Salary Cap: Trade deadline is rapidly approaching... time to wake up Sleepy?

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm also hearing Hextall's favorite meal is unsalted rice cakes - Yohe

 

[Andy99]

Zach Aston-Reese — I’ve been told by multiple people that Hextall loves Aston-Reese. - Yohe


Pierre-Olivier Joseph — Don’t be shocked if the Penguins move P-O at some point. No, they don’t have much depth on the blue line. Yes, he’s talented and a good kid.
I’ve just had too many people in the organization tell me the current regime isn’t wild about him. They worry about his ability to survive an 82-game season given his slight frame.

lol on the ZAR….Hextall surprisingly sounds like a Sullivan clone

 

[Andy99]

I don't want to come down hard on you, but no. Just...f***...no. This team near the top of the division and Rust is our top RW. They are not trading him. I get "durrr assert mernegmert" but that's not what happens in the real world, even if the goal is flip it for Miller. You're not getting Miller for what you are getting from Rust. If a team could get Miller for what we get from Rust, why are they trading for Rust and not Miller? Which means that we have to pay extra to get Miller...and for what? Why are we spending assets to go from Miller to Rust when we will likely run into the same issue next year when it comes time to sign Miller. Its just...no man. No.

it doesn’t have to be Miller…but if we don’t want or can’t sign a 30 year old Rust to a six year deal, and you think the window is just a few more years, then it’s worth trading him for assets to get another top six winger in here who’s younger than Rust and almost as good…we might have an easier time doing it at the TDL than the end of the season…that’s all

 

[SEALBound]

Halak + Schenn would be an okay get but I was reading some of those articles about dman depth and I'm struggling to see how bringing in Schenn or Staal or similar is better than having Rudwedel, Riikola, or Freidman. Why spend the asset?

Now, if it's a deal around sending either of the three out with them coming back, sure.

I feel I’ve read Rakell to the Pens rumors for the last 10 years

The real beauty of this post is that Rakell has only been in the league for 9 years and has been a relevant player for only 7 of those.

Zach Aston-Reese — I’ve been told by multiple people that Hextall loves Aston-Reese. - Yohe

Pierre-Olivier Joseph — Don’t be shocked if the Penguins move P-O at some point. No, they don’t have much depth on the blue line. Yes, he’s talented and a good kid.

I’ve just had too many people in the organization tell me the current regime isn’t wild about him. They worry about his ability to survive an 82-game season given his slight frame.

Loves ZAR as in, he was a free asset that has good trade value?

POJ...I mean, wouldn't that same theory apply to Marcus Pettersson? They don't seem to have issues with him?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I wouldn't trust Yohe to tell me the correct time if he had a giant digital clock grafted to his arm. That said... that's an extremely sad take if true.

"Man I sure could never bear to let go of this spare-parts forward who scores at about the same pace as a particularly gnarly incel but boy am I sure hot to trot to get rid of maybe the only D prospect this team has!"

 

[SEALBound]

it doesn’t have to be Miller…but if we don’t want or can’t sign a 30 year old Rust to a six year deal, and you think the window is just a few more years, then it’s worth trading him for assets to get another top six winger in here who’s younger than Rust and almost as good…we might have an easier time doing it at the TDL than the end of the season…that’s all

No, yeah, I get it. The answer is no though. Rust is a guy you keep for the rest of the year and call "your rental".

Like, I mean, Jake-Sid-Rust is our most potent offensive line....and you want to take Rust out of the equation? It's just a no. A hard no. I imagine that if you suggested it to Hextall and asked for comment, the answer would be "not even something we've remotely considered".

 

[Gurglesons]

Halak + Schenn would be an okay get but I was reading some of those articles about dman depth and I'm struggling to see how bringing in Schenn or Staal or similar is better than having Rudwedel, Riikola, or Freidman. Why spend the asset?

Now, if it's a deal around sending either of the three out with them coming back, sure.



The real beauty of this post is that Rakell has only been in the league for 9 years and has been a relevant player for only 7 of those.



Loves ZAR as in, he was a free asset that has good trade value?

POJ...I mean, wouldn't that same theory apply to Marcus Pettersson? They don't seem to have issues with him?

As I have said countless times Pettersson and POJ are completely different players.

 

[Gurglesons]

it doesn’t have to be Miller…but if we don’t want or can’t sign a 30 year old Rust to a six year deal, and you think the window is just a few more years, then it’s worth trading him for assets to get another top six winger in here who’s younger than Rust and almost as good…we might have an easier time doing it at the TDL than the end of the season…that’s all

I think there is some smoke here considering Burke has gone out of his way a few times now to say the deadline deals are predicated on who they can and can not sign.

I’m very curious to see what we do this deadline if we go on a big winning or losing streak.

 

[chethejet]

I do think with the schedule coming especially the first 7 games in March will tell the brass if the pens are a team that can hang or not. As constructed now, I don't like the chances with being so f'n soft especially on D. These teams are bigger talented and will play the body and run the Pens physically. When are Burke and Hextall going to do something to add more balance to the line-up. Sully and his system be damned. Now if Hextall believes one of Angelo, Bjorkqvist, DOC can add some of that so be it.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Looked into this because it didn’t sound right off the top of my head. NST has Erod with 22 5v5 points. Just two points with 87 and 59. Maybe I’m reading it wrong?

Either way, yeah move Rust or Jake down a line. Pretty surprised Sullivan hasn’t. He loved flexing Kessel to L3 to make 3 scoring lines.

Not sure id go Erod next to Sid though. He’s better at C imo.

Because Sully doesn't even do..what Sully did to win, anymore. He's basically just catering to L1 and then throwing shit at the wall for Geno's line and trying to make more "Bart" lines.

 

[SEALBound]

As I have said countless times Pettersson and POJ are completely different players.

I was talking for frame wise:

POJ: 6'2 185lbs
Pettersson: 6'3 177llbs

I get that some guys play a more physical game but really, it's still hockey. Does POJ play THAT much different than Pettersson that it would put him at a significantly higher risk for injury? To the point where they would trade the one dman prospect we have?

I get that they would prefer him to be 205lbs but...I dunno, I just have a hard time seeing the value in trading him.

 

[Gurglesons]

I was talking for frame wise:

POJ: 6'2 185lbs
Pettersson: 6'3 177llbs

I get that some guys play a more physical game but really, it's still hockey. Does POJ play THAT much different than Pettersson that it would put him at a significantly higher risk for injury? To the point where they would trade the one dman prospect we have?

I get that they would prefer him to be 205lbs but...I dunno, I just have a hard time seeing the value in trading him.

POJ is not a defensive, shutdown guy like Petts. Watch him in the corners in WBS versus Petts.

 

[Ryder71]

It’s wild how similar disco and sully are in their later years; also depressing.

They are not similar at all.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Trading POJ at this juncture unless it's part of a deal for something significant just seems dumb.

 

[Ryder71]

lol on the ZAR….Hextall surprisingly sounds like a Sullivan clone

Which is why I stated that a KK POJ package seems very likely. I wouldn't move POJ if I could help it, but clearly JR values both guys more than our current regime.

 

[Gurglesons]

Trading POJ at this juncture unless it's part of a deal for something significant just seems dumb.

I don’t agree. I’d move POJ in a second tbh.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Rakell's 5v5 production the last 2 years is marginally better than 2021-22 Kap's, so I agree he's likely not the answer. He's improved this year, but not enough.
In this Eastern conference you have to take a bigger swing than that.

Halak is definitely the backup for me, were he willing. Hard pass on Greiss after his comments about playing here...

On D I wouldn't trust Marc Staal at all. Justin Braun's a realistic candidate, but I'm not sure how much better he is than Ruhwedel...if at all.
The other names they listed are pie in the sky.

I don't see us benching Ruhwedel after pairing him with Matheson all year and having good results. You're really just looking for an injury replacement #7 or #8. It would be nice to see Friedman, Riikola (he's still on the roster, right?) get in some games down the stretch to knock the rust off. We may just stand pat on D and I would be fine with that. Knock on wood but the D core has been remarkably stable and injury free all season.

At F, yeah, we either need to get Zucker healthy and both him and Kap going, or we need to add a piece.

 

[Ryder71]

I don’t agree. I’d move POJ in a second tbh.

I think he's the opposite of a guy like ZAR, where by he might be valued more elsewhere than he is here.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Trading POJ at this juncture unless it's part of a deal for something significant just seems dumb.

Dumoulin is 30
Pettersson is 24
Matheson is 27

When do you figure LD POJ will get a shot? I really like POJ but you know who doesn't?

So why are we wasting a lad that would be used by a different coach to see if one of the bigger contracts are expendable and instead see his stock continue to diminish in the Ahl as an asset?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I don’t agree. I’d move POJ in a second tbh.

I don't think he's likely to be anything terrific, if I'm being honest. But it's awfully early to say. He's what... 22? Takes a minute for defensemen to figure things out.

It's more a matter of there being literally nothing in the system as far as his position is concerned. And he's been one of WB/S's best players all year FWIW.

Meh. I guess I don't really care.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I don't see us benching Ruhwedel after pairing him with Matheson all year and having good results. You're really just looking for an injury replacement #7 or #8. It would be nice to see Friedman, Riikola (he's still on the roster, right?) get in some games down the stretch to knock the rust off. We may just stand pat on D and I would be fine with that. Knock on wood but the D core has been remarkably stable and injury free all season.

At F, yeah, we either need to get Zucker healthy and both him and Kap going, or we need to add a piece.

I think far too much is placed on Ruhwedel for how that pair is doing. Far too much. Are people just happily accepting what's being said and ignoring the eye test or is it that easy to convince them with some puff piece articles?

Same articles will tell you how great ZAR is too.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I don't think he's likely to be anything terrific, if I'm being honest. But it's awfully early to say. He's what... 22? Takes a minute for defensemen to figure things out.

It's more a matter of there being literally nothing in the system as far as his position is concerned. And he's been one of WB/S's best players all year FWIW.

Meh. I guess I don't really care.

He's looked good in his call ups when he has been called up and shown far more in his game than Pettersson.

The cap savings implications alone that'd be a great move to bring him up and play him and then go and add a veteran RD, but this is also a coach that is stubborn in his change of things.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't think he's likely to be anything terrific, if I'm being honest. But it's awfully early to say. He's what... 22? Takes a minute for defensemen to figure things out.

It's more a matter of there being literally nothing in the system as far as his position is concerned. And he's been one of WB/S's best players all year FWIW.

Meh. I guess I don't really care.

He’s been one of the best offensive weapons down there. True.

I just don’t see him providing anything we need on the backend unless Letang walks.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I mean he just isn't going to be given a shot at the lineup, let's be real.

I'm not adding any commentary to that. Good or bad. But that's what it is so whatever.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I was talking for frame wise:

POJ: 6'2 185lbs
Pettersson: 6'3 177llbs

I get that some guys play a more physical game but really, it's still hockey. Does POJ play THAT much different than Pettersson that it would put him at a significantly higher risk for injury? To the point where they would trade the one dman prospect we have?

I get that they would prefer him to be 205lbs but...I dunno, I just have a hard time seeing the value in trading him.

POJ relies more on his speed than smarts, and I would say he's very physical on the walls for his size..like he's trying to prove doubters wrong. Was really impressed with that aspect of his game, because I was expecting it to be a weakness with his slight frame.
Unfortunately that doesn't translate to him dealing with his checks in front of the net very well. He kind of just leaves them alone and it bites him in the ass.

In terms of likelihood to get hurt, it would likely happen while some guys are getting payback for hits throughout the game, or when he's trying to execute a high speed play and runs into someone.

Unless there's a history with his lack of durability, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt in this regard until proven otherwise. Not too concerned about it. Some slight guys manage to play most of the games. While he is thin, he is very strong and has good balance. Not easy to rock.