Confirmed with Link: Penguins sign forward Derek Grant [1 year/650k]

[HuskerTornado]

Heard a funny story (well not for Grant). He fought one of the other teams enforcers and lost pretty badly. He then got cut from the team (not sure which team) and then his team traded for the guy who beat him up.

That's close to the plot for Goon 2. lol

 

[AverageJoeFan]

I feel like this is an odd move. The guy has played LW/C, but mostly C last year. He's got some size at 6'3" and can produce to some degree, but what is this centermen madness?
Sid
Geno
Brass
Sheahan
Cullen
Grant
Teddy

I mean you are going into the season hoping that Brass is going to gel in a LW role. Or that Grant competes for a LW role. It feels like throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks.

One thing that has me a bit concerned..why was he not resigned? Why would Rowney been a better value in anyone's mind unless there is something we don't know? Grant's other NHL stints were pretty much a tub of nothingness.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I feel like this is an odd move. The guy has played LW/C, but mostly C last year. He's got some size at 6'3" and can produce to some degree, but what is this centermen madness?
Sid
Geno
Brass
Sheahan
Cullen
Grant
Teddy

I mean you are going into the season hoping that Brass is going to gel in a LW role. Or that Grant competes for a LW role. It feels like throwing **** at the wall and seeing what sticks.

One thing that has me a bit concerned..why was he not resigned? Why would Rowney been a better value in anyone's mind unless there is something we don't know? Grant's other NHL stints were pretty much a tub of nothingness.

Considering the team he came from and the Pens lofty depth I don't see where he gets the real chance at repeating last years numbers. Maybe it was just trying to beef up the roster to give it some more size. That I'm all for.

 

[Peat]

One thing that has me a bit concerned..why was he not resigned? Why would Rowney been a better value in anyone's mind unless there is something we don't know? Grant's other NHL stints were pretty much a tub of nothingness.

Because people make mistakes and the guy thinking Rowney is worth 3x1m has definitely made one of them right there.

 

[DegenX]

Something happened! Interesting signing. I imagine he's more likely to be playing LW than center.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

Because people make mistakes and the guy thinking Rowney is worth 3x1m has definitely made one of them right there.

Yeah I mean...we all do for sure. But collectively it seems impossible a group of people would think that Rowney is better than Grant after last year. Right? HA, I say that and Rowney will all of a sudden be good this year...

 

[AverageJoeFan]

Considering the team he came from and the Pens lofty depth I don't see where he gets the real chance at repeating last years numbers. Maybe it was just trying to beef up the roster to give it some more size. That I'm all for.

I think someone said it and I could see him maybe with Geno. Truly tho I have no idea what skillset this guy brings...

 

[Jacob]

I could see Sheahan playing wing in the top 9, maybe even with Geno since he can take faceoffs and some defensive responsibilities for him. Sheahan - Malkin - Kessel. Rude comments will get a block.

 

[pistolpete11]

I read that he scored 11 of those points in a 15 game stretch when Kesler and Getzlaf were out. While that's a good stretch, it definitely screams fluke to me. Still, 13 points in 51 games is not terrible, but I think it is a lot closer to Rowney/Kuhn levels if those guys didn't have to play with each other and Reaves for most of the year. It took him until his 27 age season to really break into the NHL, so I' keeping my expectations low. I don't think this signing affects the team until there are injuries.

Having said that, I like adding C depth. It's a lot easier to ask a C to play W than vice-versa. He adds size. He's good on the dot. He's cheap. No need to worry about scratching him most nights since he's not a young, developing player. Low risk-low reward signing.

 

[The Old Master]

don't know the guy, I like his size but I'm not sure this adds anything to our speed. if anything, I would think that would be the first thing we would be looking for. imo

 

[JRS91]

I doubt a trade is looming because the Penguins signed Grant.

This is a depth move. I like it though. Grant isn't a very good possession player (Few fourth line players are honestly) but he's a very good defensive player and penalty killer. He's also good at faceoffs. Obviously he had himself a career year and probably didn't get the contract he wanted. I'm willing to bet he's coming here to prove last year wasn't a fluke.

 

[Pens x]

How long before Sully plays Kessel with Grant?

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

One thing that has me a bit concerned..why was he not resigned? Why would Rowney been a better value in anyone's mind unless there is something we don't know? Grant's other NHL stints were pretty much a tub of nothingness.

Rowney is also a Right handed C, which is a semi rare commodity

That being said, I feel like this signing is preparing them for Brass and/or Sheahan possible leaving after this season. Basically a test drive to see if he fits. If he does and one of those guys leave, he's your 4th C

 

[The Old Master]

Rowney is also a Right handed C, which is a semi rare commodity

That being said, I feel like this signing is preparing them for Brass and/or Sheahan possible leaving after this season. Basically a test drive to see if he fits. If he does and one of those guys leave, he's your 4th C

could be. I would like it a lot more if he was a righty and had speed to go with his size. imo.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I feel like this is an odd move. The guy has played LW/C, but mostly C last year. He's got some size at 6'3" and can produce to some degree, but what is this centermen madness?
Sid
Geno
Brass
Sheahan
Cullen
Grant
Teddy

I mean you are going into the season hoping that Brass is going to gel in a LW role. Or that Grant competes for a LW role. It feels like throwing **** at the wall and seeing what sticks.

The Pens aren't going into anything yet. They're accumulating depth at an important position while weighing trade options. If they did trade Brass for an LW, as they're reportedly considering, their NHL roster depth looks like this:

Crosby
Malkin
Sheahan
Cullen
Grant

That's not overkill, that's just solid depth...if relatively underwhelming at 3C.

Bleuger's also waiver-exempt for another year, so it's not like we have to worry about fitting him onto the roster.

One thing that has me a bit concerned..why was he not resigned? Why would Rowney been a better value in anyone's mind unless there is something we don't know? Grant's other NHL stints were pretty much a tub of nothingness.

Bob Murray's been roasted by the Anaheim fanbase for that exact reason.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

I hate this.

For the sole reason that Bylsma treated Grant in Buffalo the way he treated Adams here.

 

[Coach Travis]

These are the kind of signings where I go to the player’s former team’s message board and see what they’re saying. A lot of Ducks fans not liking that they didn’t re-sign him, especially when his replacement was Carter Rowney.

Grant got to play a bigger role when Getzlaf and Kesler were out at the beginning of the season and held the fort.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Center depth with the ability to move up the lineup if needed and not be totally out of place. If he doesn't work out, we waive him and bury most of the contract in WB/S or he get's picked up by someone else. What's not to like here? This is a way better problem to have than playing Greg McKegg as your 3C!

 

[Doogle]

I hate this.

For the sole reason that Bylsma treated Grant in Buffalo the way he treated Adams here.

Is Bylsma coaching the Pens again?

 

[davemess]

Like the signing, he was a guy I looked at before we signed Cullen but didn't figure we would be able to afford him (figured he would get at least 2 years @ 1m).

The signing makes me think that we now consider Cullen to be exclusively a LW 5v5.

Grant then becomes the 5th C on the depth chart and gives us the flexibility to both cover for injuries and experiment with the line-up.

 

[Tom Hanks]

JR certainly learns from his mistakes. He got screwed by no goalie depth years ago, got it here and has worked out great.

Got into cap trouble (with injuries) after the deadline in 14/15 where we could only dress 5D at times. Always made sure we had a buffer since although that meant Cole had to be traded last deadline.

Our centre depth (wingers too) was bad last season for too long. He certainly has depth for every position now.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Like the signing, he was a guy I looked at before we signed Cullen but didn't figure we would be able to afford him (figured he would get at least 2 years @ 1m).

The signing makes me think that we now consider Cullen to be exclusively a LW 5v5.

Grant then becomes the 5th C on the depth chart and gives us the flexibility to both cover for injuries and experiment with the line-up.

Cullen may sit a game here and there and make Grant a perfect fillin.

 

[Ugene Magic]

JR certainly learns from his mistakes. He got screwed by no goalie depth years ago, got it here and has worked out great.

Got into cap trouble (with injuries) after the deadline in 14/15 where we could only dress 5D at times. Always made sure we had a buffer since although that meant Cole had to be traded last deadline.

Our centre depth (wingers too) was bad last season for too long. He certainly has depth for every position now.

Except at D. That can be remedied by way of trade/trade at the TDL.

Pens need a true #6/#7 D-man who can slot higher than Ruh if needed. A solid #5 who's not overly expensive. Like (vet) in the 1.0/1.5 range to round out the D-corps.

That will force a lower end forward out.

Oh, and why hasn't Jarry been signed?

That screams trade to me.

 

[BladeRunner66]

These are the kind of signings where I go to the player’s former team’s message board and see what they’re saying. A lot of Ducks fans not liking that they didn’t re-sign him, especially when his replacement was Carter Rowney.

Grant got to play a bigger role when Getzlaf and Kesler were out at the beginning of the season and held the fort.

Indeed.

This guy isn't a fluke, yeah he scored nada before last season's 12g12a in 65gp (a 15g 15a 82gp projection) but that was simply due to a different use:

Further injuries occasionally pushed Grant into a more offensive role though

"He’s a guy that’s come in and played in a checking role," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "Played a fourth-line role. We’ve moved him up in the lineup, in offensive roles. … You got to take your hat off to a guy like Granter for what he’s accomplished and where he started. The respect he’s earned not only from the coaching staff and management but from his teammates."

He's projected to serve as a bottom-six forward next season.

Derek Grant - Pittsburgh Penguins - 2018 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

Big guy, small cap, can play bottom 6, good on FO, scored as a 3rd liner but could score a few on a good 4th line too, which incidently, the Pens now have.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

The Pens aren't going into anything yet. They're accumulating depth at an important position while weighing trade options. If they did trade Brass for an LW, as they're reportedly considering, their NHL roster depth looks like this:

Crosby
Malkin
Sheahan
Cullen
Grant

That's not overkill, that's just solid depth...if relatively underwhelming at 3C.

Bleuger's also waiver-exempt for another year, so it's not like we have to worry about fitting him onto the roster.



Bob Murray's been roasted by the Anaheim fanbase for that exact reason.

Yeah, trading options is what I see here. I mean, you'd think that just the addition of Cullen would have made Brassard to trade more viable for the team. Now with Grant, it FEELS like someone is getting moved. /shrug