GDT: NHL Trade Deadline Thread Part 2

[Malkinstheman]

24 hours left. Everybody buckle in.

 

[Pancakes]

Only one defense pairing on the team can take the puck and give it to a line with consistency. That’s it.

Which is why it's hugely important we restructure this d. If they insist on shooting themselves in the foot with JJ, then at least bury him on the third pair and find a second pair that can play well with consistency, and play that pair behind Malkin.

 

[Nakawick]

Matt Benning from the Oilers. Young RHD with team control. He can move the puck, not sure about his defensive play or overall rating. Been playing on a bad team. He might have some upside with some coaching.

 

[KIRK]

Was that from having a team better capable of playing fast, though? The forwards on the team today aren't any less capable of playing fast. The defense is way worse in terms of playing fast, but everyone knows that. Is that a shift in philosophy by JR or just JR making bad moves with his defense?



Not having high end prospects isn't a problem if you already have those high end spots filled with players who aren't going anywhere anytime soon. I don't care that they don't have any 1C prospects because they have Crosby and Malkin for the foreseeable future. I don't care that they don't have any 1D prospects because they have Letang for the next couple of years.

1. No, we were faster up front in 2017 than we are now.

2. The Pens prospect pool is so thin we can't effectively use it to fill in and we can't use it for trades (because unlike other teams who have below top flight prospects in spades, the Pens have a lot fewer).

 

[66-30-33]

Imagine a JJ-McQuaid 2nd pairing. :O

 

[Nakawick]

24 hours left. Everybody buckle in.

Adjust your butt holders.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

Imagine a JJ-McQuaid 2nd pairing. :O

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Imagine a JJ-McQuaid 2nd pairing. :O

Don't you mean FIRST pairing?

 

[KIRK]

I imagine so. I haven't checked the stats team by team but overall on the year the Crosby line dominates opponents and our other three....not so good.

Looking at the game logs, I'd imagine not.

 

[Turin]

Which is why it's hugely important we restructure this d. If they insist on shooting themselves in the foot with JJ, then at least bury him on the third pair and find a second pair that can play well with consistency, and play that pair behind Malkin.

Can’t be understated. Nobody should be shocked that we are out of the playoffs after rolling Maatta/Oleksiak/JJ/whatever for 60% of every game.

 

[KIRK]

Don't you mean FIRST pairing?

 

[PensandCaps]

I'd definitely run

ZAR-Malkin-Rust

Now that Horny is with Sid.

Let Kess run with McCann and Bjugstad.

 

[Pancakes]

Looking at the game logs, I'd imagine not.

If that line has been less good against playoff teams I can't even imagine how bad our other three lines have been against said teams.

 

[PensandCaps]

Can’t be understated. Nobody should be shocked that we are out of the playoffs after rolling Maatta/Oleksiak/JJ/whatever for 60% of every game.

Please don't insult Maatta like that by lumping him in with those bums

 

[KIRK]

I'd definitely run

ZAR-Malkin-Rust

Now that Horny is with Sid.

Let Kess run with McCann and Bjugstad.

But, but, but . . . McCann-Bjugs-Rust was such a nice 3rd line . . .

 

[Empoleon8771]

1. No, we were faster up front in 2017 than we are now.

The 2017 team may be a little bit faster (which I'm not even sure I agree with), but this forward group isn't slow. They're still capable of playing a fast style.

You've replaced Hagelin, Kunitz, Bonino, Sheary and Wilson with Pearson, McCann, Bjugstad, Simon and ZAR, with the rest of the team staying about the same. That's not a huge decrease in speed, or at least it shouldn't be.

2. The Pens prospect pool is so thin we can't effectively use it to fill in and we can't use it for trades (because unlike other teams who have below top flight prospects in spades, the Pens have a lot fewer).

But you also don't have huge needs to fill, since you already have a lot of your top spots filled. If your best prospect is a 2nd line potential guy or a #3 potential defenseman, that's fine because you have your 1Cs and 1LWs and 1Ds already. You completely can effectively use their prospect pool to fill in their roster or make trades, they've been doing it for years.

 

[66-30-33]

then a Ruh-Russell 3rd pairing. We would be so amazing at defensing.

2nd and 3rd pair would look like this...

JJ-McQuaid
Ruh-Russell

Add in some Lucic on the Malkin line!

 

[KIRK]

If that line has been less good against playoff teams I can't even imagine how bad our other three lines have been against said teams.

Pretty ******* bad, especially L2, except when Geno had Rust or ZAR (stunning coincidence, I know).

 

[PensandCaps]

That MTL game coming up is a game 7. Got to win it.

 

[LittleSpoon]

Don't you mean FIRST pairing?

Oh...my...god!

 

[Sideline]

Imagine a JJ-McQuaid 2nd pairing. :O

That's an elite shutdown pairing that would be a huge contribution to a Cup team. JR owes it to the fans. JJ-McQuaid in WBS means a Calder Cup for sure!

 

[66-30-33]

Don't you mean FIRST pairing?

Naw Riikola-Schultz would be first pairing.

 

[PensandCaps]

But, but, but . . . McCann-Bjugs-Rust was such a nice 3rd line . . .

I'd rather have a nice 2nd line with Evgeni Malkin lol

 

[KIRK]

The 2017 team may be a little bit faster (which I'm not even sure I agree with), but this forward group isn't slow. They're still capable of playing a fast style.



But you also don't have huge needs to fill, since you already have a lot of your top spots filled. If your best prospect is a 2nd line potential guy or a #3 potential defenseman, that's fine because you have your 1Cs and 1LWs and 1Ds already. You completely can effectively use their prospect pool to fill in their roster or make trades, they've been doing it for years.

If this team doesn't have huge needs to fill and this is all there is, then they're pretty much ****** for the rest of the Sid/Geno era.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Geno is finally back but now Sully is insistent on giving him a slumping Kessel. Our goal should be to maximize Geno and Sid now that both are playing great.