Ryan Wilson: Pittsburgh Ranked 30th In Prospect Strength Pittsburgh Ranked 30th In Prospect Strength

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Ryan Wilson: Pittsburgh Ranked 30th In Prospect Strength
Pittsburgh Ranked 30th In Prospect Strength
- Ryan_Wilson

Do you have the full list of team rankings by prospects strength?

I don't think our prospect pool will hurt us too much in the next 4 years or so. We can always fill empty voids with guys like Plot/Cullen etc. There will be cheap guys like that come every offseason. Plus our top 6 is pretty much locked up for a few more years. Perron most likely will be extended. That's 5/6 locked up in Sid, Geno, Horn, Perron, Kessel. The last spot can be filled with BB if he proves it, or by a UFA signed with Dupuis, Kunitz and Scuds money when they come off the books. Obviously that money will be moved mostly into DP and Maatta, but no problem doing that. Then you have the cap increasing yearly. We also do have quite a few picks next year as well.

Also you never know how any prospects are going to develop. Hell, Sprong could be the next Tarasenko for all we know.

There was a short blurb today in the trib about the retirement of Luca Caputi. Remember how he was thought by many to be the impact wing the Pens were looking for to play with Sid? Just a cautionary note about overvaluing prospects vs. actual NHL players. That said, I really think this team has needed and infusion of youth to help combat the sense of staleness over the past couple years. Hopefully guys like DP and Sundquivst can make an impression. Sooner or later they are going to have to start to restock the system for the day when Malkin and Crosby are no longer carrying the load.

ESPN is where I go for my hockey news. They only give more attention to football, baseball, basketball, soccer, poker, billiards, bowling, Michael Phelps, more football, the Olympics, the LLWS, and professional badminton.

I don't see how this offseason has been any different in prospect neglect. They traded away their top forward prospect, one of their top 3 defensive prospects, and another first round pick for Kessel. And they made a bunch of moves that made them an even older team.

I don't see any change in prospect management, they just signed some older vets (again) to lessen the need for short-term prospects.

ESPN is where I go for my hockey news. They only give more attention to football, baseball, basketball, soccer, poker, billiards, bowling, Michael Phelps, more football, the Olympics, the LLWS, and professional badminton.
- jmatchett383

So basically Ronda Rousey, Lebron James and Odell Beckham Jr right?

good thing they have all the important spots taken care of long term.

if they have truly learned how to find depth via inexpensive veterans with good advanced numbers, the lack of a farm system can be rendered near-moot.

@hardnosed:

Necessary in my opinion. Our ship has sailed so far in the half hazard no regard to prospects direction that our only option was to keep doing it in order to bail ourselves out. Since we had no pipeline we needed to find a way to set our top 6 and top 4 for the future so that we didn't have to continue selling the farm at the deadline. It was either that or admit defeat on the current era and ship off our stars for assets and try again in a decade. The odds were definitely against us but we got very, very lucky in the Kessel trade. Now we have 4 out of 6 top 6 forwards locked up moving forward with several internal options for the last two spots, and we didn't give up Maatta or Pouliot to do so, meaning we essentially have 3 out of 4 top 4 spots locked up moving forward unless something goes horribly wrong in Pouliot's development, Maatta has a tragic regression, or Letang retires due to concussions.

In my opinion, we successfully bailed ourselves out this offseason by putting us in a position where we don't have to trade Sprong, Maatta, Pouliot, or Murray to "fix" our roster. I think Kapanen and Harrington were the final casualties of the willy nilly Shero Era disregard of organizational depth. We should see the amount of firsts traded decrease moving forward as well.

ESPN is where I go for my hockey news. They only give more attention to football, baseball, basketball, soccer, poker, billiards, bowling, Michael Phelps, more football, the Olympics, the LLWS, and professional badminton.
- jmatchett383

The Kessel trade and Pouliot passing the games played qualifier probably dropped the Pens from ~ 20th to 30th.

No big deal. The Canucks were 29th 2 or 3 years ago. Jumped up to 9th based on one good draft and are now at 15th.

Teams that are "all in" are always going to see their prospect pool decimated. Hopefully the Pens can stay healthy and put together a Cup run this year, then nobody will care who they have in the pipeline.

The Kessel trade and Pouliot passing the games played qualifier probably dropped the Pens from ~ 20th to 30th.

No big deal. The Canucks were 29th 2 or 3 years ago. Jumped up to 9th based on one good draft and are now at 15th.

Teams that are "all in" are always going to see their prospect pool decimated. Hopefully the Pens can stay healthy and put together a Cup run this year, then nobody will care who they have in the pipeline.
- Vanoxy

The Hawks have been very good at maintaining a fairly good prospect pool while remaining (over the past 7 seasons) a Cup contender. It can be done, and they're maybe an outlier with some luck involved, but it can be done.

ESPN is where I go for my hockey news. They only give more attention to football, baseball, basketball, soccer, poker, billiards, bowling, Michael Phelps, more football, the Olympics, the LLWS, and professional badminton.
- jmatchett383

I always laugh at offseason lists and predictions, by so-called experts, from any site or publication.

How wrong are they most of the time? A lot more than they are right. Perennial contending teams don't need to have the best prospect pool. Edmonton and Buffalo have been at the top of these lists for years. They got fortunate this season to land McDavid and Eichel, respectively, but then, along wsith acquiring some veteran help, are they finally going to turn the corner.

Plain and simple, would rather root for a competitive team, year in and year out, than a team that compiles a slew of elite prospects that are not guaranteed to play on the big club together or not having all live up to their alleged potential.

I think Penguins fans would much rather have this team over what the Oilers, Sabres or Jets have.

The Hawks have been very good at maintaining a fairly good prospect pool while remaining (over the past 7 seasons) a Cup contender. It can be done, and they're maybe an outlier with some luck involved, but it can be done.
- jmatchett383

Good point.
Detroit has also done a good job of this, historically. And L.A. is doing a great job of bringing their kids along too.

I think that is due to the way they develop their prospects, and smart drafting.
Identifying late round draft picks who fly under the radar and then slowly developing them into solid role players in the minors before throwing them into the NHL.

Teams that can pull this off are rare, but always have Stanley Cup banners hanging from the rafters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=147&v=WZIcVyFFKwU

sid making marchand his b*tch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=147&v=WZIcVyFFKwU

sid making marchand his b*tch
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Marchand's not good 1-on-1 if he can't spear you or go for your knees.

But Sidney Crosby is amazing at hockey.

I don't see how this offseason has been any different in prospect neglect. They traded away their top forward prospect, one of their top 3 defensive prospects, and another first round pick for Kessel. And they made a bunch of moves that made them an even older team.

I don't see any change in prospect management, they just signed some older vets (again) to lessen the need for short-term prospects.
- hardnosed

I guess we should trade Malkin so we can replenish our prospect depth

Marchand's not good 1-on-1 if he can't spear you or go for your knees.

But Sidney Crosby is amazing at hockey.
- jmatchett383

Yeah even Sill got his goat a bit.

I guess we should trade Malkin so we can replenish our prospect depth
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I used to read Pronman's stuff on Hockey Prospectus. He's knowledgeable, but anytime you are taking one person's opinion of hockey prospects, it's gonna have major subjectivity. His team rankings are undergoing massive annual changes. That should indicate how fluid prospect/pool rankings are. Personally, I think Pronman places too much emphasis on having a few big name prospects rather than prospect depth. FWIW, he also thought Forsberg- not Ekblad- was the best rookie in the NHL last season which I think is insane.

@hardnosed:

Necessary in my opinion. Our ship has sailed so far in the half hazard no regard to prospects direction that our only option was to keep doing it in order to bail ourselves out. Since we had no pipeline we needed to find a way to set our top 6 and top 4 for the future so that we didn't have to continue selling the farm at the deadline. It was either that or admit defeat on the current era and ship off our stars for assets and try again in a decade. The odds were definitely against us but we got very, very lucky in the Kessel trade. Now we have 4 out of 6 top 6 forwards locked up moving forward with several internal options for the last two spots, and we didn't give up Maatta or Pouliot to do so, meaning we essentially have 3 out of 4 top 4 spots locked up moving forward unless something goes horribly wrong in Pouliot's development, Maatta has a tragic regression, or Letang retires due to concussions.

In my opinion, we successfully bailed ourselves out this offseason by putting us in a position where we don't have to trade Sprong, Maatta, Pouliot, or Murray to "fix" our roster. I think Kapanen and Harrington were the final casualties of the willy nilly Shero Era disregard of organizational depth. We should see the amount of firsts traded decrease moving forward as well.
- Victoro311

I don't disagree with what they've done, I disagree with the idea that what they're doing is somehow different.

I always laugh at offseason lists and predictions, by so-called experts, from any site or publication.

How wrong are they most of the time? A lot more than they are right. Perennial contending teams don't need to have the best prospect pool. Edmonton and Buffalo have been at the top of these lists for years. They got fortunate this season to land McDavid and Eichel, respectively, but then, along wsith acquiring some veteran help, are they finally going to turn the corner.

Plain and simple, would rather root for a competitive team, year in and year out, than a team that compiles a slew of elite prospects that are not guaranteed to play on the big club together or not having all live up to their alleged potential.

I think Penguins fans would much rather have this team over what the Oilers, Sabres or Jets have.
- MidnightMarauder

Not to mention a lot of these lists are based on high end prospects. Sid, Geno, Hornqvist, and Kessel are top six for their remaining contract. There is a good chance that Perron remains here as well. That is 5 top of the top six for the next half decade. You can draft and develop the next generation by the time these guys are toast.

We have neglected the prospect pool for a while, but the hope is that right now they have collected what they wanted up front and the prospect pool can begin to get rebuilt. You also never know who or what can be traded for picks and prospects. If Lehner can fetch a 20's 1st round pick, Fleury could fetch a decent prospect.

I don't disagree with what they've done, I disagree with the idea that what they're doing is somehow different.
- hardnosed

Really? You don't think they have a better level of talent up and down the lineup, now? I think it's obvious they do. I'd say that's different. Very different.

NOW, if the new group is successful or not remains to be seen but I think the process in which they do things will change because of this. It's a ripple effect. I also am very confident they can do better than last year and look at what they did with what they had then.

Really? You don't think they have a better level of talent up and down the lineup, now? I think it's obvious they do. I'd say that's different. Very different.

NOW, if the new group is successful or not remains to be seen but I think the process in which they do things will change because of this. It's a ripple effect. I also am very confident they can do better than last year and look at what they did with what they had then.
- HopintheCordoba

I think he is saying that the Pens still are trading prospects and picks for top six talent now. Which they are. They are trading away the future for the present.
The results are we are getting talent in their late 20's instead of having talent in their early 20's or late teens.
There is nothing wrong with that though.