It makes sense for expansion but is that a perk or a feature of the signing? We’re talking about Ken Holland here.
- Victoro311

I would say it’s 50% the reason. The other 50% is Holland knows he’s terrible in normal UFA scenarios.

Wut. In what world do we have a lineup comparable the maple leafs lol. Woof.
- j.boyd919

Obviously taking a Toronto 3rd liner and putting him on your top line means they are the same team.

The Pens might only have a slightly better bottom six than NJD and NYR.

The Pens might only have a slightly better bottom six than NJD and NYR.
- Rinosaur

I mean I like Detroit’s bottom 6 more right now.

I mean I like Detroit’s bottom 6 more right now.
- Feds91Stammer

I still love the Pens' 4th line, but third line despite having McCann is a few steps below the fourth line and would be a mediocre fourth line at that.

Well, Kris Russell just got an extension that is the same contract as Ceci just got. I would much rather have Ceci (handedness aside).
- Hockey66

Good because that means GMJR can't sign him for another year to complete his Mt. Rushmore of the league's worst defensemen.

Simon!!! 1 year 700k with the flames

Simon!!! 1 year 700k with the flames
- pens4life-66

Wow. So the Pens sign former Flams Jankowski who could barely stay in their lineup for $700K and they get Simon for less than what the Pens paid him?

Simon >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Jankwoski

Wow. So the Pens sign former Flams Jankowski who could barely stay in their lineup for $700K and they get Simon for less than what the Pens paid him?

Simon >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Jankwoski
- Rinosaur

Pens offered him a contract but he thought he could make more. Obviously he was wrong. They chose not to wait around for him to figure that out. Not going to blame them for this one.

Really it's ERod who got his spot, not Jankowski who was signed to be a center.

Pens offered him a contract but he thought he could make more. Obviously he was wrong. They chose not to wait around for him to figure that out. Not going to blame them for this one.

Really it's ERod who got his spot, not Jankowski who was signed to be a center.
- Tojo.

I'm not really calling out JR so much as commenting on the situation. Simon is also better than ERod.

I'm not really calling out JR so much as commenting on the situation. Simon is also better than ERod.
- Rinosaur

Can’t confirm 100% the amount but I think the pens offered Simon 1 year @ 850k and he shut it down. Pens moved on clearly as they should and when Simon was ready to accept there were no chairs left. Next.

Can’t confirm 100% the amount but I think the pens offered Simon 1 year @ 850k and he shut it down. Pens moved on clearly as they should and when Simon was ready to accept there were no chairs left. Next.
- pens4life-66

Flames got a great deal.

Pens offered him a contract but he thought he could make more. Obviously he was wrong. They chose not to wait around for him to figure that out. Not going to blame them for this one.

Really it's ERod who got his spot, not Jankowski who was signed to be a center.
- Tojo.

At the end of the day our moves suck regardless of Simon or no Simon. Simon is a nice player and better than all the other forwards we acquired this offseason, but he wouldn't have addressed our need for a top 9 scoring forward either, so... Would have been (frank)ed regardless.

I'm not really calling out JR so much as commenting on the situation. Simon is also better than ERod.
- Rinosaur

Probably true. Like to see a little more of ERod before I'm sure. Either way, not sure it mattered much.

Good because that means GMJR can't sign him for another year to complete his Mt. Rushmore of the league's worst defensemen.
- Tojo.

Gary Roberts has been hired by the Seattle Kraken as a sports performance consultant. Quite the changes this year except the two that should have been made.

There’s no reason pitt shouldn’t be able to field a competitive team

There’s no reason pitt shouldn’t be able to field a competitive team
- 10inchTerror

Well they currently don't have one as competitive as other teams fighting for playoff spots in the metro.

At the end of the day our moves suck regardless of Simon or no Simon. Simon is a nice player and better than all the other forwards we acquired this offseason, but he wouldn't have addressed our need for a top 9 scoring forward either, so... Would have been (frank)ed regardless.
- Victoro311

I've just accepted they didn't have the cap room to do much. People can argue they could have not added a RHD to squeeze out a 3rd liner, but they didn't feel comfortable going Ruhwedel 3rd and Trotman 4th and I can't get too worked up because I wasn't either. (The fact they chose a bad player is a different argument.)

Outside of Colorado, what good teams actually got better? Montreal and Buffalo did, but they were deep out of the playoffs. Washington signed Schultz to be a top 4 defensemen. Rangers lost Fast and added JJ. Canes add Fast but lost Williams. Flyers had their top pair RD retire and signed Gustafson to replace him. Isles lost their best puck-moving defenseman and added nobody. Boston adds Smith but lost Krug and maybe Chara. Tampa who knows who all they'll lose.

EDIT forgot Leafs. Like adding Brodie, but they lost a lot of depth up front and added some past prime vets.

Point is nobody could do much this off-season and most teams are worse right now. We really in much worse shape?

Well they currently don't have one as competitive as other teams fighting for playoff spots in the metro.
- Rinosaur

Honest question for anyone: who had the best off-season in the Metro?

Off the top of my head I might go Canes for adding Fast, but they lost Williams and a lot of defensive depth, so how much better are They? (They could afford to lose that)

Well they currently don't have one as competitive as other teams fighting for playoff spots in the metro.
- Rinosaur

If health and goaltending hold up, which I think goaltending will be more likely than good health, what’s holding them back? Defence is improved imo until we see otherwise. 3rd line issues? Jake and Guentz can carry a line to move a better righty down. G and rust can carry a line to move a lefty down the lineup. Move two ppl down to the 3rd line of needed. Zucker, whoever, Kap would prob be a decent 3rd line, if 1 of the 2 doesn’t move the needle enough. Try the kids in the lineup. Maybe a trade for a medium impact player will be made at some point. I wouldn’t bank on it but even 1 prospect playing competently would change the look of the bottom 6 regardless of where he slots in.

The only concern I have with the team is the choices that will be made by the coach. And obviously the gm, but those have already been made, so the only thing to look at is how to optimize the 19 players playing on any given night instead of wishing this signing or that trade was made.

I don’t expect a cup to be won but the playoffs should be within reason.

I've just accepted they didn't have the cap room to do much. People can argue they could have not added a RHD to squeeze out a 3rd liner, but they didn't feel comfortable going Ruhwedel 3rd and Trotman 4th and I can't get too worked up because I wasn't either. (The fact they chose a bad player is a different argument.)

Outside of Colorado, what good teams actually got better? Montreal and Buffalo did, but they were deep out of the playoffs. Washington signed Schultz to be a top 4 defensemen. Rangers lost Fast and added JJ. Canes add Fast but lost Williams. Flyers had their top pair RD retire and signed Gustafson to replace him. Isles lost their best puck-moving defenseman and added nobody. Boston adds Smith but lost Krug and maybe Chara. Tampa who knows who all they'll lose.

EDIT forgot Leafs. Like adding Brodie, but they lost a lot of depth up front and added some past prime vets.

Point is nobody could do much this off-season and most teams are worse right now. We really in much worse shape?
- Tojo.

I think we minimally improved. NYR will start to push but prob not till next year when they can spend. Wash got worse is starting to decline. Everyone else I think is pretty neutral.

Honest question for anyone: who had the best off-season in the Metro?

Off the top of my head I might go Canes for adding Fast, but they lost Williams and a lot of defensive depth, so how much better are They? (They could afford to lose that)
- Tojo.

Columbus.

Columbus.
- Feds91Stammer

They got max Domi. Bit of a gamble but I think I’d prefer Anderson.

I've just accepted they didn't have the cap room to do much. People can argue they could have not added a RHD to squeeze out a 3rd liner, but they didn't feel comfortable going Ruhwedel 3rd and Trotman 4th and I can't get too worked up because I wasn't either. (The fact they chose a bad player is a different argument.)

Outside of Colorado, what good teams actually got better? Montreal and Buffalo did, but they were deep out of the playoffs. Washington signed Schultz to be a top 4 defensemen. Rangers lost Fast and added JJ. Canes add Fast but lost Williams. Flyers had their top pair RD retire and signed Gustafson to replace him. Isles lost their best puck-moving defenseman and added nobody. Boston adds Smith but lost Krug and maybe Chara. Tampa who knows who all they'll lose.

EDIT forgot Leafs. Like adding Brodie, but they lost a lot of depth up front and added some past prime vets.

Point is nobody could do much this off-season and most teams are worse right now. We really in much worse shape?
- Tojo.

You make some really good points but the problem with the Pens is they had such a big deficit to make up and they failed. Some addition by subtraction regarding JJ, but yeah, we got cap pinched at the worst possible time. If Matheson is going to suck at defense anyway, I would have moved him to the right side and started Riikola on the left. Don't sign Ceci, dump Sceviour, and squeeze out a legit third liner.

The other problem with the Pens is roster construction. The only time the Pens looked threatening against MTL was when Horny started harassing Price and hanging out in front of the net. We literally have no one to do that now, either 5v5 or PP, and please don't say Guentzel because we saw what Weber did to him. Julien is no dummy and knew that the Pens would be easy to push around and they were. Not the reason the Pens lost but it was a factor.