What about Arvidsson? He may be a guy to target off the Preds.

The Bruins are going to be tough to beat this year. They play so well and hard - offense, defense, goaltending. Their forecheck is incredible too. Seems like a complete team with not a lot of weaknesses.
- chimpira

They are. Very structured and disciplined. They do everything well.

The Bruins are going to be tough to beat this year. They play so well and hard - offense, defense, goaltending. Their forecheck is incredible too. Seems like a complete team with not a lot of weaknesses.
- chimpira

Kind of remind me of the 18-19 lightning team

Ok gotcha. I'm sort of coming out of going all-in myself. For one I just don't really believe they can prop open the window much longer without adding a 1D and top 2C as Letang and Malkin continue to decline.

Secondly, I like Poulin and if you are extending your window you need a guy like him with a 3 year entry deal more than another expensive vet. Sort of the same with Legare, or at least I feel his lottery ticket potential is worth more than his trade value which isn't that high because he doesn't make top prospect lists.
- Tojo.

I agree about the window but I'm a little surprised to hear you say it. Also agree about our prospects that are probably more valuable to keep than would be their value in a trade.

The Bruins are going to be tough to beat this year. They play so well and hard - offense, defense, goaltending. Their forecheck is incredible too. Seems like a complete team with not a lot of weaknesses.
- chimpira

Yeah, they handled us pretty well and that was without Pasta who is an absolute stud.

I’d really like to see a five game look at Tanev with Crosby and Guentzel.

Anyone else notice Jankowski actually makes more plays with the puck short handed?

Ok gotcha. I'm sort of coming out of going all-in myself. For one I just don't really believe they can prop open the window much longer without adding a 1D and top 2C as Letang and Malkin continue to decline.

Secondly, I like Poulin and if you are extending your window you need a guy like him with a 3 year entry deal more than another expensive vet. Sort of the same with Legare, or at least I feel his lottery ticket potential is worth more than his trade value which isn't that high because he doesn't make top prospect lists.
- Tojo.

I agree. I think maybe do a few smaller moves (nothing where we lose top prospects). See how the rest of the year plays out. Trade some salary off and dive heavy into free agency.

Anyone else notice Jankowski actually makes more plays with the puck short handed?
- Grinder47

Idk why he stopped playing like he did against the flyers the first two games. He still had Tanev when he went on his decline.

Yeah, they handled us pretty well and that was without Pasta who is an absolute stud.
- Hockey66

Not saying they aren't good, but we weren't exactly killing it either, we played like crap and had pretty bad goal tending. Geno may as well not played haha. That being said I think Boston is the best team in our division.

Can we use the 9 game tryout? Or is that not even possible because of the rules?
- 668710

Just because of quarantine they might not. Losing 2 weeks going each way is a lot. As much as I'd like to see them get a try, missing any significant amount of ice time along the way would be a big hit for their development.

Not saying they aren't good, but we weren't exactly killing it either, we played like crap and had pretty bad goal tending. Geno may as well not played haha. That being said I think Boston is the best team in our division.
- 668710

Well, I think they had a lot to do with us playing like crap. We were missing a bunch of defensemen, though.

Well Hextall and Burke said they are all in this year and then will re-evaluate. So I don't see this kind of trade happening with one of our LD.
- 668710

I haven't heard them say all in. Sounded to me like they just said they aren't going to blow it up.

The only way they pick up a rental is if it's cheap and is someone they would possibly want to keep around. Granlund maybe?

My belief is that they will clear out some cap and contracts by trading for nearly ready prospects.

I could totally see any of our prospects getting traded. Hextall has spent a lot of time focused on the drafts for Philly and LA. He might not like the guys we have and do a prospect swap. I heard Fabbro was available for some reason and he would be nice to have as a next up RD.

What about Arvidsson? He may be a guy to target off the Preds.
- 668710

I really like him, but what does he cost and how does he slot in? Very similar in style to Kap and Rust but would his game mesh with Geno? Does that matter?

Only hesitation would be using up assets on a guy that doesn't address the biggest need, a left side right handed sniper for the PP.

Yeah, they handled us pretty well and that was without Pasta who is an absolute stud.
- Hockey66

Pens took them to OT with a decimated blue line and not having last change, then laid one of those real stinker efforts we've seen so far this season the next game. Been like 4 or 5 of them this season.

Not saying I think the Pens are better than the Bruins, currently they are not, but still think Pens can beat them.

I agree about the window but I'm a little surprised to hear you say it. Also agree about our prospects that are probably more valuable to keep than would be their value in a trade.
- Hockey66

Part of the reason I was for going all in was because I don't see them extending this window. They need cheap potential star talent in the prospect pool and just don't have it. I also don't see one big piece making that big a difference. So I feel like it would be dumb throwing away premium assets, although the only one we have is Poulin.

Pens took them to OT with a decimated blue line and not having last change, then laid one of those real stinker efforts we've seen so far this season the next game. Been like 4 or 5 of them this season.

Not saying I think the Pens are better than the Bruins, currently they are not, but still think Pens can beat them.
- MattStrat

The Bruins IMO are the Pens kryptonite. The way they play just absolutely neuters the Pens. I feel more confident against a team like Tampa than I do Boston.

Pens took them to OT with a decimated blue line and not having last change, then laid one of those real stinker efforts we've seen so far this season the next game. Been like 4 or 5 of them this season.

Not saying I think the Pens are better than the Bruins, currently they are not, but still think Pens can beat them.
- MattStrat

This team's real tough to get a read on. Compared to last year, the effort level and the fight is there. And we still have high end talent and our blue line is leagues better, but there just isn't enough talent in our forward depth to compete. If we had even a normal amount of tradable assets, this team would be pretty easy to fix, IMO, but unfortunately we have like a grand total of three pieces to work with. Can we fix up this roster into a contender with what we have? I don't really know. We're going nowhere if we sit on our hands, but will our ceiling be adequately high enough to gas the last remaining assets in our cupboard? Don't know the answer to that.

This team's real tough to get a read on. Compared to last year, the effort level and the fight is there. And we still have high end talent and our blue line is leagues better, but there just isn't enough talent in our forward depth to compete. If we had even a normal amount of tradable assets, this team would be pretty easy to fix, IMO, but unfortunately we have like a grand total of three pieces to work with. Can we fix up this roster into a contender with what we have? I don't really know. We're going nowhere if we sit on our hands, but will our ceiling be adequately high enough to gas the last remaining assets in our cupboard? Don't know the answer to that.
- Victoro311

Not having Geno playing up to par is the biggest issue with the offense IMO. If Geno gets back to a higher level, then Zucker and/or Kap's game will be positively affected, but I do agree we need a little more talent up front.

Not having Geno playing up to par is the biggest issue with the offense IMO. If Geno gets back to a higher level, then Zucker and/or Kap's game will be positively affected, but I do agree we need a little more talent up front.
- Rinosaur

I don’t see either Zucker or Malkin’s game getting back to par while they are on the same line. They have negative chemistry. If we want to maximize them, we need a new LW for Malkin and have Zucker on a different line.

Not having Geno playing up to par is the biggest issue with the offense IMO. If Geno gets back to a higher level, then Zucker and/or Kap's game will be positively affected, but I do agree we need a little more talent up front.
- Rinosaur

Letang is also very much below his normal level. Geno and Letang struggling means this team just isn't that special. A lot of good players but not enough great ones.

I don’t see either Zucker or Malkin’s game getting back to par while they are on the same line. They have negative chemistry. If we want to maximize them, we need a new LW for Malkin and have Zucker on a different line.
- Victoro311

I don't completely disagree, but I do disagree that anyone Malkin plays with will affect him getting back to par. Malkin getting to his game has zero to do with anyone else. Malkin's issues are all on himself. Nobody is going elevate Malkin's game, but Malkin.

Zucker's issue is he is just not capable of picking up the slack. The issue as you pointed out is the talent level surrounding him. If he at least had better talent around him it would at least take some of the work off his plate and keep the line from sinking.

Letang is also very much below his normal level. Geno and Letang struggling means this team just isn't that special. A lot of good players but not enough great ones.
- Tojo.

Yes, Letang is definitely part of the problem, but we're starting to see glimpses of his game going back to normal. He's still a ways off, but I feel he's starting to come around.

Geno just looks lost. His passing has been careless and well, just bad. He needs to shoot much more and stop deferring to everyone.

I don't completely disagree, but I do disagree that anyone Malkin plays with will affect him getting back to par. Malkin getting to his game has zero to do with anyone else. Malkin's issues are all on himself. Nobody is going elevate Malkin's game, but Malkin.

Zucker's issue is he is just not capable of picking up the slack. The issue as you pointed out is the talent level surrounding him. If he at least had better talent around him it would at least take some of the work off his plate and keep the line from sinking.
- Rinosaur

All of Zucker’s underlying numbers are as bad or worse than Malkin’s without the production. Zucker isn’t as important to the team’s success as Malkin so it doesn’t matter as much, but it is notable he’s having a worse season. Is Zucker that much of a passenger that he has no individual positive affect on a line? If that’s the case then that’s a problem in and of itself and we still need a better winger anyway even if Malkin regains form.

Personally I do think Zucker is a good player who’s not a passenger and the root of the issue is that he and Malkin are not fits for each other. Their ineffectiveness together dates all the way back to last season when Geno was playing at MVP caliber, so the problem here goes far beyond Malkin having a bad season to date, just like Malkin’s problems this season go far beyond Zucker. Separating them isn’t a silver bullet to fix Malkin. In fact, I think separating them has a bigger chance of turning Zucker’s season around than Malkin’s. But I can only seee upside in separating them.

The fourth period, which is neither here nor there to me, is reporting the Pens (amongst other teams) have interest in Granlund and Haula.

https://www.thefourthperi...ille#.YDPIM8U6z1w.twitter

IMO Haula is the way to go if they grab anyone from NSH. Granlund would be solid, but I don't think he's worth the pricetag he'll probably command in trade.