That's just terrible. I didn't even realize how good the kid SJ drafted was playing. I was skeptical about Dubas from the start, but even the one move I liked, getting Karlsson, has been a disappointment.
- Tojo.

He is like the ideal customer to do business with... Buy high, sell low...

Karlsson - bought high, going to have to retain on to trade.
Jarry - overpaid and now headed to minors
Smith - never understood why we took his full salary.
McGroaty - a disgruntled prospect who was forcing a trade out netted our #1 prospect who was loved by Sid. TBD how it turns out but he should have been able to get more value back.
Jake - went for leftovers.

I miss the days of us getting Kunitz for Whitney and Kessel w. Retention for Kap, a 1st and a 3rd. Let's see what he can do with Petts sooner than later.

He is like the ideal customer to do business with... Buy high, sell low...

Karlsson - bought high, going to have to retain on to trade.
Jarry - overpaid and now headed to minors
Smith - never understood why we took his full salary.
McGroaty - a disgruntled prospect who was forcing a trade out netted our #1 prospect who was loved by Sid. TBD how it turns out but he should have been able to get more value back.
Jake - went for leftovers.

I miss the days of us getting Kunitz for Whitney and Kessel w. Retention for Kap, a 1st and a 3rd. Let's see what he can do with Petts sooner than later.
- MacPatty

I mean as stated earlier he kinda failed on the Jake trade. So I can see him botching a Petts deal.

So yeah... In hindsight, Dubas has been bad.

I'll get kicked in the teeth for this post, but whatever lol. That article doesn't include much context. So off the top of my head.....

I remember the Jarry signing. Most people hated the length and realized the risk. What were the options at the time? The Pens needed a tender and I don't believe there were other FA's of any repute. They chose the devil they know because he had some pretty good stretches previously. His problem was always consistency.

Graves... I don't remember some great revolt like the Jack Johnson contract. Most people seemed to think he was a decent player. Obviously, he hasn't been here. (By the way, when Petts goes, he's getting back in the lineup.) Of all Dubas's mis-evaluations, this is the top of my list. Graves sucks.

EK... Everybody around here (other than Grinder) seemed pretty happy with that deal. Sent out some bad contracts for a super-star dman coming off a 100 pt season. Personally, I wouldn't have gone that direction because I didn't feel that's what they were missing, but I admit, I was excited to see him play in Pittsburgh. He's still around a 60pt RD. I don't think the team has ever adapted to playing with him.

Smith was brought here after a pretty good run in Vegas. He was directly replacing Zucker and he was coming off a really nice season. I'm a big fan of Zucker, but he did have problems staying healthy here. Most people didn't have any problem with the trade until it was obvious Smith didn't want to play here. Multiple reporters said he moped about not being in Vegas and it showed.

The Guentzal deal was obviously disappointing from what most were expecting, but he was also coming off of injury. We should have gotten a 1st at minimum. Still, we turned the 2nd into Brunike. Looks like Koivenen could be a player. Ponamerev is unimpressive. Bunting has been pretty good and he could get flipped for another asset. This trade will need at least a few more years to fully judge. If Brunicke turns into a top 4 Dman and Koivenen turns into a top 9 forward, I don't know if you expect more from an UFA trade. Are teams giving up top prospects for UFA's any more?

I loved Lars Eller here, but most of his other FA deals admittedly weren't good.

Jarry's record before the contract...

20-12 .921
25-9 .909
34-18 .919
24-13 .909

All star in '20 and '22

Jarry's record before the contract...

20-12 .921
25-9 .909
34-18 .919
24-13 .909

All star in '20 and '22
- madmike71

He had a history of starting strong and falling apart at the end of the year because he could not handle the volume. In 8 playoff games he had a .891 sv% and a 3.0 GAA. And the majority of those games were against the Islanders who did not exactly have a fierce offence.

I was fine keeping him for 3 years at $4M or under, it just seemed like Dubas out bid himself on both term and dollars.

So yeah... In hindsight, Dubas has been bad.

I'll get kicked in the teeth for this post, but whatever lol. That article doesn't include much context. So off the top of my head.....

I remember the Jarry signing. Most people hated the length and realized the risk. What were the options at the time? The Pens needed a tender and I don't believe there were other FA's of any repute. They chose the devil they know because he had some pretty good stretches previously. His problem was always consistency.

Graves... I don't remember some great revolt like the Jack Johnson contract. Most people seemed to think he was a decent player. Obviously, he hasn't been here. (By the way, when Petts goes, he's getting back in the lineup.) Of all Dubas's mis-evaluations, this is the top of my list. Graves sucks.

EK... Everybody around here (other than Grinder) seemed pretty happy with that deal. Sent out some bad contracts for a super-star dman coming off a 100 pt season. Personally, I wouldn't have gone that direction because I didn't feel that's what they were missing, but I admit, I was excited to see him play in Pittsburgh. He's still around a 60pt RD. I don't think the team has ever adapted to playing with him.

Smith was brought here after a pretty good run in Vegas. He was directly replacing Zucker and he was coming off a really nice season. I'm a big fan of Zucker, but he did have problems staying healthy here. Most people didn't have any problem with the trade until it was obvious Smith didn't want to play here. Multiple reporters said he moped about not being in Vegas and it showed.

The Guentzal deal was obviously disappointing from what most were expecting, but he was also coming off of injury. We should have gotten a 1st at minimum. Still, we turned the 2nd into Brunike. Looks like Koivenen could be a player. Ponamerev is unimpressive. Bunting has been pretty good and he could get flipped for another asset. This trade will need at least a few more years to fully judge. If Brunicke turns into a top 4 Dman and Koivenen turns into a top 9 forward, I don't know if you expect more from an UFA trade. Are teams giving up top prospects for UFA's any more?

I loved Lars Eller here, but most of his other FA deals admittedly weren't good.
- madmike71

I have to eat crow and admit that I thought the Graves signing was going to work out for us. I didnt think he was going to be a huge game changer, but I thought a solid 2nd pair LD on what seemed to be a reasonable contract.

Believe his situation is part he was overrated and part the guy got a big contract and decided to just (frank) off and not care anymore.

I have to eat crow and admit that I thought the Graves signing was going to work out for us. I didnt think he was going to be a huge game changer, but I thought a solid 2nd pair LD on what seemed to be a reasonable contract.

Believe his situation is part he was overrated and part the guy got a big contract and decided to just (frank) off and not care anymore.
- MacPatty

Just about 95% of this board thought the Graves signing was "great."

Just about 95% of this board thought the Graves signing was "great."
- j.boyd919

Even us experts get it wrong sometimes...

Even us experts get it wrong sometimes...
- MacPatty

They should be trying to pawn him off on Buffalo since he had some success under Ruffs system.

These are the exact responses only the golden boy gets. It doesn't matter what "we thought" I wanna see results. And they are bad. Some saying as bad as it's been across the entire league. That's why hes paid millions and "we" don't get paid. When his "best" move is getting a 3rd for Lars Eller after 3 years.... well ya.

A little info, that are career numbers that hopefully Dubas was able to find before making a long term signing because it only took me 2-3 minutes to find.

https://www.pensburgh.com...turbing-second-half-trend
https://www.pensburgh.com...ittsburgh-nhl-free-agency

Lets call a spade a spade here, If this was the work of Hextall there would be a full on bounty on his head across every penguins platform that existed.

Nobody cares if a baseball players swing is good if he strikes out 95% of the time.

So yeah... In hindsight, Dubas has been bad.

I'll get kicked in the teeth for this post, but whatever lol. That article doesn't include much context. So off the top of my head.....

I remember the Jarry signing. Most people hated the length and realized the risk. What were the options at the time? The Pens needed a tender and I don't believe there were other FA's of any repute. They chose the devil they know because he had some pretty good stretches previously. His problem was always consistency.

Graves... I don't remember some great revolt like the Jack Johnson contract. Most people seemed to think he was a decent player. Obviously, he hasn't been here. (By the way, when Petts goes, he's getting back in the lineup.) Of all Dubas's mis-evaluations, this is the top of my list. Graves sucks.

EK... Everybody around here (other than Grinder) seemed pretty happy with that deal. Sent out some bad contracts for a super-star dman coming off a 100 pt season. Personally, I wouldn't have gone that direction because I didn't feel that's what they were missing, but I admit, I was excited to see him play in Pittsburgh. He's still around a 60pt RD. I don't think the team has ever adapted to playing with him.

Smith was brought here after a pretty good run in Vegas. He was directly replacing Zucker and he was coming off a really nice season. I'm a big fan of Zucker, but he did have problems staying healthy here. Most people didn't have any problem with the trade until it was obvious Smith didn't want to play here. Multiple reporters said he moped about not being in Vegas and it showed.

The Guentzal deal was obviously disappointing from what most were expecting, but he was also coming off of injury. We should have gotten a 1st at minimum. Still, we turned the 2nd into Brunike. Looks like Koivenen could be a player. Ponamerev is unimpressive. Bunting has been pretty good and he could get flipped for another asset. This trade will need at least a few more years to fully judge. If Brunicke turns into a top 4 Dman and Koivenen turns into a top 9 forward, I don't know if you expect more from an UFA trade. Are teams giving up top prospects for UFA's any more?

I loved Lars Eller here, but most of his other FA deals admittedly weren't good.
- madmike71

Everything everyone’s always wrong about you can include (except me).

They should be trying to pawn him off on Buffalo since he had some success under Ruffs system.
- j.boyd919

I'd love that, didnt realize the Ruff connection. But Buffalo already has 4 left handed D men that are better than Graves.

Powers, Dahlin, Byram and Samuelsson. I wonder what we would have to attach to Graves to get Byram?

I'd love that, didnt realize the Ruff connection. But Buffalo already has 4 left handed D men that are better than Graves.

Powers, Dahlin, Byram and Samuelsson. I wonder what we would have to attach to Graves to get Byram?
- MacPatty

Ruff was his coach in NJD when he got paid by the Pens lol

He had a history of starting strong and falling apart at the end of the year because he could not handle the volume. In 8 playoff games he had a .891 sv% and a 3.0 GAA. And the majority of those games were against the Islanders who did not exactly have a fierce offence.

I was fine keeping him for 3 years at $4M or under, it just seemed like Dubas out bid himself on both term and dollars.
- MacPatty

That's the thing about UFA's. You tend to over-pay because you're likely negotiating against yourself. Based on those regular season numbers, it wasn't a huge over-pay. The risk was the consistency. As you point out, the late season collapses and horrid playoffs.