Are the Penguins in a better place than last year?

[MarkGio]

The pens need a top 4 defenseman and top 6 forward?

Wideman and Raymond?

For

Bennett and Sutter?

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

I'd say this is the worst place the pens have been in a long time.

Sid and Geno's best years are behind them, they don't really have much talent around Sid and Geno right now, they don't have many assets either.

Pens are probably the 4th or 5th best team in there own division, there isn't much to be excited about right now as a pens fan.

wut ummmmm okkkkkkkhahaha

 

[#66]

The Penguins organization saw a decent amount of change last year. James Neal was moved out. Shero and Bylsma were both fired. David Morehouse was promoted.

For the past four years, the Penguins HFBoards community was advocating for the firing of Bylsma and Shero as it would ultimately help the team out. Shero was consistently mortgaging our future. Bylsma's system was strangling our star players and propping up AHLers like Adams into "key" roles. Everyone was ecstatic when the Penguins finally fired both and moved into a new era.

The only issue was that we ended up with an AHL coach and Jim Rutherford. In their first year they barely made the playoffs. They traded away Despres and multiple picks for UFAs. Our first was traded for David Perron who was less than advertised. They also used what money we did have on free agency for a defenseman, akin to Shero.

Now we are nearly one year removed from those changes and we have JR in charge of what is probably the most important off season in the Crosby era?

Is it actually an improvement to have JR and Johnston entering this off season? Or would it have been better to just stick with Shero and Bylsma for one more year and fired them this off season? Allowing for actual NHL coaches like Todd Mclellan and NHL GMs like Pete Chiarelli to take over important management positions rather than whatever is running our franchise right now?

I honestly believe that Shero and Bylsma being here one more year would've done less damage to our franchise than what JR and Johnston have done in one year. I see so many parallels between the Canucks and Torts and last year and the Pens.

Completely disagree. Those changes needed to happen ASAP.

The problem is/ was who the Pens brought in. A new fresh inventive start would be to get Kurri to GM and Ulf to coach. People rave about the jobs they're doing and they would have completely revamped this team in an image made for todays brand of hockey with out of the box thinking.

In the end we got yes men and baby sitter coaches. The same rehash that burned Pittsburgh hockey for 30 years. I like EJ and what he did for the Pens but it says a lot about this team that he has to mentor coaches on how to treat stars. Think that would ever happen to Sutter, Coach Q.... The Pens are like no other team in the league and that BS needs to stop.

 

[end]

The team would be a cellar dweller if not for the all-world talents of Crosby and Malkin. Instead of being a cellar dweller it'll be one of the middle-tier teams that exist to take low playoff spots and do jobs for the actual great teams, until Crosby and Malkin get pissed with the constant mediocrity and leave. Then it will be a real cellar dweller, we can all enjoy the X GENERATION again, and start the whole stupid process over with some high picks.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Shall we revisit the posts in this thread? How does the trade change our stances on this team going into the off-season?

 

[Gurglesons]

Shall we revisit the posts in this thread? How does the trade change our stances on this team going into the off-season?

I think simply the fact that we are finally building around our top two assets is a move in the right direction.

Now, let's just hope they realize we don't HAVE to win the cup next year. We have at least three years where we have Letang, Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel. Not to mention smaller pieces were kept in the Kessel deal with Hornqvist, Maatta, and Pouliot.

The best part is that having a legitimate top six with Hornqvist, Malkin, Crosby, Kessel and hopefully Perron gives us the chance to slow develop forward assets or in other words, do what Chicago did and play them as complimentary pieces.

I think it is clear after this free agency we are in a better place than last off season and fully take back my statements, that being said without the Kessel trade and the signing or trading for a player like Frolik or Sharp, I think my stance is completely different. If we struck out on this trade as in even giving up a player of DP or Maatta's stature in it, our team would have a miserable line-up.

 

[kodoshin]

Honestly, with the way the Kessel deal went down, I'll say we are better off now. I thought for sure we were going to give up way too much, but JR pulled off a good deal. That the first rounder for next year is lottery protected is especially important in my opinion. I think this team is going to experience some serious pains this coming season, and being able to keep that pick is enormous. Our division will, if anything, be even more difficult than it was this year, I certainly wouldn't just assume we are a playoff team at this point.

 

[nexguy]

Honestly, with the way the Kessel deal went down, I'll say we are better off now. I thought for sure we were going to give up way too much, but JR pulled off a good deal. That the first rounder for next year is lottery protected is especially important in my opinion. I think this team is going to experience some serious pains this coming season, and being able to keep that pick is enormous. Our division will, if anything, be even more difficult than it was this year, I certainly wouldn't just assume we are a playoff team at this point.

At this point (completely healthy) we are absolutely a playoff team. It will probably all come down to injuries again if we can stay a playoff team.

 

[Asuna]

Interesting question to answer now. Are we in a better place?

Yeah...I think so. Got some work to do, but the future is much brighter than it was a few days ago.

 

[DanielPlainview]

The team would be a cellar dweller if not for the all-world talents of Crosby and Malkin. Instead of being a cellar dweller it'll be one of the middle-tier teams that exist to take low playoff spots and do jobs for the actual great teams, until Crosby and Malkin get pissed with the constant mediocrity and leave. Then it will be a real cellar dweller, we can all enjoy the X GENERATION again, and start the whole stupid process over with some high picks.

The way things are going, the Pens won't have a first round pick until 2025.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Kessel trade makes it about even, granted the off-season isn't over yet. Our offense already looks a lot better, but at a glance our defense looks about that much worse too.

 

[mikethelegacy]

Kessel trade makes it about even, granted the off-season isn't over yet. Our offense already looks a lot better, but at a glance our defense looks about that much worse too.

To be honest, there is some truth in that, but we can't really say how our defense is because we've never gotten a good look at our youngsters for such a long period. Gonna be an interesting year.

I'm actually looking forward to many high-scoring games. I missed that type of hockey.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Oh I think so. We lost Martin but Kessel outweighs it from a total team perspective IMO. Anyone we end up with on the fourth line will be faster, younger, and score more than the regulars from last year, and that's not hyperbole. It's not all sunshine and roses, but we will be better this year especially when you count (hopefully) healthy Maatta and Dupuis, and Pouliot is only going to get better.

 

[Human]

if we were dropping some dead weight we would be on an even better position. they will end up keeping Scuderi and Kunitz around, and because they are vets with seniority, MJ will end up playing them a lot. I'm expecting Scuderi on the second pairing and Kunitz on the PP, with his ocasional shift with Crosby and/or Malkin. in the process they will block some youngsters getting time, especially Scuderi. you know this will end up happening.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I think simply the fact that we are finally building around our top two assets is a move in the right direction.

Now, let's just hope they realize we don't HAVE to win the cup next year. We have at least three years where we have Letang, Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel. Not to mention smaller pieces were kept in the Kessel deal with Hornqvist, Maatta, and Pouliot.

The best part is that having a legitimate top six with Hornqvist, Malkin, Crosby, Kessel and hopefully Perron gives us the chance to slow develop forward assets or in other words, do what Chicago did and play them as complimentary pieces.

I think it is clear after this free agency we are in a better place than last off season and fully take back my statements, that being said without the Kessel trade and the signing or trading for a player like Frolik or Sharp, I think my stance is completely different. If we struck out on this trade as in even giving up a player of DP or Maatta's stature in it, our team would have a miserable line-up.

Yeah, that's why I'm asking. I totally understand the frustrations going into July 1st. But where do we sit, now-- that's an interesting question.

 

[Ziggyjoe21]

Adding Perron and Kessel makes the forwards a lot better on paper. There are 3 legit top 6 wingers, plus Plotnikov, Dupuis, BB, Kunitz fighting over the 4th one. Needless to say, the top 9 is set.

The D looks a lot worse on paper. We have 2 top 4 Dmen right now. And there is still barely any playing time for the young Dmen (Pouliot and Damoulin).

Top 4 Dmen: Letang Maatta
Bottom 2 Dmen: Pouliot Cole Lovejoy Scuds Damoulin

Also, I (and I think most Pens fans), have the most faith in Fleury since 2011.

 

[IcedCapp]

The top-6 is better than its been in quite a while, and they are a couple of moves from having one of the deepest top-9s, maybe top-12s in the league, but now they have nothing in the system. They went from the deepest blue line in the league (opinion) to nothing and their get, in the end, was Phil Kessel. Elite player, for sure, but so many bullets wasted.

I don't know if they are in a better spot today than 2 days ago, or 12 months ago. They are in a different spot.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

I'd say this is the worst place the pens have been in a long time.

Sid and Geno's best years are behind them, they don't really have much talent around Sid and Geno right now, they don't have many assets either.

Pens are probably the 4th or 5th best team in there own division, there isn't much to be excited about right now as a pens fan.

I remember the pre Mario days and the post Jagr days when out leading scorer was Dick Tarnstrom. If you can't get excited about this team with 2 of the best players in the world, one of the most dynamic defenseman in the NHL, one of the most offensively gifted wingers, budding young stars in Maatta and Pouliot plus several other good players then go find another team to watch because we don't need you. Many fans would kill for this group. Some fans have been to spoiled.

 

[JRS91]

I think as of right now, offensively? Yes.

I think defensively, probably not, but I don't think we're in a bad situation. If the Penguins still had Despres, I would say they're better, but sadly that's not the case.

 

[Beau Knows]

A couple of solid acquisitions from being a pretty impressive team imo. They have a couple of holes right now; we could use another dman and some more bottom 6 depth. But compare this roster to what we had at this time last year and it's pretty impressive how much more skill we have. Even goal-tending, MAF was a big question mark for me going into last year - but he made me a believer and that is one less position we have to worry about. And even though the playoffs were quick for us I thought we actually showed some potential considering the lack of talent up front and the injuries on D.

 

[cheesedanish87]

I remember the pre Mario days and the post Jagr days when out leading scorer was Dick Tarnstrom. If you can't get excited about this team with 2 of the best players in the world, one of the most dynamic defenseman in the NHL, one of the most offensively gifted wingers, budding young stars in Maatta and Pouliot plus several other good players then go find another team to watch because we don't need you. Many fans would kill for this group. Some fans have been to spoiled.

I was answering the question in the thread if the pens are in a better place right now then last year, what does Dick Tarnstrom or anything else you said have anything to do with that?


The pens have been in win now mode for a long time, eventually it catches up to you when your trading draft picks and prospects every year, i think its caught up to the pens now.

I don't think the pens are cup contenders, they don't have many good young players or prospects coming up.

As a franchise i think its the worst position they have been in over the last 8 or 9 years.

 

[chethejet]

The Pens are in better shape than the declining injury old defense man that simply didn't allow for progress and development. Pens are in their prime as to the stars, but the need to restock the farms is paramount now. Shero bankrupted the Pens with far to many all in trades and agenda driven drafts when he had picks. The trade changes the dynamic as to potential success.

 

[madinsomniac]

The top-6 is better than its been in quite a while, and they are a couple of moves from having one of the deepest top-9s, maybe top-12s in the league, but now they have nothing in the system. They went from the deepest blue line in the league (opinion) to nothing and their get, in the end, was Phil Kessel. Elite player, for sure, but so many bullets wasted.

I don't know if they are in a better spot today than 2 days ago, or 12 months ago. They are in a different spot.

this is why the Despres trade was so terribly disappointing... they go from a top four of letang, Maatta, pouliot and despres, to letang, Maatta, pouliot and cole... the first was a d you could grow and win with, the second is far more shaky. If we don't pull the trigger at the end of that deadline, we potentially have Letang Maatta, Pouliot, Despres, Doumulin, and Cole as the guys we are growing with... and that is a pretty solid group that will only get better... instead we will have to hope for lovejoy and scuderi to revert to "OK"

 

[Darth Vitale]

I think at this point the answer is academic. We are clearly in better shape roster-wise than we were this time last year. Let's move on. This one never had much traction to begin with.