won't be available for half a season.

I also don't remember if they also have a self-imposed rule to not retain.
- Rinosaur

We've retained cap before. We did so for Scuds.

We've retained cap before. We did so for Scuds.
- Victoro311

But not since which was a while ago and wasn't that during JR's first season?

If sarcasm tried to fly over your head, do you think you could kill it?
- Tojo.

If a thought tried to fly into your head do you think you would register it?

Well that at least makes decisions easier, but also reflects how good the Pens' depth is even with Simon and Bjugstad

Zucker/Sid/Sheary
Jake/Geno/Rust
Marleau/McCann/Horn
ZAR/Blue/Tanev
Rod

That's a very solid lineup even without Simon and Bjug.
- Rinosaur

With Malkin having a couple decent wingers, I'd have to think the defence and whether Jarry continues to play well or Murray plays like a champion, will be the deciding factors on whether this team advances. The forward group is solid to compete against anyone.

With Malkin having a couple decent wingers, I'd have to think the defence and whether Jarry continues to play well or Murray plays like a champion, will be the deciding factors on whether this team advances. The forward group is solid to compete against anyone.
- kaptaan

The defense will be interesting to see once everyone comes back.

But not since which was a while ago and wasn't that during JR's first season?
- Rinosaur

Second and we haven’t needed to since. I see no reason why our organization would have implemented that policy in recent years.

Excuse me. I think we did so for Hagelin.

The defense will be interesting to see once everyone comes back.
- Rinosaur

Sullivan and Martin better lean on the top 2 pairs. I wouldn’t consider our top 4 necessarily elite, but they’re very good and well rounded. Our 3rd pairing is replacement level. Sully loves spreading ice time across the bottom 2 pairings, but that philosophy needs a reality check going into these playoffs.

Second and we haven’t needed to since. I see no reason why our organization would have implemented that policy in recent years.

Excuse me. I think we did so for Hagelin.
- Victoro311

That's right they did retain a little. I didn't remember if I read that somewhere about not retaining anymore.

Sullivan and Martin better lean on the top 2 pairs. I wouldn’t consider our top 4 necessarily elite, but they’re very good and well rounded. Our 3rd pairing is replacement level. Sully loves spreading ice time across the bottom 2 pairings, but that philosophy needs a reality check going into these playoffs.
- Victoro311

To me they don't have to be replacement level. It's still a mystery on why they've handled Riikola the way thave, who IMO has arguably been one of the Pens' most consistent dmen. IMO a Riikola/Schultz 3rd pair (assuming they go back to Petts/Marino) would be a decent 3rd pair.

This organization refuses to use buy outs so I wouldn’t hold my breath. If we didn’t use one on the rotting corpse of Rob Scuderi, we won’t use one on Jack Johnson who the organization seems to think has been rehabilitated.
- Victoro311

This gets brought up from time to time, but have they ever actually said this, or is it just that they haven't done it?

Also a compliance buyout would be different if they have them. Regardless, this off-season will be different from normal so teams may ne forced to do something more drastic.

To me they don't have to be replacement level. It's still a mystery on why they've handled Riikola the way thave, who IMO has arguably been one of the Pens' most consistent dmen. IMO a Riikola/Schultz 3rd pair (assuming they go back to Petts/Marino) would be a decent 3rd pair.
- Rinosaur

Well yeah, but that won't happen. Gotta just accept the reality that Johnson is going to get a sweater and plan around it.

This gets brought up from time to time, but have they ever actually said this, or is it just that they haven't done it?

Also a compliance buyout would be different if they have them. Regardless, this off-season will be different from normal so teams may ne forced to do something more drastic.
- Tojo.

It has not come from Mario, Burkle, Shero, or Rutherford's mouths, but the beat has been pretty explicit for years that a buy out isn't a realistic option for this organization. That's beat speak for an unofficial policy being in place.

Well yeah, but that won't happen. Gotta just accept the reality that Johnson is going to get a sweater and plan around it.
- Victoro311

It's not even about Johnson. They've started Ruhwedel on his off side over Riikola. I've seen tweets from some writers on the handling of Riikola, but I'm curious as to why none of them have done any kind of deep dive into this. It's clearly not a HUGE deal, but it's still a mystery to me.