Confirmed with Link: Zucker to Pittsburgh for a 1st, Galchenyuk and Addison

[CROCODILE SEATS]

Not sure if you guys missed it but looks like we're leaning towards picking this year per Pierre LeBrun.

Noooo
Hope you guys suck next year in that case lol

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Not sure if you guys missed it but looks like we're leaning towards picking this year per Pierre LeBrun.

60/40 dislike.

 

[57special]

Yeah, PIT would be idiots not to take the 15th, which is the lowest they've picked since the Derrick Pukealot 2012 pick. Before that you have to go back to 2006.

I could also see them trading the #15 for immediate help, or Murray +#15 for even better help.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I don't think Boston, Washington, Tampa Bay, Philly or Carolina are going to be going anywhere next season, so that's five.

Pittsburgh would be in the group with NYR, NYI, Columbus and Toronto.

If Shesterkin and Lafreniere are legit, the Rangers could be better, perhaps even much better.
Columbus is really impressive with what they have to work with, Tortorella as coach and a developing Dubois.
Toronto could have some major changes but they definitely aren't going to go backwards on purpose.
The Islanders have a nice, solid foundation in place. Trotz. Sorokin might be legit.

We're talking about Malkin or Letang (or both) missing a month (not out of the realm of possibility) and setting them back too much. Or Jarry's year this year being a bit of a mirage.

I wouldn't be completely floored if the Penguins miss the playoffs next year.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I don't think Boston, Washington, Tampa Bay, Philly or Carolina are going to be going anywhere next season, so that's five.

Pittsburgh would be in the group with NYR, NYI, Columbus and Toronto.

If Shesterkin and Lafreniere are legit, the Rangers could be better, perhaps even much better.
Columbus is really impressive with what they have to work with, Tortorella as coach and a developing Dubois.
Toronto could have some major changes but they definitely aren't going to go backwards on purpose.
The Islanders have a nice, solid foundation in place. Trotz. Sorokin might be legit.

We're talking about Malkin or Letang (or both) missing a month (not out of the realm of possibility) and setting them back too much. Or Jarry's year this year being a bit of a mirage.

I wouldn't be completely floored if the Penguins miss the playoffs next year.

I’m not getting my hopes up for the next San Jose, but I see a path to it. They’re likely going to decide which goalie to go forward with this summer. They need to make a mistake there. Particularly, they need to roll with Murray next year. If he plays a full season, I could see them being bad. He put up an .899 this year. Pittsburgh scored 221 goals to our 218 this year. If Murray is bad again, their goaltending will look very similar to ours this year. We would’ve missed the playoffs by a mile in the east and they’d essentially have the same goals and goaltending as us. Throw in a couple big injuries and hopefully some overdue regression from Letang and we could get lucky. I do expect for it to be about 25th, though.

 

[AKL]

I’m not getting my hopes up for the next San Jose, but I see a path to it. They’re likely going to decide which goalie to go forward with this summer. They need to make a mistake there. Particularly, they need to roll with Murray next year. If he plays a full season, I could see them being bad. He put up an .899 this year. Pittsburgh scored 221 goals to our 218 this year. If Murray is bad again, their goaltending will look very similar to ours this year. We would’ve missed the playoffs by a mile in the east and they’d essentially have the same goals and goaltending as us. Throw in a couple big injuries and hopefully some overdue regression from Letang and we could get lucky. I do expect for it to be about 25th, though.

With the Rangers, Hurricanes, Islanders and possibly even Devils improving next season, and the Caps and Flyers standing ground, it's more likely than it's ever been that they miss. Still wouldn't say it's likely, but I also don't necessarily think they're likely to have 25. Very real chance it's closer to 20.

 

[Minnesnota]

I understand that the 15th pick is hard to give up if you're Pittsburgh, but I'm confident in them not making the playoffs next year and it's an unprotected pick right?

Idk. They're probably making the right decision now, but I don't think it'll be the right decision in a year.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I understand that the 15th pick is hard to give up if you're Pittsburgh, but I'm confident in them not making the playoffs next year and it's an unprotected pick right?

Idk. They're probably making the right decision now, but I don't think it'll be the right decision in a year.

Completely unprotected.

 

[MuckOG]

The pandemic is going to have a big impact on how much next years draft class will be scouted. It's not certain that the CHL or NCAA will even play this winter, and if they do, it will most likely be a truncated schedule. 2021 is not projected to be a very deep draft anyways, now it will probably be even more of a crapshoot.

Pittsburgh would be smart to keep their pick this year.

 

[AKL]

I understand that the 15th pick is hard to give up if you're Pittsburgh, but I'm confident in them not making the playoffs next year and it's an unprotected pick right?

Idk. They're probably making the right decision now, but I don't think it'll be the right decision in a year.

Completely unprotected.

The other aspect to consider is that neither pick is going to help them during or to extend the duration of their window, but giving up the 15th would allow them to use their 2021 1st as a trade chip next season.

Frankly I have no idea why they would try to keep future assets now, they're kind of too far gone. Dawson Mercer and Sam Poulin are not going to be the guys to lead a successful rebuild when Crosby and Malkin are gone, and with JR coming out and saying he wants to make moves this offseason to get younger and better, you'd think they'd want a first as capital.

 

[Minnesnota]

The other aspect to consider is that neither pick is going to help them during or to extend the duration of their window, but giving up the 15th would allow them to use their 2021 1st as a trade chip next season.

Frankly I have no idea why they would try to keep future assets now, they're kind of too far gone. Dawson Mercer and Sam Poulin are not going to be the guys to lead a successful rebuild when Crosby and Malkin are gone.

This is exactly what I was thinking right after I commented.

If they're all-in on win now, keeping this years pick doesn't make sense because next years first will be worth more to them than the 15th this year. We see time and time again what a 1st round pick can get you at the deadline.

 

[2Pair]

Pittsburgh has drafted lower than 21st once since Malkin came over 14 years ago. They've picked 25th or higher 8 times.

 

[MuckOG]

The other aspect to consider is that neither pick is going to help them during or to extend the duration of their window, but giving up the 15th would allow them to use their 2021 1st as a trade chip next season.

Frankly I have no idea why they would try to keep future assets now, they're kind of too far gone. Dawson Mercer and Sam Poulin are not going to be the guys to lead a successful rebuild when Crosby and Malkin are gone, and with JR coming out and saying he wants to make moves this offseason to get younger and better, you'd think they'd want a first as capital.

It would make more sense for the Penguins to trade the 15th at the draft this year for a player that can help them all of next season than it would be for them to make a deadline deal next season for a rental.

 

[AKL]

Pittsburgh has drafted lower than 21st once since Malkin came over 14 years ago. They've picked 25th or higher 8 times.

It's not just about whether picking 15th is better than picking 20th or 25th. It's about how the asset is going to help your team.

There may be something to be said for drafting a player like Mercer or Zary and using them as a trade chip instead of a '21 1st. There may be something to be said about giving up an unprotected 1st. It's not so black and white. There are pros and cons either way.

 

[AKL]

It would make more sense for them to trade the 15th at the draft this year for a player that can help them all of next season than it would be for them to make a deadline deal next season for a rental.

There are more players available at a deadline when teams are out of it. Not a great example, but nevertheless, take someone like Foligno, Brodin. Neither are getting traded for a draft pick in the offseason, but at the deadline if Minnesota is out of it? Sure.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I understand that the 15th pick is hard to give up if you're Pittsburgh, but I'm confident in them not making the playoffs next year and it's an unprotected pick right?

Idk. They're probably making the right decision now, but I don't think it'll be the right decision in a year.

I think that, from Rutherford’s perspective, if the pick is better next year, he’s probably already out of a job.

 

[Minnesnota]

I think that, from Rutherford’s perspective, if the pick is better next year, he’s probably already out of a job.

I won't complain.

 

[thestonedkoala]

The pandemic is going to have a big impact on how much next years draft class will be scouted. It's not certain that the CHL or NCAA will even play this winter, and if they do, it will most likely be a truncated schedule. 2021 is not projected to be a very deep draft anyways, now it will probably be even more of a crapshoot.

Pittsburgh would be smart to keep their pick this year.

That is what I have been saying.

 

[Jaykay]

Pens officially keeping their pick this year.

 

[Wild11MN]

Pens officially keeping their pick this year.

Knowing how the world works it'll be something like #29 next year. Never lucky.

 

[MuckOG]

Pens officially keeping their pick this year.

Bummer

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Don't forget, probably a condensed schedule next season with an older (albeit very talented) core.

 

[MuckOG]

Don't forget, probably a condensed schedule next season with an older (albeit very talented) core.

....and a 2021 draft class that may not have the requisite scouting needed to rank the players accurately. I think it will be much more of a crapshoot than any previous drafts.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

The key for this summer is to root for a bunch of eastern conference teams to improve. Hopefully NYR can be a solid team. We need NYI and Canes to not fall back. Will be interesting

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Should've only been top 10 protected.

#FireGuerin