I think we always knew that this team would eventually need help, or some of the kids to step up. One can debate endlessly whether any kids have gotten the chance to do so, or should have had it, but fact is that we are good, but not good enough to likely make it far beyond getting lucky with matchups. As presently constructed.
Given the standings and us more or less being locked in with a 1st round matchup with the Rangers or Caps, I don't care much when changes are made, as long as they are made. I understand why Hextall would want to wait until he saw where the team is at, where Malkin would be at, whether Kappy or others would re-find themselves etc, and ultimately hardly any team has made any meaningful trades yet.
Toffoli to Calgary stands out as more or less the only one, and it is not because no other team than the Pens know that they need to/should do something eventually.
The point is that WHEN Hextall acts, moves have to be right.
There are many ways I would ideally like to improve, but obviously we must have a winger that helps Geno. That's the first point because it is ridiculous to waste one of our primary weapons like this.
Another issue is that we are short on speed and size/physicality both up front and on D. It's hard to solve both, but you need to have more tone setting or "hard to play" qualities than we do, and whereas most of our players are good players who could blend in on almost any roster, too many have no peak qualities and as a group come to look bland and pedestrian.
We don't have the futures to go out and trade for all that we need, and we are not close enough for an all-in mentality.
What I hope for is that Hextall - recognizing this - will accomplish being both a buyer and a seller at the same time.
Get upgrades while dealing roster players with a pick or prospect attached as rentals to pay for those, and in turn create cap flexibility for next year.
Kapanen is obviously the first one who should go. It's selling low and all, but he is just looking SO lost. Erod might make some sense as a versatile depth guy for some playoff team, and as much as that is also his role with us, in no way is he an important part of the solution when we are not short a C (or two).
Petterson would be a prime candidate, but honestly looking at the team and how Dumo looks these days, if there's a team that would pay a rental return on Dumo, I'd be very interested. In any event, it could be either of them, but of course we'd need a top4 caliber guy added if we do so.
In short, whether it is a winger who can play with Malkin or a RW for Sid who can get Rusty moved down, we need a top6 winger. Beyond that we need to replace a meh! player or two with some who are non-meh!
Still think we can be good when it matters, but some pieces of the puzzle needs changing.