if you think trading for PLD and Laine, two guys who have never fit in or been accepted anywhere they've played is a great idea, that's a dark place to be in.
- systemtool

It's better than doing nothing at this point. Plus someone like Laine is instantly one of the best shots on the team. PLD has a shot at being a 2nd line center which is something we needed with Malkin regressing. Plus it would have possibly been 2 players who if Dubas is looking to buy low and sell high they would probably fetch a bit more with good performances.


Edit: plus both are better than we brought in so far this offseason.

The vets on 1-year deals "make sense" because those are the guys you can always trade at the TDL for picks since contenders want insurance vets and don't mind sending out mid-round picks for it. Dubas is betting on them being able to get enough out of Grz that he can flip him at the TDL for a mid-round pick.
- MickV

I guess Sid has all but guaranteed them he's sticking around. That's my point. I'm just thinking it would be important to show the "franchise" you intend to compete (even if it's futile).

Guys. We’re prioritizing picks and futures. We’re rebuilding our asset pool. Just because we don’t like it it doesn’t mean it’s confusing. It’s very clear what we are doing.
- Victoro311

How dare you come in here and not only simplify things, but express them in such a rational manner that it makes more sense! Haha ...

Come on guys. They just need to play with speed, just play. Do what Sid does.

I guess Sid has all but guaranteed them he's sticking around. That's my point. I'm just thinking it would be important to show the "franchise" you intend to compete (even if it's futile).
- madmike71

Based on what Yohe's been saying, essentially yes Sid is staying as long as they don't go full tank and give him nobody to play with.

Top remaining free agents

Forwards:
Henrique
Tyler Johnson
Roslovic
Tarasenko
Van Riemsdyk
Vrana
Olofsson
Sprong
Atkinson
Tatar
Hoffman

Not the best list sadly.
Trade options?

Ehlers
Zegras

Someone else who isn't on the rumor mill? I assume we are after a LW to play with Crosby unless they are planning that DOC or a prospect plays LW.

I understand what he's doing. The Hayes deal makes some sense. I think the Smith deal was pretty much a home run. Grz sucks....why?

Beau is just a cheap lottery ticket. Lizotte will make sense if Eller is moved (maybe for another pick).

Still gotta sell this team to Crosby.
- madmike71

I'm in about the same spot. I hate the direction, but I'm thrilled that if that's what they were doing, they found a way to add a couple second round picks.

Gryz over POJ and Lizotte I don't like as that's a couple places they could have just gone younger. But they aren't ultimately blocking key players so it's a low chance it ends up being a big deal. POJ might make them look bad in the next couple years IMO.

Beau/DOC-Sid-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Rackell
DOC/Beau-Eller/Hayes-Puustinen/Hayes
Young guy-Lizotte/Eller-Accairi

Sort of how I see our lines. Nieto could take young guy's spot when he returns.

We don't really have cap space to add anyone much, but they can probably carry 14 forwards. So three open spot with Nieto out

Puustinen I think has the inside track on a job but I'm not willing to guarantee it. Pulj, Bennstrom, Poulin, Gruden, Ponomarev with all but Ponomarev needing to clear waivers. Yager and Koivunen as long shots to be ready this year and break through all the waiver eligible guys.

I'm in about the same spot. I hate the direction, but I'm thrilled that if that's what they were doing, they found a way to add a couple second round picks.

Gryz over POJ and Lizotte I don't like as that's a couple places they could have just gone younger. But they aren't ultimately blocking key players so it's a low chance it ends up being a big deal. POJ might make them look bad in the next couple years IMO.
- Tojo.

Lizotte is only 26, but that's the only move that doesn't add up (given the strategy of rebuilding) unless they have another trade lined up for Eller and/or Acciari. I guess we'll see how it plays out over the summer.

Lizotte is only 26, but that's the only move that doesn't add up (given the strategy of rebuilding) unless they have another trade lined up for Eller and/or Acciari. I guess we'll see how it plays out over the summer.
- MickV

I think going into the offseason they were hoping to trade both Eller and Acciari for picks

I think going into the offseason they were hoping to trade both Eller and Acciari for picks
- 123Kid

With the market for centers, I didn’t think Eller would be difficult to trade considering his cap hit and the season He had last year. Reliable player, good on the PK, and good for 30-40 points.

I mean, if the pens were actually intending to compete, I’d definitely be happy with him centering the 4th line. I do think a contending team with injuries or trying to add depth will throw over a mid round pick for Eller. Some teams might be waiting for a few more free agents to sign. Henrique is back in Edm, so we will see

If we aren't trying to be competitive we should just get it over with and trade him. It's such a a waste to let him rot through this slow rebuild we are about to do.

To be honest, I said before the off-season that if I were Crosby I would wait until the dust settles from the summer and evaluate.

If we aren't going to try to win, I'd rather him try something legendary like going to Montreal to try to bring the cup back to Canada (as impossible as that may be).

Again, just think it's sad watching the best of the generation have to fade into sub mediocrity. Look at Ovie, at least they are going to try to make a run while trying to get him to the goal record.
- MacPatty

I said that last year about letting Sid decide where he would want to go to pursue another Cup You could get a lot of offers and rebuild instead of just letting him play out a new contract and retire WHY NOT DO IT Do not force him Just ask him what he wants to do Just to remain a lifelong Penguin is just nostalgic Who cares Ray Bourque left Boston Gretz went elsewhere Gordie Howe now Stamkos
Guys like Sid are competitive and want to win Wasting 3 or 4 years here would not be acceptable to me and I ain't Sid Make it a package deal Sid and LeTang and let the offers start NOW

We should do this:

Edm: future considerations
Pgh: Evander Kane, 2025 1st

We should do this:

Edm: future considerations
Pgh: Evander Kane, 2025 1st
- Brownsoldier

2026*

I said that last year about letting Sid decide where he would want to go to pursue another Cup You could get a lot of offers and rebuild instead of just letting him play out a new contract and retire WHY NOT DO IT Do not force him Just ask him what he wants to do Just to remain a lifelong Penguin is just nostalgic Who cares Ray Bourque left Boston Gretz went elsewhere Gordie Howe now Stamkos
Guys like Sid are competitive and want to win Wasting 3 or 4 years here would not be acceptable to me and I ain't Sid Make it a package deal Sid and LeTang and let the offers start NOW
- broncohorvath

I think you sign him to a new contract this summer, play out this year, then talk to him about where he wants to go. Trading Sid isn’t just a deadline day trade. You’re going to want to respect his wishes and send him to one of the 3-4 teams he really wants to go to. It’ll diminish any big return, but you have to essentially cater to what he wants.

I also really wouldn’t mind seeing Sid mentor and be a part of the rebuild for the first year or 2 (if he really intends to retire as a Penguin). Guiding someone like Yager and other kids for a year or 2 would be huge. Imagine the pens in 3 years with Sid, Yager, and their 2027 1st overall pick

We should do this:

Edm: future considerations
Pgh: Evander Kane, 2025 1st
- Brownsoldier

We don’t have the team to justify spending a 1st on a top 6 forward. We’ve made the decision to seek futures instead of building goal scoring depth. That’s the reality we live in.

We don’t have the team to justify spending a 1st on a top 6 forward. We’ve made the decision to seek futures instead of building goal scoring depth. That’s the reality we live in.
- Victoro311

I think he’s saying we’d get EDM 1st to take KNe

I think he’s saying we’d get EDM 1st to take KNe
- kfinl170

Oh well yeah that’d be nice

I said that last year about letting Sid decide where he would want to go to pursue another Cup You could get a lot of offers and rebuild instead of just letting him play out a new contract and retire WHY NOT DO IT Do not force him Just ask him what he wants to do Just to remain a lifelong Penguin is just nostalgic Who cares Ray Bourque left Boston Gretz went elsewhere Gordie Howe now Stamkos
Guys like Sid are competitive and want to win Wasting 3 or 4 years here would not be acceptable to me and I ain't Sid Make it a package deal Sid and LeTang and let the offers start NOW
- broncohorvath

Thank You..If dubas wants value get it now while you can..and that goes with any other core player that wants out for another chance at a cup. Your not doing that in pittsburgh.

Dubas comment:

“What we’re not going to do is get into the free-agent quick fixes like some of the longer-range things that we’ve seen (Monday). If we had been in a situation where we had been a playoff team and close to being a contender, we would do that. But I think the appetite here is to try to get the team back into contention.”

We should do this:

Edm: future considerations
Pgh: Evander Kane, 2025 1st
- Brownsoldier

I think they would only send a 2nd back if that trade were available.

This is pretty crazy. What will they do?

We should do this:

Edm: future considerations
Pgh: Evander Kane, 2025 1st
- Brownsoldier

Why are the Oilers getting rid of Kane?

EDIT: currently almost 2.5 mill over cap, perhaps

This is pretty crazy. What will they do?


- MattStrat

Make a cap dump trade or 3. Maybe this is what Dubas was waiting for. We trade Acciari and Eller and free up more space while obtaining more draft picks. Then land someone like Lehkonen or Landeskog (j/k). That cap situation is terrible. They were trying to land Jarry at one point which would have made that cap situation even worse!

Yohe's new article has us potentially having DOC as the top LW option. He talks about running it back for a year or 2 while still hoping the players could make a big push. The hope is we get a few good young prospects who could join the team in the next few years and allow us to make one last push for the cup. It is going to take a few years of patience.

Yohe saying we made an offer to tarasenko. Is he still a top 6 option?

Make a cap dump trade or 3. Maybe this is what Dubas was waiting for. We trade Acciari and Eller and free up more space while obtaining more draft picks. Then land someone like Lehkonen or Landeskog (j/k). That cap situation is terrible. They were trying to land Jarry at one point which would have made that cap situation even worse!

Yohe's new article has us potentially having DOC as the top LW option. He talks about running it back for a year or 2 while still hoping the players could make a big push. The hope is we get a few good young prospects who could join the team in the next few years and allow us to make one last push for the cup. It is going to take a few years of patience.
- 123Kid

I dont think this core has a few years left to make any kind of push. Good chance Sid is still very effective in a few years, I guess. Tanger to lesser extent. Geno seems to have hit the decline this past season...and he's now the Pens oldest player.