Ryan Wilson: So.. Johan Larsson??? So... Johan Larsson???

Self inflicted myocarditis.

So insufferable.

Johan ZARsson

Self inflicted myocarditis.

So insufferable.
- BeefCoon

My body my choice. No not like that.

Well I guess that's 2 sh!tty dmen out of 6 accumulating cup rings and finals appearances riding on the backs of others hahah
- MattStrat

For reference...

Pens 17 cup roster had
Schultz
Hainsey
Maatta
Cole
Dumo
Daley

You telling me Daley and Hainsey were "great" because they won a cup? lol because my bh definitely clinched every time Hainsey was on the ice.

Balcers 1 yr $750k , would have rathered that that than Arch

Friedman had a stroke and meant Jack Johnson 7 years

For reference...

Pens 17 cup roster had
Schultz
Hainsey
Maatta
Cole
Dumo
Daley

You telling me Daley and Hainsey were "great" because they won a cup? lol because my bh definitely clinched every time Hainsey was on the ice.
- j.boyd919

JJ won a cup too

JJ won a cup too
- Feds91Stammer

And the corpse of Brooks Orpik with the Caps.

My body my choice. No not like that.
- Feds91Stammer

Exactly.

For reference...

Pens 17 cup roster had
Schultz
Hainsey
Maatta
Cole
Dumo
Daley

You telling me Daley and Hainsey were "great" because they won a cup? lol because my bh definitely clinched every time Hainsey was on the ice.
- j.boyd919

hahaha no...I'm not telling you that at all.

My point is, even though I dont like the signing and think it was totally unnecessary, I dont think this guy is going to be all that detrimental to the overall team D, if at all. Also, guys like Gudbranson or Ceci, who no one here wanted anything to do with, played pretty good hockey for us under Sully's systems and direction after all the b!tching and moaning about acquiring them dust settled.

EDIT: had to circle back to say that cup winning D corps was fvcking bonkers. When I look at that list I just say to myself "wow, how?" hahaha

I actually do find a lot of value in what someone like ZAR/Larsson bring. Under $2 mil I don’t think it’s so much a luxury and actually a really important role. The cap space has dried up which is a problem as we still have top 9 holes to plug, but assuming it’s a normal contract for a 4th liner and not something stupid, Larsson isn’t one of the moves that would be the problem. I’d point to Ruta and McGinn as the unnecessary self inflected cap anchors. Ruta we’re stuck with as a new signing but if we want to plug all our holes we’ll have to send McGinn out ontop of a LW. I doubt that’s something Hex will do in year 2 of a contract he gave out though.

hahaha no...I'm not telling you that at all.

My point is, even though I dont like the signing and think it was totally unnecessary, I dont think this guy is going to be all that detrimental to the overall team D, if at all. Also, guys like Gudbranson or Ceci, who no one here wanted anything to do with, played pretty good hockey for us under Sully's systems and direction after all the b!tching and moaning about acquiring them dust settled.

EDIT: had to circle back to say that cup winning D corps was fvcking bonkers. When I look at that list I just say to myself "wow, how?" hahaha
- MattStrat

“Give him a chance” - barna… wait (frank), MattStrat

hahaha no...I'm not telling you that at all.

My point is, even though I dont like the signing and think it was totally unnecessary, I dont think this guy is going to be all that detrimental to the overall team D, if at all. Also, guys like Gudbranson or Ceci, who no one here wanted anything to do with, played pretty good hockey for us under Sully's systems and direction after all the b!tching and moaning about acquiring them dust settled.

EDIT: had to circle back to say that cup winning D corps was fvcking bonkers. When I look at that list I just say to myself "wow, how?" hahaha
- MattStrat

Yup, I remember. Happens every time a defenseman is acquired who isn't flashy on offense or a big hitter. Granted they already have some of that on the roster, but that doesn't mean Rutta will be a negative asset and hurt the team. He obviously didn't hurt Tampa enough to keep them from getting to the Cup Final again, and I'm not going to be as silly to say Hedman carried him. No one gets carried at that level, not for 76 games as the No. 1 pairing.

For reference...

Pens 17 cup roster had
Schultz
Hainsey
Maatta
Cole
Dumo
Daley

You telling me Daley and Hainsey were "great" because they won a cup? lol because my bh definitely clinched every time Hainsey was on the ice.
- j.boyd919

This D group should go down in Penguins lore, easily my favorite D group we had for a playoff run. Look, not the absolute most talented group but those guys battled every second of every shift. Hainsey looked like he was juggling grenades but then out of nowhere he would walk the puck end to end.

These guys threw themselves in front of every shot and just got demolished by forecheckers but they just kept going to war with it. It doesn't make them all-stars who deserve huge contracts but they will always hold a special place in my Penguins memories.

There is something to be said about having a bunch of guys who are hungry and will do whatever it takes to win.

Balcers 1 yr $750k , would have rathered that that than Arch
- kfinl170

Agreed.

More like NOhan Larsson

Yup, I remember. Happens every time a defenseman is acquired who isn't flashy on offense or a big hitter. Granted they already have some of that on the roster, but that doesn't mean Rutta will be a negative asset and hurt the team. He obviously didn't hurt Tampa enough to keep them from getting to the Cup Final again, and I'm not going to be as silly to say Hedman carried him. No one gets carried at that level, not for 76 games as the No. 1 pairing.
- NJPensfan

Exactly. I like to think the Tampa organization is the cream of crop the last 3 or 4 seasons and they were trusting this guy in a very important role the past two seasons and three playoffs (he played most of finals vs Stars)...a role that was most likely much bigger than he will have with the Pens.

I will say though that how the signing will most likely be detrimental, if not already, is taking away cap space for better forwards. That size of cap hit for what he brings is totally unnecessary for the Pens in their cap situation.

Quite a bit of chatter from Canadian sports media and hockey analysts up here at the time that Hedman wasn't right at all on the ice, was dealing with a nagging injury in these playoffs, especially the first series vs TO.

More like NOhan Larsson
- Rinosaur

Did he sign elsewhere?

Rick Dhaliwal
@DhaliwalSports
· 3m
Friedman on the Canucks going after PITT D John Marino : I think there conversations with VAN. I think they were close to moving him last week but not to the #Canucks.

I think OTT is another team looking to add an RHD, but no mention of the other teams of interest.

Did he sign elsewhere?
- kfinl170

No, I just meant that we've heard nothing, so it may have been nothing.

Doesnt VAN have all their D on contracts?

A little odd that a ton of players are still available but literally 0 action today. I know it drastically slows after the first day, but still seems weird to have total crickets on day 2

Yup, I remember. Happens every time a defenseman is acquired who isn't flashy on offense or a big hitter. Granted they already have some of that on the roster, but that doesn't mean Rutta will be a negative asset and hurt the team. He obviously didn't hurt Tampa enough to keep them from getting to the Cup Final again, and I'm not going to be as silly to say Hedman carried him. No one gets carried at that level, not for 76 games as the No. 1 pairing.
- NJPensfan

I agree with this, at least we didn't designate him the 'worst defenseman' in the league, as per usual.

To piggy back off the last blog, what I was trying to say is Marino isn't the guy you trade. He is still quite young and has room to step up his game.

Dumo is the guy you trade for cap space. I doubt you can get much for him. Pettersson has the best chance to bring something back. Most likely in a multi-player trade.