Confirmed with Link: Goc to Blues for Lapierre

[Ugene Magic]

Well, he doesn't agitate opponents anymore. Maybe he can at least agitate the locker room. You know, like Adams.

Never thought of that.

He certainly is already agitating some boards members.

 

[joeyjake5]

So far, JR hasn't screwed up this team like RS. This team right now is in far better shape than it was last year. Its just too bad Maata is injured.

Even if Max turns out to be a bust, the pens lose nothing in trading Goc. And with Max and Spalding at C, Sutter could be the next to go.

 

[CrosbytoKessel]

Am i the only one that likes this trade?

 

[Shady Machine]

Am i the only one that likes this trade?

No I like it as well. I am not sure it will be any big upgrade or anything, but we needed size and we added size. Dude can skate well also. I like the pieces we are adding, but I don't think we should be done quite yet.

Also, 22 pages on this trade in the Pens board and only 4 on St Louis boards

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I've hated Maxim Lapierre virtually since he entered the league. He's a punk. Can't stand his game, hate his face. Etc. etc. etc.

LOVE this trade, though. It shows me JR understands some things. Goc was never going to amount to anything on the fourth line. He was having a terrible season and he's just too soft for the role we had in store for him. Lapierre has calmed down a LOT since leaving Vancouver. That's mostly a good thing, imo, because his type of agitation would have gotten Crosby and Malkin targeted even more than they already are. But he's far better suited to playing the fourth line.

Let's see. Lapierre is bigger, grittier, younger and just as expensive as Goc. Both are UFA's. AND, Lapierre is actually outscoring Goc this season.

Hate the player. Love the trade.

 

[Penguinator]

He certainly is already agitating some boards members.

The true sign of one of the Chaos Lord avatars that he is!

But seriously, size, speed, toughness and good on FO.

**** Goc.

 

[CrosbytoKessel]

i heard he's playing.

 

[Penguinator]

i heard he's playing.

Yes he is.

 

[CrosbytoKessel]

Is Sid ?? I'm gonna be at the game and if he's not playing 'll be bummed.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Is Sid ?? I'm gonna be at the game and if he's not playing 'll be bummed.

He skated for 30 minutes, I think it's probably a game time decision.

 

[billybudd]

Skill's come up a few times. "Skill" is not the edge Goc has over Lapierre. Goc is smarter and more responsible. But Lapierre's raw skills (skating, shooting...especially shooting) are probably a little better.

I also don't buy that Lapierre went soft at 28. The guy may need some manners beat into him in an absolute sense, but that never really happened. He's also not one to take a hit to make a play. There's less miles on him than you would think there would be.

I do buy that Hitchcock hates unpredictable/uncontrollable elements and that Lapierre is one. Those two are a very poor player/coach match. Tocchet may be a better one.

Like I said, I'll need to learn to like the guy (if I had been made commish for a day in the last six years, it's possible I'd have banned him from the sport), but he can help us I think.

I've hated Maxim Lapierre virtually since he entered the league. He's a punk. Can't stand his game, hate his face. Etc. etc. etc.

LOVE this trade, though. It shows me JR understands some things. Goc was never going to amount to anything on the fourth line. He was having a terrible season and he's just too soft for the role we had in store for him. Lapierre has calmed down a LOT since leaving Vancouver. That's mostly a good thing, imo, because his type of agitation would have gotten Crosby and Malkin targeted even more than they already are. But he's far better suited to playing the fourth line.

Let's see. Lapierre is bigger, grittier, younger and just as expensive as Goc. Both are UFA's. AND, Lapierre is actually outscoring Goc this season.

Hate the player. Love the trade.

I do really like that JR doesn't tunnel vision and isn't blind. Observe/adjust, observe/adjust.

Even if Lapierre doesn't work out, JR's got the right idea. Safe players don't help in wars. We get forced into a lot of wars. He saw that and reacted.

JR comes to the proper conclusions a little slower than I'd like, but that's probably a good thing, tbh. A rash GM (Holmgren) can wreck you even worse than a stubborn one (Shero).

 

[Zirakzigil]

I don't mind the trade. Goc was being underutilized here. If Lapierre plays gritty on the Pens then it's a good trade.

 

[Bennett Brauer]

I remember wanting Lapierre and was mad when he went to St. Louis for $1.1M and we had Tanner Glass for the same amount of money. Glad that changed.

 

[The Guapo]

Seems like both guys were a bit miscast in their current roles. I watched St. Louis a few games this year and never noticed MP at all -- like Billy said, Hitchcock wanted a more controlled game, which doesn't suit what Max brings at all. Goc was the same for me. Never really noticed him. He made safe plays, and didn't make glaring mistakes. He was saddled with Adams, Sill, or whoever else, so whatever offense he was capable of was going to be limited anyways. Seems like both guys might fit better with their new teams. If not, well, no biggie, we still have Spaling who is capable of being a 4th line center and even Adams.

Question: can Lapierre play on the wing too?

 

[mikethelegacy]

Seems like both guys were a bit miscast in their current roles. I watched St. Louis a few games this year and never noticed MP at all -- like Billy said, Hitchcock wanted a more controlled game, which doesn't suit what Max brings at all. Goc was the same for me. Never really noticed him. He made safe plays, and didn't make glaring mistakes. He was saddled with Adams, Sill, or whoever else, so whatever offense he was capable of was going to be limited anyways. Seems like both guys might fit better with their new teams. If not, well, no biggie, we still have Spaling who is capable of being a 4th line center and even Adams.

Question: can Lapierre play on the wing too?

Maybe, but shipping out Goc, we don't need him to. Arcobello probably plays wing better than LaPierre does, so he'll slot it an 4C when we are healthy, no problem. He's very good on the draws, so we need him in the center position.

 

[NastyNick]

My take on the trade is this - the Pens relationship against the Metro needed a shakeup. Too many teams are taking liberties against them. They are getting pushed around on a nightly basis. And while guys like Downie help, its just not enough. Downie has done little on his own besides rack up unlimited penalty minutes. We clearly need more of it.

Marcel Goc was not an answer. If anything hes part of the problem. Hes never going to step up for anyone or instigate with the other team. A good hockey player for sure, but not what the situation is dictating.

Lapierre is not necessarily the answer either. Alot of it depends on how he fits in the room . But this trade was made in late January, as opposed to the deadline, so if it doesn't work.. i expect we'll go out and find another character guy. The Pens need to start equalizing the aggression against them, if not turn it back around. Start whacking Giroux in the kidneys and punching Staal in the head. Get those guys to play scared.

We really don't lose anything losing 4 months of Marcel Goc. He wasn't putting us over the top or providing anything we didn't already have in better form.

My biggest gripe with the way this team is being handled is that they are still coddling and romanticizing Fleury. This year was their opportunity to cut ties, but someone high up in that organization is infatuated with him for some unknown reason. If anything is going to derail them this year, it will be the net.

 

[mikethelegacy]

My take on the trade is this - the Pens relationship against the Metro needed a shakeup. Too many teams are taking liberties against them. They are getting pushed around on a nightly basis. And while guys like Downie help, its just not enough. Downie has done little on his own besides rack up unlimited penalty minutes. We clearly need more of it.

Marcel Goc was not an answer. If anything hes part of the problem. Hes never going to step up for anyone or instigate with the other team. A good hockey player for sure, but not what the situation is dictating.

Lapierre is not necessarily the answer either. Alot of it depends on how he fits in the room . But this trade was made in late January, as opposed to the deadline, so if it doesn't work.. i expect we'll go out and find another character guy. The Pens need to start equalizing the aggression against them, if not turn it back around. Start whacking Giroux in the kidneys and punching Staal in the head. Get those guys to play scared.

We really don't lose anything losing 4 months of Marcel Goc. He wasn't putting us over the top or providing anything we didn't already have in better form.

My biggest gripe with the way this team is being handled is that they are still coddling and romanticizing Fleury. This year was their opportunity to cut ties, but someone high up in that organization is infatuated with him for some unknown reason. If anything is going to derail them this year, it will be the net.

No free agent goalies available are as good as Fleury. If they were, they'd be on a team.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

If anything is going to derail them this year, it will be the net.

Just like it was last playoffs? Or when they got swept by the bruins whilst being on the bench?

Im not a Fleury apologist at all. But he is hardly THE reason they lost the last two years. Was he a factor? Sure, absolutely. But there were other reasons that came in WELL before Fleury.

 

[Jacob]

Am i the only one that likes this trade?

It seems like a no brainer to me. We get a little bigger and a little tougher to play against in one fell swoop.

 

[Human]

now that I re-thought this trade, I like it because it seems apparently it's not Mario's fault that we have a watered down version of the Pens after all...

 

[MtlPenFan]

My only problem is a management team and coaching staff thinking that Marcel Goc was the problem on the ADAMS-Goc-SILL line.

 

[Human]

Just like it was last playoffs? Or when they got swept by the bruins whilst being on the bench?

Im not a Fleury apologist at all. But he is hardly THE reason they lost the last two years. Was he a factor? Sure, absolutely. But there were other reasons that came in WELL before Fleury.

this kind of revisionist history once again?

the Pens don't make it past the Islanders with MAF in net...

 

[wheelz87]

Just like it was last playoffs? Or when they got swept by the bruins whilst being on the bench?

Im not a Fleury apologist at all. But he is hardly THE reason they lost the last two years. Was he a factor? Sure, absolutely. But there were other reasons that came in WELL before Fleury.

Fleury got LIT UP in the Islanders series in '13. Consequently, he COULDN'T get lit up against Boston because.. well.. he was on the bench crying. Then he got in the one game and let up a blue line wrister, on the left hand boards, to left handed Marchand.. glove side.

But lets forget that happened.

 

[Uemoda]

After the Flyers game and our struggles against NYR/NYI, I'm glad we did something. I'm not sure Lapierre is enough, but it's a step in the right direction.

Now to get rid of Adams.

 

[IcedCapp]

My only problem is a management team and coaching staff thinking that Marcel Goc was the problem on the ADAMS-Goc-SILL line.

^^^^^

I don't have a problem with acquiring MaxLap. I have a problem with moving out the one good aspect of the 4th line and keeping the ****** ones.