Excellent point.
If anyone has untapped potential secondary to "ineffective coaching" (politically correctly stated), Girgensons the player. Additionally, GMJR appears to be nicely enabled in successfully ferreting out reclamation projects. Furthermore, at 1.6 million for 2-years, Girg is comfortably within JR's budget perspective.
I guess the question is why would a new regime in Buffalo under Botts trade away a young guy with potential before they see what he has under a new coach?
He may not want to, but getting a guy he knows in Wilson or a guy who fills an organization need in Pouliot may be attractive to him.
I don't really care what HF voted. I'm just saying he's not the same Tanger of yesterday. He doesn't control the play anymore. He is still a solid dman but nowhere near as good as he once was. That's all.
Yeah that's reasonable. Just knowing how valuable centers are, particularly those that can play wing and had produced 30 points as a teenager, I wouldn't be trading Girgensons for Wilson or Pouliot if I were Botts. I would wait to see what I had in my young guys before I made any material changes with them.
On the Pens side, Girgensons is an attractive buy low option, although his faceoff % blows (44.8% career).
Letang has never been better than he was in 2016. Had he played the whole season under Sully, I think he'd have won or at least been nominated for the Norris. And I would have had no problem giving him the Conn Smythe. So I have to ask what you're basing this on? The half season where he only put up 34 points in 41 games? Which is 4th for pts/game for d-men on the season.