Bylsma eyes other guy for Malkin-Neal line

[MichiganWolverines]

Wait... you two aren't actually serious, are you?

I was just clownin'

Of course, lol.

 

[Shady Machine]

Guys calm down. It's Rob Rossi and he is making **** up. Bylsma never said in a quote that Tanner Glass is a possibility with Malkin, Neal or else Rossi would have quoted him. He probably took some anecdotal comment from Bylsma and decided Glass was a frontrunner for the spot. There is no way in hell that Tanner Glass is the full time left winger on Malkin's line.

What's with all the Bylsma hate over a ******** Rossi article?

 

[MonsterSurge]

Wait... you two aren't actually serious, are you?

I was just clownin'

Of course we're serious. No defenseman could move him from the net. If anyone got too physical, he could just fight them.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Guys calm down. It's Rob Rossi and he is making **** up. Bylsma never said in a quote that Tanner Glass is a possibility with Malkin, Neal or else Rossi would have quoted him.

That's what I'm thinking. Typical Rossi troll maneuver.

 

[Dupree13]

Guys calm down. It's Rob Rossi and he is making **** up. Bylsma never said in a quote that Tanner Glass is a possibility with Malkin, Neal or else Rossi would have quoted him. He probably took some anecdotal comment from Bylsma and decided Glass was a frontrunner for the spot. There is no way in hell that Tanner Glass is the full time left winger on Malkin's line.

What's with all the Bylsma hate over a ******** Rossi article?

Because even if the article is Rossi fiction, it actually does resemble the DB that we've come to know over the years.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Holy hell... how could I be so dense? I didn't even check to see who wrote it.

Nevermind.

 

[MichiganWolverines]

Of course we're serious. No defenseman could move him from the net. If anyone got too physical, he could just fight them.

Steve MacIntyre is an all-star!

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Maybe he will put Sid - Duper and then run 3 defense. That's his "tough to play" system.

I don't know much about BB's play. I haven't seen him. But I can't help but look at his stats in WBS and think he deserves a shot. Also TK, even though he wasted his shot last season. Tangradi - if he can?

With a short season, I wouldn't mind more m-m, but DB HAS to fix the breakout and close those D-F gaps. If he didn't learn his lessons agt the Flyers, I will stop defending him.

BB is the most skilled guy I have seen come through WBS since I started watching them a dozen yrs ago. Before, Tangradi was the most skilled, followed by Tibbetts and Petersen.

So not exactly saying much, but Tibbetts and Petersen were sick players in the A and they tore **** up.

I can't see DB giving BB a legit shot, but who knows. BB has the skill, but I have to see his board work and skating agt NHL players before I can say he can handle it or not.

I want Tangradi to get a legit shot, just so we can finally know if he can be an answer or not. If not, then Shero has to find more help via trade.

 

[Shady Machine]

I think it's pretty obvious that there's a battle to be had between Tangradi & Jeffrey for that spot. If one of them can step up and claim the spot, it's a win-win for the player and the team. If one of those guys can't do it, I think we have a problem, and Shero may need to look to pull the trigger on a trade.


-While I'm much higher on TK than a lot of others here, I think he should remain with Cooke flanking Sutter, because it will keep some continuity & chemistry on that line with a new centre. So while I think Kennedy could play in top-6 role, I think, at least for now, he's a better fit on that line.

- Cooke, Glass or other bottom 6 guys are just not good enough. I'd rather make a trade. The only guy who could possibly work is Cooke, and that's only if there's some great chemistry on a 3rd line with Jeffrey or Tangradi in Cooke's place; and I question this scenario, because I'm not sure either guy can match the speed, physicality, energy and defensive play that Cooke consistently brings to the 3rd line.

- Regarding Sutter: the truth is, I think he could work well on the wing on either top our top-2 lines just because of his overall skill level, but I wouldn't do this, and here's why: this is a player that we have to re-sign this summer, and I would love him to be really solid (as opposed to super awesome) just until we can get him re-signed to a contract at a reasonable cap-hit. If we put him next to Sid or Geno and he explodes, then perhaps we'll have to pay him bigger $$, which could give us some issues longer-term.

Now, having said that about Sutter: I have long said that I believe Jeffrey (this was before he got injured, mind you) could be an excellent 3rd line centre. If he can get back to his pre-injury level, and if he doesn't transition well to LW, we could have an option to put him at 3rd line C and Sutter on wing on the top-2 lines.


But aside from the above, I don't see any other scenario that makes sense. I don't think it would be wise to bring Bennett up yet, and I don't see anyone else in this organization to fit that role right now. So I think it's Tangradi, Jeffrey or trade.

The bolded is ridiculous. You don't keep a player in a lesser role (not that 3rd line center is less significant that top 6 wing) or stifle their potential as a scoring wing (which we could really use) so that you can pay them less. IF Sutter gives us better production and a more important contribution to the team as a scoring winger (helping us win more games) then you put him there.

However, he may have a bigger impact as 3rd line center than top 6 wing and that is a legitimate reason not to move him up. Plus Jeffrey may not be successful in that role (I think he would be but that's up for debate). Your reason is silly IMO.

 

[MonsterSurge]

Steve MacIntyre is an all-star!

That's a complete hockey player right there! He can score, hit, and fight.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Yah even if it happens Sutter gets a shot up on Top 6 because of injuries or Jeffrey rocks at C, the money is not going to be an issue. Worst comes to worst you can give him $1M+ of the cap space saved by buying Martin out / trading him this summer (which is almost certain to happen if Shero has any upgrade plans at all). Letang will get a big chunk of it eventually, and some will be left over.

 

[MichiganWolverines]

That's a complete hockey player right there! He can score, hit, and fight.

He's an underrated skater too.

 

[MichiganWolverines]

Yah even if it happens Sutter gets a shot up on Top 6 because of injuries or Jeffrey rocks at C, the money is not going to be an issue. Worst comes to worst you can give him $1M+ of the cap space saved by buying Martin out / trading him this summer (which is almost certain to happen if Shero has any upgrade plans at all). Letang will get a big chunk of it eventually, and some will be left over.

How's Dustin Jeffrey on face-offs? I know Brandon Sutter isn't the greatest.

 

[Shady Machine]

Yah even if it happens Sutter gets a shot up on Top 6 because of injuries or Jeffrey rocks at C, the money is not going to be an issue. Worst comes to worst you can give him $1M+ of the cap space saved by buying Martin out / trading him this summer (which is almost certain to happen if Shero has any upgrade plans at all). Letang will get a big chunk of it eventually, and some will be left over.

Right. I guess my point is that everyone is whining, myself included, for this elusive long term top 6 winger. I don't really think Sutter is the answer, but if is a realistic possibility then why the hell would we be complaining about his cap hit? That just means we don't have to trade away significant assets to acquire said elusive winger.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing Sutter tried on the wing on one of the top two lines at some point. I think he's a little handsier than people realize. Weren't there Carolina fans that posted in here directly after the trade saying he was used there sometimes for the Canes and looked pretty good?

But yeah... in the end I don't see how it isn't Jeffrey and Tangradi realistically fighting for that spot. With possibly Cooke and BB as fringe options should they prove themselves capable. Either that or like a few others have said... explore options via trade.

 

[MonsterSurge]

He's an underrated skater too.

When he gets moving...Look out!!!

 

[Shady Machine]

How's Dustin Jeffrey on face-offs? I know Brandon Sutter isn't the greatest.

Sutter won 51% of his draws on 1295 faceoffs last year. That's pretty decent in my book.

 

[Shrimper]

Leave the Malkin-Neal connection alone!

Bennett-Malkin-Neal or Tangradi-Malkin-Neal if Bennett goes with Crosby.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Jeffrey is very capable in the circle. So is Sutter, for the most part... so I'm not sure where that assertion is coming from.

 

[Will Hunting]

OK, we have ?-Malkin-Neal

My preference list is:
1.Bennett
2.Jeffrey
.......................
.......................
.......................
Tangradi

That said, I would be furious if someone other than BB/DJ grabs that spot. Nothing against TK and Cooke, but they are very good as 3rd liners. Especially TK´s style would piss Malkin off. I don´t even want to talk about Tangradi, because I have zero faith in him in NHL overall, let alone being Malkin´s winger.

 

[MichiganWolverines]

Sutter won 51% of his draws on 1295 faceoffs last year. That's pretty decent in my book.

Really? Damn.

I remember seeing his faceoff percentage at 44% (around that area) in his rookie season.

 

[#66]

I really like the idea of Sutter on wing and the Pens going after a vet 3rd line center. It makes sense to have him free up Malkin defensively and take his RHed draws but I was hoping to see more...

Dupes-Sid-Sutter
Kunitz-Malkin-Neal

I'm not the biggest Tangradi fan but him being net front while Malkin and Neal are putting 300+ shots on net might be a good move too.

 

[Shady Machine]

Really? Damn.

I remember seeing his faceoff percentage at 44% (around that area) in his rookie season.

Yeah I think he's improved in that facet (like most young guys). Still not the best, but certainly solid.

 

[jmelm]

The bolded is ridiculous. You don't keep a player in a lesser role (not that 3rd line center is less significant that top 6 wing) or stifle their potential as a scoring wing (which we could really use) so that you can pay them less. IF Sutter gives us better production and a more important contribution to the team as a scoring winger (helping us win more games) then you put him there.

However, he may have a bigger impact as 3rd line center than top 6 wing and that is a legitimate reason not to move him up. Plus Jeffrey may not be successful in that role (I think he would be but that's up for debate). Your reason is silly IMO.

I don't deny it's a bit of a crazy idea, but I have always viewed things this way in the salary cap world. Sure, if a guy like Sutter was a home-run next to Sid/Geno, then you do it, to heck with the financial consequences. But if the improvement from a guy like Jeffrey/Tangradi to Sutter is only sublte, then I think it's a factor.


I'm not just looking at having to re-sign all the guys we have, and there's a lot of them (Geno, Letang, Sutter, Kennedy, Cooke, Dupuis - although I think the latter two can get done at a reasonable cap hit), but we're also going to want to make a run at Jarome Iginla, or perhaps even look to trade for a guy making some good coin. It may or may not be an issue, but we have to see how things shake out with these contract extensions, buy-outs, and possible incoming trade or UFA options.

 

[mpp9]

I think they'll move Sutter up to the top six like they did with Staal. Except Sutter can play wing far more effectively and still take draws for Geno.