mikey's Thread of Penguin Randomness

[MR25]

Especially because Rossi has been known to greatly editorialize

[Jim]

When Guerin went to the Wild he said that Rutherford told him that you shouldn't try to win trades. Just make then fair. They other GM will remember that. Hopefully other GMs remember that this off season.

[mikey]

Every old GM says that, to be fair...

[Rx6687]

In my view, you "win" a trade if it fills a void and you win with the player you got back.

Despres for Lovejoy was a terrible trade on paper when it happened. Then Despres got hurt/never panned out, and Lovejoy was an integral part of the Cup win a year later. Rutherford hasn't had that kind of winning streak lately. The team traded away assets for essentially guys we didn't need (Pearson, EG, Sheary, etc) that were heavier against the cap and the team proceeded to win 1 playoff game in 2 seasons.

I know it's not that simple, but sometimes it works out that way. Some say you're only as good as your last trade, but in my view, you're only as good as the product you put on the ice. JR deserves all the credit in the world for the 2016 roster he assembled mid-season. Likewise, he deserves blame for what happened the last 2 playoff series.

[Rx6687]

All I saw was a snippet of a quote from an unnamed player who said Zucker was the only move they felt was needed and they have no idea why GMJR brought in Sheary, Rodrigues, and Marleau and messed with the chemistry the team had.

Sheary and Marleau were not good pickups, but Rodrigues was strictly a depth forward, so I'm not sure why anyone would object to him. Guys like that are added all the time by teams looking for depth. It's not like WBS was overflowing with forwards who could step into the void.

[Trip McNeely]

If I’m GMJR, and I’m not clearly, but this is what I would do this year. I would tell the core (Sid, Letang, Geno, Hornquist, Guentzel) that this is last chance saloon. He will give them one more year to prove that they have what it takes for a long playoff run. And if they don’t do it, they are trading to rebuild. And that means Letang and Hornquist for sure and possibly Malkin.

I don’t buy a lot of the hockey media that the Pens need to trade one or two players as a wake up call. I don’t think the team lacks desire, I think it might lack legs and talent.

Trading the aforementioned players will bring back pieces to make another run or two before Crosby retires. I really see Crosby being Brian Trottier/Steve Y-esque at the end of his career. And I don’t see Letang or Malkin changing their games to make that happen. Crosby at 36 or 37 will be second line capable.

[MR25]

I was only speaking to what was in the quote (which is noted in the spoiler on the previous page)

[willeyeam]

If I’m GMJR, and I’m not clearly, but this is what I would do this year. I would tell the core (Sid, Letang, Geno, Hornquist, Guentzel) that this is last chance saloon. He will give them one more year to prove that they have what it takes for a long playoff run. And if they don’t do it, they are trading to rebuild. And that means Letang and Hornquist for sure and possibly Malkin.

I don’t buy a lot of the hockey media that the Pens need to trade one or two players as a wake up call. I don’t think the team lacks desire, I think it might lack legs and talent.

Trading the aforementioned players will bring back pieces to make another run or two before Crosby retires. I really see Crosby being Brian Trottier/Steve Y-esque at the end of his career. And I don’t see Letang or Malkin changing their games to make that happen. Crosby at 36 or 37 will be second line capable.

I don't want to be the debbie downer here but Hornqvist isn't gonna bring much back

[willeyeam]

I just read something about when we signed Zybnek Michalek. Forgot about him. Good times

[mikey]

Shot blocker extraordinaire...

[MR25]

All I remember from his tenure here is that he got called for a high sticking on Marty St Louis while he was lying on the ground

[Trip McNeely]

If I’m GMJR, and I’m not clearly, but this is what I would do this year. I would tell the core (Sid, Letang, Geno, Hornquist, Guentzel) that this is last chance saloon. He will give them one more year to prove that they have what it takes for a long playoff run. And if they don’t do it, they are trading to rebuild. And that means Letang and Hornquist for sure and possibly Malkin.

I don’t buy a lot of the hockey media that the Pens need to trade one or two players as a wake up call. I don’t think the team lacks desire, I think it might lack legs and talent.

Trading the aforementioned players will bring back pieces to make another run or two before Crosby retires. I really see Crosby being Brian Trottier/Steve Y-esque at the end of his career. And I don’t see Letang or Malkin changing their games to make that happen. Crosby at 36 or 37 will be second line capable.

I don't want to be the debbie downer here but Hornqvist isn't gonna bring much back

Yea...but if Marleau can get a 3rd rounder, even an extra year of Horquist could get that

[mikey]

Hornqvist has three years left. So it's +2, I guess, in your scenario...tough ask. You need a certain setup to take him, he doesn't just exist in a vacuum and score goals...

Edmonton makes some sense, especially if they had another shooter on the back line besides Klefbom...

[faftorial]

If I’m GMJR, and I’m not clearly, but this is what I would do this year. I would tell the core (Sid, Letang, Geno, Hornquist, Guentzel) that this is last chance saloon. He will give them one more year to prove that they have what it takes for a long playoff run. And if they don’t do it, they are trading to rebuild. And that means Letang and Hornquist for sure and possibly Malkin.

I don’t buy a lot of the hockey media that the Pens need to trade one or two players as a wake up call. I don’t think the team lacks desire, I think it might lack legs and talent.

Trading the aforementioned players will bring back pieces to make another run or two before Crosby retires. I really see Crosby being Brian Trottier/Steve Y-esque at the end of his career. And I don’t see Letang or Malkin changing their games to make that happen. Crosby at 36 or 37 will be second line capable.

I don't want to be the debbie downer here but Hornqvist isn't gonna bring much back

I'd be happy to just shed his contract. I love him but it was a terrible signing.

[Trip McNeely]

Hornqvist has three years left. So it's +2, I guess, in your scenario...tough ask. You need a certain setup to take him, he doesn't just exist in a vacuum and score goals...

Edmonton makes some sense, especially if they had another shooter on the back line besides Klefbom...

Yea I mean, the details of the deals, yea I can’t really say. My major point is though that I think the “core” deserves another year and if it fails again, clean house. Build a team for another run in 2024-25-26 in the twilight of Sid’s career. Geno to me is the big if. His deal is still cap friendly and maybe a transition to wing is in the cards if we somehow fall into a good selection in the draft and get a good young center. I don’t see Malkin aging well in the center position. Sid yes, but not Malkin. And as much as I love him, if Geno doesn’t want to morph, well as MacGruber would say, “well, **** em”

[willeyeam]

I feel like we need the 2020 version of Paul Martin. Is that out there?

[mikey]

Drafting, I swear to God, isn't as hard as we make it...we throw so many picks in the trash...

[Trip McNeely]

Mikey what’s going on with Filip Hallander? Anything positive of note?

[Ad@m]

Shot blocker extraordinaire...

As was Mark Eaton

[mikey]

Mikey what’s going on with Filip Hallander? Anything positive of note?

I pulled a game of his during the Boston/Carolina intermission because I think it's a good question...I also watched some select shifts from other games...

I think the skating is better, I think the hands are about where they were when we picked him...he's a leggy boy, pretty smart, good shot...needs to improve his passing and pass acceptance for me, I think he could be a little more coordinated and a little stronger...I'd like him to sit down lower in his skating posture if I had my way...

Probably just a C+ prospect for me...one of those "yeah, but..." guys, where you see a flash and then he goes away for a while...I don't know, tough call with him...probably not a traditional top six forward for me down the line, but there's enough skating, skill, and smarts where I can see him being an NHLer...

Played LW this year from what I can piece together...

[Trip McNeely]

Mikey what’s going on with Filip Hallander? Anything positive of note?

I pulled a game of his during the Boston/Carolina intermission because I think it's a good question...I also watched some select shifts from other games...

I think the skating is better, I think the hands are about where they were when we picked him...he's a leggy boy, pretty smart, good shot...needs to improve his passing and pass acceptance for me, I think he could be a little more coordinated and a little stronger...I'd like him to sit down lower in his skating posture if I had my way...

Probably just a C+ prospect for me...one of those "yeah, but..." guys, where you see a flash and then he goes away for a while...I don't know, tough call with him...probably not a traditional top six forward for me down the line, but there's enough skating, skill, and smarts where I can see him being an NHLer...

Played LW this year from what I can piece together...

Thanks

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

Sounds like Hallander could develop into a Kuhnhackl type NHLer. Tom showed a lot of promise in his Windsor days then shifted to be a 4th player with his smarts and skating.

[mikey]

All about embracing the role. Kuhn had to recognize he wasn't good enough, learn a bottom six role, and then embrace it...those are so much bigger steps mentally and physically than people realize...

But look around, no one drafts fourth liners...you fail into the role...

[Lelldorin]

Hornqvist has three years left. So it's +2, I guess, in your scenario...tough ask. You need a certain setup to take him, he doesn't just exist in a vacuum and score goals...

Edmonton makes some sense, especially if they had another shooter on the back line besides Klefbom...

Yea I mean, the details of the deals, yea I can’t really say. My major point is though that I think the “core” deserves another year and if it fails again, clean house. Build a team for another run in 2024-25-26 in the twilight of Sid’s career. Geno to me is the big if. His deal is still cap friendly and maybe a transition to wing is in the cards if we somehow fall into a good selection in the draft and get a good young center. I don’t see Malkin aging well in the center position. Sid yes, but not Malkin. And as much as I love him, if Geno doesn’t want to morph, well as MacGruber would say, “well, **** em”

You said it better than me. However, I think Letang's skill set is very hard to replace

[Gaucho]

Malkin had one his best seasons in years. Just saying.