Pascal Dupuis

[Til the End of Time]

In retrospect, how much do the penguins miss Dupuis? Would they be in a better or worse position had he not suffered this illness?

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[Griffin6612]

I feel like we miss him a bit, but not the contract. It pretty much allowed us to make the Perron trade is I'm not mistaken.

 

[penguins2946*]

Without Dupuis getting injured, we wouldn't have Perron. Enough said.

 

[Fordy]

way worse with him. he'd still be in the top six right now, we wouldn't have perron, it would absolutely suck. obviously it's terrible what happened but i was already on the "he has to get injured again" train before his health issues

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Dupuis going down allowed them to get Perron. I guess they missed some depth at forward but the belief that Dupuis was a top 6 winger and the threat of KCD are done for the season. Now there's Perron so the depth has been recovered and then some overall. It's been a positive for the team even if it sounds horrible.


The big question should be about him potentially coming back in the playoffs. Say he is cleared, which seems doubtful but for argument's sake, is it a good thing or a bad thing? 35, about 50 games in the last two seasons, 6 months out and coming into a playoff team that's presumably rolling.

 

[Night Shift]

In retrospect, how much do the penguins miss Dupuis? Would they be in a better or worse position had he not suffered this illness?

You of all people asking if this team would be better either way? Tell us what you think.

 

[penguins2946*]

Though if Dupuis were still healthy and we somehow had the cap space to bring in Perron, a Perron-Crosby-Dupuis line would have been pretty effective IMO. I can't see him coming back this year, and I'm thinking the best course of action would be LTIRetirement for him.

 

[roquay]

Dupuis going down allowed them to get Perron. I guess they missed some depth at forward but the belief that Dupuis was a top 6 winger and the threat of KCD are done for the season. Now there's Perron so the depth has been recovered and then some overall. It's been a positive for the team even if it sounds horrible.


The big question should be about him potentially coming back in the playoffs. Say he is cleared, which seems doubtful but for argument's sake, is it a good thing or a bad thing? 35, about 50 games in the last two seasons, 6 months out and coming into a playoff team that's presumably rolling.

If he is cleared and ready come playoff time he is in. He'd at least be on the 4th line at a minimum. Maybe Bennett moves up and it's K-S-D as the 3rd line.

Sutter is the new Crosby lol

 

[wgknestrick]

They miss him a ton and this cannot be understated. This was still a good year for him (production wise, declining every year though), but him missing it really makes that contract look bad now. He is likely going to be a Savard contract for us, but I'm sure he much rather be playing than watching. The entire situation is tragic for all parties. His absence is the number one reason Crosby is struggling so hard IMO. He handled a ton of defensive responsibility on that line while being a top 50 goal scorer at 5v5. He was a very unique player that is difficult to replace. Perron is great player though, but not part of this thread. We didn't trade Duppers for Perron.

He and Perron are probably production equivalents despite many people's unjust hatred toward Duppers in the top 6. We still haven't signed Perron yet so basically we traded a 1st for a rental (until he signs). I don't see Duppers going down as a positive in any way, shape, or form. If he comes back to play this year, then it's another story.

 

[IcedCapp]

team would be better with Dupuis (assuming they also had Perron).

Team would be better on the PK with Dupuis (and it's been fine without him). It would give the coaches some security in benching a player like Adams.

Dupuis has speed, defensive responsibility, and fights along the boards.

If every player on this team was healthy, and they had David Perron, Pascal Dupuis would be NO WORSE than their 7th-best forward.

You don't just ditch that and say you're better.

 

[Fordy]

team would be better with Dupuis (assuming they also had Perron).

Team would be better on the PK with Dupuis (and it's been fine without him). It would give the coaches some security in benching a player like Adams.

Dupuis has speed, defensive responsibility, and fights along the boards.

If every player on this team was healthy, and they had David Perron, Pascal Dupuis would be NO WORSE than their 7th-best forward.

You don't just ditch that and say you're better.

what about his usage? if he's not on crosby's line he'd be on malkin's. if he's not on either that means kunitz is in the top six. both are lesser situations that we are in now, and that's assuming we magically still get perron

 

[cygnus47]

Apart from the contract, (which is fair, just not a bargain) yes we do miss him. As much as he was holding back Sid at times, he's still an excellent 2nd/3rd line tweener who brings literally everything except for creativity. Speed, hits, defensively responsible, middle 6 sort of offensive skills, causes the opponents to rush plays and punishes them physically, great puck possession, takeaways, elite PKer in every sense of the word and a great team guy (and not just as an excuse for bad play). The only issue with Duper was that he was camped next to Sid and Kunitz and not up and down the middle 6 as he should be.

 

[IcedCapp]

what about his usage? if he's not on crosby's line he'd be on malkin's. if he's not on either that means kunitz is in the top six. both are lesser situations that we are in now, and that's assuming we magically still get perron

Kunitz is now on the 3rd line.
I'm being told to trust MJ.

*shrug*

 

[ProgOg]

His abilities are very valuable, and the Penguins would be a better team if he was able to play.

Add in his contract, his history, plus his seemingly cemented role on the team (but, as IcedCapp said, see: Kunitz), and I guess things get murky. I do think that him coming back would be a great addition, but I have no idea how that is supposed to work out with the salary cap.

 

[roquay]

His abilities are very valuable, and the Penguins would be a better team if he was able to play.

Add in his contract, his history, plus his seemingly cemented role on the team (but, as IcedCapp said, see: Kunitz), and I guess things get murky. I do think that him coming back would be a great addition, but I have no idea how that is supposed to work out with the salary cap.

There's no salary cap in the playoffs

 

[ProgOg]

There's no salary cap in the playoffs

Really? Well, then apply that comment to the next season - but who knows how much space there will be, and with some contracts of the books, it's maybe not as much of a problem.

 

[penguins2946*]

His abilities are very valuable, and the Penguins would be a better team if he was able to play.

Add in his contract, his history, plus his seemingly cemented role on the team (but, as IcedCapp said, see: Kunitz), and I guess things get murky. I do think that him coming back would be a great addition, but I have no idea how that is supposed to work out with the salary cap.

I don't know how good he would be if he came back. Missing 42 games last year and probably 66 games this year would take a huge toll on him, and he was already slowing down before his injuries. I wouldn't want him in any higher of a spot than the 4th line RW with Spaling and Goc, because I don't think he could handle any more duties.

 

[KIRK]

way worse with him. he'd still be in the top six right now, we wouldn't have perron, it would absolutely suck. obviously it's terrible what happened but i was already on the "he has to get injured again" train before his health issues

True.

That said, if I had to choose one 3.75M player (appx) and have him on a third line with Sutter and Bennett, then it would be Dupuis over Kunitz.

And, no, this does not mean that I'd advocate Kunitz in the top six.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

We're better off without him, because now we have Perron and PD can no longer be shoehorned into a scoring line role he's simply not meant for. Again.

No offense Dupes. You'd have been a fan favourite if coaches had only put you on the 3rd line.

 

[Pens1566]

I'm trying to figure out how the OP is going to blame this on one (or all) of Sid, DB, RS.

 

[billybudd]

I'd have rather moved Martin for the cap space to make the Perron trade than to have lost Dupuis, but it is what it is.

With Hornqvist, now Perron and even Comeau, we're better equipped to backfill some of the functions that only he was performing in the top 6 the last few seasons (the play Perron made on the defenseman's stick 5 seconds before scoring was straight out of the #9 playbook...lose the puck but refuse to give up on the play then head straight to scoring position), and two of those guys score more as well. You lose defensive play between him and them, but that's less of a problem this year, with or without him. The PK isn't as good as it could be, but it's good enough for me.

Overall, I'd say him being out was part of what was crushing us around Christmas (it would have been awful nice to have him bump 14 down the lineup a few weeks earlier), but once everyone's back, if they stay back, we're positioned to absorb a loss like him. This was not the case last season, which is a feather in JR's cap and a black mark on Shero's.

With Hornqvist, now Perron and even Comeau,

You know...now that I look at this, adding Downie to this list, we've got a lot of wings that play the right way now, instead of just one guy. Good job, JR.

 

[KIRK]

I'd have rather moved Martin for the cap space to make the Perron trade than to have lost Dupuis, but it is what it is.

With Hornqvist, now Perron and even Comeau, we're better equipped to backfill some of the functions that only he was performing in the top 6 the last few seasons (the play Perron made on the defenseman's stick 5 seconds before scoring was straight out of the #9 playbook...lose the puck but refuse to give up on the play then head straight to scoring position), and two of those guys score more as well. You lose defensive play between him and them, but that's less of a problem this year, with or without him. The PK isn't as good as it could be, but it's good enough for me.

Overall, I'd say him being out was part of what was crushing us around Christmas (it would have been awful nice to have him bump 14 down the lineup a few weeks earlier), but once everyone's back, if they stay back, we're positioned to absorb a loss like him. This was not the case last season, which is a feather in JR's cap and a black mark on Shero's.

We can still move Martin and add another top six forward to complete the best top nine the Pens have had going into a playoff series since 2008 (2013 only counts if you revisit what might have been had the coach not been a moron as a bench boss). That opportunity would not have existed with Dupuis healthy.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I'm trying to figure out how the OP is going to blame this on one (or all) of Sid, DB, RS.

Crappy org signed him to that contract (either because they're better off without him or because they rely on some glorified 3rd liner with massive health problems after being signed) and Crosby's declining faculties (evil egomaniacal control of the stupid org?) forced them to. Bylsma was simply an idiot that let it happen or encouraged it. Mario was the ringleader.

 

[KIRK]

Crappy org signed him to that contract (either because they're better off without him or because they rely on some glorified 3rd liner with massive health problems after being signed) and Crosby's declining faculties (evil egomaniacal control of the stupid org?) forced them to. Bylsma was simply an idiot that let it happen or encouraged it. Mario was the ringleader.

Kudos. You covered all the bases.

 

[Pens1566]

Crappy org signed him to that contract (either because they're better off without him or because they rely on some glorified 3rd liner with massive health problems after being signed) and Crosby's declining faculties (evil egomaniacal control of the stupid org?) forced them to. Bylsma was simply an idiot that let it happen or encouraged it. Mario was the ringleader.

Kudos. You covered all the bases.

Forgot one ... RATHJE!!!!!!!!!1111111111!!!1!!