What PLUS?
A flip of 1st round picks.
Question: Spaling and Kapanen OR whoever the Pens would've drafted at 11 . . . which return has more impact before Sid turns 30?
You want ANOTHER Staal deal, where we've got to wait 4 years to maybe see the 'win' payoff? You want that now, given Sid's and Geno's ages?
See, this is why I'm no fan of a PAP and late 1st deal. Bigger drop off than Horny gives you, and the 1st you won't see for 3 years, if at all.
If THIS is what people mean by 'should've gotten more'-- and it's all that people have cited-- then please don't ever complain again about the state of the Pens forwards and how the team does by Sid and Geno.
EDIT: I am glad that you will reserve judgment. Honestly, it's all about the playoffs. What Hornqvist means. What maybe Spaling means. And how they fit in terms of the puzzle.
It just seems to me like a 2nd or 3rd round pick or something on that level would balance the trade out somewhat. I would have also probably rather seen the flip of 1st round picks.
A third line player could be had in free agency. Now Spaling might have some untapped potential, I don't know, but I would have probably preferred Hornqvist+futures as the return since it adds more assets that could have been retained or potentially packaged for another impact player.
I think most people aren't so upset with Hornqvist back as the main piece, but that maybe there could have been more coming back in return. Now, we have no idea what else was offered, but if you had offered me this deal before today I would have definitely said there needed to be another piece coming back from Nashville in the deal.
That being said, what's done is done now so I'm willing to wait and see what sort of impact Spaling makes. A Spaling-Sutter-Dupuis third line certainly seems like it should be an effective line, if not particularly physical. It will be interesting to see if Johnston will try to use them as the primary matchup line against other teams' top lines.
I do like Hornqvist and what he will bring both on the powerplay and in the playoffs in terms of grinding and scoring dirty goals, two things that Neal wasn't particularly adept at and which should be a boon when the whistles get swallowed in the postseason.
Hoping we can dump Dupuis and sign one of Vrbata or Hemsky (in addition to Kulemin) and roll:
Kunitz-Crosby-Vrbata/Hemsky
Kulemin-Malkin-Hornqvist
Spaling-Sutter-Bennett