Confirmed with Link: (Hornqvist traded to Florida for Matheson + Sceviour) Part 2

[Le Magnifique 66]

Pettersson is a weird guy because I don't feel as though he has looked particularly great with anyone - like that sublime type chemistry with a guy like Dumo and Letang have, and I think we are scratching the surface of that with Matheson and Ceci. Ceci is actually turning into a defenseman I'm re-signing without a second thought. He's been so much better than I even thought he would be.



It has, but holy shit do we need a Hornqvist type guy when games get a bit dull and we need some pop. Especially against Boston. Sometimes against Rask you have to get in his grill and shake him up a bit. We have no one who really does that right now aside from Tanev and Blueger on occasion.

yes and no.

Horny was around when the bruins swept us in the back in 2015-16. I guess we will see if we catch them this year

 

[Empoleon8771]

The Penguins didn't need Hornqvist anymore, they need a 27 year old LW version of Hornqvist. They made a good move in getting Matheson for him.

 

[Pens x]

I still want to know if JR actually wanted Sceviour or if Florida demanded we take him.

He’s a total waste of cap and even real money. He likely prevented us from signing someone else that is more than just a warm body.

I am still so confused as to how FL dumped Matheson without retaining anything.

 

[Headshot77]

The Penguins didn't need Hornqvist anymore, they need a 27 year old LW version of Hornqvist. They made a good move in getting Matheson for him.

So...Zach Hyman?

 

[Harvey Birdman]

The Penguins didn't need Hornqvist anymore, they need a 27 year old LW version of Hornqvist. They made a good move in getting Matheson for him.

I agree 100%. I just hated to see the Viking go. Business is business. But damn... the moments that man showed up to kill will go down in Pittsburgh lore forever.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Matheson has been good for us, not great, but good. The issue is we're now too much of a perimeter team. Forwards who usually prefer to score off the rush and on the PP will need to go to the dirty areas consistently in the post season, or we'll be out in a hurry.

Carter is a good addition, he's got size and isn't afraid to go down low and score goals like yesterday at even strength. We're not winning without goals like that, especially against Boston.

 

[mpp9]

Matheson has been good for us, not great, but good. The issue is we're now too much of a perimeter team. Forwards who usually prefer to score off the rush and on the PP will need to go to the dirty areas consistently in the post season, or we'll be out in a hurry.

Carter is a good addition, he's got size and isn't afraid to go down low and score goals like yesterday at even strength. We're not winning without goals like that, especially against Boston.

Zucker has historically scored his goals around the net. We’ll see if that translates here when we need it.

 

[Rakell67]

Zucker has historically scored his goals around the net. We’ll see if that translates here when we need it.

Carter, Kapanen, Rust and Guentzel aren’t strangers to goals around the net.

 

[Gurglesons]

Carter, Kapanen, Rust and Guentzel aren’t strangers to goals around the net.

Kapanen has scored like 90% of his goals in
off the rush.

 

[Rakell67]

Kapanen has scored like 90% of his goals in
off the rush.

He goes to the net tho. I remember he had a few right on the doorstep.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Zucker has historically scored his goals around the net. We’ll see if that translates here when we need it.

I'm hoping, he was better than I expected in that regard down the stretch last year. With him, I think he has the heart to do it, just not sure if he can hold up playing that way through a playoffs. Him playing less minutes on a secondary scoring line might be just what he needs.

 

[Gurglesons]

He goes to the net tho. I remember he had a few right on the doorstep.

I think this concept of Hornqvist is just that. A concept.

Great player, but his supposed excellence at net front situations did nothing for us the last two playoffs.

 

[Rakell67]

I was talking about Kapanen scoring in close, one I believe Malkin set up? Just saying we have guys that aren’t “perimeter” players, but given they are a bit undersized, it’s tougher to get to those areas in the playoffs because teams tighten up and get away with more holding, etc. Hornqvist was great, but at his cap hit and injury history, along with being -5 thru 8 games the past two playoffs, moving on was probably the right decision.

 

[HandshakeLine]

the moments that man showed up to kill will go down in Pittsburgh lore forever.

Which moments? I'm not trying to be an ass, but I don't remember Hornqvist ever "killing" anyone, his game was all about taking punishment. I feel like the Hornqvist I remember fondly has no relation with the Hornqvist in Pittsburgh myth.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Which moments? I'm not trying to be an ass, but I don't remember Hornqvist ever "killing" anyone, his game was all about taking punishment. I feel like the Hornqvist I remember fondly has no relation with the Hornqvist in Pittsburgh myth.

I was using the Viking/killing phrase as an analogy for his effective play.

 

[Gurglesons]

Which moments? I'm not trying to be an ass, but I don't remember Hornqvist ever "killing" anyone, his game was all about taking punishment. I feel like the Hornqvist I remember fondly has no relation with the Hornqvist in Pittsburgh myth.

Even the big goals he scored for us in the playoffs were largely shitty shots that deflected in. Not some out grinding warrior goal.

There’s a reason we won a cup with him and Hagelin largely being non-factors...

 

[Peat]

Even the big goals he scored for us in the playoffs were largely shitty shots that deflected in. Not some out grinding warrior goal.

There’s a reason we won a cup with him and Hagelin largely being non-factors...

This, imo, is an exaggeration. He played three series and had multiple points in all of them - multiple goals in all but Nashville, where that goal was the most important. His ice time declined in the Nashville series due to injury but he played a ton of time vs CBJ and Washington (particularly Washington, where he scored in G7). The one series he missed, Ottawa, was one where we struggled most.

Maybe people overtalk him as some essential, doing the impossible, piece, but this is an overcorrection for my money. He made a difference in both runs. He added a dimension - we've had plenty of players who attack the red paint, but few as effectively. And there was a mental part of it too.

And yeah, it didn't save us in the last two playoffs. But neither did some unquestionably great players, and nothing in the playoffs works all the time; best to ask what works some of the time.

 

[Gurglesons]

This, imo, is an exaggeration. He played three series and had multiple points in all of them - multiple goals in all but Nashville, where that goal was the most important. His ice time declined in the Nashville series due to injury but he played a ton of time vs CBJ and Washington (particularly Washington, where he scored in G7). The one series he missed, Ottawa, was one where we struggled most.

Maybe people overtalk him as some essential, doing the impossible, piece, but this is an overcorrection for my money. He made a difference in both runs. He added a dimension - we've had plenty of players who attack the red paint, but few as effectively. And there was a mental part of it too.

And yeah, it didn't save us in the last two playoffs. But neither did some unquestionably great players, and nothing in the playoffs works all the time; best to ask what works some of the time.

I would never exaggerate to make a point!

Anyways, I love Hornqvist. He was a huge part of both cup wins. But he was a bottom six forward for us largely in 2017. And it’s not like he was playing defensive minutes.

I just think this idea that there is a giant Hornqvist sized hole in this current line-up is frankly BS.

 

[mpp9]

I would never exaggerate to make a point!

Anyways, I love Hornqvist. He was a huge part of both cup wins. But he was a bottom six forward for us largely in 2017. And it’s not like he was playing defensive minutes.

I just think this idea that there is a giant Hornqvist sized hole in this current line-up is frankly BS.

I think line 1 is perimeter as hell but PH wasn’t gonna play there so it is what it is. Gotta hope the team as a whole attacks the net when the games matter.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think it's warranted to say that the Penguins really miss the concept of what Hornqvist was, but at the same point, what Hornqvist actually was just didn't fill that hole either just because of his age and how Sullivan viewed him. Like I said above, they needed a 27 year old LW version of Hornqvist, not what Hornqvist was at the end of his time here. It doesn't matter if Hornqvist fits what you want out of your top-6 if he's not going to play there over Rust or Kapanen, and frankly he shouldn't be playing over either of those guys.

I think his overall impact at the end of his time here is overrated, just because how limited of a role he had, but it's also valid to point out that they need a legitimate replacement for him.

 

[Peat]

I would never exaggerate to make a point!

Anyways, I love Hornqvist. He was a huge part of both cup wins. But he was a bottom six forward for us largely in 2017. And it’s not like he was playing defensive minutes.

I just think this idea that there is a giant Hornqvist sized hole in this current line-up is frankly BS.

His skillset, maybe there is. The player he is, and his role as a top 9 RW, agreed. And I say that with knowledge of the great season he's having in Florida (or was before the injury).

I would add that if this team isn't getting in the blue paint much - which is pretty much true - that's not on just one player. One player doesn't fix that.

 

[Headshot77]

I would never exaggerate to make a point!

Anyways, I love Hornqvist. He was a huge part of both cup wins. But he was a bottom six forward for us largely in 2017. And it’s not like he was playing defensive minutes.

I just think this idea that there is a giant Hornqvist sized hole in this current line-up is frankly BS.

I think it wouldn't hurt to have that Hornqvist element still, but that element is basically "crashing the net". It's a hole you can easily fill.

 

[Nakawick]

Matheson could steadily improve into his late 20’s.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I was using the Viking/killing phrase as an analogy for his effective play.

To be clear, I wasn't trying to jump on your post, I just hear it a lot about Hornqvist on this board and others, and it's a bit perplexing to me, because I think of his game completely differently.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

To be clear, I wasn't trying to jump on your post, I just hear it a lot about Hornqvist on this board and others, and it's a bit perplexing to me, because I think of his game completely differently.

Yeah I always hear people talk about how he brought it physically and was some defensive monster and I'm like... wait... who is this guy? I mean he wasn't BAD defensively and went to the dirty areas but...

I know it sounds insane and simpleminded but I seriously think people based some of that off the fact dude was shredded.