Confirmed with Link: The Penguins have named Ron Hextall as general manager and Brian Burke as president of hockey operat

[CrosbyMalkin]

Yes but it’s a long shot. “big time” like you say.

We might never get another Mario/Jagr/Sid/Geno so I’m riding with what I have until the wheel falls off. There’s still alot of options to try before giving up on them.

I agree, ask the Flyers, Leafs, Sabres, Canucks, and others that haven't won a Cup in most of their fans lifetime. We have been blessed to twice have 2 Franchise players at the same time. Many organizations have never had a player as good as any of those 4.

Thinking the pick and prospect way is a sure thing or even a likely thing is delusional. Chances of getting another Crosby, Malkin, Letang, or even getting players like Guentzel, Rust, Zucker, and Kapanen for your top 6 are slim to none. We are talking Hextall and look at the number 2 pick overall in Patrick he recently drafted who isn't as good as any of our top 6 forwards. The point is you can get high picks and never get near this good a team again for decades. We have a lot of good pieces to work with so let's give this new management some time to make the right coaching hires and player changes and then evaluate if it is time to close the book on this core. Half of you gave up on this core back in 2015 and wanted to go full rebuild in the first part of 2016 before the coaching change. So I advise caution saying this core is finished. They might be, it happens to everyone but let this play out.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Hextall's got a real Beaker thing going on these days.

 

[Shady Machine]

This is honestly what I would advocate for this year, as unpopular as it might be with ownership, especially given the short season and front office shenanigans. I wouldn't write off the year or try to tank per se (which wouldn't help us anyhow, as we don't have a 1st in 2021, thanks JR.), but I'd spend more time this year trying to figure out the game plan forward, no major deadline deals (unless it's offloading some deadweight), and set our sights on obtainable targets post expansion draft.

Agreed and Hextall kind of said as much. He didn’t say he would trade off assets at deadline, of course, but he said “see how good we are this year and then assess” or something to that effect.

 

[Sideline]

This is honestly what I would advocate for this year, as unpopular as it might be with ownership, especially given the short season and front office shenanigans. I wouldn't write off the year or try to tank per se (which wouldn't help us anyhow, as we don't have a 1st in 2021, thanks JR.), but I'd spend more time this year trying to figure out the game plan forward, no major deadline deals (unless it's offloading some deadweight), and set our sights on obtainable targets post expansion draft.

Yeah, need to see what Geno is thinking about for his next contract. If he wants something like 5 x 10 then it's probably time to move on. If he wants like 5 x 7 then take a year or two to clean out some of the JR debris and make 2 or 3 last runs with 35 to 38 year old Sid and Geno like the old Sharks core of Thornton and Marleau.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

Do we have Pavelski, Hertl, and Couture? We have Jake who is a Hertl type and then solid support wingers, but no dynamic guy.

The issue the Pens have is the don’t have that 3rd dynamic forward that supports the stars as they age. Obviously Sid and Geno are better than Marleau and Thornton were in 2016, but if the Pens aren’t good enough this year, serious changes and a retool need to be undertaken.

That could mean intentionally not trying to win a Cup for a year or 2 to retool and go for another run near the end of their careers.

You don't have that time. You really only have a couple years to get one more Cup squeezed out of this core. Every year that goes by makes it less likely our core can lead this team to a Cup. We follow your suggestion and wait 2 years and you might as well go full rebuild now. These 2 years are our best chance with this core and not after these 2 years.

We got almost all the pieces needed. This is the best wingers the team has had in the top 3 lines of the Crosby era with Guentzel, Zucker, Rust, Kapanen, McCann, and Tanev. Pens aren't getting better than that anytime soon unless you do trade more futures now and I think that group is strong and you can win with that group. I also think Blueger is fine for the 3rd line Center spot and gives us a very strong top 3 lines. We also have enough decent players to have an okay 4th line that certainly is not going to be the reason you can't win a Cup.

The Pens have added half their defense in promising young players over the last 3 years with Pettersson 2019, Marino 2020, and POJ added to the lineup this season. Your not going to get a better infusion to your defense than that over a short period. Pens have enough on defense to get the job done when they get healthy.

The biggest thing that needs to happen is a coaching change and a trade for a good veteran goalie. We can win with what we have in the forward and defense groups.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'd be fine with Hextall not adding anything this year and focusing on the remainder of this year on getting out of some of the bad contracts JR has acquired. I definitely wouldn't support him punting the year, but basically just don't waste any more assets and let the year play out as-is. If you want to start making any major changes, wait until the off-season to do so.

We've only had Kapanen for like 8 games and Zucker for only about 30 games. I think we need more time to evaluate them before doing anything drastic.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Congrats you guys. I really like Brian Burke, haven't heard many players who disliked playing for him and Hextall is damn good at amassing talent.

With the 2 of them the pens will be in good hands. Hopefully one more kick at the can but if not you have one of the better "rebuilders" at least IMO.

 

[Jesse]

Doesn't sound like it.

This @Jesse comment sounds encouraging too, with respect to hockey ops.



As I said to @Mr Jiggyfly, if he's going to big foot Hextall as GM, then I want no part of Burke. But, as a hockey ops guy, Burke is legit.

One thing we have to remember here that has, in my opinion, been grossly underreported is the lack of any formal hockey operations structure with this team. I don't know that there was really a firm Hierarchy in place. If they are looking for someone to build that structure, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone better than Burke. He knows the business better than just about anyone and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty in the admin stuff. I cannot imagine a circumstance where Burke, as an advisor to bringing in Hextall himself, seeks to undermine the very person he helped to hire.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

One thing we have to remember here that has, in my opinion, been grossly underreported is the lack of any formal hockey operations structure with this team. I don't know that there was really a firm Hierarchy in place. If they are looking for someone to build that structure, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone better than Burke. He knows the business better than just about anyone and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty in the admin stuff. I cannot imagine a circumstance where Burke, as an advisor to bringing in Hextall himself, seeks to undermine the very person he helped to hire.

the rare glimpses we got of JR it looked pretty informal and from the hip. Idk if informal = disorganized but I could see that being the case to some degree in all honesty.

 

[TimmyD]

Do you really think the Penguins, Burke and Hextall are going to say “the window is closed” we are planning for the future?

Anyone with half a brain can see where this is going. And it’s a good thing - where it’s going. They still have to sell tickets though.

There was no need to put the guy on the spot like that.

No but I think asking that question was fine...and I love the answer Burke gave. A lot of people would have tried to walk that back or spin it. Burke was just like “nah bruh I meant what said.” I love that he still feels that way, because it means he sees issues that need to be fixed and won’t be some puppet

 

[Jesse]

the rare glimpses we got of JR it looked pretty informal and from the hip. Idk if informal = disorganized but I could see that being the case to some degree in all honesty.

I think that the departure of Jason Karmanos brought with it several organizational gaps that were not solved for until yesterday.

 

[Pens x]

This team will benefit greatly once the D is back and we have a new coach.

I still think you need to make significant improvements to the bottom six. It shouldn’t be so difficult to find actual NHL players for the fourth line. Lafferty and Jank together are tough to watch.

I’m actually happy ZAR is back because maybe it’ll knock Lafferty out of the lineup. I’d gladly take BART over what we have right now....

Hopefully Sully doesn’t play ZAR above his abilities.

In the end, it’s moot until Sully is fired.

Imagine if we had these wingers when Sid and Geno were in god mode? Shero made sure that never happened.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Well, congrats to my competitors for beating me to the jobs. At least they have connections with a number of teams already. I'd be interested to see if Hextall can pry away any of LA's good prospects.

Does Burke wear a tie just to take it off

I hear he wears it like that when he thinks he may need an impromptu garrote.

 

[LOGiK]

An ex-flyer?

It doesn't sit well with me.

 

[LOGiK]

I think HCMS days are numbered now.....

safe this season.... unless they lose 9 of the next 9 games (against caps / isles)

 

[Turin]

An ex-flyer?

It doesn't sit well with me.

An ex-Flyer who hates the Flyers.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

An ex-flyer?

It doesn't sit well with me.

Whose dad is ex-penguin. So perhaps it works out?

 

[SouthGeorge]

I don't like this at all. What was wrong with JR again? He made big trades to get players for our stars to try to win now. What's Hextall going to do differently? Be Marios yes man? Honestly the issue is Sullys system. JR would get the players needed. Here come the down years and ex Flyer to take the blame.

 

[Rakell67]

I don't like this at all. What was wrong with JR again? He made big trades to get players for our stars to try to win now. What's Hextall going to do differently? Be Marios yes man? Honestly the issue is Sullys system. JR would get the players needed. Here come the down years and ex Flyer to take the blame.

Yes, we need more Rodrigues’ and Jankowski’s.

 

[LOGiK]

An ex-Flyer who hates the Flyers.

Whose dad is ex-penguin. So perhaps it works out?

Why does he hate the flyers?

I don't like flyers or ex-flyers or.... anyone in a flyers t-shirt for that matter.

Unless Hextall was scorned by the flyers and is out to get them back... then I can possibly get behind it, but it will take time to build trust.

 

[pensfan71]

Why does he hate the flyers?

I don't like flyers or ex-flyers or.... anyone in a flyers t-shirt for that matter.

Unless Hextall was scorned by the flyers and is out to get them back... then I can possibly get behind it, but it will take time to build trust.

Me reading some posts like this

 

[LOGiK]

I don't like this at all. What was wrong with JR again? He made big trades to get players for our stars to try to win now. What's Hextall going to do differently? Be Marios yes man? Honestly the issue is Sullys system. JR would get the players needed. Here come the down years and ex Flyer to take the blame.

Right.

He made BIG TRADES to get (meh) players and overpaid dearly...

He needed to make trades to get BIG PLAYERS without making a mess of the team...


You don't see a trend of getting worse and worse each year?

 

[LOGiK]

Me reading some posts like this

=P

 

[SouthGeorge]

Right.

He made BIG TRADES to get (meh) players and overpaid dearly...

He needed to make trades to get BIG PLAYERS without making a mess of the team...


You don't see a trend of getting worse and worse each year?

How are you getting BIG PLAYERS without trading BIG PLAYERS? Letang is the most expendable player and management won't let him be traded. Not to mention I don't think people understand how hard it's being the GM for the Penguins. Teams don't want to give us players. Yeah, the ex Flyer is going to be able to work his magic

 

[LOGiK]

How are you getting BIG PLAYERS without trading BIG PLAYERS? Letang is the most expendable player and management won't let him be traded. Not to mention I don't think people understand how hard it's being the GM for the Penguins. Teams don't want to give us players. Yeah, the ex Flyer is going to be able to work his magic

As long as his magic is the opposite of JR's magic... it'd be a start.