Confirmed with Link: Pens hire Hextall (GM) and Burke (POHOP) - Part II

Gurglesons

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Fair but then you don't get the 2016 and 2017 Cups.

Suggesting that if JR made "fewer" trades they would have been "better" has no logical basis.

Make no mistake, he hit several home runs. On some, he hit several home runs but the player couldn't find their way around the bases (see Brassard).



Because Lemieux and Yzerman stayed with the franchises. Brady left and just won another super bowl. The good comparison would be Bourque.

2017 was won largely based on Rutherford making no trades.
 

mpp9

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One can debate what the right mix is. For some cup winners (Pittsburgh, Tampa), it has been fewer than others (St Louis)

But however one feels about the right mix, there is no debate that the Penguins don't have it.

Look at the B2B Cup warriors: Bonino, Cole, Hornqvist.

Not guys who will hit per se. Not guys with size per se. Warriors.

You need guys like that to win cups. Not just in their own right but also in terms of how that attitude affects the rest of the team.

The Pens have none, because they never replaced the ones who they had.

EDIT: I remember years ago Burke talking about Chris Kunitz. Loved him as a player. Called him a swiss army knife, a guy who can do anything you need him to do to win. The Pens also lack for swiss army knives.

IMO, 87 and 71 just aren’t at the level to take over games anymore on their own. If we had the ability to throw a Guentzel level line mate with both of them, we may be in business. But even then, like you’ve mentioned, the mix seems to be off and is exposed in playoff hockey.

One can hope Burke’s resume and reputation can help us recruit some players to sign here to keep the window open.

Funny you mention Kunitz. I was thinking the other day, I couldn’t think of another player in the league today like him. Physical, smart, defensively responsible in a complementary top 6 role. JT Miller is more productive but watching Canuck games, he’s way more up and down game to game with decision making. Kunitz got some flack, but he really was a really unique player we could use a prime version of now.
 
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Big Friggin Dummy

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I still don't see Sid ever leaving. People can bring up "Gretzky was traded, anyone can be traded" stuff all they want, but that had very real financial stuff behind the move. The Penguins are as much Sid's as they are Mario's now, imo. And Sid's idol growing up was Yzerman, in no small part due to the fact that Yzerman's legacy was with one team. Sid won't ever look elsewhere, and the team won't ever ask him to leave. Geno's close because of his legacy, but Geno's always been about winning first and foremost--and let's be honest, he's always been the afterthought between he and Sid. I'd hold no grudges against Geno if he wanted to be dealt to a contender before retiring. Letang's definitely gone sooner or later. Either he's dealt before his deal is up, or he walks after next season.

I'd imagine the FO watches how things play out from this point onward, we putter out in the 1st round, and Sully's fired and the FO begins a retooling in earnest, if not a full rebuild, by the time next season is underway.
 

Gurglesons

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IMO, 87 and 71 just aren’t at the level to take over games anymore on their own. If we had the ability to throw a Guentzel level line mate with both of them, we may be in business. But even then, like you’ve mentioned, the mix seems to be off and is exposed in playoff hockey.

One can hope Burke’s resume and reputation can help us recruit some players to sign here to keep the window open.

Funny you mention Kunitz. I was thinking the other day, I couldn’t think of another player in the league today like him. Physical, smart, defensively responsible in a complementary top 6 role. JT Miller is more productive but watching Canuck games, he’s way more up and down game to game with decision making. Kunitz got some flack, but he really was a really unique player we could use a prime version of now.

Hyman.
Palat.
Arvidsson.
N. Foligno.
 

Turin

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Feb 27, 2018
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Fair but then you don't get the 2016 and 2017 Cups.

Suggesting that if JR made "fewer" trades they would have been "better" has no logical basis.

Make no mistake, he hit several home runs. On some, he hit several home runs but the player couldn't find their way around the bases (see Brassard).



Because Lemieux and Yzerman stayed with the franchises. Brady left and just won another super bowl. The good comparison would be Bourque.

? I’m saying it’s adorable that Crosby is Brady now to the media instead of who he always said he wanted to emulate, Yzerman and Lemieux, who stayed with their franchises. Bourque never won, Crosby has 3 and 4 finals with Pittsburgh so he doesn’t need to chase anything. Him leaving would create considerable risk to his legacy as opposed to Brady who’s legacy is only enhanced by leading a different team under a different coach.
 

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He's 100% right. Pen's have become a team that won't block shots, clear the net or take a hit to make a play along the boards. They're easy to play against, because you can do whatever you want against them with no pushback. Dump every puck into their zone, use the D to take shots and count on smacking in rebounds to score.

Zucker-Crosby-Hornqvist
Guentzal-Malkin-Rust
Tanev-Bonino-Kapanen
Pearson-Blueger-Kahun

Dumolin-Letang
Cole-Marino
Daley-Lovejoy

Not saying they should bring back those players, but that is the type of targets they should have been looking at.
 
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mpp9

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Hyman.
Palat.
Arvidsson.
N. Foligno.

Thats a good list. Arvidsson’s more of a skilled player with less polish defensively.

Hyman seems more Dupuis to me. Games I’ve watched he’s not working the puck with his line mates like 14 could.

Foligno and Palat are good ones. I know a lot of us were pining for Foligno years ago.
 
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Gurglesons

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Thats a good list. Arvidsson’s more of a skilled player with less polish defensively.

Hyman seems more Dupuis to me. Games I’ve watched he’s not working the puck with his line mates like 14 could.

Foligno and Palat are good ones. I know a lot of us were pining for Foligno years ago.

Remember when we could’ve got Foligno for Michalek. Lol
 

Jacob

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Yeah I’m sure Foligno had the equivalent value of Ruopp and a 3rd.
 

CrosbyMalkin

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2017 was won largely based on Rutherford making no trades.

The biggest thing Rutherford did was resist trading Fleury at the deadline when teams like the Flames wanted him. If Rutherford makes that deal we don't have that Cup. Also trading for Hainsey was important because he was a fixture in our top 4 during that Cup run and without him and Lovejoy stepping up when the defense was thin due to injuries we don't have that Cup so Rutherford made the right moves obviously because we won the Cup. The Lovejoy deal at the time I was like what the F. But Rutherford said he wanted a veteran defensman he could count on in the playoffs and Lovejoy gave us that with also playing in the top 4 during the playoffs that Cup year. That might of been the worst group of Defensman ever to pull off a Cup but they got it done so credit is due.

Rutherford didn't have to do much in 2017 because he already transformed the team into Cup Champs in 2016 so only small tweaks had been needed. Without those tweaks and resisting trading Fleury when everyone said he should we don't win the Cup.
 
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CrosbyMalkin

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Once again though it’s probably a Rust swap for him.

I don't see that at all and neither team would like that deal. If Preds make a deal they would want futures and not an older winger than the one they are trading. Also I thought management wanted us to be "long pants". So how does making a trade that makes us smaller and lighter fit that? 5'9" 180.

I wouldn't mind the player but don't see that being the deal if we made that trade. If we made that trade it would look more like the Kapanen and Zucker deals with something like Poulin and 2nd. Unless Preds are still looking to get back into the race this season. Either way I don't see Rust being a good trade for either team at this point. Not saying I wouldn't think on it but I just don't see that as the direction either team is going.
 
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Extra Texture

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The biggest thing Rutherford did was resist trading Fleury at the deadline when teams like the Flames wanted him. If Rutherford makes that deal we don't have that Cup. Also trading for Hainsey was important because he was a fixture in our top 4 during that Cup run and without him and Lovejoy stepping up when the defense was thin due to injuries we don't have that Cup so Rutherford made the right moves obviously because we won the Cup. The Lovejoy deal at the time I wA like what the F. But Rutherford said he wanted a veteran defensman he could count on in the playoffs and Lovejoy gave us that with also playing in the top 4 during the playoffs that Cup year. That might of been the worst group of Defensman ever to pull off a Cup but they got it done so credit is due.

Rutherford didn't have to do much in 2027 because he already transformed the team into Cup Champs in 2016 so 9nlu small tweaks had been needed. Without those tweaks and resisting trading Fleury when everyone said he should we don't win the Cup.

I largely agree, but Lovejoy was gone by 2017. The other one we added in 2017 was Mark Streit, who only played 3 games.

But at the time we picked Lovejoy back up (especially for Depres) I was WTFing too. Up until that point (Hornqvist excluded) Rutherford had added Perron, Winnik, Cole for Bort and Max Lapierre. At the time those seemed like such pointless moves...especially Winnik. I was already on the "take his phone away" train less than a year into his tenure.
 

CrosbyMalkin

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I largely agree, but Lovejoy was gone by 2017. The other one we added in 2017 was Mark Streit, who only played 3 games.

But at the time we picked Lovejoy back up (especially for Depres) I was WTFing too. Up until that point (Hornqvist excluded) Rutherford had added Perron, Winnik, Cole for Bort and Max Lapierre. At the time those seemed like such pointless moves...especially Winnik. I was already on the "take his phone away" train less than a year into his tenure.

Your right about Lovejoy he actually did played all 24 games on that 2016 Cup winner so I guessed that did work out exactly how Rutherford said it would. He wanted a veteran for the playoffs and we won the Cup then also.

Bottom line is Rutherford made all the right moves during his 2016 and 2017 years because he transformed an old slow team that underperformed 6 years in a row before he got here into back to back Champs. Nothing but praise for that and I will always be thankful for Rutherford. I was not thrilled with his hire but he proved me wrong so I am man enough to admit it. Whoever made the decision to hire Rutherford was smarter than me.
 
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Big Friggin Dummy

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The problem with Arvidsson is he's 5'9" 180lbs. Not a huge detractor, just I don't know if that's going to be a play big type trade.
I've wanted Arvidsson for a long time. He's not big by any means, but he's certainly willing to get dirty and works really hard every shift--also has a good bit of skill to boot, which is a must.
 
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