Confirmed with Link: Penguins Sign Mark Eaton (1 year | $725,000)

[Crafton]

no great surprise, but the deed is done.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
NEWS ALERT: Penguins have signed defenseman Mark Eaton to a one-year contract. He was a member of #Pens 2009 Cup team http://pens.pe/WeCgJQ

The deal has an average annual value of $725,000.

Click to read more...

 

[IcedCapp]

Geno to IR.

Don't understand why you sign a DMan unless you're planning on no longer playing Bort or Despres. Don't need 8 right now when you have 7 healthy.

 

[Oxide]

Is it a one or two way deal?

 

[BeauKnows19]

Geno to IR.

Don't understand why you sign a DMan unless you're planning on no longer playing Bort or Despres. Don't need 8 right now when you have 7 healthy.

Agreed. And when Malkin comes back, who gets sent down? It doesn't make sense to carry that many d. I guess Boychuk or Bennett?

 

[Harv]

That's good Eaton..

 

[Kovifan27]

Agreed. And when Malkin comes back, who gets sent down? It doesn't make sense to carry that many d. I guess Boychuk or Bennett?

Can't send Boychuk down he will become Carolinas prospect again.

We have to be trading a D-man. I don't see any other reason.

 

[Hockeygod66]

Can't send Boychuk down he will become Carolinas prospect again.

We have to be trading a D-man. I don't see any other reason.

I don't see that as a problem.

 

[mpp9]

I'd say TK, Jeffrey or a roster D is gone when Geno comes back. I think we'll hold onto Boychuk as depth for the playoffs and Bennett will stay up with us.

 

[deakka]

Does he have to pass through waivers?

 

[MtlPenFan]

Yay, a guy even the Islanders didn't want.

 

[cheesedanish87]

I wouldn't be surprised to see eaton playing tom

 

[jmelm]

Geno to IR.

Don't understand why you sign a DMan unless you're planning on no longer playing Bort or Despres. Don't need 8 right now when you have 7 healthy.

Boychuk, Despres or trade, IMO. Despres has shown some great things. He's also shown he may not be ready for full-time duty this year, whereas Bort is. That's not only evident with his own play (which by itself isn't so bad, aside from the shifts like yesterday where he turns it over twice in a row), but if I'm choosing between Despres and Bortuzzo, I choose Bort because he is more ready, and he is more steady -- and at least Despres can get big minutes in the AHL. He's had enough experience that he knows what he needs to work on. (And at least Engo will get a consistent D-partner).

 

[BeauKnows19]

Can't send Boychuk down he will become Carolinas prospect again.

We have to be trading a D-man. I don't see any other reason.

I don't mind returning Boychuk to Carolina, he really didn't have much of an impact and I'd rather have Jeffrey or Bennett play.

 

[alcanalz]

I just hope he doesn't get in to games over Bort or Despres or anyone at this point.

 

[Hockeygod66]

Boychuk, Despres or trade, IMO. Despres has shown some great things. He's also shown he may not be ready for full-time duty this year, whereas Bort is. That's not only evident with his own play (which by itself isn't so bad, aside from the shifts like yesterday where he turns it over twice in a row), but if I'm choosing between Despres and Bortuzzo, I choose Bort because he is more ready, and he is more steady -- and at least Despres can get big minutes in the AHL. He's had enough experience that he knows what he needs to work on. (And at least Engo will get a consistent D-partner).

Despres to the ahl would make me far angrier then any other option Shero makes.

 

[Oxide]

This seems to point that a trade is close if this is a one way deal.

 

[IcedCapp]

Boychuk, Despres or trade, IMO. Despres has shown some great things. He's also shown he may not be ready for full-time duty this year, whereas Bort is. That's not only evident with his own play (which by itself isn't so bad, aside from the shifts like yesterday where he turns it over twice in a row), but if I'm choosing between Despres and Bortuzzo, I choose Bort because he is more ready, and he is more steady -- and at least Despres can get big minutes in the AHL. He's had enough experience that he knows what he needs to work on. (And at least Engo will get a consistent D-partner).

Despres going down or trade involving a Dman are the only thing that make sense to me, since there would be no reason, imo, to make this move until then... right?

Who is beating down Mark Eaton's door?

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Despres going down or trade involving a Dman are the only thing that make sense to me, since there would be no reason, imo, to make this move until then... right?

Who is beating down Mark Eaton's door?

I dunno, if it's a two way (which I think is probable) they want him to start playing games and getting into the swing of things. They brought him in on a tryout, he looked good enough to get a real shot, and they signed him. Best case scenario he's an experienced warm body in case we have a couple injuries in the playoffs. Worst case he plays in WBS. Either way you want the guy in the fold so he can, ya know, play some games. I don't think it has anything to do with the trade front and I don't think that's going out on a limb at all.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Despres going down or trade involving a Dman are the only thing that make sense to me, since there would be no reason, imo, to make this move until then... right?

Who is beating down Mark Eaton's door?

I could see them playing eaton first if they feel comfortable with eaton as a 7th or 8th def then maybe they would trade a def.

 

[mpp9]

I think being able to sit him in the pressbox most nights and use him as depth in the postseason is the route we're taking.

 

[jmelm]

Despres to the ahl would make me far angrier then any other option Shero makes.

Oh yeah, well I'm angry that we didn't sign Damien Brunner when we could have done so, because were were too focussed on getting BOTH Parise and Suter. Brunner has 10 goals and would cost zero assets. He would also have made TK trade bait by now.


Anyway, Despres is great. He will be great. But I don't think he's ready now. You know how I can tell? Watch the partners who play with him. Engo looks more nervous and inconsistent than I have seen since the last 2 years he's been up here as a regular. Letang looks downright uncomfortable sometimes, and feels like he has to do too much to compensate. Despres has some amazing attributes, but he's not more consistent and steady than Bortuzzo. Anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Despres to the ahl would make me far angrier then any other option Shero makes.

I'd rather see him playing in the AHL everyday then playing here 10 minutes every other game.

 

[Shady Machine]

Good depth move. It may mean a trade is coming. It may also mean they just want playoff depth. If Geno is back soon, they could just send Despres down and call him back up later in the year.

I like this move because he is that veteran depth guy on the back end and he was free to acquire. Now we can focus our deadline deals solely on top 6 wingers (hopefully).

 

[Riptide]

Oh yeah, well I'm angry that we didn't sign Damien Brunner when we could have done so, because were were too focussed on getting BOTH Parise and Suter. Brunner has 10 goals and would cost zero assets. He would also have made TK trade bait by now.

Many people tried to sign Brunner. He choose Det. Same situation as Schultz choosing Edmonton. Everyone offered the max, and he choose what city he wanted to go to.

 

[Omnomnomnom]

I don't mind Eaton as an 8th d-man. This is just one less phone call Ray has to make between now and the deadline.