Confirmed with Link: Penguins sign Tanev for way too long and way too much

[PensandCaps]

Good point. Forgot about him just like I do when I watch him.

But hes big!

 

[Riptide]

I guess. He’s not a great skater he’s just fast. I think this thread has all of the writings of the JJ thread all over it. Tanev has some fringe abilities, but there is a reason he was a 4th liner and everything JR said was what he said about Johnson.

If a "4th liner" scores 14g/29pts, then that's a pretty damn good 4th liner. He was also 9th in terms of TOTOI/ESTOI last season... which is another impressive feat for a "4th liner".

 

[mpp9]

I don't think anyone knows what Tanev is moving forward. I wouldn't have taken the risk, but based on last year, he's a great piece on a badass 3rd line. We have a shit ton of forwards that can complement his style. You can have another Tasmanian devil on the other wing like Rust or PH. Simon to help set up plays and add some skill. And a glut of potential 3Cs.

Ain't the end of the world. But I still want JJ the f*** outta here.

 

[ImporterExporter]

If a "4th liner" scores 14g/29pts, then that's a pretty damn good 4th liner. He was also 9th in terms of TOTOI/ESTOI last season... which is another impressive feat for a "4th liner".

Just ignore the trolls and malcontents.

It's not worth the energy to lift your digits in response to people who have rarely if ever seen Tanev play. Not to mention the simple logic you put out there for them to digest (and it still doesn't register).

 

[ImporterExporter]

I don't think anyone knows what Tanev is moving forward. I wouldn't have taken the risk, but based on last year, he's a great piece on a badass 3rd line. We have a **** ton of forwards that can complement his style. You can have another Tasmanian devil on the other wing like Rust or PH. Simon to help set up plays and add some skill. And a glut of potential 3Cs.

Ain't the end of the world. But I still want JJ the **** outta here.

JJ will be moved this year.

 

[Gurglesons]

Just ignore the trolls and malcontents.

It's not worth the energy to lift your digits in response to people who have rarely if ever seen Tanev play. Not to mention the simple logic you put out there for them to digest (and it still doesn't register).

I see a ton of Winni being on the West.

@Empoleon8771 is probably right in why I’m being so hard on this signing considering how overrated that team is.

 

[Gurglesons]

If a "4th liner" scores 14g/29pts, then that's a pretty damn good 4th liner. He was also 9th in terms of TOTOI/ESTOI last season... which is another impressive feat for a "4th liner".

Every dog has it’s year. And Maurice is notorious for loving that TLC line.

 

[PensandCaps]

I see a ton of Winni being on the West.

@Empoleon8771 is probably right in why I’m being so hard on this signing considering how overrated that team is.

laine is overrated. not winnipeg.

Winnipeg have been legit contenders these past few seasons.

 

[3074326]

The Penguins defense hasn't gotten worse with trading Maatta, he wasn't even going to play here if he would have stayed. What state their defense is in is totally dependent on what they do with Johnson, it's either better if they get rid of him or the same. Their defense did not get worse by moving Maatta.

One injury and it's worse. And we know Letang will miss games.

EDIT: I wouldn't have mentioned Maatta had we done something to address the D with the cap space. But, we didn't.

 

[Gurglesons]

laine is overrated. not winnipeg.

Winnipeg have been legit contenders these past few seasons.

No they haven’t. They are Ottawa of the West and are going suck big time next year.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

Just got home. Wow so uh this sucks. Been holding that in since this morning. Not the end of the world. But damn wtf

 

[Gurglesons]

I think Tanev - Blueger - Simon and Gally - Bjugstad - Hornqvist would be great bottom six lines.

That gives you Guentzel - Crosby - Kahun and McCann - Malkin - X after we move Rust.

 

[ImporterExporter]

I see a ton of Winni being on the West.

@Empoleon8771 is probably right in why I’m being so hard on this signing considering how overrated that team is.

Oh I trust your posts more than many others Pixie.

But you can't use the Jets being overrated (they are, we agree completely) as a knock on Tanev. That dude is literally the exact type of player that helped us win back to back Cups. Aggressive, fast, fore checking relentlessly. We've sorely been lacking that since the wheels (hands) fell off Hagelin, among other losses.

As I've pointed out numerous times, 3.5M is not an over payment for a 3rd line workhorse who contributes good bottom 6 even strength scoring, has wheels, is a Tasmanian devil up and down the ice and can PK well which means somebody like 87 doesn't have to. This is 2019. Many, many quality players in the bottom 6 are making 2, 3, even 4 mil per now. I agree the term is too much, but the money is not so that it precludes you from moving him down the line if need be. Especially as the cap continues to rise.

Ship out JJ in a package deal at some point this year and we're well on our way.

 

[PensandCaps]

No they haven’t. They are Ottawa of the West and are going suck big time next year.

Very much doubt that with the pieces they have in place.

Defense looks very iffy though.

 

[Gurglesons]

Very much doubt that with the pieces they have in place.

Defense looks very iffy though.

You mean like Mark Stone a great defensive and offensive forward, two way center Kyle Turris, great goal scorer Hoffman, hm

 

[mpp9]

Every dog has it’s year. And Maurice is notorious for loving that TLC line.

He's been in the league less than 3 years, no? Maybe this is the player he is.

No one can make a definitive statement on what he is yet. No stats guy, coach, GM and certainly not a poster on here.

 

[Empoleon8771]

This is the last comment I'm going to make on Tanev, because I feel like everyone is just going in circles. JR has made it really clear he has 1 focus in mind: getting younger and faster. Every move the Penguins have made since the Sprong trade has been focused on making the Penguins younger or faster, even the smaller ones like Grant for Blandisi. They have a clear goal in mind and it's a goal that people here agree with. Even if they overpay a depth player or make a bad value trade, I like where this team is going. It still has work to do, but everything they've done recently makes me optimistic going forward. They have the right intentions for making this team a cup contender again, it's just a question of whether they'll be able to do it.

Adding Tanev gives them the closest thing to prime Kunitz the Penguins have had since prime Kunitz. Tanev is certainly nowhere close to that offensively, but his speed, grit and defense is on par with prime Kunitz. His puck retrieval and forecheck has been missed since Hagelin fell off a cliff and that combined with physicality has been missed for even longer. To get players with that kind of unique skillset, it's going to be painful. That doesn't excuse giving a 3rd liner 6 years, but it makes sense why it was required. Tanev fills an absolutely huge role here and it gives the Penguins a ton of options for how they want to run with their forward group. I will worry about the term being a problem if/when Tanev starts sucking, until then I'm going to be happy that JR is taking the Penguins back to where they need to go.

I'm going to bring up a different comparable for Tanev, though. I think he's going to be for the Penguins what Matt Cooke was for the Penguins, minus the dirty bull****. The Penguins got 5 great years out of Cooke from 2008-2013. I think Tanev can be what Cooke was for a possession dominating, defensive 3rd line.

 

[Gurglesons]

Oh I trust your posts more than many others Pixie.

But you can't use the Jets being overrated (they are, we agree completely) as a knock on Tanev. That dude is literally the exact type of player that helped us win back to back Cups. Aggressive, fast, fore checking relentlessly. We've sorely been lacking that since the wheels (hands) fell off Hagelin, among other losses.

As I've pointed out numerous times, 3.5M is not an over payment for a 3rd line workhorse who contributes good bottom 6 even strength scoring, has wheels, is a Tasmanian devil up and down the ice and can PK well which means somebody like 87 doesn't have to. This is 2019. Many, many quality players in the bottom 6 are making 2, 3, even 4 mil per now. I agree the term is too much, but the money is not so that it precludes you from moving him down the line if need be. Especially as the cap continues to rise.

Ship out JJ in a package deal at some point this year and we're well on our way.

I think the issue is Hagelin hit 30 points multiple times. (I actually hated that deal too when it was first announced)

Also, I’d argue Hags deal handicapped us multiple times in 2017 and 2018.

I’d be a lot more into this deal if it was given to say Donskoi or Panik. I just think Tanev has yet to prove anything but he is fast and can hit a lot and put up 29 pts on a team with weak LW depth once Ehlers went down.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

This is the last comment I'm going to make on Tanev, because I feel like everyone is just going in circles. JR has made it really clear he has 1 focus in mind: getting younger and faster. Every move the Penguins have made since the Sprong trade has been focused on making the Penguins younger or faster, even the smaller ones like Grant for Blandisi. They have a clear goal in mind and it's a goal that people here agree with. Even if they overpay a depth player or make a bad value trade, I like where this team is going. It still has work to do, but everything they've done recently makes me optimistic going forward. They have the right intentions for making this team a cup contender again, it's just a question of whether they'll be able to do it.

Adding Tanev gives them the closest thing to prime Kunitz the Penguins have had since prime Kunitz. Tanev is certainly nowhere close to that offensively, but his speed, grit and defense is on par with prime Kunitz. His puck retrieval and forecheck has been missed since Hagelin fell off a cliff and that combined with physicality has been missed for even longer. To get players with that kind of unique skillset, it's going to be painful. That doesn't excuse giving a 3rd liner 6 years, but it makes sense why it was required. Tanev fills an absolutely huge role here and it gives the Penguins a ton of options for how they want to run with their forward group. I will worry about the term being a problem if/when Tanev starts sucking, until then I'm going to be happy that JR is taking the Penguins back to where they need to go.

If he can lay hits like Kunitz on Timonnen. Then that's awesome. That hit was a pivotal moment in that series idc what anyone says

 

[Gurglesons]

He's been in the league less than 3 years, no? Maybe this is the player he is.

No one can make a definitive statement on what he is yet. No stats guy, coach, GM and certainly not a poster on here.

You’re right. Too bad the Jets signed that guy, could’ve been a really solid asset for us.

Plus, with the regularity of how many 27+ year olds are putting up career seasons into their late 20s and early 30s I gotta agree.

 

[PensandCaps]

Tanev is a player that even non diehards(casuals) will love and buy his jersey.

He'll be the new Max Talbot. He brings energy and just never stops attacking, will block any shot, do anything the coach asks of him to help win.

He'll be a media favorite, too.

 

[Gurglesons]

If he can lay hits like Kunitz on Timonnen. Then that's awesome. That hit was a pivotal moment in that series idc what anyone says

He can’t.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

He can’t.

I am disappoint

 

[Riptide]

I hoped we would get flexibility and actually improve the roster this offseason. We downgraded from Kessel to Galchenyuk and Tanev. Our forwards will be better defensively with Tanev, though. So that's a positive?

Overall, losing Maatta makes us worse on D since we didn't upgrade there and still have Johnson.

And to top it off, the Flyers, Rangers and Capitals all got better.

The Pens have a lot of work to do if they want to contend again during Sid & Geno's careers. I am not optimistic. This roster sucks overall. It's Sid, Geno, Letang, Dumo, Jake and a bunch of bottom 6ers and bottom pair dmen.

Personally I think that just the change of the hustle and defensive upgrade that we have will change more than we think. Kessel was extremely skilled... however it was time for him to go. Invaluable for our cup runs, but it was time and I think the TEAM will be better off for it. Tanev is basically everything Kessel wasn't - at the cost of production.

Rangers were pretty damn bad last season... all they could do was improve. But I disagree that Washington got better. They lost Niskanen, Connolly and Burakovski and replaced them with Gudas and Panik - that's a pretty clear downgrade.

 

[ownal]

@ObsessedCreative Did you block me?

Connolly will be making his way to the Florida Panthers on a four-year, $3.5 million AAV deal. Gustav Nyquist (4 years, $5.5M AAV). Funny right?