TSN: Nashville Aquires James Neal from Pittsburgh for Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling

[RCola88]

Well, afterwzrds Poike said they had identified Fiala back in December as someone they liked who looked to be available in the range where we were likely to be drafting, so I think it was Fiala all along

I think so as well, the Preds didn't waste anytime getting to the stage either so that makes me think they already knew who they wanted and that he would be there

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I've enjoyed making absurd photoshops of the Penguins players. Here's one I made of Neal:

 

[mpp9]

Pens fan. Was wondering what you guys thought of Spaling at center. Is he decent in the f/o circle? Sutter may be a goner if he doesn't want to re-sign here longterm. Was seeing if Spaling could be a quality center in a 3A/3B type bottom six with Goc as the other.

 

[Infinite Jest]

Pens fan. Was wondering what you guys thought of Spaling at center. Is he decent in the f/o circle? Sutter may be a goner if he doesn't want to re-sign here longterm. Was seeing if Spaling could be a quality center in a 3A/3B type bottom six with Goc as the other.

Spaling is mediocre on faceoffs, but so is Sutter. Spaling is good defensively and a very hard worker. He played mostly LW last year, but has played center in the past. Sutter is the better player, but it isn't a huge gap. He should be a fine Sutter replacement.

 

[mpp9]

Spaling is mediocre on faceoffs, but so is Sutter. Spaling is good defensively and a very hard worker. He played mostly LW last year, but has played center in the past. Sutter is the better player, but it isn't a huge gap. He should be a fine Sutter replacement.

Thanks.

 

[tampa pred]

Spaling can play up and down the line-up without embarrassing himself. He can play center or wing, is defensively responsible, and can pot in timely goals every once in awhile. Good penalty killer. 3rd line center is probably his ideal spot.

 

[OSUlakers]

Educated Nashville fans..

Knowing what you know about Hornqvist, what kind of floor and ceiling do you see him having assuming that he plays top PP unit and either on Malkin or Crosby's wing, assuming 82GP.

Mine is 60 floor, 80 ceiling.

 

[SeventyOneTN]

Educated Nashville fans..

Knowing what you know about Hornqvist, what kind of floor and ceiling do you see him having assuming that he plays top PP unit and either on Malkin or Crosby's wing, assuming 82GP.

Mine is 60 floor, 80 ceiling.

To me more like 45 floor and 70 ceiling, he is just a hard worker, good around the net effort guy. He will score with those guys around, but I just don't see him touching the puck enough to get a ton of assists. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[triggrman]

I'd guess 48 floor 60 ceiling.

 

[NSH615]

To me more like 45 floor and 70 ceiling, he is just a hard worker, good around the net effort guy. He will score with those guys around, but I just don't see him touching the puck enough to get a ton of assists. Maybe I'm wrong.

I'd guess 48 floor 60 ceiling.

Somewhere between these 2. A ceiling between 60-70. This all depends on how much he uses his greatest skill. That is standing in front of the net and letting the puck bounce off of him.

 

[Infinite Jest]

Some people are setting very unrealistic expectations for Hornqvist on the Pens, IMO. I guess we'll see next year, but I would be very surprised if he topped 60 points. He's just not a great puck handler or passer.

35 goals 25 assists tops if he plays all 82.

 

[NSH615]

Some people are setting very unrealistic expectations for Hornqvist on the Pens, IMO. I guess we'll see next year, but I would be very surprised if he topped 60 points. He's just not a great puck handler or passer.

35 goals 25 assists tops.

he had 53 points in Nashville last season, if he's playing with either Malkin or Crosby I could see that total increasing by 7-10. Not sure how that's unrealistic.

 

[nomorekids]

I can't see Hornqvist putting up huge POINTS because he really doesn't have much in the way of playmaking ability. He's not a great skater, not a great passer...he doesn't create offense. He generates some assists by having pucks bounce off of him while creating chaos. He's not a sniper...he's essentially a one trick pony with a VERY good trick-- screening the goaltender and knocking in garbage.

If you want a "classic' comparison for Patric Hornqvist, he's essentially Tomas Holmstrom reborn, but I think he's better at what he does than Holmstrom was.

It's reasonable to think that Hornqvist could score 30-40 goals, but i don't see him complimenting that with 40-50 assists. He's just not that kind of player.

 

[Infinite Jest]

he had 53 points in Nashville last season, if he's playing with either Malkin or Crosby I could see that total increasing by 7-10. Not sure how that's unrealistic.

He's not a good compliment to Malkin at all and I just don't think he can keep up with Crosby at even strength, but I guess we'll see next year. If he gets a few extra assists that bounce off of him, I guess he might break 60 points, just depends on puck luck with him.

 

[OSUlakers]

I don't think 70 points is out of the queston at all...I mean, if he can get 31 assists from the predators in 76 games with the predators....look who he's plying with all of the sudden...players who will give him the puck in better situations and players who will do better things with the puck after he has touched it. I don't think 35-35 or 30-40 are out of the question, if he's healthy all year. He will only fit nicey into the Penguins PP. 60 is conservative on a full season of health, no?

 

[NSH615]

He's not a good compliment to Malkin at all and I just don't think he can keep up with Crosby at even strength, but I guess we'll see next year. If he gets a few extra assists that bounce off of him, I guess he might break 60 points, just depends on puck luck with him.

This is the key right here. Assists and goals that bounce off of him. I never said that he would be a compliment to Malkin or keep up with Crosby, just that playing with them would likely add a few points to his total. Meaning they score more, so he's likely to get more garbage goals from them if he stands in front of their shots.

 

[triggrman]

Hornqvist's best friend are the defensemen on the points, not centers. On the Predators he had Weber, Josi and Ellis on the points, those are ideal for a player like him.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

hornqvist will score 33 goals and have 34 assists in his first season in Pittsburgh.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Hornqvist's best friend are the defensemen on the points, not centers. On the Predators he had Weber, Josi and Ellis on the points, those are ideal for a player like him.

This. He won't be able to set up in time unless Pittsburgh can set up and wait for him to get to his spot.

 

[Byrddog]

Hornqvist's best friend are the defensemen on the points, not centers. On the Predators he had Weber, Josi and Ellis on the points, those are ideal for a player like him.

The breakdown of the assists for Horni's 22 goals last season

5 times Primary assist by defensemen
9 secondary assists by defensemen

http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/h/hornqpa01/scoring/2014/

Considering the talent level of the forwards he will play with this year its a pretty good bet he will have 35 goals and 45 assists but that will be effected by the number of games hes on the IR. But I would expect he hits the 70 point mark pretty easy absent a prolonged number of games missed.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

don't really get the logic that hornqvist benefits more from a weber than a malkin or crosby.. these guys are professionals and will adjust. he should be around 70 points without any injuries.

 

[Persona5]

Horny is every bit as good a player as Kunitz is. His shot is better than most give him credit for. All you need to know about Hornqvist and his style of play is this. One game last season the Preds were down two goals with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game. The puck got shot down the ice slowly toward an open net and Hornqvist went all out after it at the end of his shift to dive and poke the puck just wide of the net saving the goal. He is effort personified. I also observed him at the end of practice standing in front of the net with Weber shooting slap shots at him while he blocked Rinne's vision and tipped pucks in. He would take one off the shin every now and then and skate it off for a minute and get right back in there. He did that for almost 30 minutes straight. The guy is one of the best net front presence players in the NHL and will only get his due credit now that he is going to play with some very talented players. That is what you are getting with Honry.

 

[I Will Son]

His deflections are ridiculous. Might be best in the NHL at playing the Holmstrom type game

 

[triggrman]

The breakdown of the assists for Horni's 22 goals last season

5 times Primary assist by defensemen
9 secondary assists by defensemen

http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/h/hornqpa01/scoring/2014/

Considering the talent level of the forwards he will play with this year its a pretty good bet he will have 35 goals and 45 assists but that will be effected by the number of games hes on the IR. But I would expect he hits the 70 point mark pretty easy absent a prolonged number of games missed.

guess we'll see.

 

[WartracePred]

Horny is every bit as good a player as Kunitz is. His shot is better than most give him credit for. All you need to know about Hornqvist and his style of play is this. One game last season the Preds were down two goals with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game. The puck got shot down the ice slowly toward an open net and Hornqvist went all out after it at the end of his shift to dive and poke the puck just wide of the net saving the goal. He is effort personified. I also observed him at the end of practice standing in front of the net with Weber shooting slap shots at him while he blocked Rinne's vision and tipped pucks in. He would take one off the shin every now and then and skate it off for a minute and get right back in there. He did that for almost 30 minutes straight. The guy is one of the best net front presence players in the NHL and will only get his due credit now that he is going to play with some very talented players. That is what you are getting with Honry.

This is why I hated loosing Horny. That commitment and effort are rare among professional athletes. I've seen Weber chase down empty net shots when the game was already decided, but he doesn't give that effort every day. Hornqvist does.