Waived: Brian Strait (Claimed by NY Islanders)

[OnMyOwn]

Strait is ok, but I don't get what the fuss is about. He was probably hard to trade, and is a run of the mill bottom pairing guy.

 

[Jacob]

Strait might have more upside than Lovejoy but that's not the same as saying he's better *right now* than Lovejoy. Lets be clear on that.

 

[gordie]

Could be true. Bylsma has the tendency to fall in love with fringe players like Lovejoy and Letestu.

It was said that Bylsma was also possibly building up Megna to anyone that would listen. Noticed he was sent down today.

 

[Shady Machine]

It was said that Bylsma was also possibly building up Megna to anyone that would listen. Noticed he was sent down today.

"It was said". Is that the same as saying "In my opinion"?

Why would Bylsma be trying to pawn off a guy they signed off the street that is currently one of their only talented offensive forwards on the farm? That makes zero sense.

 

[Dangles78]

Strait is what he is.

Losing Bortuzzo for nothing would be a much more significant loss.

Still think Strait > Lovejoy, but honestly, it's not that big of a deal. The Pens bottom pairing will be fine with/or without Strait. Still need to focus on the top-4.

There's a good chance he gets picked up. There are a lot of teams looking for depth.

 

[jdpitt05]

I never saw what the big deal was with Strait. He can stay or go IMO. At least if he gets picked up people can stop adding him in trade proposals, no one wants him. If he passes through waivers by tomorrow that will pretty much prove that.

 

[OnMyOwn]

"It was said". Is that the same as saying "In my opinion"?

Why would Bylsma be trying to pawn off a guy they signed off the street that is currently one of their only talented offensive forwards on the farm? That makes zero sense.

I think he means to management about keeping him on the team. Not getting rid of him.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

What concerns me is more about the team's philosophy. It seems they want no part of defensemen who play using the K.I.S.S. method. And THIS is exactly why our defensive play looked like a train wreck against the Flyers.

I simply cannot understand this obsession with puck-moving defensemen at the expense of stay-at-home presence. You need BOTH to be successful, and every Stanley Cup winner is proof of this. EVEN Detroit had its Andreas Lilja.

We have negligible reliability on defense. When Strait played, you felt more comfortable. I don't care about his lack of NHL experience. He kept his game simple and played safe hockey.

I have no idea what the plan is on defense, to be perfectly honest.

 

[MtlPenFan]

Dan Bylsma is still the head coach could be the answer.

Those moves are up to the GM.

I see this is going to be a long year on here, even though it's a short one.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Strait might have more upside than Lovejoy but that's not the same as saying he's better *right now* than Lovejoy. Lets be clear on that.

Strait is ok, but I don't get what the fuss is about. He was probably hard to trade, and is a run of the mill bottom pairing guy.

These are pretty much my thoughts on the issue. That last sentence can't be stressed enough.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Strait is ok, but I don't get what the fuss is about. He was probably hard to trade, and is a run of the mill bottom pairing guy.

For me, it also has to do with asset management. Strait was a former 3rd round pick. If he's claimed on waivers, that's another high pick that yielded nothing. Nick Johnson (another former 3rd round pick) was also lost to waivers last season.

It would be nice to flip these guys for either similar prospects at a different position, or at least recoup some draft picks for upcoming drafts, instead of losing former decently high picks for nothing.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

So remind me again about this plan to stack up on defensemen because 'they are like gold in the NHL and we can always trade them for forwards'. I am sure that was the plan right? How much gold we getting for this guy? Or even loose change that fell into the couch?

This was always the flaw with this plan. And will show with all the higher defensive prospects as well. Defensemen who have established themselves have value. Prospects or guys with limited track records? You aren't getting value for.

My issue is that Strait developed about as well as a defensive defenseman as anyone could've reasonably expected since being drafted, yet here we are...a team with a ton of defensive issues, and we're waiving him over a less reliable guy in Lovejoy.

Why even bother drafting defensemen like Strait in the higher rounds if we're just going to jettison them the first chance we get - in favour of a marginal 30 year old coming off a bad year?

Regardless of whether he gets claimed or not, it seems like a curious philosophy to me.

 

[ColePens]

My issue is that Strait developed about as well as a defensive defenseman as anyone could've reasonably expected since being drafted, yet here we are...a team with a ton of defensive issues, and we're waiving him over a less reliable guy in Lovejoy.

Why even bother drafting defensemen like Strait in the higher rounds if we're just going to jettison them the first chance we get - in favour of a marginal 30 year old coming off a bad year?

Regardless of whether he gets claimed or not, it seems like a curious philosophy to me.

I won't lose my mind either way, but I have to admit this is one hell of a post. I think this is where the frustration stems from.

Great call.

 

[Shady Machine]

My issue is that Strait developed about as well as a defensive defenseman as anyone could've reasonably expected since being drafted, yet here we are...a team with a ton of defensive issues, and we're waiving him over a less reliable guy in Lovejoy.

Why even bother drafting defensemen like Strait in the higher rounds if we're just going to jettison them the first chance we get - in favour of a marginal 30 year old coming off a bad year?

Regardless of whether he gets claimed or not, it seems like a curious philosophy to me.

Yup that is my issue with this as well. It doesn't matter if he's just a depth dman now. We used a 3rd round pick and spent years developing him and just when it's time to reap the benefits, we put him on waivers. This is likely to continue happening in the next few years.

Plus, Strait may not be flashy but he's very dependable so he's the perfect number 6-7 guy to have. Lovejoy may be a better PMD and have more offensive instincts, but has defensive warts and takes chances that you don't want your depth guys taking (or I wouldn't). So in the scheme of things, it's not a big deal if we lose him, but it's the philosophy of it that puzzles me.

 

[Dangles78]

For me, it also has to do with asset management. Strait was a former 3rd round pick. If he's claimed on waivers, that's another high pick that yielded nothing. Nick Johnson (another former 3rd round pick) was also lost to waivers last season.

It would be nice to flip these guys for either similar prospects at a different position, or at least recoup some draft picks for upcoming drafts, instead of losing former decently high picks for nothing.

Considering that the % of players drafted in the 3rd round that actually become NHL regulars isn't all that high, I wouldn't call it a high pick.

It's a numbers game. There have been much, much better players the last couple of years (and each year) than Strait.

I think people are getting more emotionally attached with this than they should. Maybe the fact that Lovejoy is still on the team has something to do with that.

Like I said, I wouldn't be happy if Bortuzzo is lost for nothing, but Stait not so much.

 

[IHWR]

My favorite thing about this is that the same people that will defend our management for picking defensemen early in every draft are now questioning their evaluation of their own defensemen (Strait being waived over Lovejoy). In Shero we trust.

You guys are the best.

 

[Shrimper]

Gutted that Beau Bennett was sent down as I felt he really impressed yesterday. Not surprised that Megna was sent down.

If Strait get's claimed then I wouldn't be surprised but why aren't we playing him ahead of Lovejoy?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Considering that the % of players drafted in the 3rd round that actually become NHL regulars isn't all that high, I wouldn't call it a high pick.

It's a numbers game. There have been much, much better players the last couple of years (and each year) than Strait.

I think people are getting more emotionally attached with this than they should. Maybe the fact that Lovejoy is still on the team has something to do with that.

Like I said, I wouldn't be happy if Bortuzzo is lost for nothing, but Stait not so much.

The thing is that in and of itself you are right. Many here are looking at this solely as this deal and not big picture. I am looking at that big picture more. A number of us have been openly worrying about drafting all this defense, we drafted two more with our first round picks this year, and in DP passed up more highly regarded forward talent. And we were told not to worry, we can always trade surplus defensive talent for forwards. Just look at the Goligoski deal! This has the feel of just the first shoe dropping. Not that we are going to lose Despres on waivers for nothing, or anything like that. But we are not going to get value for a few of these chips just in a sheer numbers game.

 

[bigd]

My favorite thing about this is that the same people that will defend our management for picking defensemen early in every draft are now questioning their evaluation of their own defensemen (Strait being waived over Lovejoy). In Shero we trust.

You guys are the best.

Both are UFA's this summer so this is probably there last go around in the Pittsburgh org.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

One thing to remember here folks - Ben Lovejoy still sits either 7th or 8th on the depth chart in Pittsburgh. He's not going to be a regular on that defense, so let's cut the dramatics.

I'm as annoyed that we kept Lovejoy over Strait as well, but Lovejoy isn't going to be playing 15 minutes a night...and Strait's play in the playoffs is being overblown considering he barely saw the ice.

It's not surprising that we couldn't get anything for them via trade right now...too many similar value players are being exposed to waivers simultaneously...it is more frustrating that one of them wasn't moved closer to the draft when it would have been easy to imagine one of them getting at least a 6th rounder...but let's not put too much value on a 6th round draft pick.

 

[Gallatin]

My issue is that Strait developed about as well as a defensive defenseman as anyone could've reasonably expected since being drafted, yet here we are...a team with a ton of defensive issues, and we're waiving him over a less reliable guy in Lovejoy.

Why even bother drafting defensemen like Strait in the higher rounds if we're just going to jettison them the first chance we get - in favour of a marginal 30 year old coming off a bad year?

Regardless of whether he gets claimed or not, it seems like a curious philosophy to me.

This....
Waivering Strait makes me question, just a bit, the ability of this management team to assemble another Stanley Cup winner. Clearly Lovejoy should have been the guy on waivers.

Say goodby to a solid player. Just hope he does not end up on an Eastern Playoff contender, the dude is money as a 5-6.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Would of much rather put lovejoy on waivers. Lovejoy has no upside he will never be anything better then a number 6 def

Does anyone think realistically that the reverend could end up a better D than Strait? I don't get this one but like the man said it's not the end of the world.

 

[Gallatin]

My favorite thing about this is that the same people that will defend our management for picking defensemen early in every draft are now questioning their evaluation of their own defensemen (Strait being waived over Lovejoy). In Shero we trust.

You guys are the best.

Guilty as charged sir.

 

[Dangles78]

The thing is that in and of itself you are right. Many here are looking at this solely as this deal and not big picture. I am looking at that big picture more. A number of us have been openly worrying about drafting all this defense, we drafted two more with our first round picks this year, and in DP passed up more highly regarded forward talent. And we were told not to worry, we can always trade surplus defensive talent for forwards. Just look at the Goligoski deal! This has the feel of just the first shoe dropping. Not that we are going to lose Despres on waivers for nothing, or anything like that. But we are not going to get value for a few of these chips just in a sheer numbers game.

That's the name of the game. Not every "asset" gets you a return for your club, and more importantly, this happens all the time to every single club.

Plus, the real assets are the PMD that Shero drafts. They are the real trading chips compared to more defensive-minded d-men. Those won't get you much of a return anyway until they are well established or a high-end pick, such as Tinordi for example. It's just the market right now. Almost every team is searching for a GoGo, not such much a Strait type player.

I even doubt that we'd be able to "make up for the pick" by getting a 3rd rounder for him. Just don't believe there was a market for him with the current trades happening, free agents still available, and many players hitting waivers.

I just don't see how losing Strait would dramatically affect this team now and in the future.

And if he's claimed....it makes more room for the prospects that almost everyone here wants to see get more (potential) NHL time lol.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Gutted that Beau Bennett was sent down as I felt he really impressed yesterday. Not surprised that Megna was sent down.

If Strait get's claimed then I wouldn't be surprised but why aren't we playing him ahead of Lovejoy?

Didn't you hear Neal's comment? They're plugs. Of course they got sent down!