Are the Penguins better off without Letang at market value?

[jmelm]

yes we would come up short on the offense side. but as it gets harder for him to make up for his brain freezes a lot of that will cancel out the good that he dose (think matty). I would like to keep him but it will depend on the cost. and I'm not as high on him as some here.

The point is we don’t have any other options, it’s not about whether Letang is perfect or ideal or not. The only option that is any kind of reasonable Plan B is Klingberg. After that, there isn’t even a sure-fire #3, let alone another #1 or 2 Dman.

If we don’t keep Letang or sign Klingberg — and short of us going in a different direction and signing a superstar F like Gaudreau or Forsberg in addition to Rust/Malkin/Rakell and going all offense — then we really might as well start the full scale rebuild.

I just don’t see the Pens doing when 87 is still a > PPG superstar, and that we’ll try to push our window for another 2-3 years before doing that. But there’s no point being a middling team that maybe squeaks in as a #8 or finishes 9/10 in the conference.

 

[The Old Master]

we will come up short on the defensive side replacing Letang with any of our right D as well. He's just a straight up better hockey player than anyone we have internal to replace him. Sure, they might not be as silly looking brain farts, they'll just generally get outplayed compared to him the other 99% of the time.

yes we don't, but the fall off isn't going to be that great. (and we will be saving ton's) if continues to regress as much as he has this year, he'll be moving into math's territory (a player that should never play over the 3rd line. ) so paying above that type of player would be a waste. and while I don't think he's there yet. it's the direction he is headed.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

Meant to vote 3, anyways, id put good money on this team missing the playoffs next season if letang is playing elsewhere.

 

[Ogrezilla]

yes we don't, but the fall off isn't going to be that great. (and we will be saving ton's) if continues to regress as much as he has this year, he'll be moving into math's territory (a player that should never play over the 3rd line. ) so paying above that type of player would be a waste. and while I don't think he's there yet. it's the direction he is headed.

Letang has been great this season though. I'm confused.

 

[Pens1566]

Voted 3. Although Rust goes before Tanger. Or, at least he should.

 

[The Old Master]

Letang has been great this season though. I'm confused.

Letang can no longer catch players from behind. so he has adapted and does not gamble like he did. thus giving the impression that he is playing better. and while that may look good for now but what happens when he comes back next year even slower? they will need to start cutting his minuets dropping him down in the lineup all the while he'll be getting paid for a top end player.

 

[ChaosAgent]

If we are to let either Letang or Geno go for hockey reasons, it should be Geno.

In reality we are not letting either go unless another team (MTL) backs up the Brinks truck in front of Letang's house.

 

[The Old Master]

If we are to let either Letang or Geno go for hockey reasons, it should be Geno.

In reality we are not letting either go unless another team (MTL) backs up the Brinks truck in front of Letang's house.

I don't want to let him go. I just don't want to pay as much as some here want to pay.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Letang can no longer catch players from behind. so he has adapted and does not gamble like he did. thus giving the impression that he is playing better. and while that may look good for now but what happens when he comes back next year even slower? they will need to start cutting his minuets dropping him down in the lineup all the while he'll be getting paid for a top end player.

He's playing differently. And he's also having one of the best offensive seasons of his career at the same time. I feel like what you're describing is more positive than negative. He has slowed down a step, adapted, and is having his best season in years. That absolutely makes me less concerned about his future than I was prior to this year, not more.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I don't think Letang, particularly, is so needed that we need to hang on to him. The problem is, the role he fills on this team *is* needed and we have no in-house replacements for him.

It's especially an issue because he plays the right side. We have more options on LD to replace guys, but on RD it's basically just Marino and two bottom pairing guys in Ruhwedel and Friedman.

 

[The Old Master]

He's playing differently. And he's also having one of the best offensive seasons of his career at the same time. I feel like what you're describing is more positive than negative. He has slowed down a step, adapted, and is having his best season in years. That absolutely makes me less concerned about his future than I was prior to this year, not more.

but it will only work for so long. so it comes down to how long? and you think it's going to last longer than i do.

 

[TKalltheTime]

Letang has been great this season though. I'm confused.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

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Letang was playing really good hockey for the first 40-ish games. He's been having some rough outings over the past 15-ish games with some real head scratcher moments, but I don't think his entire season's been bad by any means.

 

[TKalltheTime]

Letang was playing really good hockey for the first 40-ish games. He's been having some rough outings over the past 15-ish games with some real head scratcher moments, but I don't think his entire season's been bad by any means.

I think his bad games have been around a lot more than 15 games this season but we’ll have to agree to disagree

 

[Ogrezilla]

but it will only work for so long. so it comes down to how long? and you think it's going to last longer than i do.

At some point Letang will drop off sometime, maybe even soon. If we replace him with anyone internally or with a UFA, it will almost certainly be a drop-off from where Letang is now. We are much more likely to have a strong #1 D for the next few years if we keep than Letang than if we don't.

 

[Ogrezilla]

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are you honestly suggesting Letang hasn't been good this year? How? I get that everyone gets to have their own opinions, but at some point they are just wrong.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Letang was playing really good hockey for the first 40-ish games. He's been having some rough outings over the past 15-ish games with some real head scratcher moments, but I don't think his entire season's been bad by any means.

Pretty much this. The last month or two have had some real rough patches, but overall he's been fine.

 

[Pengu]

Letang or Geno want anything longer than 3 years and the door should be shown. It would be madness paying that kind of money to 40 year olds. And there are no top players that perform at top level at that age. Might as well hand them a big sack of cash when they are forced to retire...

 

[lordstanley91]

What’s crazy is that Letang is actually probably having one of the best seasons of his career this season offensively. I may get dumped on for that but I stand by it. Keep him unless he is going for one last huge payday that we can’t afford.

 

[madinsomniac]

People are too emotionally attached to professional athletes. Parasocial relationships are weird, man.

I think the front office is the one with the emotional attachments… sure based off of decline levels sid and geno can be productive until they are in their 40’s… but not at a level that equates what they will cost as superstars… i don’t think the front office will part ways with any of the three ever, but there is something to be said for either letting them walk or, if they are willing to, resigning them to a short deal, making one more run at it next year, then dealing them to some star starved franchise… it’s a great way to restock the cupboard.

Hey i love all three of them, but at this point if the offer was sweet enough, id even sell Sid for a potential shot at the next sid in a half heartbeat lol

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I think his bad games have been around a lot more than 15 games this season but we’ll have to agree to disagree

Guy has over 60 points, plays in all situation. Sure, let's let him go

 

[Peat]

I think the front office is the one with the emotional attachments… sure based off of decline levels sid and geno can be productive until they are in their 40’s… but not at a level that equates what they will cost as superstars… i don’t think the front office will part ways with any of the three ever, but there is something to be said for either letting them walk or, if they are willing to, resigning them to a short deal, making one more run at it next year, then dealing them to some star starved franchise… it’s a great way to restock the cupboard.

Hey i love all three of them, but at this point if the offer was sweet enough, id even sell Sid for a potential shot at the next sid in a half heartbeat lol

As pointed out recently, the front office currently consists of guys who've been working with this team for 18 - 24 months tops. The guys with the long ties are gone.

 

[pistolpete11]

I don't know what market value is exactly, but if they lose Letang, it's going to take a lot of shuffling to get to a defense I'd be happy with. And no, that doesn't mean just signing Klingberg...although, that would be a good start.

 

[jmelm]

A realistic assessment of this season's play puts Letang at a realistic #5 on the Norris ballot this year. Jossi, Makar, Hedman and pre-injury Ekblad being the 4 guys who were legitimately ahead of him.

So no, just losing a player like that for cap space and ???? of who is going to replace him does not make us a better team under any circumstance.