All You said above I agree just you're not factoring mngmnt wanted size in the back end. Period. You can play manager all you want but it won't matter.

Trading Matheson was an example of poor asset mngmt as he had good size and was a very good puck moving Dman. Signing Kapanen to this amount $$ was poor asset mngmnt. The Marino deal was OK as they cleared space and brought a good young player in Ty Smith and signed Rutta (bigger body, as they wanted).

With all that said a Nino signing wasn't lost on the Rutta deal. Period.

Edit: Pettersson is a good defensive player but just cant clear the net as he weighs as much as a 5'10" guy. I really thought he was the one to go before Matheson or Marino. Apparently we found no takers.
- Barnaby36

Both Kap and Rutta we're not necessary signings. We had a solid cheap third pair and Friedman brought a physical element to the third pair if needed. If we sign neither of Kap or Rutta we could have signed Nino(top 6 wing)and another cheap bottom 6 guy maybe like Stastny and could of had this as our bottom 6.
Zuck-Stastny-Carter
Poehling-Blue-Mcginn
O'Connor

Dumo-Tanger
Pett-Petry
Any of Friedman/Ruh/POJ/Smith

Both Kap and Rutta we're not necessary signings. We had a solid cheap third pair and Friedman brought a physical element to the third pair if needed. If we sign neither of Kap or Rutta we could have signed Nino(top 6 wing)and another cheap bottom 6 guy maybe like Stastny and could of had this as our bottom 6.
Zuck-Stastny-Carter
Poehling-Blue-Mcginn
O'Connor
- 668710

You fail to see management wanted someone to clear the net, with more size. Petry and Rutta can do that.

You fail to see management wanted someone to clear the net, with more size. Petry and Rutta can do that.
- Barnaby36

Rutta doesn't do that.

You fail to see management wanted someone to clear the net, with more size. Petry and Rutta can do that.
- Barnaby36

I guess they are taking Tangers minutes away from PK then because idk how Rutta would get out there with Letang and Petry. They are both big minute dmen.

I think the best question to ask is what next? We still have an abundance of D and remain slightly above the cap. We also have 3 goalies. So I question if a move or 2 will be made before the season.

Rutta doesn't do that.
- j.boyd919

He's got Dumo's size. He should be able at least lol

Rutta doesn't do that.
- j.boyd919

I don't watch him enough so I'm taking you and Feds up on that, but that's not even the point either because we have 2 rightys that can eat monster minutes. Now if Rutta was lefty and was insurance for Dumo being washed I'd be a little more ok with it.

I think the best question to ask is what next? We still have an abundance of D and remain slightly above the cap. We also have 3 goalies. So I question if a move or 2 will be made before the season.
- 123Kid

They have Tokarski at WBS right now I believe. And Ruhwedal will prob be the one gone. There's 2 options. Trade Ruh and barely get under, or trade Zuck and add Milano and maybe Stastny.

With all that said a Nino signing wasn't lost on the Rutta deal. Period.
- Barnaby36

This is false, period. Not spending the money on him, keeping Ruhwedel as the de facto 3rd RHD, leaves other ways to spend money. That COULD have been on Nino, which may have stopped them from signing Archibald. It COULD have been spent in many different ways than neither you nor I can see.

We can all argue that Hextall may have still spent that money unwisely, but he could have spent on a much more useful piece.

I guess they are taking Tangers minutes away from PK then because idk how Rutta would get out there with Letang and Petry. They are both big minute dmen.
- 668710

Matheson-Letang was the top pairing to me. They were playing awesome together.
Dumoulin-Petry would be my 2nd pairing.
Smith/POJ-Rutta my 3rd pairing.

You'd imagine Montreal would rather have Pettersson before Dumoulin because of age. We could've pushed for this trade to happen.

I don't watch him enough so I'm taking you and Feds up on that, but that's not even the point either because we have 2 rightys that can eat monster minutes. Now if Rutta was lefty and was insurance for Dumo being washed I'd be a little more ok with it.
- 668710

My only hope is that with a major drop off in QoC for Rutta you will see better production numbers from him than when paired with Hedman...which by no means were bad numbers or in any which way unsuccessful, but with Hedman in that setup, Hedman is the go to, the one to skate the puck up ice and was the shooter...if Rutta improves on 3 G's/15 A's in a 3rd pair the cap hit and signing is more digestible hahah

As for mins....Sully does roll 3 pairs almost equally at 5 on 5 a lot of games...even at times when JJ was in the mix...he very well may do that a lot of games this season.

This is false, period. Not spending the money on him, keeping Ruhwedel as the de facto 3rd RHD, leaves other ways to spend money. That COULD have been on Nino, which may have stopped them from signing Archibald. It COULD have been spent in many different ways than neither you nor I can see.

We can all argue that Hextall may have still spent that money unwisely, but he could have spent on a much more useful piece.
- Rinosaur

The 3rd pairing didn't have the size. We all know that and mngmnt sure as hell were looking for it by the signings. Kapanen, Archibald (were very meh signings) and Marino's cap space would able us to go after Nino easily.

All in all I hope Rutta, Carter, McGinn and Kapanen can help us.

Matheson-Letang was the top pairing to me. They were playing awesome together.
Dumoulin-Petry would be my 2nd pairing.
Smith/POJ-Rutta my 3rd pairing.

You'd imagine Montreal would rather have Pettersson before Dumoulin because of age. We could've pushed for this trade to happen.
- Barnaby36

They were pushing a Petterson trade for Petry and it didn't work out.

You fail to see management wanted someone to clear the net, with more size. Petry and Rutta can do that.
- Barnaby36

You just fail to see.

The 3rd pairing didn't have the size. We all know that and mngmnt sure as hell were looking for it by the signings. Kapanen, Archibald (were very meh signings) and Marino's cap space would able us to go after Nino easily.

All in all I hope Rutta, Carter, McGinn and Kapanen can help us.
- Barnaby36

I'm not sure why you're being so myopic. Adding size to the lineup doesn't HAVE to be on the 3rd line. It can be ANYWHERE. They added size and grit with Petry. You don't have it have it on EVERY pair.

If the Pens don't sign Rutta and Archibald, they have nearly $3.9M to spend if you send DOC down. You realize they can address those needs in other ways, right?

I think the best question to ask is what next? We still have an abundance of D and remain slightly above the cap. We also have 3 goalies. So I question if a move or 2 will be made before the season.
- 123Kid

Nothing. There’s no more moves to be had.

I think the best question to ask is what next? We still have an abundance of D and remain slightly above the cap. We also have 3 goalies. So I question if a move or 2 will be made before the season.
- 123Kid

Smith and DOC start can make it through waivers, they go down and the Pens shave off 1.6m from their overall cap hit.

I'm not sure why you're being so myopic. Adding size to the lineup doesn't HAVE to be on the 3rd line. It can be ANYWHERE. They added size and grit with Petry. You don't have it have it on EVERY pair.

If the Pens don't sign Rutta and Archibald, they have nearly $3.9M to spend if you send DOC down. You realize they can address those needs in other ways, right?
- Rinosaur

I agree. But mngmnt wanted size to clear the net. Just say you don't like Rutta and we'll all be fine lol

Edit: CLEAR THE NET hahaha

They were pushing a Petterson trade for Petry and it didn't work out.
- 668710

Yeah for sure. I'd throw some kind of incentive just to not give away #5 but what the heck.

For all the Rutta hate, many argued that we needed an upgrade on the 3rd defensive pairing when Ruhwedel took over. I mean Rutta has bumped up the Lightning pairings. He is an upgrade on the 3rd pairing. I do understand we could have spent that money elsewhere. We do tend to get defensemen and they seem to improve/respond to our coaching. So hopefully Rutta excels with us. As MattStrat has said Sully does roll with all 3 pairings during games. So if our 2nd and 3rd pairings can take some time from our top pairing that may help us later in the season. I know our bottom 6 isn't much improved from one season prior with any big names, but we also have yet to hit the ice to see how everyone plays together. I feel we are in a decent spot.

I guess you are correct on sending players down. I am hoping some of the younger guys play their way into the lineup this season.

I agree. But mngmnt wanted size to clear the net. Just say you don't like Rutta and we'll all be fine lol

Edit: CLEAR THE NET hahaha
- Barnaby36

Lol Rutta is the new JJ

For all the Rutta hate, many argued that we needed an upgrade on the 3rd defensive pairing when Ruhwedel took over. I mean Rutta has bumped up the Lightning pairings. He is an upgrade on the 3rd pairing. I do understand we could have spent that money elsewhere. We do tend to get defensemen and they seem to improve/respond to our coaching. So hopefully Rutta excels with us. As MattStrat has said Sully does roll with all 3 pairings during games. So if our 2nd and 3rd pairings can take some time from our top pairing that may help us later in the season. I know our bottom 6 isn't much improved from one season prior with any big names, but we also have yet to hit the ice to see how everyone plays together. I feel we are in a decent spot.

I guess you are correct on sending players down. I am hoping some of the younger guys play their way into the lineup this season.
- 123Kid

I'm still hoping we can work on one last trade that could give us a middle 6 guy. Can you envision us losing Friedman or Ruhwedel on waivers?

I agree. But mngmnt wanted size to clear the net. Just say you don't like Rutta and we'll all be fine lol

Edit: CLEAR THE NET hahaha
- Barnaby36

Just say you’ve never watched Rutta play and we’ll all be fine

I'm still hoping we can work on one last trade that could give us a middle 6 guy. Can you envision us losing Friedman or Ruhwedel on waivers?
- Barnaby36

Nobody is claiming your depth plugs and if they do who cares if they weren’t good enough to make your roster.

Lol Rutta is the new JJ
- 123Kid

hahah I know for a fact he'll be under a microscope here all season long just like JJ and Matheson went through.

Please Rutta, clear the FN net or Rinosaur will be all over me during the season