Should the Pens consider dealing Letang?

[KIRK]

Haha, just another term for an elephant, hippo or rhino!

Assuming by elephant, you're referring to the the serious Letang trade talks?

I know what it meant. I was being facetious.

I assume it would have been centered around Bjugstad?

I will never know 100%, but it's my understanding that JR was offered a good piece and a 1st. I suspect it was Bjustad or Dadonov. I am guessing Bjustad. JR asked for 2 good pieces and the 1st. Tallon countered with the good piece, a 1st, and a lesser piece.

If you remember the Kypreos thing, where he and others were talking Letang, that was a Saturday before Christmas. No denials. On Wednesday, DK's site actually said 'they may be thinking about moving Letang'. No denial. Thursday comes. It's my understanding that there's a major meeting, including ownership, where they decide they're willing to pull the trigger in theory. On Thursday is when you get the counters between JR and Tallon. Friday morning, JR decides it's not enough and tables discussions for the season. Then, he has the media guys do out there to say he was never considering moving Letang.

I don't know what the lesser piece was, but I suspect JR wanted Bjustad, Dadonov, and a 1st. There may have been other elements to balance out (a lesser forward for a lesser defenseman), but that's what I think he wanted.

I can't imagine that their big 3 were in play. If Tallon had offered Huberdeau/Barkov/Trotchek, a 1st, and a lesser piece for Letang, I can't imagine it wouldn't have been done. BUT, an offer of Bjustad, 1st, and a 3rd piece that wasn't Dadonov . . . I get JR deciding to table discussions for that.

To repeat, it's my understanding ONLY that JR wanted 2 good pieces and a 1st and was offered a good piece, a lesser piece, and a 1st. The specific names are mostly speculative.

EDIT: I am assuming there would've been another deal or two, if Letang had been traded then, to address the defense like they did last year when Letang got injured.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Assuming the 3 pieces thing from Florida for Letang was the plan, I would have hoped for younger assets than Bjugstad and Dadanov tbh.

 

[Gurglesons]

I guess at that point in time, I would’ve done the deal of Bjugstad, Dadanov and a 1st. I don’t think that is a great deal though and it arguably would’ve put us in worse cap hell than Letang.

Now? I don’t think it is worth it with Brassard.

If I’m moving Letang, I do it in the off-season. Something like Letang and a pick swap for Klefblom and the Oilers 1st or 2nd straight up without the pick swap.

 

[Shaffer]

I know what it meant. I was being facetious.



I will never know 100%, but it's my understanding that JR was offered a good piece and a 1st. I suspect it was Bjustad or Dadonov. I am guessing Bjustad. JR asked for 2 good pieces and the 1st. Tallon countered with the good piece, a 1st, and a lesser piece.

If you remember the Kypreos thing, where he and others were talking Letang, that was a Saturday before Christmas. No denials. On Wednesday, DK's site actually said 'they may be thinking about moving Letang'. No denial. Thursday comes. It's my understanding that there's a major meeting, including ownership, where they decide they're willing to pull the trigger in theory. On Thursday is when you get the counters between JR and Tallon. Friday morning, JR decides it's not enough and tables discussions for the season. Then, he has the media guys do out there to say he was never considering moving Letang.

I don't know what the lesser piece was, but I suspect JR wanted Bjustad, Dadonov, and a 1st. There may have been other elements to balance out (a lesser forward for a lesser defenseman), but that's what I think he wanted.

I can't imagine that their big 3 were in play. If Tallon had offered Huberdeau/Barkov/Trotchek, a 1st, and a lesser piece for Letang, I can't imagine it wouldn't have been done. BUT, an offer of Bjustad, 1st, and a 3rd piece that wasn't Dadonov . . . I get JR deciding to table discussions for that.

To repeat, it's my understanding ONLY that JR wanted 2 good pieces and a 1st and was offered a good piece, a lesser piece, and a 1st. The specific names are mostly speculative.

EDIT: I am assuming there would've been another deal or two, if Letang had been traded then, to address the defense like they did last year when Letang got injured.

Do you think Florida will circle back at the draft?

 

[Shaffer]

My thoughts: If they is an offer that upgrades the team for the next 2-3 years, take it. I’m thinking right wing for Crosby + top four defenseman + 1st/2nd

 

[Gurglesons]

My thoughts: If they is an offer that upgrades the team for the next 2-3 years, take it. I’m thinking right wing for Crosby + top four defenseman + 1st/2nd

You’re not going to get that. The deal KIRK outlined is probably the best, or a straight up swap for a lesser player with less cap.

 

[EXTRAS]

Bjugstad dadonov + 1st would be a ridiculous return for letang at this point. Highly doubt florida would consider that offer. That could land a younger more stable dman with high upside

 

[Turin]

If you can get a Karlsson or a Doughty, you do it. If you can get a Slavin, Trouba or Lindholm plus cap space, you probably do it. If you can’t do either of those, you deal with Letang and hope he finds his A game. Hawks fans were irate with Keith shortly before he played 60 minutes a game on their way to a third SC.

 

[pokey10]

He just needs to play less minutes... Yikes guys. Also, the contract he is on will be the biggest of his career. His next one will be cheaper.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

He just needs to play less minutes... Yikes guys. Also, the contract he is on will be the biggest of his career. His next one will be cheaper.

If he is even here/we still want him for a next one. Or will his brain be pure applesauce by then??

 

[cassius]

I'm bringing my comments from elsewhere in here, Letang statistically has been solid this year. His problem is that he's not getting good goaltending when he's on the ice. I feel like his issues are exaggerated because of that, because 2 out of 3 of his screw ups result in goals, but he only makes those 3 screw ups a game. He seems to be fine or better for 90% of the time, but the other 10% of the time are just huge mistakes that often result in goals. Sure, you want to eliminate those mistakes and he is definitely causing those mistakes, they shouldn't hurt the team as much as they have. It comes down to other players not doing their part to correct his mistakes.

I'm not sure I buy that..

I don't know if its like this for anyone else... but to me, it seems like Letang is getting beat 1 on 1 more times this year than previous years

 

[3074326]

Maybe Letang will go into beast mode again in the playoffs and we can revisit this thread at some point next season and keep the streak of Letang trade threads alive!

 

[Harvey Birdman]

The only way you deal Letang is if a flat out stud defenseman falls to us in the draft. Which is HIGHLY unlikely.

 

[Pancakes]

I just always go back to the fact that Letang has warts but do you really wanna see our d without him? We saw it last playoffs and it was a damned miracle we won the cup. Our possession game went to shit without him.

Granted in the theoretical scenario where we deal him we presumably try and find a replacement but again however dumb he can be he feeds our transition game so well. Jessie did a good article on him recently and his possession metrics are still better than any of our d. Is still gonna score 50ish points this year. etc.

The guy is still good. He just needs to clean up the moronic mistakes. And he can.

 

[cassius]

I just always go back to the fact that Letang has warts but do you really wanna see our d without him? We saw it last playoffs and it was a damned miracle we won the cup. Our possession game went to **** without him.

Granted in the theoretical scenario where we deal him we presumably try and find a replacement but again however dumb he can be he feeds our transition game so well. Jessie did a good article on him recently and his possession metrics are still better than any of our d. Is still gonna score 50ish points this year. etc.

The guy is still good. He just needs to clean up the moronic mistakes. And he can.

Weird logic.. Pens won the cup last year without Letang - did they not?

Tough to make the argument that Letang is critical to the Pens success when they literally won the cup without him

 

[ColePens]

I'm not sure I buy that..

I don't know if its like this for anyone else... but to me, it seems like Letang is getting beat 1 on 1 more times this year than previous years

It's not you - even the media is saying it in interviews on sports radio.

 

[Jacob]

The trade would be a pick, a prospect and a roster player. It always is.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

It's definitely time management starts thinking of moving him. If the Panthers offered that kind of package, Im pretty sure Letang would have been gone.

 

[Jacob]

Moving him just because makes zero sense.

Letang is not playing like a 7 million dollar defenseman right now. Probably more like a 5 million dollar defenseman. But it's not like it's some secret and teams will give up the type of package a #1 d-man playing at their usual high level will get. They know he's playing like ass. They know his injury history. The return value will reflect that. We're not privy to anything that the other 30 GMs aren't. And if we trade him we have a gaping hole on defense we need to fill, with probably the worst prospect pool in the league to do it with. You think we're going to get a Letang in return for Letang? Do you wanna trade him for futures and hope they pan out in 2-3 years? Our window will be closed by then.

So if you're concerned about the money there's a guy sitting in the press box making 2.25 million. Move that.

 

[dr robbie]

Letang would be a hard sale at this time. He's not playing great and wouldn't net much. Heck, I live in St. Louis and people here who don't follow or care about the Pens at all have commented on his crappy play. It's not a secret and I'm sure it would impact his value. Unless he does something great this post season, he's not going to be bringing in a big name anymore. I think at best we're looking at a cheaper/younger/not-as-good #1d and a pick.

 

[Andy99]

Letang would be a hard sale at this time. He's not playing great and wouldn't net much. Heck, I live in St. Louis and people here who don't follow or care about the Pens at all have commented on his crappy play. It's not a secret and I'm sure it would impact his value. Unless he does something great this post season, he's not going to be bringing in a big name anymore. I think at best we're looking at a cheaper/younger/not-as-good #1d and a pick.

I don’t think we’d even be getting a #1 defenseman back for him, maybe not even a top 4. Teams that might want him, as we see with Fla, are teams that need defense and likely don’t have a good one to spare. Probably teams with quality forwards to spare. I think he returns a top 6 forward, D prospect that’s not top shelf and a first. We will not improve our D for many years by trading him no matter how many stupid mistakes he makes. Now that the team has Brass for next year, no need to go the center depth route.

I think it makes sense to trade him right now only if either we have a top line D ready to play (which we don’t) or we can get a top D back, which we won’t either. So then wait until 2019-20...if we’ve fallen off the wagon, have missed the POs, or Sid and Geno can’t do it anymore, then trade him....I don’t think we’ll have a deal that makes sense to trade him next year...

 

[Pancakes]

Weird logic.. Pens won the cup last year without Letang - did they not?

Tough to make the argument that Letang is critical to the Pens success when they literally won the cup without him

We also won with him....and far more dominantly. Which playoffs do you think is more reproducable? The one where we dominated all metrics and won, or the one where we got outshot constantly and got by with timely finishing and vezina quality goaltending?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I was always so on the fence about this and I still am. I think I'd wait until after the playoffs though to really judge his year entirely. An entire season of struggles is tough to look past.

People are wrong about his trade value though. He's worth more than we think just not as much as we hope.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I was always so on the fence about this and I still am. I think I'd wait until after the playoffs though to really judge his year entirely. An entire season of struggles is tough to look past.

People are wrong about his trade value though. He's worth more than we think just not as much as we hope.

The bolded applies to the entire team for me. Any of the players currently struggling or playing below the level they're capable of (Crosby, Letang, Murray, etc.), I'm not going to even judge until I see how they perform when it matters.

 

[Pengu]

I want him out as soon as possible. Only moronic illogical thinking makes you want to keep him.
He is playing garbage and has for the entire season, save a few games.
To try and argue that you shouldn't trade him cause the return is low is asinine.
The reason you trade him is cause he is crap so how and why will he start plauying like a d deserving that 7.25 million contract?
an ENTIRE SEASON is not a blip that will magically dissappear. He is on the wrong side of 30, injury prone and looking more than turnstile out there than a d now that he has lost a step.

It's not that we can't trade him cause magically next season everything will be better, but the we have to trade him before all the other 30 teams realises he is damaged goods with little value...