2019 Penguins Offseason/Draft Thread

[mikey]

I'm not sure if that's meant to be at Olli's expense...but considering a GM gave him 24 million dollars and another gave up an entry-level forward and a pick to get him even after being scratched for Jack Johnson in the postseason, it seems like at least a couple GMs like him. If your focus will now shift back to fans as a means of measuring anything, then that's all yours...

I suspect a portion of your Maatta take is just bluster, meant to trap people into certain points you want to make.

But he was a timebomb on any given shift. That’s an issue. If I’m building a team of anything, and a guy can turn into dogshit at any moment, and often does, then I don’t want him on that team if given an option. He’s a frustrating guy to watch, but probably a wonderful guy to coach. So I get why a coach might go on a message board and yell at people about him.

I guess better than taking the opposite approach...the people that yell at him, also yell "shooooooot"...sometimes you are the company you keep perhaps...

It's always fascinating the notion that Maatta could implode, but others seemed less capable of imploding by such distinction...yet, it's Maatta who consistently kept the puck out of our net for six years...maybe it's a delayed release time bomb?

But if Maatta is a time bomb, one of the highest floor, low maintenance players in the league...then I can't imagine what the rest of the non-Dumoulin defense represents to you...

At least we quickly backed off the "GMs don't like him" stance and went right to unruly fans...that makes life easier for both of us.

[mikey]

The real question is, what in the living **** is frog butter?

It could be dairy...or it could be hygiene...it depends on usage...

[Dickie Dunn]

The real question is, what in the living **** is frog butter?

I know what a frog ***** is.

[Factorial]

[shmenguin]

I'm not sure if that's meant to be at Olli's expense...but considering a GM gave him 24 million dollars and another gave up an entry-level forward and a pick to get him even after being scratched for Jack Johnson in the postseason, it seems like at least a couple GMs like him. If your focus will now shift back to fans as a means of measuring anything, then that's all yours...

I suspect a portion of your Maatta take is just bluster, meant to trap people into certain points you want to make.

But he was a timebomb on any given shift. That’s an issue. If I’m building a team of anything, and a guy can turn into dogshit at any moment, and often does, then I don’t want him on that team if given an option. He’s a frustrating guy to watch, but probably a wonderful guy to coach. So I get why a coach might go on a message board and yell at people about him.

I guess better than taking the opposite approach...the people that yell at him, also yell "shooooooot"...sometimes you are the company you keep perhaps...

It's always fascinating the notion that Maatta could implode, but others seemed less capable of imploding by such distinction...yet, it's Maatta who consistently kept the puck out of our net for six years...maybe it's a delayed release time bomb?

But if Maatta is a time bomb, one of the highest floor, low maintenance players in the league...then I can't imagine what the rest of the non-Dumoulin defense represents to you...

At least we quickly backed off the "GMs don't like him" stance and went right to unruly fans...that makes life easier for both of us.

We got a guy you have no book on in return. It’s not like Chicago paid a fortune. I’m ok with the stance that no GM would characterize him as, “one of the highest floor, low maintenance players in the league.” Or even close to that praise

[Tomas]

The new kid is a kraut. Did you watch him at the olympics? I want the German scoop.

Kahun is actually a Czech with the German citizenship.

(His Czech is without any accent - frankly, better than mine right now. Interestingly - says that Leon Draisaitl is his best friend - and athey used to be roomates for 4 years )
Played for Czech teams until the 5th(?) grade, alongside e.g. newly-signed Blackhawk Dominik Kubalik...

[NTP66]

Czech? This **** really is the new Simon, isn't he?

[Jim]

Looking at a lot of Chicago side stuff... it seems as most are more upset at bringing $4.1M Maatta in than in sending Kahun out.

[Kane]

Olli Olli Olli.

[Gaucho]

Olli Olli Olli.

Oi! Oi! Oi!

[mikey]

I watched a little more of Kahun last night before bed, he has some decent skill, he can control the puck outside the plane of his shoulders and all, so that tells me he has a little more meat on the bone than maybe Simon does...I have a lot of questions about his shot...I have less about his playmaking ability, that seems pretty strong...we need to get him to a point where he can motor with the puck, he wants to work hard, and he does, but he's gotta combine working hard and being able to handle the disc at the same time because he doesn't have the skating or the physique to make room for himself I don't think...doesn't seem to offer anything defensively that's noteworthy...but like I said, I'm gonna get a chance - like all of you - to get more familiar with him...watching Chicago last season was a waste of time, so I rarely partook...

The offseason is 48 hours old, but I guess here's where we're at up to the second...

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist/Rust
Simon-Malkin-McCann
Kahun-Bjugstad-Kessel
ZAR-Bluegers-Rust/Hornqvist

Dumo-Letang
Pettersson-Schultz
Johnson-Gudbranson
Ruhwedel

Murray
DeSmith
Jarry

Long way to go, folks...

[Gaucho]

Shoot Johnson.

[Gaucho]

Into the sun.

[shmenguin]

Wasn’t Johnson completely decent for like several months? I look at our D personnel and don’t see a need to do anything in the offseason. Letang needs to keep it together, dumo and Schultz need to stay healthy, ugly Swede needs to mature a little, and we just need the bottom pair to stay conservative. Combine all that with some cohesion and defensive buy-in from the forwards and I think we’re ok on D.

Go get a 3C somehow, GMJR, and you can start the season like this and see where it goes.

[Gaucho]

Maatta was completely decent for several years. If Maatta was a timebomb, then Johnson was a barrage of friendly fire that somewhat eased off in the second half of the season. Or maybe we merely normalized his all-around shittiness and were just thankful we weren't forced to notice him **** up on every other shift.

[mikey]

He didn't suck, but that's been an anomaly - as those are the only months he didn't suck in his professional career that has spanned a decade...it's not a smart bet.

That top four is a livable wage...but there's a massive drop off after it...meaning you're one minor penalty away from being in some pretty hot soup...it remains to be seen what Gonchar/Martin can do with Gudbranson, but those two guys are probably fringe NHLers...Ruhwedel and Riikola could play in a pinch, but it seems like the organization won't do that for any length of time, despite keeping them...

I don't know what the plan is...but it's gonna be tough to tolerate a defense where JMFJ and Badbranson get a jersey every night...luckily, we can just blame Murray for stuff, as his honeymoon period is long over...but still, deep down, we're gonna know those two guys are probably responsible...

[nocera]

Is 3.25 million/year for 5 years too much for a defenseman who was "decent for several months?"

[mikey]

Maatta was completely decent for several years. If Maatta was a timebomb, then Johnson was a barrage of friendly fire that somewhat eased off in the second half of the season. Or maybe we merely normalized his all-around shittiness and were just thankful we weren't forced to notice him **** up on every other shift.

This is a good point. It's a funhouse mirror of a world to call out Olli Maatta and defend Jack Johnson. There has never been a point in NHL history where Johnson's ability intersected with Maatta's...Johnson just can't reach that level...

[shmenguin]

Maatta was completely decent for several years. If Maatta was a timebomb, then Johnson was a barrage of friendly fire that somewhat eased off in the second half of the season. Or maybe we merely normalized his all-around shittiness and were just thankful we weren't forced to notice him **** up on every other shift.

this doesn't sound exactly fair. yes - launch him into the sun if you have takers. the $$$-to-timebomb ratio is out of whack here, as it was with maatta. but you could do worse for your #6. the thing i'm concerned about is the synergy of that pair. the discipline could fall apart at any moment.

[Gaucho]

Is 3.25 million/year for 5 years too much for a defenseman who was "decent for several months?"

Yes. It's too much for a defenseman I don't want anywhere near a meaningful game.

[mikey]

Is 3.25 million/year for 5 years too much for a defenseman who was "decent for several months?"

It depends on your goals. If you're content with getting browbeaten by the Caps and, now, Islanders...then yes, this is fine. If your goal is to improve the roster to win another Cup before you die, then the answer is: we can do better. But we're in a hole, and we need to respect that we're in this hole and it's tough to dig out when you have negative assets...

[nocera]

Penguins Willing to Trade First-Round Pick, in Win-Now Mode
https://pittsburghhockeynow.com/pittsbu ... ound-pick/

Trading a first round pick!? Get right out of town.

[Gaucho]

They draft 21st overall. The pick should very much be in play.

[nocera]

Absolutely. I was mocking the article more than anything. The Pens have traded every first round pick since 2014. Of course they're willing to trade this year's.

[NTP66]

Crosby is actually their last first round pick who is still with the team.