News Article: DEJAN KOVACEVIC: Did you like this year? Good, no changes this off-season.

[Sideline]

The problem is we NEED Pouliot's OFFENSE. If we had the right winger situation, the proper amount of secondary scoring, and if guys like Letang and Maatta were around, then Pouliot would not likely have played a minute in the NHL this season. And if we had a real power play, too.

But the sad truth is we needed Pouliot offensively.

Dumoulin is a capable puck mover. If he had 34 games in NHL this year I firmly believe he'd have forced his way into the top 4 and proven he can help the transition game. Pouliot is obviously an elite level talent, but I just don't trust him defensively right now.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Dumoulin is a capable puck mover. If he had 34 games in NHL this year I firmly believe he'd have forced his way into the top 4 and proven he can help the transition game. Pouliot is obviously an elite level talent, but I just don't trust him defensively right now.

I don't think ANYBODY trusts him defensively. Not even anybody within the organization. Not fully. Not yet.

But he's not just a puck mover. He's an offensive defenseman. There's a difference. He creates scoring chances for teammates. He can even finish. He's not just a guy to start plays in the D zone.

We currently don't have NEARLY enough players who can do that, regardless of position.

 

[Sideline]

I don't think ANYBODY trusts him defensively. Not even anybody within the organization. Not fully. Not yet.

But he's not just a puck mover. He's an offensive defenseman. There's a difference. He creates scoring chances for teammates. He can even finish. He's not just a guy to start plays in the D zone.

We currently don't have NEARLY enough players who can do that, regardless of position.

What we could use is a 23 year old Derrick Pouliot. That's not an option. I could see the case for running 11 forwards and using Pouliot as a 7 for the power play, but even then he's shown himself to be pretty high risk.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I know, its just sad we always have to settle for the lowest common denominator with this organization.

If we have learned anything over the last 5-6 years, it's painfully obvious having vets in the top four doesn't mean dick in helping this team win come playoff time.

 

[rkhum]

Actually the **** that you are referring to is straight out of DK's mouth.

Kovacevic wrote, "They don't trust Despres off the ice and, hence, lost trust on it", "And when that inconsistency is something they believe is rooted in a general lack of applying one’s self in life, that’s when it becomes too much to take", and "And no, I will not get specific on this. Sorry. Other than to say the Penguins got sick and tired of betting on his future."

Or, maybe, the Pens felt:
-They like Po/Demoulin/Harrington and Maata better as their young d.
-You need some vet depth, and they see Lovejoy being that guy next year as we shed Ehroff, Scuderi, and possibly Paul Martin.
-Two different coaching staffs lost faith in Sespres
-Just because somebody was a 1st rounder doesn't mean six years later when they've yet to establish themselves as a consistent top four, they have higher trade value.

 

[rkhum]

Sutter has gotta go before the draft. Has to.

Uh why? He's a fine 3c and since Geno is chronically hurt that position kinda matters.

Am I the only one who hasn't been overly impressed with Winnik?

On top of that, I fear that this club will sign him to a silly deal ($3+ milion per year, for 3 years or some such), adding yet another overpriced bottom six player to a team in desperate need of cap space and top six talent.

I think Winnik is fine as a role player. Due to the poor top sixth depth he's been forced to play out of position.

 

[rkhum]

I hope the Pens do this:

-Buyout Scuds
-Deal Kunitz
-Deal Bennet
-Deal Letang
-Let Adams/Ehroff go

Get younger hungrier forwards.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Or, maybe, the Pens felt:
-They like Po/Demoulin/Harrington and Maata better as their young d.
-You need some vet depth, and they see Lovejoy being that guy next year as we shed Ehroff, Scuderi, and possibly Paul Martin.
-Two different coaching staffs lost faith in Sespres
-Just because somebody was a 1st rounder doesn't mean six years later when they've yet to establish themselves as a consistent top four, they have higher trade value.

As I stated at the time of the trade, as much as I love Simon's game, I would have had no problem if the Pens had received back equal value.

If we had traded Simon for Etem, then I would have missed seeing fatty go, but have understood the move.

But that is not what happened. The Pens took youth with upside and cast it off. Then when the heat came down from their fans, who they thought bought their PR, they justified the trade by using their mouthpiece to spread a "rumor" about Simon.

They are low class. I lost all of the respect and love for the organization that day. Now, I want a collapse. I want these ******** running the team to be embarrassed.

 

[Darth Vitale]

At least Malkin won't be traded. That's something.....

If this team traded Malkin in a situation like this (as the so-called "shake-up"), and especially if they more or less left everything else intact, I would stop watching and give my time and money to a team that is not run like a second rate organization. At least until the morons who viewed that as a solution quit or were fired. Or there was a massive regime change.

It would be one thing if they blew it all up and moved all the big names and coaches and that (that would at least signal total meltdown by ownership and a wilingness to go in a totally new direction). But if it were anything other than that, adios. Malkin is the best asset this team has, on and off the ice -- period. He's the only big shot on the team with a fire in his belly (other than Letang maybe, but their values are not that close as players) and does not constantly pretend like nothing is wrong when stuff is wrong.

This team needs more Malkin, not less.

 

[Penguinator]

I'd trade Crosby, he looked fed up anyway. Imagine what we could get for him.

Oh wait... My trade Crosby thread was locked.

 

[Ogrezilla]

trading Crosby would be idiotic. He also has complete say over where he would go, so we wouldn't get as much as we should. But that doesn't matter, because trading Crosby would be idiotic.

 

[Penguinator]

trading Crosby would be idiotic. He also has complete say over where he would go, so we wouldn't get as much as we should. But that doesn't matter, because trading Crosby would be idiotic.

Not if he wants out and we get a good return like a monster D-Man + pick(s).

 

[Darth Vitale]

This whole article is a confirmation of what I knew was going to happen, and as I said in the GDT I called it a month ago at least, more than once. When this management and ownership group get a bunch of guys they like and everything goes to crap, as soon as the injuries hit... come season's end they use it as an excuse.

Everybody is just great but "we were pretty banged up at times this season" and "we like our guys" and "the room is tight-knit" and "it takes time for a system to be implemented"... and then they do nothing to right the wrongs and remedy things via FA. Lose, rinse, repeat.

"We're doing the right things, I don't think we have to change much... we just have to be better."

200 guesses who says that every time the **** hits the fan.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Not if he wants out and we get a good return like a monster D-Man + pick(s).

if he wants out, that sucks. Because if we trade him, we absolutely become a worse team.

 

[chrisp200]

I hope the Pens do this:

-Buyout Scuds
-Deal Kunitz
-Deal Bennet
-Deal Letang
-Let Adams/Ehroff go

Get younger hungrier forwards.

-Buyout Scuds
-Deal Kunitz
-Deal Bennet
-Deal Letang
-Let Adams/Ehroff go

 

[66-30-33]

If this team traded Malkin in a situation like this (as the so-called "shake-up"), and especially if they more or less left everything else intact, I would stop watching and give my time and money to a team that is not run like a second rate organization. At least until the morons who viewed that as a solution quit or were fired. Or there was a massive regime change.

It would be one thing if they blew it all up and moved all the big names and coaches and that (that would at least signal total meltdown by ownership and a wilingness to go in a totally new direction). But if it were anything other than that, adios. Malkin is the best asset this team has, on and off the ice -- period. He's the only big shot on the team with a fire in his belly (other than Letang maybe, but their values are not that close as players) and does not constantly pretend like nothing is wrong when stuff is wrong.

This team needs more Malkin, not less.

I think i would just take the whole season off of NHL hockey. NHL going back to it's roots of boring hockey is coming back, i wont miss it.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Not if he wants out and we get a good return like a monster D-Man + pick(s).

Because that will let us score more goals.

 

[Gooch]

If we did trade crosby (which would be idiotic as ogrezilla said) the last person I'd want handling that trade is Rutherford.

 

[Winger for Hire]

If we did trade crosby (which would be idiotic as ogrezilla said) the last person I'd want handling that trade is Rutherford.

Don't worry... it'd only be him handling 1/9 of the deal

 

[cygnus47]

If we did trade crosby (which would be idiotic as ogrezilla said) the last person I'd want handling that trade is Rutherford.

"We knew that Lucic was the sort of guy we needed, and we made a trade to make it happen"

 

[sexyllama]

If we have learned anything over the last 5-6 years, it's painfully obvious having vets in the top four doesn't mean dick in helping this team win come playoff time.

Even if they are a Right handed shot and LOTS of experience?

 

[sexyllama]

trading Crosby would be idiotic. He also has complete say over where he would go, so we wouldn't get as much as we should. But that doesn't matter, because trading Crosby would be idiotic.

to any of us, idiotic but to JR? just another day...

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I'm genuinely concerned that this team dumps Malkin this summer. I'll just close my eyes and sit very still and hope that Geno's still on this team come October.

 

[Zen Arcade]

"We knew that Lucic was the sort of guy we needed, and we made a trade to make it happen"

"We understand that Evgeni Malkin was a big part of this team, but Andrew Desjardins makes us playoff ready."

 

[Sideline]

"We understand that Evgeni Malkin was a big part of this team, but Andrew Desjardins makes us playoff ready."

"Andrew Hammond has a track record we like a lot. Marc-Andre just didn't show us what we needed to see in the playoffs."