Ryan Wilson: Thoughts on the 2021 Penguins draft class Thoughts on the 2021 Penguins draft class

Personally, I'm not going to judge Hextall on this draft for a bevy of reasons:

1) Inherited a mess of a situation from JR.
2) Pre-covid this was said to be a weak draft.
3) Covid made evaluating these players very difficult, so combined with #2 that makes everything even more of a gamble.
4) The trade market was obviously a lunatic asylum this year, so attempting to acquire more picks was likely very tricky.

I think this draft was in general a gamble for many teams.

We’re there big draft personnel changes from shero to jr? That is pretty rough Dom Simon was the last draft pick to lace em up

More of a product of not having high picks IMO. Rutherford’s high picks were Kapanen, Sprong, and Gustavson who were all traded. And Hallender who we just got back. Kapanen turned out good, Sprong is an NHLer, and Gustavson and Hallender are just getting into the NHL impact timeline of their development.

Besides Maatta and DP, it took quite some time for Shero’s draft picks to hit the NHL squad too.

We’re there big draft personnel changes from shero to jr? That is pretty rough Dom Simon was the last draft pick to lace em up
- 10inchTerror

To JR's credit, while he auctioned off the future he did a pretty good job, in a sense, of attempting to restock what was lost by signing ZAR, trading for Marino and it remains to be seen if some the other players he signed like Maniscalco, Lee or O'Connor pan out.

VAN is buying out Virtanen. I'm not a huge fan, but if he's being bought out and can be had on a super cheap one year contract, that could be a good low risk/high reward signing for the Pens given the fact they can't be big players in FA. He could be a cheap Tanev replacement.

VAN is buying out Virtanen. I'm not a huge fan, but if he's being bought out and can be had on a super cheap one year contract, that could be a good low risk/high reward signing for the Pens given the fact they can't be big players in FA. He could be a cheap Tanev replacement.
- Rinosaur

I like Virtanen, but he isn’t a Tanev. Vancouver hoped and tried to force him into that mould but he just doesn’t play with that kind of intensity.
He’s got all the physical tools to excel in the NHL, fast, big, cannon of a shot, but I don’t think he can think the game at the NHL level.

I would like to see what he can do with a fresh start.

VAN is buying out Virtanen. I'm not a huge fan, but if he's being bought out and can be had on a super cheap one year contract, that could be a good low risk/high reward signing for the Pens given the fact they can't be big players in FA. He could be a cheap Tanev replacement.
- Rinosaur

He sucks.

He sucks.
- Feds91Stammer

Like I said, I'm not a fan of his, but what other players are the Pens likely to be in on? Someone like him at a $1M/1yr deal might be a good gamble.

He sucks.
- Feds91Stammer

Speaking of sucks, I just saw you guys re-signed Staal for 1yr/$2M with a full NMC. LOL

Pretty sure Virtanen has some sexual assault charges pending also.

Pretty sure Virtanen has some sexual assault charges pending also.
- kfinl170

LOL seriously?

LOL seriously?
- Rinosaur

Yep

Some chick he banged in 2017 came out of the woodwork and said he picked her up and drove her back to his hotel and despite not wanting to have sex with him, he pressured her into it and then didn't stop when she changed her mind

He denies this, says it was consensual and she gave no indication that she wasn't having a good time and didn't want to continue

And it's a Civil Case

So.... 1 year 1 million sounds about right

I think she thought they were going back to the hotel to play scrabble

Yep

Some chick he banged in 2017 came out of the woodwork and said he picked her up and drove her back to his hotel and despite not wanting to have sex with him, he pressured her into it and then didn't stop when she changed her mind

He denies this, says it was consensual and she gave no indication that she wasn't having a good time and didn't want to continue

And it's a Civil Case

So.... 1 year 1 million sounds about right

I think she thought they were going back to the hotel to play scrabble
- TheGame316

Thinking outside the box.

I think we drafted really well for the crap picks we had. The Tankov highlights are pretty amazing.

LOL seriously?
- Rinosaur

Yep he has issues,

https://www.espn.com/nhl/...ed-lawsuit-sexual-assault

Yep

Some chick he banged in 2017 came out of the woodwork and said he picked her up and drove her back to his hotel and despite not wanting to have sex with him, he pressured her into it and then didn't stop when she changed her mind

He denies this, says it was consensual and she gave no indication that she wasn't having a good time and didn't want to continue

And it's a Civil Case

So.... 1 year 1 million sounds about right

I think she thought they were going back to the hotel to play scrabble
- TheGame316

No, I'm pretty sure it was to read the bible!

Speaking of sucks, I just saw you guys re-signed Staal for 1yr/$2M with a full NMC. LOL
- Rinosaur

He actually was solid with Stecher. It’s whatevs though. They’re still gonna suck next year anyways.

Yep

Some chick he banged in 2017 came out of the woodwork and said he picked her up and drove her back to his hotel and despite not wanting to have sex with him, he pressured her into it and then didn't stop when she changed her mind

He denies this, says it was consensual and she gave no indication that she wasn't having a good time and didn't want to continue

And it's a Civil Case

So.... 1 year 1 million sounds about right

I think she thought they were going back to the hotel to play scrabble
- TheGame316

These dudes agents need to be providing them with consent forms ASAP.

These dudes agents need to be providing them with consent forms ASAP.
- Feds91Stammer

If I'm a pro, I'm hiring a pro

None of these randoms that slide into my DM's on road trips

Yep

Some chick he banged in 2017 came out of the woodwork and said he picked her up and drove her back to his hotel and despite not wanting to have sex with him, he pressured her into it and then didn't stop when she changed her mind

He denies this, says it was consensual and she gave no indication that she wasn't having a good time and didn't want to continue

And it's a Civil Case

So.... 1 year 1 million sounds about right

I think she thought they were going back to the hotel to play scrabble
- TheGame316

She thought they were playing scrabble, he thought candy land, and they ended up playing trouble.

I think we drafted really well for the crap picks we had. The Tankov highlights are pretty amazing.
- sextoymagic

Everyone has a highlight tape

Everyone has a highlight tape
- jchst22

You aren’t excited to have the 27th best P1/GP DY+1 player from the MHL?

I like Virtanen, but he isn’t a Tanev. Vancouver hoped and tried to force him into that mould but he just doesn’t play with that kind of intensity.
He’s got all the physical tools to excel in the NHL, fast, big, cannon of a shot, but I don’t think he can think the game at the NHL level.

I would like to see what he can do with a fresh start.
- stackthepads

I'd for sure take a shot on him. I think he was crushed a bit by the expectations of being a top 6 pick playing in his hometown.

He is only 24 and he can skate and shoot. I could see him having a Rust type career, and if you bring him in this year and give him a chance to get back on track, he could end up a cheap Rust replacement moving forward.

You aren’t excited to have the 27th best P1/GP DY+1 player from the MHL?
- Feds91Stammer

I will forget who all these guy are by the end of the week but that was a dope highlight