GDT: Pens 2024 Trade Deadline Thread: Jake Shake Talk here

[EVGENIMERLIN]

How did you fair?

As well as you can picture an out of shape amateur in his late 30’s fairing against a first round pick playing at Michigan fresh off a WJC gold medal and the sire of hockey royalty playing in the KHL would fair.

That said it was one hell of a fun Saturday morning for an entire summer

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Low-event stick-to-itive compete level to grind those bitches down.

I say it time and again, but as much as Sully sucks, he's just the refined, concentrated essence of what all NHL coaches become eventually. That's why you can't f***in' marry your team to a coach for an extended period of time. The old adage that NHL coaches are hired to be fired is correct. Replace those f***ers as soon as they get stale.

 

[SEALBound]

Lucius could end up leaving early with the year he's having. All 3 are 20+ years of age. Ponomarev (I guess that's the version of his name he wants to go by now) has AHL experience and has a cup of tea in the NHL. Koivunen to me is probably in Camp next season fighting for the illusive 4th line LW role Sullivan has planned for him.

I mean, a big part of next year is Sullivan. He just flat out needs to be gone if this team has any chance of turning it around. That said, I think if they can move Acciari or Nieto and Smith, I think we can see something like:

Raks-Sid-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Puustinen
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX
XXXX-Eller-XXXX
Nieto (ideally waived or traded)

In which you have: DOC, Bemstrom, Poulin, Yager, Pono, and Koivunen all battling for spot. You can really mix and match until you find what you want. I wouldn't balk at sending Bemstrom+Poulin out to a cash strapped team and getting a solid third liner back either.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

On the flip side of the 13Fs who become coaches, it's funny to watch Wayne Gretzky coach the Coyotes or John Elway try to draft a quarterback. The stuff the 13F types do CAN be taught. The elites have a gift and sometimes don't realize that it can't be taught.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

My balls itch, so that's another thing I'm blaming Sullivan for.

 

[SEALBound]

On the flip side of the 13Fs who become coaches, it's funny to watch Wayne Gretzky coach the Coyotes or John Elway try to draft a quarterback. The stuff the 13F types do CAN be taught. The elites have a gift and sometimes don't realize that it can't be taught.

This is how I feel every day with you half-wits.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

On the flip side of the 13Fs who become coaches, it's funny to watch Wayne Gretzky coach the Coyotes or John Elway try to draft a quarterback. The stuff the 13F types do CAN be taught. The elites have a gift and sometimes don't realize that it can't be taught.

Yep. Sid may be the exception one day because he's just an uber talented 4th liner more or less. I think he probably either steps away entirely once he's done playing or he ends up in a FO or scouting job though.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

Even goons like Reaves are infinitely better than anyone on the board is, was, or ever will be--at every facet of the game. We like to do a little goofin' though. Log on HF, talk a little shit, pretend like we know what the f*** we're talkin' about.

Haha absolutely. It’s that Brian Scalabrine quote “I’m the worst player in the NBA But I’m way closer to Lebron’s level than you are to mine”

That said I am not sad to see Ruh go

 

[Ryder71]

As well as you can picture an out of shape amateur in his late 30’s fairing against a first round pick playing at Michigan fresh off a WJC gold medal and the sire of hockey royalty playing in the KHL would fair.

That said it was one hell of a fun Saturday morning for an entire summer

Sounds like you schooled them.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

Yep. Sid may be the exception one day because he's just an uber talented 4th liner more or less. I think he probably either steps away entirely once he's done playing or he ends up in a FO or scouting job though.

I feel like Sid would excel in Player training and development. Gary Roberts mixed in with helping them study and refine their game

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Anyway, fingers crossed this team bombs out the rest of the season and has no choice but to fire Sully the second the season's over. If it happens, it'll be a begrudging, tearful goodbye that'd make you think he just wrapped up his fourth consecutive Cup win in a row, but y'know. Don't have any hope that this team has the brains or spine to do it.

But I thought for sure they were gonna re-sign Jake too. Though he seems to have made that decision for them by refusing to re-sign until after seeing how the season played out. So maybe we need Sid/Geno to save this team from themselves by demanding changes, or a trade out of town. But neither has that kinda personality. So we wait until the 2026-27 season for the rebuild to begin.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Seriously, what head coach - in any sport at any competitive level - survives not one, not two, but THREE general managers during a six-year downward trend?

Has this ever happened anywhere before?

You think that's impressive? Just wait until Sullivan survives a 4th GM change.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

I'm thinking Todd for sure is gone, Sullivan's save for having to be boat anchored by Todd, Darhlth Sullivan has surpassed Palpatine as the strongest sith lord.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Ponomarev reminds me of Haula.

We should be so lucky

I mean, do you watch Bunting at all, ever? Getting him thrown in is actually a nice move.

He's a cost-controlled LW that actually brings something to the table that this club hasn't had in years: a soul.

When his teams are losing - he still tries and fights. He actually fights. Yeah his talent is that of a middle-6 but he actually brings something else - like the Hagelin's and Hornqvist's of old. You need those guys.

I'm okay with the folks dunking on the trade out of spite (though find it odd - still - that it's so upsetting that we give up the last 6 weeks of Jake versus losing him for nothing this Summer) - but to dunk on Bunting at 4.5M when we've been paying the likes of Rakell and Smith 5....cmon now.

I like Bunting, but he is not going to make us a contender, and you can get players like him in FA for the same amount of money. We could have gotten him for nothing 8 months back. So how much value does he have? I would argue probably nothing, a 6th like Zucker.

My point is Dubas just traded the best player at the deadline for very little actual value. We needed a 23 year old right shot D man with top 4 upside, a young forward who projected to the top 6 in a year or two. We're likely not competing for anything next year, but if the right moves are made now, we could be in 2 years if Yager progresses and whoever we got this year does as well.

The three guys we got sound like bottom six players as a ceiling. You can get those anywhere for cheap, look at Eller, Acciari, Nieto, etc.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Guentzel and Kuznetsov are now teammates. Wtf.

 

[Turin]

People really having a hard time settling into a narrative to bitch about atm

 

[chethejet]

Dubas this town is not big enough for the both of us. Sullivan has to go. Next hire a head coach who will develop young players and play a different style of both skill and physical play.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Yep. Sid may be the exception one day because he's just an uber talented 4th liner more or less. I think he probably either steps away entirely once he's done playing or he ends up in a FO or scouting job though.

If he stays throughout his career, part of wonders if FSG offers him a partial ownership stake in the Pens, and if that's something he'd want.

I'd feel a lot better if someone we know cares about the franchise was part of the group.

(...as long as he wouldn't keep Sullivan here for life.)

 

[the penitent]

Since this year is now formally in ashes, looking for consideration from the board on next year. As you consider, here are your ground rules

Dubas is still here (lots of years left on his contract)
Sully is still here (apparently has a Faustian bargain to coach here for life)
Projected to have about 13 Mil in cap space for 16 players under contract
Crosby, Malkin and Letang all stay
Will have their own 2024 first round pick (top 10 protected and, believe me, they are going to finish in the bottom 10 of the league - just look at the remaining schedule)

So, build your team from there....

 

[IcedCapp]

This is how I feel every day with you half-wits.

Listen here, you little shit. I already shot JagsSid, now that I’ve tasted blood, I kinda got a hankering for it. Don’t test me.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

so this f***ing nerd Dubas couldn't find a way to unload any of our garbage???

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

so this f***ing nerd Dubas couldn't find a way to unload any of our garbage???

Chad Ruhwedel: "Am I a joke to you?"

 

[pistolpete11]

Even goons like Reaves are infinitely better than anyone on the board is, was, or ever will be--at every facet of the game. We like to do a little goofin' though. Log on HF, talk a little shit, pretend like we know what the f*** we're talkin' about.

You get some new boots?

 

[ThosePuckingPenguins]

Seeing what Toffoli and Hertl went for, I don’t feel as bad about the Guentzel return. Still not great but not awful like last night.

Also, the number of people who are reading into what Sid said last night is hilarious. Guy just got his ass kicked and he has someone asking him bigger picture questions. Of course he’s not going to be in the mood to dwelve into it. I can’t wait for July 1st and he puts the matter to bed.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Since this year is now formally in ashes, looking for consideration from the board on next year. As you consider, here are your ground rules

Dubas is still here (lots of years left on his contract)
Sully is still here (apparently has a Faustian bargain to coach here for life)
Projected to have about 13 Mil in cap space for 16 players under contract
Crosby, Malkin and Letang all stay
Will have their own 2024 first round pick (top 10 protected and, believe me, they are going to finish in the bottom 10 of the league - just look at the remaining schedule)

So, build your team from there....

1) in no circumstance should we punt the pick to '25 unless it is top 5. Next year likely begins the tank.
2) Karlsson out, and he won't want to be here any way. Retain $3m AAV, get another 2025 1st and an actual top prospect
3) I think Sullivan coming back is 50/50. FSG does not want to pay him to not coach, but if another team hires him I think they let him go
4) pay lip service to "trying to compete" or retool or whatever by getting a more conventional 2RD with 1 year, use a 2nd or one of our B- prospects like Broz, Lucius Malfoy or whoever.
5) shop Jarry, Rust, and Rakell but see if you can get a 1st+ if you retain. That would eat up 2/3 retention spots for the foreseeable so treas carefully. May have to wait until the TDL or next off-season when Petry's spot expires.
6) see if we get 1st+ value for Petts, otherwise extend him. He is probably our next captain, weird as it is to say.