Confirmed with Link: Pens sign Sergei Gonchar to PTO

[Jacob]

Why would Gonchar want to be a #7 though? A #7 is going to make practically league minimum. He's going to be scratched a lot. Gonchar's probably made about $50 million dollars over the course of his career. He was a Norris runner-up. He was an All-Star. He's won a Cup. I don't see Gonchar's incentive to come back.

I think he'll attend camp, hang out with the guys and go through the whole process, but I think this is for him to retire as a Penguin.

 

[Headshot77]

Can we just sign him as him as our PP coach?

 

[mrzeigler]

I initially figured this was some sort of bridge to talking Gonchar into joining the staff, but I'm not so sure that's in the cards ... I always got the vibe that Gonchar enjoyed his "Russianness" to such a degree that he would almost certainly head home and enjoy a retirement filled with nightly trips to the ballet.

 

[ColePens]

Why would Gonchar want to be a #7 though? A #7 is going to make practically league minimum. He's going to be scratched a lot. Gonchar's probably made about $50 million dollars over the course of his career. He was a Norris runner-up. He was an All-Star. He's won a Cup. I don't see Gonchar's incentive to come back.

Maybe he didn't want to stop playing hockey and 0 teams were interested in him? That's complete speculation on my behalf. Maybe his agent called around and when Pittsburgh said tryout - he immediately said yes. He knows someone is going to get injured. And GMJR knows he's trying like hell to move Scuds.

Once again - pure speculation.

 

[ColePens]

Can we just sign him as him as our PP coach?

A good PP QB does not equate to good PP coach. We see this time and time again. Gretzky was a bad coach but one of the best players ever. Tocchet has been horrible in his career as a coach and his teams don't get tougher.

I'm not saying it always fails, but the two are not an absolute slam dunk.

 

[BHD]

Maybe he can replace Tocchet.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Gonch at 800K is preferrable to Scuderi at 3m+ for the 7th D, if we could some how subtract him from the equation. Gonch is a lefty that has played a lot of RD too, so he's insurance for both sides in case of a camp injury.

Meanwhile even if he only stays for camp, he will be good for Plotnikov and Geno as a fellow Russian, and a good influence for Pouliot especially.

 

[mrzeigler]

Were slowly assembling the 09 team for another run

 

[Jacob]

I initially figured this was some sort of bridge to talking Gonchar into joining the staff, but I'm not so sure that's in the cards ... I always got the vibe that Gonchar enjoyed his "Russianness" to such a degree that he would almost certainly head home and enjoy a retirement filled with nightly trips to the ballet.

I think he actually spends his off-seasons at his house in Florida.

I know all his vehicles have Florida plates.

 

[ColePens]

I think the PP issues come down to lack of accountability in our organization over the years. Sid, Letang, and Geno all deserved at least one shift of benching for their consistently bad decision making. That would make them accountable for their play. This coaching regime doesn't do the whole benching of the vets either. Kunitz got away with his play all last season and was demoted for like 2 games.

I wouldn't expect changes until you see the shift in the organization's culture. Even with all the talent in the world, you need accountability. It's the one thing missing over the last 5+ years. Replacing names doesn't help. Adding skill does help. But adding accountability is what puts this team over the top. Accountability and discipline.

 

[Shady Machine]

3 senarios...

1. Cant cut it and retires a penguin
2. Brought in to mentor Pouliot and Plotkinen and will eventually move to a coaches or front office role.
3. Makes team as seventh D if and only if Scuds is dealt.

Just because those are the 3 best scenarios doesn't mean they are the only ones.

4. Makes team, Scuds stays, and Pouliot is sent down.
5. Makes team, Scuds stays, and Dumo sits in the press box.

etc

 

[Giant Yankee Pens]

This should be to help Pouliot, Plotnikov, and Geno in camp, then he retires a Pen.

This board will explode if we see:

Maatta Letang
Cole Lovejoy
Scuderi Gonchar

JR is trolling us all.

 

[Asuna]

I know all his vehicles have Florida plates.

That's creepy.

 

[Jacob]

That's creepy.

I'm actually not even mad that you called me creepy. I'm all sweaty and red for a different reason entirely.

 

[mrzeigler]

I think he actually spends his off-seasons at his house in Florida.

I know all his vehicles have Florida plates.

Hmmm. Perhaps living in a society that isn't run by criminals (at least organized-crime criminals) really is the more appealing option to a person with a lot of money, regardless of how much he likes to listen to Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky.

 

[Shady Machine]

This should be to help Pouliot, Plotnikov, and Geno in camp, then he retires a Pen.

This board will explode if we see:

Maatta Letang
Cole Lovejoy
Scuderi Gonchar

JR is trolling us all.

Why does Geno need Gonchar to help him in camp?

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I think the PP issues come down to lack of accountability in our organization over the years. Sid, Letang, and Geno all deserved at least one shift of benching for their consistently bad decision making. That would make them accountable for their play. This coaching regime doesn't do the whole benching of the vets either. Kunitz got away with his play all last season and was demoted for like 2 games.

I wouldn't expect changes until you see the shift in the organization's culture. Even with all the talent in the world, you need accountability. It's the one thing missing over the last 5+ years. Replacing names doesn't help. Adding skill does help. But adding accountability is what puts this team over the top. Accountability and discipline.

tbh, at this point I think the org has a flawed philosophy with the PP because that **** has been going on for too long for it to be something smaller. Accountability won't fix that underlying problem and neither will adding more skill. They need more accountability in general but the PP is its own beast. Tocchet might also be a massive idiot and by might I mean is.

Kunitz's place on PP1 was just bizarre last season. Deeply weird, even for this team.

This should be to help Pouliot, Plotnikov, and Geno in camp, then he retires a Pen.

This board will explode if we see:

Maatta Letang
Cole Lovejoy
Scuderi Gonchar

JR is trolling us all.

I threw up in my mouth.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Why does Geno need Gonchar to help him in camp?

They will go back in time and start living together again

I think people think this will spark Geno having his friend back here, but Geno has not been a problem or played bad since Gonchar left for Ottawa.

 

[Jacob]

Hmmm. Perhaps living in a society that isn't run by criminals (at least organized-crime criminals) really is the more appealing option to a person with a lot of money, regardless of how much he likes to listen to Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky.

Most Russians do have a genetic predisposition to preferring cripplingly depressing totalitarianism.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Why does Geno need Gonchar to help him in camp?

Infantilization?

 

[fate]

what year is it?

 

[LiffLaff]

Probably one of my favorite Pens of all time. The calmness Gonch brought to the PP was just beautiful to watch. Not much left in the tank, but as others have stated, wouldn't be the worst nr7, and a great mentor for our young D. Seeing him raise a cup here again would definitely bring a tear to my eye.

 

[Mike Lange Version 2]

This should be to help Pouliot, Plotnikov, and Geno in camp, then he retires a Pen.

This board will explode if we see:

Maatta Letang
Cole Lovejoy
Scuderi Gonchar

JR is trolling us all.

All this is missing is Mark Eaton, Hal Gill, and Douglas Murray. Moar experience anyone?

Seriously though, if he just came to retire, or he's coming to replace Scuds and play in the (very) likely event one of our D-men get injured as a #7/8, I'm fine with this. Montreal fans were very happy with how he taught their young D, he could be useful.

 

[DegenX]

Not sure about this. GMJR was doing pretty well this off season, but the Cullen signing and now this leave me a bit puzzled. What happened to the youth movement?

Yes, I know it's a PTO, but still. If Sarge is mostly a 7th D/mentor then I'm OK with it, I suppose, but only if it means Scuderi and Lovejoy are gone.

 

[Shady Machine]

Even as a 7th dman, with the MASSIVE assumption that we can get rid of Scuderi, I don't know how cool with it I am.

I understand the idea, but if it means losing a Clendening or Erixon to waivers, assuming they don't suck, is it really worth it?