Crosby doesn’t command the same level of attention. The soft spots are harder to come by for Jake.
- Feds91Stammer

Good point. He used to find a way to be open a lot. Now he has no space.

Well when you factor in the tens of millions we have in cap space... we can overpay them.

Reminds me of 2012 when the Penguins thought the world was ending when Suter and Parise went to Minnesota. Parise's wife saved us from cap hell.
- SuperHenderson13

Suter would have landed with Detroit and I don’t know how that makes me feel.

What concerns me about Jake is 1 5v5 goal the last 3 years, and it was back in 2019. Dude looks at the refs for a penalty almost every play. As great as he was his 1st 2 playoff years, he just looks like a guy who gets rattled easily by physical play. Sometimes that is something that doesn't bother guys early in their careers but takes it's toll later.

Maybe he cones back on fire next year, but it's a bit of a concern when a guy I consider one of the league's top 5v5 goal scorers can't score 5v5 in the playoffs for 3 straight years.
- Tojo.

I agree. He's just looked off the last few playoffs runs.

I really hate the AHL rule about players coming in at certain ages. We have no idea what Poulin and/or Legare will be. Maybe they're going to be solid middle six guys, maybe solid fourth line players or just fringe NHL players, but without a solid year in the AHL they're developmentally still a good year away when they could have been in much better position to challenge for a spot in 21/22.

Teams like the Pens REALLY benefit from young cheap players being able to take on bigger roles, but I can't see anyone really coming in doing that which makes the Pens financial situation that much harder.
- Rinosaur

100%. They made their deal with the devil for GMJR to empty the prospect cupboards. May not have known a cap freeze was coming at the time, but if you don't have young, cheap talent you're at a severe handicap. Particularly when trying to build around a core in their mid 30s.

When you look at our team in 2016 and 2017... guys like Kunitz, Hornqvist, Cole, and others were plenty physical and got the tough goals... as those guys aged and left, we never replaced them.

We are a one dimensional team right now. When that part of our team was working, we were hard to beat... but teams could throw us off of that game in the playoffs and we had no answer.

I think it's important to remember, no one here (except maybe Grinder) is saying we should become the goon squad. We need guys who can go to the net to cause havoc, guys that can do the heavy work as guys like Crosby/Malkin are less willing to engage in those battles.

I look at a team like the Flames who will have an interesting offseason... would something centered around Jake for Tkachuk be of interest to either side?

Good point. He used to find a way to be open a lot. Now he has no space.
- Tojo.

Which is why it may be time to change up the dynamic and give him players like who open up space. That's honestly what made Dupuis and Kunitz such great wingers for him. They knew how to create time and space for Sid.

I think Rust is pretty effective at that, but I think you need TWO players who can do that well.

I say give Jake to Geno and find Sid another Dupuis.

Yeah makes total sense for Landy and Dougie to leave more successful teams to join the aging penguins poop show.
- Feds91Stammer

So you're saying if we get rid of all our overpaid players, we can't replace them with bargain players in free agency?

100%. They made their deal with the devil for GMJR to empty the prospect cupboards. May not have known a cap freeze was coming at the time, but if you don't have young, cheap talent you're at a severe handicap. Particularly when trying to build around a core in their mid 30s.
- Tojo.

People like me have been complaining how reckless this team was with draft picks... we wasted numerous picks every year. Rutherford did it especially, but so did Shero. Sooner or later, the bill comes due for missing those picks. We have an empty prospect pool which we could've used to add talent to our team now or hopefully had guys ready to contribute top 9 roles for 4th line money.

I have confidence POJ and Poulin can make the team next year... but other than those two and maybe Legare... not sure anyone else is going to make an impact in the Crosby/Malkin era.

100%. They made their deal with the devil for GMJR to empty the prospect cupboards. May not have known a cap freeze was coming at the time, but if you don't have young, cheap talent you're at a severe handicap. Particularly when trying to build around a core in their mid 30s.
- Tojo.

I think you can definitely make that argument about GMJR, but it's not his fault there's such a stupid rule in the AHL. Poulin and Legare could very well be potential answers, but because they couldn't get a year in the AHL to finally get some pro experience, it's going to delay their development.

Suter would have landed with Detroit and I don’t know how that makes me feel.
- Feds91Stammer

You guys would've probably finished in the middle of the pack and gotten even more screwed with your 1st round pick than you do with the draft lottery.

Kapanen clean-out interview was very weird. A lot of "kinda's" and pauses. "They kinda like welcomed me .... uhhh ... made me feel ... uhhh ... at home ... in a way".

I've thought about it some more and Petts is a puss...he needs to go....now really, in actual fact, if you lead the league in hits taken every season you're not actually a pvssy...but he plays soft and to my eyes takes a bit longer than the others to make decisions... Which is probably a factor in why he gets hit so much. He's not really bringing much offense, either, so for 4+ mill I dont think he should be there.

I'm not totally sold on Marino after this season. He didnt play like a 4.5 mill players most of the season. He is a righty though and I think he has more to offer than Petts.

I have nothing to base this one on, except maybe watching hockey for so long and seeing similar things, but Matheson feels like the kind of player that will be even better again in his second year with the new team...but...at that price, for what he brought this year, I dont think he's worth it. Really think he could of brought more offense than he did..and perhaps he will if around again next season.

I didnt realize that Friedman and Rudy were signed again next year to go along with PO Joe and Rikky who are also signed. Thats two LD and two RD signed for next season with a total combined cap hit of 3.48 mill hahah...I believe a duo of any of those guys could be totally fine for 3rd pair, which would result in a chunk of cap savings. Now its anyone's guess if they're all still there in September but you gotta think Friedman, a Hex boy, will be and PO Joe a decent prospect will be as well.
- MattStrat

Yeah, I had hoped that would improve with more experience but it hasn't. If Pettersson ever starts to process the game faster he should be a pretty good 2nd pair defensemen. But even if he does, the Pens have Marino and POJ who are pretty much in the same mold.

You guys would've probably finished in the middle of the pack and gotten even more screwed with your 1st round pick than you do with the draft lottery.

- SuperHenderson13

Holland might still be the GM and the thought of that makes me want to go grab a beer.

Yeah, I had hoped that would improve with more experience but it hasn't. If Pettersson ever starts to process the game faster he should be a pretty good 2nd pair defensemen. But even if he does, the Pens have Marino and POJ who are pretty much in the same mold.
- Tojo.

I'm curious to see what they have in Maniscalco.

small market/low key is not something I would describe Pittsburgh. Media and fans there are (frank)ing brutal.
- j.boyd919

Ive heard players saying they can go to the mall or grocery store without being recognized or bothered at all and the media are complete pvssies with the players, coaches and brass there from what I see.

Gonna be hard to make major change. A lot of teams won’t have cap space again and you don’t really have the assets to convince teams into taking salaries off your hands.
- Feds91Stammer

I wonder if Seattle would be interested in a guy like Pettersson. Guess it depends on what's in expansion.

If Pettersson was there, would they take him over Zucker? How about guys like Blueger and ZAR who they would only control for a year before UFA?

As much as everyone fears exposing Blueger, he is a 26 year old 4th line center (albeit a very good one) with limited scoring upside and only 1 year of control left. Is that really what an expansion team would want?

Yeah, I had hoped that would improve with more experience but it hasn't. If Pettersson ever starts to process the game faster he should be a pretty good 2nd pair defensemen. But even if he does, the Pens have Marino and POJ who are pretty much in the same mold.
- Tojo.

They are all a very similar mold, for sure.

I wonder if Seattle would be interested in a guy like Pettersson. Guess it depends on what's in expansion.

If Pettersson was there, would they take him over Zucker? How about guys like Blueger and ZAR who they would only control for a year before UFA?

As much as everyone fears exposing Blueger, he is a 26 year old 4th line center (albeit a very good one) with limited scoring upside and only 1 year of control left. Is that really what an expansion team would want?
- Tojo.

Yeah Ive always said I dont think Bluey is a lock to be taken in that draft.

Just wondering what's going to transpire IF Minny eliminates Vegas tonight.

Just wondering what's going to transpire IF Minny eliminates Vegas tonight.
- chimpira

I think either Lehner or Fleury will become available so they can free up space to get more scoring.

I think you can definitely make that argument about GMJR, but it's not his fault there's such a stupid rule in the AHL. Poulin and Legare could very well be potential answers, but because they couldn't get a year in the AHL to finally get some pro experience, it's going to delay their development.
- Rinosaur

That rule has always been there though. I do agree it's frustrating because I don't think it helped their development playing teenagers when they are that much bigger than most of them. They could rely on out-muscling people more then they will against grown men and will have to adjust.

The problem is that without those guys the only real sone what high end in the AHL was POJ. And it might be 2 or 3 more years until they add another. And we're not even talking top prospects, just guys who might fill somewhat important roles.

Well when you factor in the tens of millions we have in cap space... we can overpay them.

Reminds me of 2012 when the Penguins thought the world was ending when Suter and Parise went to Minnesota. Parise's wife saved us from cap hell.
- SuperHenderson13

Parise for Matheson???

I'm curious to see what they have in Maniscalco.
- Rinosaur

How’s a 47 year old standup comedian gonna help?

I think a healthy DeSmith wins a game or two. Enough to get through the series. Unfortunately, they'd need to get through 3 more rounds against MUCH tougher competition.

This is why I'm not all broken up by getting bounced in the 1st round. That tandem was never getting through 4 rounds against some great teams with a mediocre or below set of tenders.
- madmike71

Yeah I just don't know. I know on paper they dont stack up to the Bolts, Canes, Avs or Knights, and anyone who says they wouldn't beat those teams has an amazing chance of being right, but I didnt think they'd win a single round in 2017 without Letang. Ive been watching hockey long enough to know that the better team on paper doesnt always win. I think they had a chance, albeit smaller than other years, but a chance none the less...

I could tell in the post game interviews with Sid and the others that they were the most down about it they'd been in any of these series loses since 2018. Seemed they really believed in their group this year and thought they could do some damage.

Ive heard players saying they can go to the mall or grocery store without being recognized or bothered at all and the media are complete pvssies with the players, coaches and brass there from what I see.
- MattStrat

Yeah and they can do that in the tax free markets too.