Let’s be honest. When Ryan Wilson says “good broadcast team” he wants to see Austin Mathews purse, Someone dancing on the ice in warmups, a woke transgender story worked in sideways to the intermission report. Damn those old time NHLrs offering any insight from a former players perspective.
- Grinder47

Hell yeah brother just put Barry Melrose in there.

I’m kinda running off the assumption that we can only sign Tatar for like 1.2 mil or less. That you can make work regardless by just sending guys down. Obviously if the plan is to give him a bigger contract then yeah I get the PTO, but if it’s just near vet min I don’t get why we wouldn’t just sign him.
- Victoro311

That's why I don't think it will be a PTO.

Hell yeah brother just put Barry Melrose in there.
- Victoro311

Mel rose has been canceled correct?

Mel rose has been canceled correct?
- Grinder47

No that’s don cherry

Rem Pitlick should get some looks. I think he’s better than Alex Nylander but we’ll see how it goes. I’d put O’Connor ahead of Nylander as well.

Rem Pitlick should get some looks. I think he’s better than Alex Nylander but we’ll see how it goes. I’d put O’Connor ahead of Nylander as well.
- Barnaby36

To me O’Connor is a good bottom six guy that should have been a lineup regular last year but his skill set does not lend itself to a top 6 scoring line. Nylander might not be an NHL guy but if he ends up proving himself he’s much better suited to fill that role.

Rem Pitlick should get some looks. I think he’s better than Alex Nylander but we’ll see how it goes. I’d put O’Connor ahead of Nylander as well.
- Barnaby36

I'm sure he will, thing is if we do sign Tatar to PTO and Tatar decides to sign here, then Rem will be the one sent packing.

To me O’Connor is a good bottom six guy that should have been a lineup regular last year but his skill set does not lend itself to a top 6 scoring line. Nylander might not be an NHL guy but if he ends up proving himself he’s much better suited to fill that role.
- Victoro311

Yep, if Nylander actually shows up he could be a good addition to a third line scorer. Can't wait for camo to get started haha.

Since things are slow I have a question:

So it’s accepted that if we get Tatar it’ll be through a PTO. My question is that if we know we’re going to sign Tatar, what’s the point of signing him to a PTO first instead of just giving him the contract we know we’re eventually going to give him? It’s the preseason so we’re allowed to be over the cap.
- Victoro311

I think they're waiting to see what the results of Guentzel's surgery are before they do anything. If he's going to be LTIR'ed then you bring in Tatar to supplement and make the decision a little later in the season. My thought is that the whole year is the PTO for Tatar with Carter's cap hit, and other's, coming off the books after this year. Basically telling him, "look if you do well this season, we'll have plenty of additional cap space to give you a longer, more lucrative, contract next year." Not the best way to do business, but hard to see otherwise. Sure you can send Pitlick out, or Nylander, but anything over $1 million you'd have to send both out to make room. I mean, don't get me wrong, swapping Guentzel (if he's on LTIR) and Tatar for Pitlick and Nylander is way better, performance wise, but that's just how I'm kind of seeing it.

To me O’Connor is a good bottom six guy that should have been a lineup regular last year but his skill set does not lend itself to a top 6 scoring line. Nylander might not be an NHL guy but if he ends up proving himself he’s much better suited to fill that role.
- Victoro311

No doubt. But some guys get looks every now and then and stick as a role player. Ideally O’Connor is a 3rd/4th liner for sure. Pitlick and Nieto could bring a lot of speed and grit for us. Acciari and Eller as well. I’m excited for this next season!

To me O’Connor is a good bottom six guy that should have been a lineup regular last year but his skill set does not lend itself to a top 6 scoring line. Nylander might not be an NHL guy but if he ends up proving himself he’s much better suited to fill that role.
- Victoro311

I don't think either one is a top six, but if I had to pick one to play on that line, I'd go O'Connor as the third wheel who does the dirty work. His AHL career he did have 27 goals and 73 points in 73 games so he's not without some skill.

Nylander in WBS had 39 goals and 80 points in 99 games. A little higher on goals per game but lower on points in same period.

Rem Pitlick should get some looks. I think he’s better than Alex Nylander but we’ll see how it goes. I’d put O’Connor ahead of Nylander as well.
- Barnaby36

Pitlick should get a chance, too many are writing him off already, but he has scored some at the NHL level. I agree with DOC over Nylander, but wouldn't mind if the best two of them were both on the third line.

Are weeeee theeeere yet?


Zzzzz

I think they're waiting to see what the results of Guentzel's surgery are before they do anything. If he's going to be LTIR'ed then you bring in Tatar to supplement and make the decision a little later in the season. My thought is that the whole year is the PTO for Tatar with Carter's cap hit, and other's, coming off the books after this year. Basically telling him, "look if you do well this season, we'll have plenty of additional cap space to give you a longer, more lucrative, contract next year." Not the best way to do business, but hard to see otherwise. Sure you can send Pitlick out, or Nylander, but anything over $1 million you'd have to send both out to make room. I mean, don't get me wrong, swapping Guentzel (if he's on LTIR) and Tatar for Pitlick and Nylander is way better, performance wise, but that's just how I'm kind of seeing it.
- Rocco115Pitt

Pretty sure Doobie already said they won’t need to use LTIR for Jake

I don't think either one is a top six, but if I had to pick one to play on that line, I'd go O'Connor as the third wheel who does the dirty work. His AHL career he did have 27 goals and 73 points in 73 games so he's not without some skill.

Nylander in WBS had 39 goals and 80 points in 99 games. A little higher on goals per game but lower on points in same period.
- Tojo.

Nylander also scored at a top 6 rate in 65 games his season in Chicago.

Pretty sure Doobie already said they won’t need to use LTIR for Jake
- j.boyd919

I remember him saying that during the presser a bit ago, but also...surgery can be tricky. But I don't see how you get Tatar in otherwise. Like I said before, yeah you can send some guys down but without having a chance to see what they can do. I don't really see him signing for just a $1 million vet minimum.

Pitlick should get a chance, too many are writing him off already, but he has scored some at the NHL level. I agree with DOC over Nylander, but wouldn't mind if the best two of them were both on the third line.
- Tojo.

I'm not writing him off, unless Tatar wants to sign at 1mil here. That's the only way Pitlick is gone, otherwise he'll get a chance.

Are weeeee theeeere yet?


Zzzzz
- MattStrat

No. Dubas just signed a complete bottom six designed to be defensively responsible and the coach is going to have them playing a run and gun offensive style. Jeff Carter is still the likeliest candidate to put up numbers in the bottom six. Long way from “there”.

Nylander also scored at a top 6 rate in 65 games his season in Chicago.
- Victoro311

10 goals and 26 points in 65 games is top 6?

I'm not writing him off, unless Tatar wants to sign at 1mil here. That's the only way Pitlick is gone, otherwise he'll get a chance.
- 668710

I'd take that trade off.

It's not impossible Pitlick is the best of the rest and if so I'd still try to keep him. I know the salary has made him an easy cut for many, and last year wasn't great, but the two prior he had 37 points is 66 games. That's actually not bad for a supporting scorer

10 goals and 26 points in 65 games is top 6?
- Tojo.

He scored at 2.0 pts/60 at 5v5. That’s too 6 rate. Ice time matters.

I'd take that trade off.

It's not impossible Pitlick is the best of the rest and if so I'd still try to keep him. I know the salary has made him an easy cut for many, and last year wasn't great, but the two prior he had 37 points is 66 games. That's actually not bad for a supporting scorer
- Tojo.

It's not just the salary, he also has no clauses. Ideally Carter gone so we can make a third scoring line. If Hex signed Carter to like a 1-1.5 mil contract or not signed him at all and Rutherford didn't sign JJ years ago we could actually make a solid third scoring line.

He scored at 2.0 pts/60 at 5v5. That’s too 6 rate. Ice time matters.
- Victoro311

Interesting I didn't even know that stat. I'd really like to see different combos this preseason.

Interesting I didn't even know that stat. I'd really like to see different combos this preseason.
- 668710

If you look at his hockey reference Nylander is far from being the disaster in the NHL we all assume he’s been. With the context that he’s played for absolutely trash teams, his one season as an NHL regular is actually somewhat respectable and his underlying numbers in extremely limited samples on the Pens are respectable. Yes I think DOC is the better player right now. He’s an NHL player and Nylander might not be. But I have more faith that Nylander can score in this league than DOC can.

It's not just the salary, he also has no clauses. Ideally Carter gone so we can make a third scoring line. If Hex signed Carter to like a 1-1.5 mil contract or not signed him at all and Rutherford didn't sign JJ years ago we could actually make a solid third scoring line.
- 668710

Need a shutdown 3rd line, and a 4th line of hammers. Period.