Post-Game Talk: Game #81 vs NYI

[Shwag33]

I was in favor of trading letang a while ago, but his value is probably so low at this point. Not saying I wouldn't; i just dont think the return would be worth it.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I was in favor of trading letang a while ago, but his value is probably so low at this point. Not saying I wouldn't; i just dont think the return would be worth it.

Well my time frame would be a couple years from now. All of this stuff the last 2 years will be forgotten by then if he's played a couple years injury free*knocks on wood*.

 

[FRUSTRATEDPENFAN*]

Do the pens need to be a more complete team? Yes, of course, but I hope you don't suggest it is because Crosby and Geno take up too much cap space. That might have been true a couple of years ago, but if you look around the league there are several teams with a couple of highly paid superstars and they do just fine.
The problem for the pens are underachieving players on horrible contracts and the lack of young contributing players on cheap contracts or the unwillingness by the management to develop / give young players a chance.

I was wasn't even thinking about their contracts it's more about adding quality depth to this team Crosby and Malkin are great but this team is way to easy to play against. There isn't another way to do it that I can see this win now thinking is crushing this team.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

If Letang plays a couple of years injury free, then we won't want to trade him anymore. He'll only be 29 years old at that time.

Letang is a guy you HAVE to get good value in return if moving him. A lot of the other guys on this roster with term left on their contracts, well, the more important thing will be to ship them out. But in Letang's case, and also in the case of Fleury should we attempt to move him, you have to hit a home run.

Letang's concussion history probably makes it much more unlikely that any team would pay the freight to acquire him.

 

[Joejosh999]

Enough of the media bobos have mentioned a Crosby or Makin trade that I now fear it's because one or both have asked to be moved....and they're trying to pave the PR way with fans by discussing how it would really help the team.

 

[FRUSTRATEDPENFAN*]

Or you know, don't hand out crap contacts to bit players like Kunitz, Adams, Dupuis, and Scuds.

Let young guys play.

Build directly around Malkin and Crosby.

Don't trade talented young guys and picks for "experienced" players and keep kicking the can down the road.

Just some theories I'm working on besides the shortsighted and mind numbing idea of trading Malkin and Crosby.

You cant change what's already been done if this team core remains the same so will the result and that's not a winning cup contending team

 

[The Greatest 101]

Team's transition has been so hideous since Letang got injured.Some people still want to move him.We're not Nashville.We don't have Josi to replace him.

 

[plaidchuck]

Yeah if he takes another major concussion that could be it for him, considering the stroke history as well.

Gotta love the pens injury history. One star died in a car crash, two have had cancer, two have had concussion issues plus one had a stroke.

 

[FRUSTRATEDPENFAN*]

Said this before but players like Sid and Geno are fully capable of becoming more complete 2-way players the second halfs of their careers. With that in mind and finally seeing some sunlight in terms of cap space to spend around them, it would be foolish to move either of them imo.

They won't and shouldn't be problems moving foward.

What new found cap space does this team have next year their already committed close to 55 million with Crosby , Malkin , Letang for 10 yr and 7 yrs remaining it's only going to get worse not better but so be it

 

[Jag68Sid87]

It's very lazy journalism to continue down the "must trade one of Crosby or Malkin" path.

There are ways to turn this franchise around. But we need to hire SMART people first...people who realize that it's not too late to build this team around two generational talents.

It would be cringeworthy to even begin to think about what good 'ol JR would do if he decided to trade Malkin.

 

[plaidchuck]

If they do anything major, I bet it will be trading malkin. And that makes me sad.

 

[Joejosh999]

Yeah if he takes another major concussion that could be it for him, considering the stroke history as well.

Gotta love the pens injury history. One star died in a car crash, two have had cancer, two have had concussion issues plus one had a stroke.

Don't forget blood clots and Pulmonary Embolism....

 

[Joejosh999]

What new found cap space does this team have next year their already committed close to 55 million with Crosby , Malkin , Letang for 10 yr and 7 yrs remaining it's only going to get worse not better but so be it

Close to 13mil I believe with Erhoff Martin gone and Scuds bought out.
That's without touching Kunitz Sutter Duper.

It's not that dire.

 

[FRUSTRATEDPENFAN*]

Completely disagree, they have so much dead money on this team its unbelievable. Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Hornqvist are the only ones even coming close to producing at about what they are paid.

Trading Kunitz , Dupuis , Perron , Sutter , Bennett , Spaling , Scuderi , Bring nothing of value its just trading garbage for garbage and leaves this team where it is now. They could trade Maatta , Pouliot ? and get good return but doubtful they'd be open to that. Bottom line this team is in trouble

 

[FRUSTRATEDPENFAN*]

Close to 13mil I believe with Erhoff Martin gone and Scuds bought out.
That's without touching Kunitz Sutter Duper.

It's not that dire.

to be spilt between at least 8 players that's isn't enough cap space to change anything

 

[DegenX]

Or you know, don't hand out crap contacts to bit players like Kunitz, Adams, Dupuis, and Scuds.

Let young guys play.

Build directly around Malkin and Crosby.

Don't trade talented young guys and picks for "experienced" players and keep kicking the can down the road.

Just some theories I'm working on besides the shortsighted and mind numbing idea of trading Malkin and Crosby.

What? This is madness you speak. Are you eating cardboard again?

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

The Pens are going to lose a ton of money if they don't get fan interest back.

Madden reported today that a ton of Season Ticket Holders didn't sign up for playoff tickets. There are a ton of playoff tickets available and they used to sell out in less than 10 minutes. He also reported that the season ticket waiting list has been more than cut in half.

Fan interest in the team took a significant nose dive this year. They are going to be losing a lot more money when the team loses their season ticket holder base.

Also, another interesting thing I've noticed is the fan stores inside Consol have been DEAD. No one is buying anything. No one is even looking in the stores. People just don't care anymore.

I had to go out of town several times this year and I couldn't even give my seats away several times. Sometimes I had to ask more than 5 people and my seats are in the First Niagara Club. People just don't care as much anymore. The Pens aren't as important as they once were to people.

Yup.

I can't speak for others but I kind of feel that way. I've turned down tickets several times, I've been listening to games while I do other stuff, and I've missed several games altogether. I just don't feel all that invested anymore. It is very out of character for me.

The playoff failures bother me but it happens. The management of the team frustrates the hell out of me and their constant bleeding of young assets has sapped out much of my hope for the future. But the thing that bothers me the most is the team itself. They used to be so likable. They were young and hungry, and they played like they had something to prove. They were aggressive and also played much smarter hockey in terms of managing the puck. Even their personalities were more likable, unlike the mostly vanilla, family friendly team of today.

I think that the most I've enjoyed watching in the last few years was last season in Dec, when half of WBS was playing. Maybe that is a hint as to where we go from here.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Right after Despres was traded for Lovejoy.

Damn, I think you're right.

 

[plaidchuck]

As ive said before, the city was starving for a relevant baseball team, so once that happened coupled with the steelers having an okay season the pens got less relevant than pitt football and basketball.

 

[cassius]

For the folks advocating trading Malkin and Sid..

Look - this management team just traded Despres for Lovejoy.

Do you have any faith that JR would get fair value for Malkin/Sid? Or even $0.50 on the dollar?

I'll give you a hint... JR is usually involved in lopsided trades... and he is usually on the unfavorable side of them. And you're confident he could handle a transaction involving Sid/Geno?

 

[AquaticBirdman]

The Pens are going to lose a ton of money if they don't get fan interest back.

Madden reported today that a ton of Season Ticket Holders didn't sign up for playoff tickets. There are a ton of playoff tickets available and they used to sell out in less than 10 minutes. He also reported that the season ticket waiting list has been more than cut in half.

Fan interest in the team took a significant nose dive this year. They are going to be losing a lot more money when the team loses their season ticket holder base.

Also, another interesting thing I've noticed is the fan stores inside Consol have been DEAD. No one is buying anything. No one is even looking in the stores. People just don't care anymore.

I had to go out of town several times this year and I couldn't even give my seats away several times. Sometimes I had to ask more than 5 people and my seats are in the First Niagara Club. People just don't care as much anymore. The Pens aren't as important as they once were to people.

Good. Only thing that will wake up MArio.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

This roster is literally Buffalo bad if you take away Crosby (Malkin's obviously playing hurt and doesn't count). The rest of the healthy bodies dressed would probably be battling for last place in the league.

It's absolutely unbelievable it's gotten to this point. Way to go, Pens management. You should be so proud.

In all fairness you can say that about pretty much every other team in the league as well if you strip away their two best players...

How competitive a team you think MTL would be without Price?

 

[The Old Master]

For the folks advocating trading Malkin and Sid..

Look - this management team just traded Despres for Lovejoy.

Do you have any faith that JR would get fair value for Malkin/Sid? Or even $0.50 on the dollar?

I'll give you a hint... JR is usually involved in lopsided trades... and he is usually on the unfavorable side of them. And you're confident he could handle a transaction involving Sid/Geno?

I think you hit on a great idea....we need to move j.r. to another team! then we will have somebody to trade with.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

I think the Despres for Lovejoy trade was pretty much the move that broke the camels back for this team this season. The fact that JR himself even came out and indirectly admitted that it was a bad move speaks volumes to the fans as to how ****ed this organization is.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I think the Despres for Lovejoy trade was pretty much the move that broke the camels back for this team this season. The fact that JR himself even came out and indirectly admitted that it was a bad move speaks volumes to the fans as to how ****ed this organization is.

I still think it will end up being a watershed moment for the franchise. The curtain has been pulled back