Pittsburgh Penguins Prospects Thread

[Peat]

I think when you look at our prospect pool we are actually decently set up to extend the window.

If O'Connor and Gruden can pan out as bottom six guys and Poulin can become a 40-50 pt top six guy we should be able to transition decently enough. You'd still have one big hole in our top six when we let Rust hypothetically walk though.

Of course that requires Marino and Pettersson to not decline and likely flourish into solid top four guys and Jarry to be a hell of a goaltender.

Guentzel - Crosby - X
Zucker - Malkin - Poulin
O'Connor - Bleuger - Tanev

Is a decent enough top nine.

If we can keep a core elite going then yeah, I think the group will fill in the gaps well enough.

 

[Gurglesons]

If we can keep a core elite going then yeah, I think the group will fill in the gaps well enough.

I was surprised to see Tampa's prospect pool so low on Wheeler's list.

 

[Peat]

I was surprised to see Tampa's prospect pool so low on Wheeler's list.

The age limit of 23 did them dirty. I don't think their position is quite as bad as Wheeler says. Besides, like us, they just need depth for the foreseeable. I also reckon - and I might be wrong - just like us they'll probably outperform the rankings a bit in terms of what they get out simply because they develop well and they need to develop those guys.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Very true.

I'm curious to see how they handle the roster the next year or two. It'll be the real indictment of how the Rutherford era is truly viewed IMO. Moving out Kessel and Hornqvist for POJ and Matheson in my opinion is a perfect example of what Chicago and LA failed to do though when it came to extending their window.

We are down to what.. six players that were on the 2017 team?

I honestly have no idea what to think of the roster going into the season.

I could feel strongly this summer about JR’s plan of chasing a big name to extend the window, or think it’s time to blow it all up.

If they have a third playoff embarrassment or miss them altogether, it’s time to blow up the core and move on.

 

[Gurglesons]

I honestly have no idea what to think of the roster going into the season.

I could feel strongly this summer about JR’s plan of chasing a big name to extend the window, or think it’s time to blow it all up.

If they have a third playoff embarrassment or miss them altogether, it’s time to blow up the core and move on.

I threw out the season once it became clear it was a shortened season.

No idea how any of the teams are going to perform, but our roster technically has the pieces to win if things go right.

I just hope we don't do well enough to not get JR fired or bumped up but ultimately don't have real success (i.e. a cup final).

 

[Peat]

I honestly have no idea what to think of the roster going into the season.

I could feel strongly this summer about JR’s plan of chasing a big name to extend the window, or think it’s time to blow it all up.

If they have a third playoff embarrassment or miss them altogether, it’s time to blow up the core and move on.

How deep would you blow up? Or, put it another way, would you move Guentzel as part of it?

 

[Gurglesons]

How deep would you blow up? Or, put it another way, would you move Guentzel as part of it?

Wild guess, but I think Jiggy may be open to moving McCann .

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

I honestly have no idea what to think of the roster going into the season.

I could feel strongly this summer about JR’s plan of chasing a big name to extend the window, or think it’s time to blow it all up.

If they have a third playoff embarrassment or miss them altogether, it’s time to blow up the core and move on.

I guess it a depends on how well the core is doing. If Crosby and Malkin finished in the top 10 in scoring and Letang finished in the top 10 for defenseman then I wouldn't blow up that core. If those 3 stay healthy and finish that high then we obviously will have a very good record this year unless goaltending lets us down. As long as those 3 remain elite I don't want to burn it to the ground. Although another first round exit and I am firing Sullivan and Rutherford. Rutherford gave the players to play Sullivan's system and he bet on Sullivan to get it done. If Sullivan can't do it with this winger group that is molded perfectly to play his system it is time for a new coach and system. As far as the big 3 I would keep unless one really regresses this year which I doubt.

 

[Darren McCord]

I honestly have no idea what to think of the roster going into the season.

I could feel strongly this summer about JR’s plan of chasing a big name to extend the window, or think it’s time to blow it all up.

If they have a third playoff embarrassment or miss them altogether, it’s time to blow up the core and move on.

I don't think the true core will ever get blown up. Crosby, Malkin and Letang will be here until they do not want to be. With their high cap hits and No Trade/Movement you won't ever get the right value either.

Unless you consider other players like Jake, Rust, Zucker, Dumo as core players, but I don't.

Realistically blowing it up is trading two or more of them.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

How deep would you blow up? Or, put it another way, would you move Guentzel as part of it?

I already know from extremely reliable sources JR will never do a full rebuild and he’s pretty safe (even though ppl didn’t want to believe me in Aug).

So assuming that, I’d look to move Letang, Dumo, Rust, and maybe Zucker... leaving guys like Guentzel, KK, Marino, and Jarry as a new young core I would build out from.

I would likely chase after a young RFA and use some of the assets trading off my big names to land him.

Just keep building a young, fast, hungry core around my big two pivots and see if I could pry that window back open.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I don't think the true core will ever get blown up. Crosby, Malkin and Letang will be here until they do not want to be. With their high cap hits and No Trade/Movement you won't ever get the right value either.

Unless you consider other players like Jake, Rust, Zucker, Dumo as core players, but I don't.

Realistically blowing it up is trading two or more of them.

Letang isn’t safe, I can assure you of that.

 

[Gurglesons]

I already know from extremely reliable sources JR will never do a full rebuild and he’s pretty safe (even though ppl didn’t want to believe me in Aug).

So assuming that, I’d look to move Letang, Dumo Rust, and maybe Zucker... leaving guys like Guentzel, Marino, and Jarry as a new young core I would build out from.

I would likely chase after a young RFA and use some of the assets trading off my big names to land him.

Just keep building a young, fast, hungry core around my big two pivots and see if I could pry that window back open.

Yeah, I think Hornqvist was the easy move this summer, but at the same time when you look at the value players like Saad and Toews returned it's probably better we didn't sell off any bigger pieces.

I'm not sure Letang brings back much of value with the flat cap, but Dumo or Rust (if he has another great year) could potentially get us some pieces that help us with a rebuild.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Yeah, I think Hornqvist was the easy move this summer, but at the same time when you look at the value players like Saad and Toews returned it's probably better we didn't sell off any bigger pieces.

I'm not sure Letang brings back much of value with the flat cap, but Dumo or Rust (if he has another great year) could potentially get us some pieces that help us with a rebuild.

Moving Letang would be valuable in cap space, not really assets returned.

Now given its JR, how he utilizes that space is questionable... but I’m trying to stay positive in this hypothetical situation.

 

[Peat]

I already know from extremely reliable sources JR will never do a full rebuild and he’s pretty safe (even though ppl didn’t want to believe me in Aug).

So assuming that, I’d look to move Letang, Dumo, Rust, and maybe Zucker... leaving guys like Guentzel, KK, Marino, and Jarry as a new young core I would build out from.

I would likely chase after a young RFA and use some of the assets trading off my big names to land him.

Just keep building a young, fast, hungry core around my big two pivots and see if I could pry that window back open.

Gotcha.

I feel like that'd be pretty difficult right now with non-cap for cap moves in the gutter, but if you can maybe get the cap space for an impact UFA and the assets for a good RFA, maybe get some decent prospects... worth a shot.

Incidentally, do you think Sullivan's in any danger?

 

[Gurglesons]

Moving Letang would be valuable in cap space, not really assets returned.

Now given its JR, how he utilizes that space is questionable... but I’m trying to stay positive in this hypothetical situation.

Very good point. Although I’m not sure next year is the year to go big game hunting.

Letting Letang walk the year after and there are a ton of really attractive UFAs.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

I already know from extremely reliable sources JR will never do a full rebuild and he’s pretty safe (even though ppl didn’t want to believe me in Aug).

So assuming that, I’d look to move Letang, Dumo, Rust, and maybe Zucker... leaving guys like Guentzel, KK, Marino, and Jarry as a new young core I would build out from.

I would likely chase after a young RFA and use some of the assets trading off my big names to land him.

Just keep building a young, fast, hungry core around my big two pivots and see if I could pry that window back open.

Pretty much what we have done in the past couple years getting the team much younger and faster around the core. Think about the players we had in 2018 team and who is left from that group (Crosby, Malkin, Guentzel, Rust, Dumoulin, and Letang). I think those are the only starters from that team left. So in 2 years we completely rebuilt this team around that group of 6. That 6 was a very good group to build around and we added many younger, faster, and skilled guys compared to the aging vets that left. Players like Zucker, Kapanen, McCann, Tanev, and Lafferty on the wings bring a ton of speed and are not soft players and have good skills for the lines they play on. Those wingers fit the way Sullivan wants this team to play. With the speed on the wing the Pens have the opposing teams better have 3 pairings of mobile defenseman that can handle the puck under pressure because this team can forecheck all day. Fastest winger group in the NHL.

Pens also rebuilt the defense with younger, bigger, better skating defenseman. Looking at those 2018 playoffs the other starters besides Dumoulin and Letang (Maatta, Oleksiak, Schultz, and Ruhwedel). That is a sad skating group compared to Matheson, Marino, Pettersson, and Ceci. I think the Pens definitely improved the defense from that 2018 group also.

Both goalies are gone also and hopefully Jarry shows last year was not a fluke when he finished in the top 10 in GAA, Save %, and other statistical area's. Let's see if Jarry can do that as the man.

Overall this team did do a rebuild around 6 players from 2018. Let's see if that rebuild gets the job done. I wouldn't break up this core though until Crosby, Malkin, and Letang no longer can play as top 10 forwards or defenseman.

Every team has holes this season from what I have seen. I think the Pens have a shot that the players they have can step up and fill those holes so that those spots are not a weakness. Look at the Bruins defenseman, the Caps defenseman and also some of their forwards. Those are two of the teams contending for the top of the division and they have holes also. Caps are one of the oldest teams in the league. Everyone is looking at our weaknesses when pretty much every team has some areas of concern.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Very good point. Although I’m not sure next year is the year to go big game hunting.

Letting Letang walk the year after and there are a ton of really attractive UFAs.

My daughter plays travel now so I don’t see the people I used to as often. They were all in ADM... one of them moved from the city completely

Last time I spoke to one of them a little while back, he believed JR was quite safe. Sully not as much.

Based on that and things I heard over the summer, JR would only be gone if the Pens had a couple catastrophic seasons in a row or he decided to move into another role.

If the Pens miss the playoffs, I could see Sully being fired.

Basically, Sully isn’t nearly as safe as JR.

 

[stardog]

I already know from extremely reliable sources JR will never do a full rebuild and he’s pretty safe (even though ppl didn’t want to believe me in Aug).

So assuming that, I’d look to move Letang, Dumo, Rust, and maybe Zucker... leaving guys like Guentzel, KK, Marino, and Jarry as a new young core I would build out from.

I would likely chase after a young RFA and use some of the assets trading off my big names to land him.

Just keep building a young, fast, hungry core around my big two pivots and see if I could pry that window back open.

BTW Folks. It's time the cat came out of the bag and everyone found out.
After Jiggy fired me as his reliable source, I did some digging and found out who this EXTREMELY reliable source is and it's earth shattering.
Just who is this extremely reliable source of the exalted Sir Jigglyfly???

Yup.

You guessed it....

 

[stardog]

 

[stardog]

2 Frank Stallone posts in one day! And a win over the Caps! I think I'm sensing a new good luck charm being born right before our eyes

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

BTW Folks. It's time the cat came out of the bag and everyone found out.
After Jiggy fired me as his reliable source, I did some digging and found out who this EXTREMELY reliable source is and it's earth shattering.
Just who is this extremely reliable source of the exalted Sir Jigglyfly???

Yup.

You guessed it....

People would be pretty shocked about who the one guy is. He played pro sports in Pgh, but not for the Pens.

Many of us watched him and you would never think he grew up playing hockey.

He was coaching my daughter in ADM her first season and I didn’t even recognize him for a couple weeks, until I discovered his last name and was like O...

There are tons of well known people that either help coach in my daughters association, or have their kids in it.

Just found out today one of these well known guys just did his well known buddy a favor and got his daughter on a high tiered team... and she apparently isn’t very good and never had to try out.

So the parents of this team are all pissed off.

Politics make it all so stupid, but it’s pretty rampant starting the first year of travel.

It’s all silliness to me.

 

[Jacob]

John Wehner

 

[Gurglesons]

Oliver Klozoff?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Are we just making names up now?

 

[Rakell67]

Dick Gozinya