Honour Over Glory
Fire Sully
- Jan 30, 2012
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And listening to Kevin Stevens about Marino. Also, that Kahun deal is turning into an epic steal.
Jim Rutherford Needs to Go
- Thread starter Mario_is_BACK!!
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Give it a up. This is just a ridiculous post on an even more ridiculous thread.
Rutherford literally took a team that was old and slow around our core and made it younger and the fastest team in hockey in just a one year transition. After that we won two Cups.
In the past year Rutherford again made this team much younger and faster by adding McCann, Kahun, Tanev, Marino, and Pettersson. Bjugstad was part of the McCann trade and I would do that trade in a heartbeat. Two UFA's that played poorly for us that year for two young forwards that had term. What was not to like about that deal? McCann looks to be developing into a 20+ goal 50+ point player that was only 22 years old at the time of that deal has a ton of value. Bjugstad had a good year for the Pens last year with 9 goals in only 32 games while playing 3rd line Center duty. That is unbelievable production for a 3rd line Center to be on pace for well over 20+ goals and was worth his contract last year. This year he only played 10 games and was obviously playing through his injury so I am not going to judge him at all for that. So Bjugstad had 19 goals and 49 points the year before the Pens traded for him and then played great for the Pens in his 32 games but somehow the McCann/Bjugstad trade was bad? That is just asinine.
Rutherford again has built a championship caliber team after already building two Cup champions. You do realize another 30 GM's are paid to do the same thing and Rutherford is not always going to build the top team every year. Rutherford's moves during this past year have been amazing and for his time as the Pens GM he has made many more great moves than poor ones. This whole thread is ridiculous which I posted that back at the start of this thread.
Even JJ is playing to his contract this season. I would argue JJ played to his contract last year after his tire fire first 25 games while learning the new system and teammates. JJ was forced to play his off side for most of last year and also more minutes than should of been expected due to injuries. Even with all those hindrances JJ was a big plus player after those 25 games I think he was a plus 8 or better off the top of my head. For being on his off side the expectations should not of been that high. This season JJ played LD all season and he has easily been worth his $3.25 million cap hit which is not even top 4 money these days. In fact several teams had 5 defenseman making that much or more when I looked it up this summer and around half had 4. Considering many teams have players like a Marino or Pettersson on entry level type deals in the top 4 it pretty much says a veteran that is top 4 makes $4 million or more these days. So $3.25 million is bottom pairing money these days.
EightyOne
My posts are jokes. And hockey is just a game.
- Nov 23, 2016
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Give it a up. This is just a ridiculous post on an even more ridiculous thread.
Rutherford literally took a team that was old and slow around our core and made it younger and the fastest team in hockey in just a one year transition. After that we won two Cups.
In the past year Rutherford again made this team much younger and faster by adding McCann, Kahun, Tanev, Marino, and Pettersson. Bjugstad was part of the McCann trade and I would do that trade in a heartbeat. Two UFA's that played poorly for us that year for two young forwards that had term. What was not to like about that deal? McCann looks to be developing into a 20+ goal 50+ point player that was only 22 years old at the time of that deal has a ton of value. Bjugstad had a good year for the Pens last year with 9 goals in only 32 games while playing 3rd line Center duty. That is unbelievable production for a 3rd line Center to be on pace for well over 20+ goals and was worth his contract last year. This year he only played 10 games and was obviously playing through his injury so I am not going to judge him at all for that. So Bjugstad had 19 goals and 49 points the year before the Pens traded for him and then played great for the Pens in his 32 games but somehow the McCann/Bjugstad trade was bad? That is just asinine.
Rutherford again has built a championship caliber team after already building two Cup champions. You do realize another 30 GM's are paid to do the same thing and Rutherford is not always going to build the top team every year. Rutherford's moves during this past year have been amazing and for his time as the Pens GM he has made many more great moves than poor ones. This whole thread is ridiculous which I posted that back at the start of this thread.
Even JJ is playing to his contract this season. I would argue JJ played to his contract last year after his tire fire first 25 games while learning the new system and teammates. JJ was forced to play his off side for most of last year and also more minutes than should of been expected due to injuries. Even with all those hindrances JJ was a big plus player after those 25 games I think he was a plus 8 or better off the top of my head. For being on his off side the expectations should not of been that high. This season JJ played LD all season and he has easily been worth his $3.25 million cap hit which is not even top 4 money these days. In fact several teams had 5 defenseman making that much or more when I looked it up this summer and around half had 4. Considering many teams have players like a Marino or Pettersson on entry level type deals in the top 4 it pretty much says a veteran that is top 4 makes $4 million or more these days. So $3.25 million is bottom pairing money these days.
He gets credit for redefining the team into the Cup contenders.
But in the same breath, you have to give criticism for dismantling that by chasing waterfalls and having to spend the next two years trying to damage control back to where they are now.
ColePens
RIP Fugu Buffaloed & parabola
I was definitely in the group that said Maatta is 100% an NHL defender, but just not on this team and we would be better w/o him. And when they got Kahun - i was f***ing amazed. I think that's a huge under-appreciated trade.
And I think it was like 5-6 of us who wanted McCann for a while and he's paying off in that regard, too.
Listen... JR may make mistakes. In fact - he openly admits his mistakes. But dammit what he does better than ANY GM i've ever seen is own up to it and change it. Remember how f***ing stubborn Dan Bylsma was as a coach?? Most GMs are more stubborn in wanting their trades to pan out. JR barely waits. And he accepts fault.
JR is a HOFer for that alone, IMO.
And I think it was like 5-6 of us who wanted McCann for a while and he's paying off in that regard, too.
Listen... JR may make mistakes. In fact - he openly admits his mistakes. But dammit what he does better than ANY GM i've ever seen is own up to it and change it. Remember how f***ing stubborn Dan Bylsma was as a coach?? Most GMs are more stubborn in wanting their trades to pan out. JR barely waits. And he accepts fault.
JR is a HOFer for that alone, IMO.
That is a ridiculous assessment. Not all deals work out and he did not dismantle the team. Players contracts end and other teams pay big money to sign UFA's from Cup winning teams. I for one loved many of his moves during those off years but they just didn't pan out. That happens all the time in the NHL but Rutherford always quickly moves on when. Players don't fit.
So looking at those 2 years after the Cup. First year adds Brassard and Sheahan as 3rd and 4th line Centers. I don't fault him for that because it was a sound strategy that just didn't work out. Who would of thought Big Game Brass was out of big games. He was k known as one of the best playoff performers in the league and exactly what Rutherford wanted in having 3 scoring lines. Great thing is Rutherford turned those two into McCann and Bjugstad which is a big upgrade.
Anyone can look at hindsight and criticize some moves but Rutherford always gave this team a chance to win. Sometimes the players just don't make it work. 2018 the Pens took the Cup Champs to OT in game 6. They very easily could of won the Cup that year if Murray wasn't outplayed in that series and still almost did anyways so no fault of GM that year. Last year was a disappointment losing in first round but most of his moves last year were great adding McCann, Bjugstad, Pettersson and Gudbranson for UFA Brassard, UFA Sheahan, Sprong, and UFA Hagelin. All 4 of those players played very poorly for us and he added all 4 players with term that played good for us. Rutherford did his part to make the team better. This off-season he added even more with Tanev, Kahun, and Marino to help this group out. For every bad move he makes many more good ones.
Turin
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- Feb 27, 2018
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Yea but you wanted him fired for signing Tanev who I TOLD YOU was the epitome of everything you like in a player.
So. Welcome to team Tanev ft Rutherford
Gurglesons
Registered User
No. Rutherford got arrogant and butchered the chance at a 3 peat. He nearly made the right choices to get us to the ECF but injuries happened
HandshakeLine
A real jerk thing
The three peat was a nigh-impossible task to begin with. Nobody’s done that since the Oilers and they had Gretzky! 
Honour Over Glory
Fire Sully
- Jan 30, 2012
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Wiener Gretzky never won 3 in a row with the Oilers, he won 2, then 86-87 the Habs won, then Wiener got dumped to the Kings after the last 2, then the flames won and Messier won their last cup. So just 4 cups.The three peat was a nigh-impossible task to begin with. Nobody’s done that since the Oilers and they had Gretzky!
I might be mixing up my years, but the last team to win 3 in a row was I think the Isles? I think theirs was 4 in a row and then the habs won 4 before them. After that, since 1990, only 1 team has won back 2 backs twice, the Penguins. The Wings were the last to win a back 2 back before that in the mid-late 90's.
But even the Pens winning again, would give Crosby & Geno 4 cups. That's impressive f***ing territory since the last guy to win 4 cups as a player would be I think Nik Lidstrom unless there's another carry over from that team, Osgood?
Turin
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Honour Over Glory
Fire Sully
- Jan 30, 2012
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- 42,447
Son of a bitch, I forgot about that wanker. Yeah ok so the the legend that is Kunitz is the last player to win 4?
Lol.
This is seriously weird **** which can't be for real? 3 in a row hasn't happened since the Isles, and no team in the salary cap era has gone back to back. Well, except for one. Name escapes me... But we know that. On another note, be careful with the "three peat" thing. Greasy Pat Riley trademarked that stupid **** for the Lakers even though they didn't win 3 in a row until years after Riley was history. This is one f******* weird resurrected thread for sure. But funny as hell, I guess.... JR rocks, by the way, and in Tanev I trust.The three peat was a nigh-impossible task to begin with. Nobody’s done that since the Oilers and they had Gretzky!
DanielPlainview
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- Apr 28, 2009
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The team was mentally exhausted last season. There was an air of relief about that team when they were knocked out. They just didn't have another Stanley Cup slog in them, even if they were 100%.
The season before last, I believe, it to what you refer. We sucked for entirely different reasons last year...
DanielPlainview
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EightyOne
My posts are jokes. And hockey is just a game.
- Nov 23, 2016
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Sir, it is not ridiculous.
This year has been trying to get back because JR got arrogant.
But the happy accidents like JJ not sucking or Jarry picking up pieces can be good even if there's no way JR planned it out like this.
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Paulie Gualtieri
R.I.P. Tony Sirico
- May 18, 2016
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The only major trade that Rutherford has made that I find unjustifiable, is the Sundqvist for Reaves debacle.
Allie Kitsune
...and the Brawla Brawla Sewitt
Will Hunting
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Empoleon8771
Registered User
It would be awesome if the Penguins still had Sundqvist, because you could slide either him or Blueger into the 3C spot and keep McCann on the wing and have no worries about your bottom-6 centers. I think JR giving up Sunqvist for Reaves is probably his worst deal as the Penguins GM, and that's not even including the pick swap in that.
JTG
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- Sep 30, 2007
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A coach doesn't lose a team and then gain a team back, especially with how the team is buying in right now.
ncm7772
Registered User
Man, there were some angry a$$ MFs in this thread back in the summer !
!
Paulie Gualtieri
R.I.P. Tony Sirico
- May 18, 2016
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One thing I do wish is that he had kept Bonino. Still think it was the wrong call to let him go, but oh well.
Sir, it is not ridiculous.
This year has been trying to get back because JR got arrogant.
But the happy accidents like JJ not sucking or Jarry picking up pieces can be good even if there's no way JR planned it out like this.
How did Rutherford not plan those things? Conventional wisdom had Rutherford trading Jarry and keeping up DeSmith. Also this is the Johnson Rutherford planned on getting. Unfortunately JJ had to play on his off side most of last year and also much higher minutes due to injuries. Unfortunately JJ has again had to play more minutes than a $3.25 million veteran should have to play due to injuries again. At least this year he gets to play his normal position as a LD.
Bottom line is Rutherford turned a slow aging team into a fast younger team with just a one year transition. That was masterful and Pens won 2 Cups because of it.
Looking at 2018 season Rutherford did his job also. All a GM can do is give the coach the pieces needed to have a chance to compete for the Cup. Rutherford did that but unfortunately Pens lost a hard fought series and lost in OT in game 6 to the eventual Cup Champs. No same in that season.
Last year the team might of went out in 4 games but I don't blame Rutherford at all for that. Rutherford made some masterful trades that season. Trading 3 UFA forwards and a young player in Spring that all had been playing terrible for us that year for Pettersson, McCann, Bjugstad, and Gudbranson who all played good for us. GM did his job and not every year the results will show come playoff time.
Again Rutherford had a great summer and the team looks great. Anyone that complains about Rutherford is a spoiled bratt period.
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