Post-Game Talk: Määääääääääättäääääääääää|Penguins 4 Capitals 3

[KIRK]

And trust me... yinzer Pittsburgh fans will turn on DB if they have 1 or 2 more years w/o the Cup. This is the City of Champs. We don't obsess over regular seasons and turn into Caps fans. Let's say we have another embarrassing loss in the postseason.... this city will turn on DB so quick.

Look at Cole, channeling his inner TenderKirkCapp.

 

[KIRK]

Since Orpiks return, my fear of him being on this team in the playoffs grows every game.

As does my fear of his being on it for four years thereafter.

 

[KIRK]

I can't see Shero ever moving Letang.

Shero has never really made a risky trade in his tenure. The Staal trade was forced on him, Whitney and GoGo were never close to elite talents like Letang. Trading Letang would substantially alter the makeup of this team and would most likely define Shero's tenure as the Pens GM.

Shero isn't a risk taker. I'm not saying it's good or bad, it's just a fact.

Patrick was a big risk taker and it paid off, but with consequences as well. His big trades are well known around here.

After their first cup, the team was struggling and the media piled on calling them "paper champs", they got "lucky" because the Oilers had a rare off year and they played another lucky Cinderella in Minny, etc. They were at risk of missing the playoffs and CP knew he had to change the makeup of his team.

Shero is under no such pressure as his team is first in the division by a wide margin and first overall in the division. He would have to be proactive and take a huge risk that his team would be better off without Letang, and quite frankly, I think the thought of it blowing up in his face will keep Letang in Pgh for the remainder of his contract.

Let's not forget the Patrick took an even bigger risk in 1991 than he took in 1992, and he was under no pressure to do so (with Mario coming back, he could've said 'I like my team as it is, and the guy we're getting back is better than any deadline addition'). In hindsight, the move was brilliance. At the time, moving Cullen and Zalapski was a risk/reward proposition no smaller than moving Letang would be.

 

[KIRK]

And hey.. I know the guy only did it for one game, but he still deserves props: Pyatt. He was a beast that game. I was very happy to see how much he stepped up. That screen is something the Pens have missed for a LONG LONG time.

Anyone think he can string a few together? I have my doubts.

Pyatt can look good as long as he's with Malkin.

It's not rocket science. Pyatt was never a good skater, and his speed is just totally gone now. The Pens play up tempo, north south hockey. The one guy who kind of deviates and likes as part of how he attacks to slow it down is Malkin.

That, in turn, enabled Pyatt to play to his strengths-- board work and going to the net.

So, to answer your question, can Pyatt string a few more together? Depends upon how long Neal is out of if Bylsma has an epiphany and slides JJ to Sid's RW when Neal returns.

 

[Shrimper]

Letang it seems has become the new whipping boy.

New? He has been a whipping boy for a while.

In most cases it is rightly warranted though.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Let's not forget the Patrick took an even bigger risk in 1991 than he took in 1992, and he was under no pressure to do so (with Mario coming back, he could've said 'I like my team as it is, and the guy we're getting back is better than any deadline addition'). In hindsight, the move was brilliance. At the time, moving Cullen and Zalapski was a risk/reward proposition no smaller than moving Letang would be.

That team went on a tear in late Feb with Cullen leading the way. Patrick knew they needed more leadership and to get more physical. Zaps was a very good young blueliner and had around 50 points that season and Cullen was their leading scorer at the time of the trade. He traded away two VERY good players.

It was a high risk move, but again a lot of his moves were high risk, whereas Shero has never made a risky trade during his tenure.

CP calling card was that he was a big risk taker. Shero's calling card is that he likes to play it safe.

Shero I doubt is going to change. I mean dude, he won't even trade Orpik a year from UFA, let alone Letang.

Again, two good GMs, but vastly different approaches to the trade market.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

New? He has been a whipping boy for a while.

In most cases it is rightly warranted though.

I miss the days when there was only one whipping boy each season. Now there's like 35

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

That team went on a tear in late Feb with Cullen leading the way. Patrick knew they needed more leadership and to get more physical. Zaps was a very good young blueliner and had around 50 points that season and Cullen was their leading scorer at the time of the trade. He traded away two VERY good players.

It was a high risk move, but again a lot of his moves were high risk, whereas Shero has never made a risky trade during his tenure.

CP calling card was that he was a big risk taker. Shero's calling card is that he likes to play it safe.

Shero I doubt is going to change. I mean dude, he won't even trade Orpik a year from UFA, let alone Letang.

Again, two good GMs, but vastly different approaches to the trade market.

He may not be a big risk taker but the guy went " all in" last year. Everybody was happy at the time. Casual pens fans already planning the parade, etc. He gave away a lot last year for just rentals, to try to win it all. I'd say that's a bit risky.

Overall I agree, but I'd rather have someone like Shero than Holmgren who makes ridiculous trades. You can't constantly make such big changes to a team. This isn't fantasy sports. There's a lot of people on here who just look at our lineup and want to replace every one of the players who don't look good on paper. It's not how it works . Especially when there's a cap and we have the two best players in the world( and letang undeservedly about to make 7.25 mil) .

I've complained about some of Sheros moves( mainly being afraid to breakup the core) . He has his problems , but we could be a lot worse off. 80% of this board wants our team ran like the Rangers, Flyers, Redskins, etc. Just get every big name out there and be happy looking at the line combos. Makes ya feel good. In the meantime just end up with a bunch of dead weight.

We had the best team on paper last year....got us swept in the ECF. Chemistry is huge. Shero went for it last year and it failed. He's not going that route again.

So it's either make a solid hockey trade or give up lesser prospects/lower picks for the hemsky/seto type players.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

He may not be a big risk taker but the guy went " all in" last year.***Everybody was happy at the time.**Casual pens fans already planning the parade, etc.****He gave away a lot last year for just rentals, to try to win it all.***I'd say that's a bit risky.**

Overall I agree, but I'd rather have someone like Shero than Holmgren who makes ridiculous trades.**You can't constantly make such big changes to a team.***This isn't fantasy sports.****There's a lot of people on here who just look at our lineup and want to replace every one of the players who don't look good on paper.***It's not how it works .**Especially when there's a cap and we have the two best players in the world( and letang undeservedly about to make 7.25 mil) .****

I've complained about some of Sheros moves( mainly being afraid to breakup the core) . He has his problems , but we could be a lot worse off.***80% of this board wants our team ran like the Rangers, Flyers, Redskins, etc.***Just get every big name out there and be happy looking at the line combos.**Makes ya feel good.***In the meantime just end up with a bunch of dead weight.

We had the best team on paper last year....got us swept in the ECF.***Chemistry is huge.**Shero went for it last year and it failed.***He's not going that route again.***

So it's either make a solid hockey trade or give up lesser prospects/lower picks for the hemsky/seto type players.

Shero went all in, but moving prospects and picks (as much as I hated the Morrow deal) is not as comparable as moving a burgeoning young blueliner with back to back 60 point seasons, your leading scorer who was on pace for 100 points, a great young winger who put up 113 points the year before, the best offensive blueliner in the league, etc etc.

No one was safe with CP at the helm, save Mario. If you were damaged goods like Stevens, bye. Your play started slipping like Tocchet or McEachern, bye. These guys were big parts of their SC runs, but CP didn't let feelings get in the way.

It usually paid off though, except in the Naslund case. He turned Stevens, Tocchet and McEachern into Lucky Luke, Smokes, Murray, into Kovy, Zubby (who he didn't hesitate to move for Hatcher), Eddie O, Kaspar, etc.

Shero doesn't take big risks like that and I think people need to realize that. People think he will move Letang and the reality is I doubt he would even move Orpik. It's just how it is. He will fix holes and try to make his team better, but he will remove as much risk as possible while doing it.

 

[Al Smith]

Shero went all in, but moving prospects and picks (as much as I hated the Morrow deal) is not as comparable as moving a burgeoning young blueliner with back to back 60 point seasons, your leading scorer who was on pace for 100 points, a great young winger who put up 113 points the year before, the best offensive blueliner in the league, etc etc.

No one was safe with CP at the helm, save Mario. If you were damaged goods like Stevens, bye. Your play started slipping like Tocchet or McEachern, bye. These guys were big parts of their SC runs, but CP didn't let feelings get in the way.

It usually paid off though, except in the Naslund case. He turned Stevens, Tocchet and McEachern into Lucky Luke, Smokes, Murray, into Kovy, Zubby (who he didn't hesitate to move for Hatcher), Eddie O, Kaspar, etc.

Shero doesn't take big risks like that and I think people need to realize that. People think he will move Letang and the reality is I doubt he would even move Orpik. It's just how it is. He will fix holes and try to make his team better, but he will remove as much risk as possible while doing it.

Is it that Shero is risk averse, or are there a lot fewer trades now than there were in the 90s. Haven't bothered to look at the numbers, but it sure seems that way.

 

[Pancakes]

I don't think it's out of the question that Shero could eventually move Letang but I don't see it happening until at least several years into the deal.

Moving a guy who he just signed - even if a deal made sense- doesn't seem like Shero. Like it or not he likes to run a respectful friendly environment. He shows great loyalty to his players. He usually only lets guys go if they really suck or if they're unable to fit in the budget.

Fact is Cooke and TK would likely both still be here if Shero was able to fit them in under the cap. Hell you could probably even say the same for Gonchar.

Shero doesn't like to let go of guys.

 

[Pancakes]

Is it that Shero is risk averse, or are there a lot fewer trades now than there were in the 90s. Haven't bothered to look at the numbers, but it sure seems that way.

Dunno about numbers of trades, but it certainly seems like there are less big trades. The main reason for that being the salary cap. You read all the time quotes from GMs saying they wanna make trades but can't because other teams insist the dollar amounts have to fit.

Really hard to make trades when nobody wants to take on salary.