I was hoping to see a transition to the traditional top six or seven and a skilled top six with right mix of both in bottom six. Top nine spells to little grind,grit ,defensive approach in its perception. I like skill,i like grit. Lets get it right is my hope. The entire lineup has to accept getting their nose dirty I completely agree with you.
Haha yeah. Success would be cool. He really needs to regroup right now. The Kappy trade was all good but he has a significant job of roster reconstruction i believe. Maybe Hallander helps that for third line center. Hallander is interesting the way he is solid defensively. Big jump from SHL to NHL. We’ll keep our eyes on that one. I’m watching nervously because this is no longer a small sample size of what the team needs on the defensive side of the puck bottom six. Marner should rarely kill penalties. He does because the botton six lacks
The first two lines carried the team all season. They really did do a excellent job. I love that skill and possession and scoring there. Cringed when bottom six was on.
No I don't. Hits are fine. It is Clifford's game. I am talking about dirty runs. Clifford is not flexing his muscle for any old regular hit. But if someone runs Matty into wall and smashed his face into glass then you need to send a message to other team that is not going to be tolerated. It is why having biggest guy on both benches is important. Today we are one of 4 teams that no one will mess with with a dirty run because Jenner Carter etc does not want to get rag dolled. It has nothing to do with ice time. He could get 4 minutes a game. All he has to do is look at Carter straight on for a minute at a faceoff and Carter knows what is going on.
He played safe solid minutes smart hockey. He wasn’t gotten for his scoring. He was gotten nonetheless. Shanny said end-of season we need to be grittier. If Dudas is going against that he is burying himself. Clifford didn’t hurt us. Neither did Martin actually. Leo did when he was taking powerplay time. Leo was a pain to play but wasn’t going to worry anyone if the gloves dropped. Foligno was pretty quiet and polite too. Just talked hockey and his mouth wasn’t running SH!t at anytime during that series. He could go a game before without acting all tough. Was that the Clifford factor? I kind of think so
. 
Sure, but what was their expected GA?
You can't really use something so simple as the actual results to draw conclusions like that. You need to look at what was "supposed" to have happened.
I agree, Im a little tired of throwing away 2nd round picks for scrubs over the last few years.
He is looking for 2-3mil. Leivo is a more realistic target, didn’t he played well under Keefe?
I'm thinking Rinaldo might be better than Simmonds, and come at league minimum. Not too sure though, just worried that Simmonds still thinks he's a top 6 scoring forward that can't skate whereas Rinaldo knows exactly what he is.
Baseless vague is all i have to say on that Man. I’ll say Pittsburgh just moved a high quality 1st for a need. Clifford is a need and can be signed much cheaper than Kappy’s cap hit. So youth think Martin will be cheaper? He’s the only comparable in free agency that will be the same. Thats one, where’s all these others that are dime dozen? Come on I’ll debate you all day on it. You are wrongthis one
Kapanen is a guy who can play in anyone's top 6 and can kill penalties. I'm not sure how they're even close to comparable. Clifford is slow, doesnt kill penalties, doesnt produce and is too slow to throw many big hits anymore. Hes a 4th liner who'll play 10 minutes a night. Considering we've selected guys like Robertson and Dermott in the 2nd, you'd rather have Clifford over the possibility of a prospect like them? Hell, you may not even need to go on the open market to find a replacement when we have guys like Korshkov already in the system. Then there's UFA' like Simmonds, Lewis, Eakin, Sobotka, Weise, Maroon, Nolan etc.
