Rumor: Kypreos: Penguins willing to trade Letang

[mpp9]

You could hope for a replacement D and top 6 forward, but I’d be cool with something less than that.

If Florida is willing to move Ekblad, I’d be all over that.

If JR wants forwards and then maybe dealing other pieces for a D. I’d target Buffalo.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Shea Weber brought back PK Subban like 2 years ago. That's BS that players with big cap hits in their 30s are hard to trade.

Also, the thought of "how would he produce without Crosby, Malkin and Kessel" is just dumb at this point. That's **** you would say in like 2012, before Letang was nominated for the Norris.

Canadians wanted to to trade Subban, and that got a similar contract back albeit an older player. And don't bring up Letang in 2012 and Norris nomination. Sorry bud, it's 2017.

 

[firstemperor]

He might get quantity but with his play this year and his injury history, he's not going to return much IMO. Might see something similar to the Kessel deal. More likely that nothing happens.

 

[stokes84]

What's going on with him? Has his play really dropped off?

I'd trade Kane + Reinhart

 

[Empoleon8771]

Canadians wanted to to trade Subban, and that got a similar contract back albeit an older player. And don't bring up Letang in 2012 and Norris nomination. Sorry bud, it's 2017.

Yes, it's 2017. It's insanely stupid to question how good he is offensively based on him being on a team with Crosby, Malkin and Kessel. That's dumb stuff you would say in 2012, let alone now.

What's going on with him? Has his play really dropped off?

I'd trade Kane + Reinhart

He has been horrid defensively this year and they won a cup without him last year. There is also some chatter that he's not listening to coaches, so that combined with his horrid defensive play has gotten the Penguins extremely fed up with him.

 

[Shaffer]

Kypreos broke the Kessel trade, so I have atleast a little faith in him.

 

[belair]

Not surprising to be honest. The Pens didn't need him last year and he's making a lot of money. I don't see him going to a contender though. His injury history and salary will scare a lot of teams off. Honestly I see Vancouver as a logical suitor. They've got the need, the future cap and the young forwards that Pittsburgh would require.

 

[mpp9]

He might get quantity but with his play this year and his injury history, he's not going to return much IMO. Might see something similar to the Kessel deal. More likely that nothing happens.

Letang is a more valuable player than Kessel. Doesnt have the false loser tag either.

He’s a #1 D in the league. Lotta teams don’t have one. Injury history or not.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

Detroit?

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Does Letang he even play defense ? The guy is a turnover giveaway machine in the D-Zone leading to two to three goals tonight alone. Easily explains why he's a -15 & has all those bad quality giveaways.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

When he's healthy he's a hell of a defenceman but the Pens will want an arm and a leg for him. Considering his injury history, would not pay it.

 

[Chainshot]

BUF, would you give us Reinhart+Bogo+2n for Letang? Please and thank you.

Bogo and a 2nd, sure. The deductible on Letang's health issues though is too high to get Reinhart.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Not surprising to be honest. The Pens didn't need him last year and he's making a lot of money. I don't see him going to a contender though. His injury history and salary will scare a lot of teams off. Honestly I see Vancouver as a logical suitor. They've got the need, the future cap and the young forwards that Pittsburgh would want.

People can keep saying they won the cup without Letang, but they had to play rope a dope and survive like a Walking Dead zombie held together with duct tape.

Their transition game was simply atrocious without Letang.

With Letang they dominated the season before and he was the one who scored the cup winning goal.

If he gets moved, they need back a very talented puck mover, or they will never get out of their zone.

 

[migi]

Seabrook and Anisimov. You're welcome.

 

[firstemperor]

Letang is a more valuable player than Kessel. Doesnt have the false loser tag either.

He’s a #1 D in the league. Lotta teams don’t have one. Injury history or not.

At his best, he easily does. But you have to consider his injury history and to a lesser extent, his play recently since coming back.

 

[belair]

People can keep saying they won the cup without Letang, but they had to play rope a dope and survive like a Walking Dead zombie held together with duct tape.

Their transition game was simply atrocious without Letang.

With Letang they dominated the season before and he was the one who scored the cup winning goal.

If he gets moved, they need back a very talented puck mover, or they will never get out of their zone.

No question. I watched.

I think Edler is that guy in Vancouver. Florida makes sense, too.

 

[Empoleon8771]

My take on the Letang situation, combining this with what the HFPens insider said a little while ago:

1. The Penguins are really, really fed up with Letang because of how bad he has been this year defensively and with moving the puck, plus the rumor from the insider that Letang isn't listening to the coaches.
2. The Penguins won a cup last year without Letang, so Letang isn't a piece you can't win without. Letang simply isn't important enough to the Penguins anymore for them to deal with his horrid play and refusal to listen to coaches.
3. The Penguins at their best are playing defense by possessing the puck. Not having Letang doesn't hurt that much as long as you replace him with a good puck mover. You don't need a great defense if your defensive gameplan is "don't give up the puck". Best defense is a good offense and all of that. You could probably replace Letang with Mike Green and not notice anything if the team is playing the system it is designed to play.
4. The team desperately needs a shakeup, the team is incredibly stale and is vastly underperforming from where it should be at.
5. Letang will definitely have high value if he gets traded, just because #1 RHD are insanely valuable. His injury history hurts his value, it doesn't sink it. At worst, Letang is a top pair OFD capable of playing huge minutes, but he's an absolute defensive liability. That's what he has been so far this year. At his best, he's a Norris caliber 2-way defenseman. Teams that can afford him will line up to trade for him just because even a bad version of Letang is very rarely available, and that doesn't even touch on the upside Letang has.

So basically, I think you're getting Keith Yandle at worst if you trade for Letang today.

 

[chethejet]

Sid needs a sit down with his buddy. I am sure Letang is not pleased with his play. Hard to see Mario wanting Letang traded after MAF was taken in the expansion draft. The contract is not good, but the cap at 80 million next year makes it better.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Sid needs a sit down with his buddy. I am sure Letang is not pleased with his play. Hard to see Mario wanting Letang traded after MAF was taken in the expansion draft. The contract is not good, but the cap at 80 million next year makes it better.

Letang's contract is completely fine, I don't know why people think it's bad. He only makes like $1 million more per year than Keith Yandle makes, and Keith Yandle is basically the worst version of Letang.

 

[These Are The Days]

I feel bad for the team that does this trade. Make no mistake Letang is a fantastic player but those tires are beat up bad. I mean if there's any player who has been through A LOT it's Letang. One more bad injury and that might just do it for him being as effective as he is.

 

[Spawn]

Something based around RNH for Letang?

With the caveat that if McDavid just broke his ankle it couldn't happen.

 

[belair]

Edler, Baertchi, Virtanen and VAN 1st for Letang and Hagelin?

 

[Tom Hanks]

On pace for 55 points (above his career average) and is a RHD. There will be decent offers. 7 million for that production is reasonable from a D man especially when it’s not just one season.

There will be at least one (or two) GM’s who will be like

 

[PensandCaps]

BUF, would you give us Reinhart+Bogo+2n for Letang? Please and thank you.

Ew. Why? Bogo is horribly injury prone. And evem when healthy just OK. His contract is awful. Terrible for the pens.

 

[m302291]

I'll say this.

1) This tells me that JR is no longer considering considering making a trade, and now he considering a trade. Sounds like the original rumors were right and now it's going to take more poor play and enticing offer for the Penguins to actually move him. So as much as I'd love to see a big shake-up, I'm not necessarily expecting one.

2) I have no idea what the return will be. I'd assume that it'd be a 2c caliber center and a top 3 RD, but I guess they must really be looking to upgrade the wings.

Whenever rumors of a big name player getting traded come out on HF more often than not fans of the players' team arrogantly go on about the massive haul their team is holding him for ransom for. Penguins fans (for all the flak we catch on here) will not be doing that. I won't be surprised if the return is underwhelming, but at the same time I can guarantee that Letang holds a lot more value around the league than online. I mean, look at Marleau. Leafs fans are concerned about contracts, and I can't imagine any Leafs fans would have thought that contract a good idea to take on, but it looks like Lou was right and it was worth it despite this board's obsession with never keeping a guy older than 30 under contract for more than 2 years at a time.

Does Letang he even play defense ? The guy is a turnover giveaway machine in the D-Zone leading to two to three goals tonight alone. Easily explains why he's a -15 & has all those bad quality giveaways.

He absolutely has played defense in the past. Just not well at all this year.