Doug Bodger, Chris Joseph, Darrin Shannon, Zarley Zalapski

[Owtahear]

All those guys were top 10 draft picks, top prospects, most of them on the blueline.

They in turn yielded: Paul Coffey, Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson, amongst other players in those trades.

So as much fear as there are to trade Derek Pouillot, or others, the clock is ticking on 87 and 71, and with guys like Letange and Matta in the fold, it is time to get some serious forwards in this lineup.

Click to read more...

 

[Jules Winnfield]

All those guys were top 10 draft picks, top prospects, most of them on the blueline.

They in turn yielded: Paul Coffey, Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson, amongst other players in those trades.

So as much fear as there are to trade Derek Pouillot, or others, the clock is ticking on 87 and 71, and with guys like Letange and Matta in the fold, it is time to get some serious forwards in this lineup.

You do know they weren't the main player we traded in any of those big deals getting Coffey, Francis, or Samuelsson other than Barrasso.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I well remember Zarly Zalapski. He was going to be the next big thing. You should include Craig Simpson on that list. The player who made BB look ugly by comparison. And how the fans were in an uproar about a trade for Andy Moog for one of those players, I forget which, or maybe a pick, and the trade got nixed.

 

[TNT87]

I well remember Zarly Zalapski. He was going to be the next big thing. You should include Craig Simpson on that list. The player who made BB look ugly by comparison. And how the fans were in an uproar about a trade for Andy Moog for one of those players, I forget which, or maybe a pick, and the trade got nixed.

I remember at the time people kept saying that the Moog deal was imminent. Yet it was dragging on and on until the potential trade finally fell through. Turned out it was for the best as the Pens eventually got Barrasso to be their #1 goalie and the rest is history.

 

[Captain Hook]

I don't think anyone has a problem with trading Pouliot in the right deal but you better get someone damn good in return. It's a deal that if it backfires it will sting like hell. Sort of like Forsberg/Erat.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I remember at the time people kept saying that the Moog deal was imminent. Yet it was dragging on and on until the potential trade finally fell through. Turned out it was for the best as the Pens eventually got Barrasso to be their #1 goalie and the rest is history.

I remember that the fans were livid about trading . . .whatever it was we were going to trade. One of the recent high first round picks. The same thing we ended up trading for Barrasso whatever it was. And reportedly ownership (Debartellos) stepped in and told the GM to back off at the time because of the uproar.

 

[tom_servo]

I was glad to see some old-time Pens discussion in here until I realized it was just another 'trade for top-six' post.

 

[#66]

Who were the Pens close to getting before Barrasso? Reggie L or Moog...

 

[td_ice]

Who were the Pens close to getting before Barrasso? Reggie L or Moog...

EJ had a deal Moog for a 1st round pick, but Pens owner nixed it.

 

[Burgs]

Interesting topic if we disregard the idea that these guys alone netted us the stars we won the first Cups with. They were a little before my time, at least when they were Pens, so what were they like?

Bodger I remember, a rock solid all-around D with a long NHL career, was a top 4 defender for many years on the Sabres. Zalapski in his prime reads like a poor man's Letang. Amazing skater with a hard but inaccurate shot and severely lacking in hockey sense. Done as an NHLer after a major knee injury at the age of 28, though he kept playing in Switzerland into his 40s. Joseph and Shannon have to be some of the more anonymous top 5 picks ever. Not total busts as they had decent 500+ games careers bouncing around the league. But they must've had potential for more given their draft position.

Interesting that Craig Patrick gave up five of the seven 1st round picks his immediate predecessors had taken. Errey, Mario, Simpson, Zalapski, Joseph by EJ, Shannon and Heward by Esposito. Kept the first two, lost Heward for nothing, traded the rest for key players. Puts Shero trading away some of our future a little bit into perspective.

 

[#66]

EJ had a deal Moog for a 1st round pick, but Pens owner nixed it.

some of the rumors of that era are really interesting.
Guy Lafleur... Stevens for Bourque...

Even some of CPs first retooling... Andy McBain, Tanti, Barry Pederson

 

[gordie]

All those guys were top 10 draft picks, top prospects, most of them on the blueline.

They in turn yielded: Paul Coffey, Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson, amongst other players in those trades.

So as much fear as there are to trade Derek Pouillot, or others, the clock is ticking on 87 and 71, and with guys like Letange and Matta in the fold, it is time to get some serious forwards in this lineup.

Having lived through each of those picks none of them were as highly regarded as Derek Pouliot with the exception of Bodger.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Having lived through each of those picks none of them were as highly regarded as Derek Pouliot with the exception of Bodger.

Zalapsky was a big deal. Considered to be a future superstar. He even had his own national television ad in Canada his first year. Simpson too. Though I think that was for his looks that made the puck bunnies swoon as much as anything else. He made Bennet look homely in comparison.

 

[ColePens]

I know Tommy B was the man, but Moog on this team would have been insanely interesting.

I was young but I remember people in the city being mad about that deal originally. Z was supposed to be a future star, like many have said. But people were actually pissed with losing Cullen. He put up 90 pt seasons and I'm surprised people haven't talked about it here.

 

[td_ice]

Having lived through each of those picks none of them were as highly regarded as Derek Pouliot with the exception of Bodger.

I disagree.


Simpson and Zalapski were very highly regarded, and so was Joseph.

Except for sites like this, DP doesn't have much buzz around him at all, with the average fan. He is hardly every mentioned in talk shows, and imo the average fan has no idea who he is. With management? Who knows, he wasn't drafted by the current regime. We know Shero and company loved him.

 

[WayneSid9987]

No problem trading DePo.
Just not for David Perron.
Or Etem, Palmieri, Stewart.

Any other big names out there rumoured to be available yet?
No. Ok DePo stays with us.

 

[Al Smith]

I disagree.


Simpson and Zalapski were very highly regarded, and so was Joseph.

Except for sites like this, DP doesn't have much buzz around him at all, with the average fan. He is hardly every mentioned in talk shows, and imo the average fan has no idea who he is. With management? Who knows, he wasn't drafted by the current regime. We know Shero and company loved him.

Definitely going way back, but my vague recollection is that Bodger was quite highly regarded, played pretty well in both ends (probably ended up being a little better in the D end and not as good in the O end as expected) on lousy teams and, like everyone other than 66 on those '80s teams was eminently expendable. Zalapski was going to be our offensive defenseman, and just never quite lived up to expectations but was still good enough to be a valued part of the Hartford trade. There was a LOT of hype around Simpson, and people unfairly expected him to put up something close to Mario stats at 18. That, plus he wasn't particularly physical, put him out of favor with a lot of fans, at least in our section (Sally Simpson).

I don't have a good feeling about DP, although I haven't seen him play much. I just don't know if he'll be able to be effective in his own end at the NHL level.

 

[madinsomniac]

But then again... Markus Nasland... for Alek Stojanov..... Morrow for Morrow... heck we should be wary about how Hanowski is going to turn out...


Yes you have to give to get, but dealing potential for known assets runs the risk of getting burned bad. You only do it when the deal is too good to pass up, such as the francis deal, or you really need a certain piece for a cup run. If you really think the guy has top end or star potential ts really much better to let the guy establish himself for a couple years ala Recchi, which makes the return all the better.. Dealing a potential star for a fill in piece is just a waste of assets. If you do it the deal better be a big win in your favor

 

[Mister Hockey]

I well remember Zarly Zalapski. He was going to be the next big thing. You should include Craig Simpson on that list. The player who made BB look ugly by comparison. And how the fans were in an uproar about a trade for Andy Moog for one of those players, I forget which, or maybe a pick, and the trade got nixed.

It was a second and Steve Guenette
for Andy Moog. The deal was niced because EJ wasn't allowed to trade Guenette. That idiot Howard Baldwin vetoed the deal. He had a good feeling about him. Aside from myself, how many of you guys even remember Guenette? That was some feeling Howard.

 

[gordie]

I disagree.


Simpson and Zalapski were very highly regarded, and so was Joseph.

Except for sites like this, DP doesn't have much buzz around him at all, with the average fan. He is hardly every mentioned in talk shows, and imo the average fan has no idea who he is. With management? Who knows, he wasn't drafted by the current regime. We know Shero and company loved him.

Zalapski didn't have the Major Junior stats because of playing on the Canadian National Team which isn't the same as the amount & quality of games you play in Major Junior like Bodger did and was considered at the time offensively gifted but they had to work on his defensive game, just like they're doing with Pouliot now.

 

[td_ice]

It was a second and Steve Guenette
for Andy Moog. The deal was niced because EJ wasn't allowed to trade Guenette. That idiot Howard Baldwin vetoed the deal. He had a good feeling about him. Aside from myself, how many of you guys even remember Guenette? That was some feeling Howard.

What???

Howard Baldwin was not even the owner at that time. Guenette was reported as part of the deal,but it was the 1st rounder that was the sticking point.


The owner at the time was Ed Debartolo, and I doubt he even heard of Steve Guenette. As I doubt anyone outside of the Guenette family did either.

It was because of a 1st round pick.

 

[Cherpak]

It was a second and Steve Guenette
for Andy Moog. The deal was niced because EJ wasn't allowed to trade Guenette. That idiot Howard Baldwin vetoed the deal. He had a good feeling about him. Aside from myself, how many of you guys even remember Guenette? That was some feeling Howard.

Holy crap I haven't heard that name in centuries. lol

Right up there with Pat Riggen.

 

[Cherpak]

No problem trading DePo.
Just not for David Perron.
Or Etem, Palmieri, Stewart.

Any other big names out there rumoured to be available yet?
No. Ok DePo stays with us.

Agreed.

There just is no one rumored available that is worth DP.

 

[Whakahere]

I taught Chris Joseph son in PE while he was here in Germany. Chris was a really nice guy. He brought us Paul Coffey in a trade .....

 

[Jag68Sid87]

The salary cap changes everything with regards to keeping your top prospects.

We need to do three things when we acquire new wingers: get bigger, get younger and shed salary.