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[ColePens]

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[Empoleon8771]

Hot take time: saying "pushback" just to complain about JR should be an auto 1 hour ban.

 

[wej20]

Want no part of Simmonds, poor guy's game has fallen off a cliff. Probably not surprising given he played the whole 17-18 season with a torn pelvis.

 

[BrokenStick]

Simon does everything else at 5v5 well? Let's see - is he physical? Nope. Is he good defensively? Nope. Is he good down low? Nope, more of a perimeter player. So given all that, I would say 1 goal in 33 games is a pretty important stat, especially considering he doesn't get enough assists to make that something that could be reasonably overlooked. By the way, what's the sample size of those advanced metrics?

I think some of you just believe you're experts because you look at advanced metric graphs and that it makes you look smart for doing so. That's why you go all in at full force defending Simon despite how laughable and embarrassing it has become. Two seasons and two really bad playoffs now, and some of you won't believe what you're eyes are telling you because it takes a huge **** over advanced metrics.

And other people see that a player doesn't score goals, decide that he's garbage and ignore all evidence to the contrary, both statistically and visually.

My eyes tell me Simon is a good player, that when the puck comes near him in the D-zone it ends up on his stick and he transitions it out of the zone.

I watch the Pens have the puck when he's on the ice, and what do you know, that's exactly what the metrics say happens!

I don't have to ignore what my eyes are telling me when they agree with the stats.

 

[LOGiK]

If I poll was started and it asked whether JR would sign Dion Phaneuf, would it be over-whelming YES?

My bet:

Jack Johnson OUT
Dion Phaneuf IN

 

[Tom Hanks]

If I poll was started and it asked whether JR would sign Dion Phaneuf, would it be over-whelming YES?

My bet:

Jack Johnson OUT
Dion Phaneuf IN

Not a chance. You’re letting @Andy99 get in you’re head

 

[ColePens]

I just want JJ out. JJ out and go with speed/youth. I would be so pumped. Even if we don't win, we are going to a strategy that I love.

But like @IcedCapp said - just stay in a lane and commit to it. This bullshit "balance" is stupid.

 

[LOGiK]

Not a chance. You’re letting @Andy99 get in you’re head

Only one way to find out!
What did Andy say? I missed it

 

[Shockmaster]

And other people see that a player doesn't score goals, decide that he's garbage and ignore all evidence to the contrary, both statistically and visually.

My eyes tell me Simon is a good player, that when the puck comes near him in the D-zone it ends up on his stick and he transitions it out of the zone.

I watch the Pens have the puck when he's on the ice, and what do you know, that's exactly what the metrics say happens!

I don't have to ignore what my eyes are telling me when they agree with the stats.

I guess you didn't watch him the last two playoffs either? Or how about all the turnovers at the offensive blue line trying to force passes that aren't there? The advance metrics and your personal eye test seem to only include small sample sizes. My hunch is your looking at the graphs first, then proclaiming "I watch him play" to look like an expert after the fact.

I still can't figure out why his defenders don't want to talk about his last two playoffs. I mean everyone insisted he would be so much better in 2019 than he was in 2018. I wonder what happened?

 

[Jag68Sid87]

If we can move Hornqvist, I would have some interest in Simmonds. I prefer Anders Lee but he would obviously cost a lot more on the open market. But Simmonds would be interesting. His complete downward spiral in Nashville might keep his cap hit down enough to make sense.

Guentzel-Crosby-Kahun
McCann-Malkin-Simmonds
Simon-Bjugstad-Kessel

That's not terrible.

 

[IcedCapp]

Any thoughts on if they're done clearing space? Obviously, Phil is on the block, but who knows if that actually gets done. Hornqvist has a no-trade. Seems like a lot of dollars locked up on right wing.

I might just dreaming thinking there's a way to escape JJ, but would Rust+JJ be enough to bring back a #4 quality left shot D?

@Sideline

Honestly, I couldn't tell you. First, moving Maatta was as much about moving Maatta as it was getting the space. This is something they'd been trying to do for multiple seasons.

As for the rest of the roster, I truly believe there is a lot of internal debate about how big they need to go this off-season and which players are part of that retool. I told KIRK right after the season that some of the stuff I was told, it didn't say anything explicitly, like, it wasn't oh my god we're done with big goofy russians!" but the wording really made me feel, for the first time, that a lot of things I believed in (example: the very core of this core group would always be Penguins) wasn't necessarily true. I'm not sure who exactly they'll move, because it's complicated. Who they want to move, who other teams will trade for, and who other teams will trade real assets for... all of these answers are different. It's a cop out, I know, but I've tried giving specifics in the past, and other than like 3 cases, it comes back to bite me in one way or another, because it's hard to pull off massive deals in the NHL.

 

[The GM]

And other people see that a player doesn't score goals, decide that he's garbage and ignore all evidence to the contrary, both statistically and visually.

My eyes tell me Simon is a good player, that when the puck comes near him in the D-zone it ends up on his stick and he transitions it out of the zone.

I watch the Pens have the puck when he's on the ice, and what do you know, that's exactly what the metrics say happens!

I don't have to ignore what my eyes are telling me when they agree with the stats.

You are going to believe your lying eyes over the hockey experts here?

 

[Giskard]

I'm scared as hell now that Dion Phaneuf and Andrew MacDonald are UFA

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm scared as hell now that Dion Phaneuf and Andrew MacDonald are UFA

Why? The Penguins already have 8 defensemen on 1-way deals. The concern should be that they're going to keep Johnson.

 

[jmelm]

Honestly, I would be going HARD after any one of Panarin, Lee or Duchene (in that order). They are the premier forwards available, and what I felt we were really missing was a game breaking offensive forward. We could literally dump Kessel for just futures, and give an asset with JJ to another team to take him on. With Maatta, JJ, and one of Kessel or Horny moved, we would have between $9.5-11M (that assumes Adam Johnson as the 4th line LW, who I would like to see there and will be cheap)

In short, we can make it work to pay one of those 3 guys big dollars and I would sacrifice other guys as necessary (Rust, Bjugstad) if we couldn't move Phil/Horny.

 

[Gurglesons]

I guess you didn't watch him the last two playoffs either? Or how about all the turnovers at the offensive blue line trying to force passes that aren't there? The advance metrics and your personal eye test seem to only include small sample sizes. My hunch is your looking at the graphs first, then proclaiming "I watch him play" to look like an expert after the fact.

I still can't figure out why his defenders don't want to talk about his last two playoffs. I mean everyone insisted he would be so much better in 2019 than he was in 2018. I wonder what happened?

Simon was fine in the playoffs the last two years?

 

[Turin]

Getting rid of Hornqvist to sign the same player but worse and more battered at higher ticket would be something.

 

[ownal]

Honestly, I would be going HARD after any one of Panarin, Lee or Duchene (in that order). They are the premier forwards available, and what I felt we were really missing was a game breaking offensive forward. We could literally dump Kessel for just futures, and give an asset with JJ to another team to take him on. With Maatta, JJ, and one of Kessel or Horny moved, we would have between $9.5-11M (that assumes Adam Johnson as the 4th line LW, who I would like to see there and will be cheap)

In short, we can make it work to pay one of those 3 guys big dollars and I would sacrifice other guys as necessary (Rust, Bjugstad) if we couldn't move Phil/Horny.

Lee would be the ideal #3 C. Bjugstad is too vanilla.

 

[Shockmaster]

Simon was fine in the playoffs the last two years?

Just like Hagelin single-handedly carried the Caps to their 2nd championship.

 

[ColePens]

The biggest issue right now is we can ONLY have 1 of Guds, JJ, and Maatta. The one I would have loved to keep is gone. Guds is worth it because he's right. If we get rid of JJ and now we only have 1 of the 3, then we are in a good spot. I'd rather go super cheap on defense and pick up rentals at best like we did in 17.

 

[ColePens]

Getting rid of Hornqvist to sign the same player but worse and more battered at higher ticket would be something.

My stance is written in stone - I want to keep 72. 100%. I cannot stand when people want knock-off Hornys on this team because it has a different name.

 

[Shockmaster]

Getting rid of Hornqvist to sign the same player but worse and more battered at higher ticket would be something.

Well this board loves impulsive knee-jerk moves. Right now Hornqvist isn't liked, so we have to get rid of him even if that means getting a player that is worse and more expensive.

 

[ownal]

The biggest issue right now is we can ONLY have 1 of Guds, JJ, and Maatta. The one I would have loved to keep is gone. Guds is worth it because he's right. If we get rid of JJ and now we only have 1 of the 3, then we are in a good spot. I'd rather go super cheap on defense and pick up rentals at best like we did in 17.

He did do very good defensively for us. His +/- was impressive. The third pairing doesn't need to be some offensive Juggernaut, just don't bleed goals. JJ will be gone and hopefully we can pick up a top 4 LD. Martinez would fit that perfectly or Jake McCabe. Any idea how that would happen?

 

[chethejet]

Kessel will not be here if GMJR can swing a deal. But with Olli and cap space now, the move is not as critical for cap space. But one of the issues for the Pens is not only the retool, but to end the I won two cups mentality so that buys me some slack. Malkin, Kessel have to be better and the allowances for stupid decisions and plays has to end. You can live with some things, but enough is enough.

 

[Corvidae]

Hot take time: saying "pushback" just to complain about JR should be an auto 1 hour ban.

You clearly lack jam and sandpaper.