Pens/NHL Offseason Thread

[fractalsteel]

I guess they are not going to keep the band together for one more try.

So early on in this saga but you have to wonder if this was to improve the team locker room or satisfy Sullivan? Maybe both.
I get that if you want to move Kessel you probably won't get equal value in return, at least not next year.

I want to know who, on the current roster can do the things that Phil could on the PP? Who fills his role?

The defenseman seems like a long shot and he can't put on weight to his skinny frame.

[Ice]

Free Agency Frenzy Day! I predict the Pens will underwhelm. Good if they do, anyway, cause GMJR doesn't really do his best work recently signing FAs.

[zeke5123]

Phil wasn’t great the last half of the season. Age could be catching up. Sometimes, better to trade too soon than too late. We will see.

[Pabst]

I want to know who, on the current roster can do the things that Phil could on the PP? Who fills his role?

Turning the puck over? That role?

I say that half jokingly, but like Zeke said, Kessel was in a funk for a good part of the season. He was a big reason the Pens led the league in SHG allowed.

As far as Galchenyuk....we'll see. Arizona kept bouncing him around different positions last season, and Montreal was a dumpster fire the year prior. Hopefully that was the culprit for his slipping production.

[fractalsteel]

I want to know who, on the current roster can do the things that Phil could on the PP? Who fills his role?

Turning the puck over? That role?

I say that half jokingly, but like Zeke said, Kessel was in a funk for a good part of the season. He was a big reason the Pens led the league in SHG allowed.

As far as Galchenyuk....we'll see. Arizona kept bouncing him around different positions last season, and Montreal was a dumpster fire the year prior. Hopefully that was the culprit for his slipping production.

Yeah, he didn't have a great year even though he was a point per game player and led the team in GWG. It wasn't up to his standard.
What I meant by replacing him was that he is an exceptional passer, especially on the PP. He was the best(on the team) at carrying the puck into the OZ on the PP.
He scored nearly half his points on the PP.
And his shot, when on was the best on the team.

Who currently on the roster is going to replace such?

I'm surprised that they didn't give the core one more year. I guess they feel like they have to make changes to get back to the finals and yes it is better to get rid of a player too soon than too late.

[Jobu]

Brandon Tanev???

[Pabst]

Sounds like Artemi Panarin is going to the Rangers

[Pabst]

Brandon Tanev???

There's your Carl Hagelin replacement

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan]

6 years. 3.5 million



HAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHA

[Ice]

That's a long term for an already 27 year old with basically one good season under his belt.

So, to recap, Phil Kessel for Galchenyuk, an iffy prospect, and 2/3 of Brandon Tanev. Still not sure how I feel about this.

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan]

Summer of Suck 3.0 has reached its peak.

Thanks boys. You have been educated.

[Donnie Brasco]

Brandon Tanev???

JR literally doing NOTHING today would've been a fantastic off season. Moving Phil off the books and having cap room was as good as he could get.
Now 3 days later he trips over his own dick

[Pabst]

Well....The Pens still need to clear about $2m in cap space in order to sign ZAR, Blueger, and Pettersson, so they're clearly not done yet.

[Ice]

Four year extension for Sullivan.

[fractalsteel]

Four year extension for Sullivan.

I figured this was coming.

Doesn't matter really, in four years they are going to have to blow it up.

[Donnie Brasco]

They gave Tanev a Limited No Trade Clause

You can't make this shit up!

And I'd like to thank the Penguins for officially ruining my long weekend

Here I thought they were FINALLY putting the screws to Sully by hiring his de facto replacement if things went south early in the year (odds are that they indeed will)

So they purposely painted themselves into a corner before they had to (see JJ contract and Tanev). I mean nothing precludes extending him during the middle of the year or immediately after this season if they like what they saw

[Louis Lipps Service]

They gave Tanev a Limited No Trade Clause

You can't make this shit up!

And I'd like to thank the Penguins for officially ruining my long weekend

Here I thought they were FINALLY putting the screws to Sully by hiring his de facto replacement if things went south early in the year (odds are that they indeed will)

So they purposely painted themselves into a corner before they had to (see JJ contract and Tanev). I mean nothing precludes extending him during the middle of the year or immediately after this season if they like what they saw

Woooow. I mean, we've proven that limited NTC aren't THAT big of a blocker when trying to unload someone.

But even still, terrible strategy for middle-tier player.

[fractalsteel]

They gave Tanev a Limited No Trade Clause

You can't make this shit up!

And I'd like to thank the Penguins for officially ruining my long weekend

Here I thought they were FINALLY putting the screws to Sully by hiring his de facto replacement if things went south early in the year (odds are that they indeed will)

So they purposely painted themselves into a corner before they had to (see JJ contract and Tanev). I mean nothing precludes extending him during the middle of the year or immediately after this season if they like what they saw

Are you talking about Vellucci?

It's not like Mario hasn't burned through coaches...

As far as Tanev, the more I think about it the more this guy better make the fourth line a tough/difficult one to play against. I fear we just signed a bigger/faster version of Max Talbot for way too much $$ and contract length. And they gave him some extra leverage which was stupid.

[Ice]

If they're struggling at midseason, I think they'd still show Sullivan the door.

The Tanev signing, jeez. Go figure. The salary, pretty high, the term, well, pretty ridiculous. Even a limited NMC, just wow.

Signed him on the first day, with no apparent competition. In that, at least, it seems painfully familiar from last year around this time.

Hopefully the player is of more use than JJ was/is/hopefully was.

[Pabst]

Not to change the subject, but there's a nice article on Pensburgh discussing the Power Play sans Kessel. Good article/discussion around bumping Schultz or Guentzel to the top PP unit, and some potential changes in strategy.

We (me included) tend to fall into the trap of thinking trades are a one-for-one swap, where it could signal a change in overall lines or strategy. We'll see, I suppose.

[fractalsteel]

Couple of questions about the article Pabst shared.
If they go with Letang and Schultz on the top unit which D man heads up the second unit? I believe in the past it would have been Maata but that can't happen now. I suppose they could bring 4 F's and keep either Letang or Schultz on the ice for the entire time.

There is something no one is talking about losing Kessel on the PP. If you move Guenzel to the top unit that weakens the second unit. I'm trying to figure who is going to be on the second unit and I just don't see a good one(right now) with what is on the roster.

If Riikola progresses I suppose he could be the answer to the second unit.

[Donnie Brasco]

Couple of questions about the article Pabst shared.
If they go with Letang and Schultz on the top unit which D man heads up the second unit? I believe in the past it would have been Maata but that can't happen now. I suppose they could bring 4 F's and keep either Letang or Schultz on the ice for the entire time.

There is something no one is talking about losing Kessel on the PP. If you move Guenzel to the top unit that weakens the second unit. I'm trying to figure who is going to be on the second unit and I just don't see a good one(right now) with what is on the roster.

If Riikola progresses I suppose he could be the answer to the second unit.

Meh I'm not concerned at all about the 2nd unit. They'll probably only average 30-45 secs PP anyway. Rikkola and Petts could easily fill those roles on the backend

[Louis Lipps Service]

Matt Cullen retired.

[Ice]

I heard possibly looking for a player/coach role, but I'll always be thankful for the two Cups.

[bradshaw2ben]

Not to change the subject, but there's a nice article on Pensburgh discussing the Power Play sans Kessel. Good article/discussion around bumping Schultz or Guentzel to the top PP unit, and some potential changes in strategy.

We (me included) tend to fall into the trap of thinking trades are a one-for-one swap, where it could signal a change in overall lines or strategy. We'll see, I suppose.

Don't have to read that article to know that Kessel refused to shoot the puck on the PP since the 2017-18 postseason. Either he was favoring some injury or they were telling him not to shoot it or he was obsessed with passing... regardless, it was a huge problem at times.

[Ice]

The overpassing syndrome has been a Pens PP issue for most of the Crosby/Malkin years. Even Phil was bound to catch it eventually.

[fractalsteel]

Not to change the subject, but there's a nice article on Pensburgh discussing the Power Play sans Kessel. Good article/discussion around bumping Schultz or Guentzel to the top PP unit, and some potential changes in strategy.

We (me included) tend to fall into the trap of thinking trades are a one-for-one swap, where it could signal a change in overall lines or strategy. We'll see, I suppose.

Don't have to read that article to know that Kessel refused to shoot the puck on the PP since the 2017-18 postseason. Either he was favoring some injury or they were telling him not to shoot it or he was obsessed with passing... regardless, it was a huge problem at times.

To a degree, I agree with you. Then again, Kessel had two of his best statistical seasons on the PP the past two years.

The guy I'm pissed at for not shooting more is Malkin and that goes for the PP as well as 5 on 5. You are blessed with that shot and he just won't pull the trigger enough?

I'm hoping with Kessel gone on the PP Malkin realizes he needs to unload that howitzer of a shot he has more now.

[Donnie Brasco]

Not to change the subject, but there's a nice article on Pensburgh discussing the Power Play sans Kessel. Good article/discussion around bumping Schultz or Guentzel to the top PP unit, and some potential changes in strategy.

We (me included) tend to fall into the trap of thinking trades are a one-for-one swap, where it could signal a change in overall lines or strategy. We'll see, I suppose.

Don't have to read that article to know that Kessel refused to shoot the puck on the PP since the 2017-18 postseason. Either he was favoring some injury or they were telling him not to shoot it or he was obsessed with passing... regardless, it was a huge problem at times.

Agree with this, even though Kessel was/is the top passer on the team next to Sid. You have to expand your arsenal and Phil was overdoing it to the team's detriment

[fractalsteel]

Blueger signed to a two-year extension.

[Pabst]

Blueger signed to a two-year extension.

One way deal. He's not heading back to WBS.