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

[DesertedPenguin]

New interview with Jim Rutherford out on the Athletic.

- He wasn't going to trade Crosby, Malkin, or Letang. He believes they should stay together.
- Confirms he wanted to bring back Fleury prior to the season and that the Jack Johnson buyout was part of his attempt to clear salary to do it. Never came close to pulling it off.
- He really liked Phil Kessel as a person, but it was just time to move on from a cap standpoint.
- Still wouldn't detail the reason why he left, but he's disappointed that it came about in the fashion that it did. Basically he was disappointed it ended this way, but that he felt he did the right thing by stepping aside. Which just leads to more questions.

Former Penguins GM Jim Rutherford on his 'disappointing' departure, Marc-Andre Fleury, Phil Kessel and more

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm STILL sick of JR's mouth and he isn't even employed here, anymore.

Come with the details or STFU about how "disappointed" you are.

 

[HandshakeLine]

In all honesty, JR seems like a kind of lovable grandfatherly doof, who should absolutely be adored by his friends and family because, well, he's gramps. He was also in his job at least 3 years too long and should never be in charge of anything else again.

 

[66-30-33]

Is JR still yacking? he must be real mad still. So glad we got Hextall/Burkie instead of JR.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'm disappointed it ended the way it did as well, JR. Should've been fired after the Isles series.

 

[Mario_is_BACK!!]

The more Rutherford talks the more I’m astounded he’s had any success.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

The more Rutherford talks the more I’m astounded he’s had any success.

I'm absolutely convinced guys like Schultz, Daley and Hagelin just like, accidentally worked out. It wasn't some stroke of genius, he was just doing JR things and playing the "spray and pray" game and it just so happened to work out miraculously.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I'm absolutely convinced guys like Schultz, Daley and Hagelin just like, accidentally worked out. It wasn't some stroke of genius, he was just doing JR things and playing the "spray and pray" game and it just so happened to work out miraculously.

It's the lady who makes her tourney picks based on mascot cuteness. I swear.

Edit: and wins your $10 in the office pool

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

It's the lady who makes her tourney picks based on mascot cuteness. I swear.

Edit: and wins your $10 in the office pool

Like, realistically, none of the acquisitions made sense. Schultz was awful in Edmonton. Hagelin looked like an albatross contract. Daley was a year or more removed from what looked like a huge anomaly year in Dallas--and we got him for Scuds, a dude that shouldn't have even been playing in a senior beer league at the time. On top of all of that, we got Kessel at a time where the Toronto media had annoyed the shit out of him for years, and he was damned and determined to prove them wrong and get his name on the Cup.

Wild shit.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Like, realistically, none of the acquisitions made sense. Schultz was awful in Edmonton. Hagelin looked like an albatross contract. Daley was a year or more removed from what looked like a huge anomaly year in Dallas--and we got him for Scuds, a dude that shouldn't have even been playing in a senior beer league at the time. On top of all of that, we got Kessel at a time where the Toronto media had annoyed the shit out of him for years, and he was damned and determined to prove them wrong and get his name on the Cup.

Wild shit.

Maybe there's something to be said about having an itchy trigger finger with the lower 2/3rds of your roster, to keep them on their toes and maybe test drive quite a few guys. I could see it. The lower 2/3rds should not be allowed to be content with where they are. It annoys me that we've established a semi-cult of BART as our 3rd line. Even if I think it's a pretty good line.

Edit: I mean coaches flip around lines all the time. Why shouldn't GMs flip around non-core players?

 

[Gurglesons]

Like, realistically, none of the acquisitions made sense. Schultz was awful in Edmonton. Hagelin looked like an albatross contract. Daley was a year or more removed from what looked like a huge anomaly year in Dallas--and we got him for Scuds, a dude that shouldn't have even been playing in a senior beer league at the time. On top of all of that, we got Kessel at a time where the Toronto media had annoyed the shit out of him for years, and he was damned and determined to prove them wrong and get his name on the Cup.

Wild shit.

Good call. But he did it and it worked for two years which is legacy.

 

[Pens x]

Soooo yeaaa, is our GM going to do anything???

The criticism of him being overly conservative seems to be true.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Soooo yeaaa, is our GM going to do anything???

The criticism of him being overly conservative seems to be true.

What's the play? Go and hand the Sabres what little futures we may have for E. Staal to come in and do... What exactly? Play 4C when Geno and TB are healthy? Taylor Hall? We're gonna pony up for that perennial loser to come in and play the role of Brassard 2.0 before he jets in the off-season?

Like, yeah, we should've been looking for a 4C for a while. We need another top-9 winger, but we can't afford it. As far as moves that salvage this season? How the hell do you manage that with what we're missing and the assets we have available? Assume Geno and TB are back around the deadline. Do we expect them to not be rusty? Do we expect Geno to simply pick up where he and Kap left off when they started to overwhelm teams and save this team's ass for a couple weeks?

I mean, this season is currently paused while we wait for Geno and TB. If they're not healthy by playoff time, it doesn't matter what we try to scrounge up with assets we shouldn't be dealing.

Sit on your hands, don't do anything stupid, and shop Petts. See what you can get for that dumpster and that's that. If a good 4C falls into your lap for dirt cheap, go for it, but this team isn't a move or two away.

 

[Pens x]

What's the play? Go and hand the Sabres what little futures we may have for E. Staal to come in and do... What exactly? Play 4C when Geno and TB are healthy? Taylor Hall? We're gonna pony up for that perennial loser to come in and play the role of Brassard 2.0 before he jets in the off-season?

Like, yeah, we should've been looking for a 4C for a while. We need another top-9 winger, but we can't afford it. As far as moves that salvage this season? How the hell do you manage that with what we're missing and the assets we have available? Assume Geno and TB are back around the deadline. Do we expect them to not be rusty? Do we expect Geno to simply pick up where he and Kap left off when they started to overwhelm teams and save this team's ass for a couple weeks?

I mean, this season is currently paused while we wait for Geno and TB. If they're not healthy by playoff time, it doesn't matter what we try to scrounge up with assets we shouldn't be dealing.

Sit on your hands, don't do anything stupid, and shop Petts. See what you can get for that dumpster and that's that. If a good 4C falls into your lap for dirt cheap, go for it, but this team isn't a move or two away.

How is this team not a move or two away from being a contender?

McCann Blueger _________
ZAR _________ Tanev

Go find the two roster spots JR failed to fill this off season. Why have we not tried anyone internally from Wilkes Barre for 4C? Why haven’t we at the very least claimed a forward off waivers?

Pettersson continues to sabotage what value he had. We might have waited too long for sleepy to analyze him.

If you can’t compete with our top 6 and a revamped bottom six, why is Sullivan here?

 

[Night Shift]

Soooo yeaaa, is our GM going to do anything???

The criticism of him being overly conservative seems to be true.

He'll probably address issues in FA so throw this year out. He also has a good track record with the draft so he may trade for mid round picks.

 

[Pens x]

He'll probably address issues in FA so throw this year out. He also has a good track record with the draft so he may trade for mid round picks.

That’s nonsense. This team can compete when fully healthy. He should be able to make some moves to push the team over the top, but not being able to make that push is why he was fired in Philly.

 

[Night Shift]

That’s nonsense. This team can compete when fully healthy. He should be able to make some moves to push the team over the top, but not being able to make that push is why he was fired in Philly.

He was fired because Philly is impatient and knee jerked. (Like you) Now their fans are questioning whether firing him was the right move. Most of Their current roster Hextall drafted

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

How is this team not a move or two away from being a contender?

McCann Blueger _________
ZAR _________ Tanev

Go find the two roster spots JR failed to fill this off season. Why have we not tried anyone internally from Wilkes Barre for 4C? Why haven’t we at the very least claimed a forward off waivers?

Pettersson continues to sabotage what value he had. We might have waited too long for sleepy to analyze him.

If you can’t compete with our top 6 and a revamped bottom six, why is Sullivan here?

Beating up on a couple of bad teams for a couple weeks doesn't make this team a contender. Geno and Kap went on a hot streak and covered a lot of deficiencies.

By all means, shop Petts. Find a 4C to shore up that bottom line. But the constant Veruca Salt schtick of pissing your pants over Hextall being asleep at the wheel, implying he's missing out on all these great players to be had on the cheap is annoying and boring. There's not shit out there to change the course of this season or next, and if there were, we wouldn't have the assets to go out and land it anyway.

The best course of action is exactly what he's doing. Spend the last half of the season assessing things, seeing where the team's at, and make your moves this summer. Who gives a damn if we miss the playoffs or make it just to get booted in the 1st round? Is the streak really that important to people? For all intents and purposes, we haven't been a playoff team for multiple seasons despite our "thanks for showing up, see ya next year" appearances against the Isles and Habs.

 

[Pens x]

He was fired because Philly is impatient and knee jerked. (Like you) Now their fans are questioning whether firing him was the right move. Most of Their current roster Hextall drafted

The same team that is not currently a playoff team and missed the playoffs in 2018-2019?

 

[Pens x]

Beating up on a couple of bad teams for a couple weeks doesn't make this team a contender. Geno and Kap went on a hot streak and covered a lot of deficiencies.

By all means, shop Petts. Find a 4C to shore up that bottom line. But the constant Veruca Salt schtick of pissing your pants over Hextall being asleep at the wheel, implying he's missing out on all these great players to be had on the cheap is annoying and boring. There's not shit out there to change the course of this season or next, and if there were, we wouldn't have the assets to go out and land it anyway.

The best course of action is exactly what he's doing. Spend the last half of the season assessing things, seeing where the team's at, and make your moves this summer. Who gives a damn if we miss the playoffs or make it just to get booted in the 1st round? Is the streak really that important to people? For all intents and purposes, we haven't been a playoff team for multiple seasons despite our "thanks for showing up, see ya next year" appearances against the Isles and Habs.

The combination of our division not having one elite team and the fact that Sid and Geno are nearing the end of their careers, makes me at least want to try to make a push this season.

Im not suggesting to trade any huge pieces, but it’s just frustrating that Hextall isn’t even promoting guys from Wilkes Barre to attempt to see if he can fix the fourth line internally. You all give him a free pass for him not doing anything so that he can evaluate. Well then promote some guys and actually evaluate.

How many more games does he need to see Jank and Pettersson suck? Why isn’t Lafferty in the minors full-time? What is Hextall’s grand plan besides waiting?

 

[Night Shift]

The same team that is not currently a playoff team and missed the playoffs in 2018-2019?

Like I said, Philly will never see another cup because it continues to shoot itself in the foot. Still he did well considering what he started with and it had atleast posed questions in their fan base recently that letting him go was a mistake.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

When we're eliminated, either in the 1st round or before the playoffs start entirely, fire Sully and the whole laughable coaching crew. Move some deadweight like Petts. See what you can get for McCann. Have the tough talk with Letang and Geno about whether they want to stick around for another miserable year of mediocrity before their deals are up or do they want a chance at a Cup in a better spot.

I don't expect much of anything from any team in-season this year. Especially one in our position. Why the hell would Hextall and Burke rush their search for the next coach by handing Sully his walking papers mid-season? To hand the reigns over to Vellucci or Reirden? Yeah, great stuff. Better wake up, fellas! We have to part with our 2nd and Poulin for Eric f***ing Staal, or Pavelski!

 

[Night Shift]

The combination of our division not having one elite team and the fact that Sid and Geno are nearing the end of their careers, makes me at least want to try to make a push this season.

Im not suggesting to trade any huge pieces, but it’s just frustrating that Hextall isn’t even promoting guys from Wilkes Barre to attempt to see if he can fix the fourth line internally. You all give him a free pass for him not doing anything so that he can evaluate. Well then promote some guys and actually evaluate.

How many more games does he need to see Jank and Pettersson suck? Why isn’t Lafferty in the minors full-time? What is Hextall’s grand plan besides waiting?

The season became a wash when JR quit so you need to get it out of your head that Hextall is going to work some miracle right now. He needs a full off-season and Free agency

 

[Ugene Magic]

He was fired because Philly is impatient and knee jerked. (Like you) Now their fans are questioning whether firing him was the right move. Most of Their current roster Hextall drafted

Two entirely different situations.

The season became a wash when JR quit so you need to get it out of your head that Hextall is going to work some miracle right now. He needs a full off-season and Free agency

He doesn't have to work a miracle. He needs to span the time 'til guys get back.

So the beginning part of the season was time to quit?

 

[Night Shift]

Two entirely different situations.

And?

I'm not sure if its a bad thing if he is conservative on the trade front.