Penguins offseason thread

[stealth]

sorry I quoted myself

 

[Gooch1034]

look ....you guys were cruising until after the Olympics. Then what happened you had a slide due to injuries and what do injuries do? They keep players off the ice at different time frames in the schedule, so logically not all the weapons are skating together nor at different time as were prior to the Olympics


This a witch hunt for no reason and there could be worse reprecussions if it goes down

I totally understand what you are saying but if you have watched this team under Bylsma in particular, it isn't hard to see. The guy does not know how to adjust and is outcoached often. He is good enough to get a highly talented team into the playoffs but that's where it stops. Plus the East isn't the strongest as a whole that it has been.

 

[stealth]

I totally understand what you are saying but if you have watched this team under Bylsma in particular, it isn't hard to see. The guy does not know how to adjust and is outcoached often. He is good enough to get a highly talented team into the playoffs but that's where it stops. Plus the East isn't the strongest as a whole that it has been.

Being in the East doesnt matter, you only see one team from the west and thats in the final, which you already know. Im saying you saw a goalie have a revision of himself, I havent seen Hank like this since the start of his career (and thats 3 games)

I noticed the media was quick to point out a need for change and then call for punishment. They are off their rockers. If Blysma cant match lines himself he needs more input from the offense. Crosby was silenced, and the Ranger front five were highly motivated by Hanks play then vice verse for Fleury

 

[scoutyjones2]

5 straight playoff losses to lesser seeds...the only constant...Abysmal. He has to go...unfortunately, I don't have a replacement in mind.


I say, move Letang to wing. Keep Jokinen, move Neal for a stud D man. one who plays and thinks and leads by shutdown D

 

[stealth]

5 straight playoff losses to lesser seeds...the only constant...Abysmal. He has to go...unfortunately, I don't have a replacement in mind.


I say, move Letang to wing. Keep Jokinen, move Neal for a stud D man. one who plays and thinks and leads by shutdown D

you are forgetting line chemistry neal plays with Jokinen. And that isnt much of an answer abysmal

 

[thehobocop]

The loss to the Rangers is just the final straw. Granted the Pens could have won that series and it took a huge effort from Hank for the Rangers to pull it out. But just last year we were embarrassed in the ECF by the Bruins and the year before bounced early by the Flyers. This has been a common theme, and as scouty said, we've strung together quite a few lost series to lesser seeded teams and for a team with this amount of talent, that is simply unacceptable. Bylsma has come up short many a time and the people calling for his head have merit to their claims.

 

[Darkstone42]

If we're going to go with Fleury, he has to be insulated by an elite defense. That's how the Blackhawks do it, and that's the team we should be modeling. It's possible Scuderi just needs to be in a different system. He looked uncomfortable in Dan's. He's unmovable, and that much dead money after a buy-out would be tough to swallow, so it might be worth a look. He's not that far removed from being very good, and there have been defensemen in his mold who looked washed up in Pittsburgh, then went elsewhere and had success again. If Scuds stays bad, just scratch him, and contemplate the buyout throughout the season.

Letang may never play up to his contract, but he had a strong second round and enormous upside, and I think he's more valuable to us than he is as trade bait. Shop him around to see what you can get, and jump on a good deal, but I don't think it's hugely imperative to move him, either.

Retain Niskanen if possible, but don't overpay. 4 years, $16 million would probably be a decent deal. I wouldn't go much higher than that in either years or dollars.

Give the young guys a shot. We have to see what we have. It looks promising, but we can't be sure without giving them a shot.

Sutter, Stempniak, Goc, Jokinen, Gibbons, and Megna should all be targets for retention. I'd probably make Sutter the priority, then Jokinen, Gibbons, Goc, Stempniak, and Megna, in that order.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

you are forgetting line chemistry neal plays with Jokinen. And that isnt much of an answer abysmal

Neal didn't do much with Geno during the playoffs either. Neal just played stupid in the playoffs. Him & Sid just sucked no matter who they played with. Hopefully they were playing injured or else that would be sad.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I say just keep Sid & Geno, bring up the young guys, sign some fillers, hire Hynes, & tank for CMcD97 in 2015!

Mario Jagz Geno Sid CMcD = evolution

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Being in the East doesnt matter, you only see one team from the west and thats in the final, which you already know. Im saying you saw a goalie have a revision of himself, I havent seen Hank like this since the start of his career (and thats 3 games)

I noticed the media was quick to point out a need for change and then call for punishment. They are off their rockers. If Blysma cant match lines himself he needs more input from the offense. Crosby was silenced, and the Ranger front five were highly motivated by Hanks play then vice verse for Fleury

Stealth seriously, Disco's shelf life is up in Pittsburgh. I believe he's a great coach and will succeed anywhere he goes, but his time here is up. Time to move on.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

#DiscosDead

 

[element1286]

If we're going to go with Fleury, he has to be insulated by an elite defense. That's how the Blackhawks do it, and that's the team we should be modeling. It's possible Scuderi just needs to be in a different system. He looked uncomfortable in Dan's. He's unmovable, and that much dead money after a buy-out would be tough to swallow, so it might be worth a look. He's not that far removed from being very good, and there have been defensemen in his mold who looked washed up in Pittsburgh, then went elsewhere and had success again. If Scuds stays bad, just scratch him, and contemplate the buyout throughout the season.

Letang may never play up to his contract, but he had a strong second round and enormous upside, and I think he's more valuable to us than he is as trade bait. Shop him around to see what you can get, and jump on a good deal, but I don't think it's hugely imperative to move him, either.

Retain Niskanen if possible, but don't overpay. 4 years, $16 million would probably be a decent deal. I wouldn't go much higher than that in either years or dollars.

Give the young guys a shot. We have to see what we have. It looks promising, but we can't be sure without giving them a shot.

Sutter, Stempniak, Goc, Jokinen, Gibbons, and Megna should all be targets for retention. I'd probably make Sutter the priority, then Jokinen, Gibbons, Goc, Stempniak, and Megna, in that order.

I don't know, DS. I don't know how you essentially keep everyone. Is it even possible with the cap constraints to keep Niskanen and Jokinen?

I'd keep at least Gibbons, Megna, and Sutter. I'd like to keep Goc since his style of play is what this team is missing. Unless Stemp is really cheap or one of the the top 6 forwards is traded I'd just let him walk.

 

[element1286]

Being in the East doesnt matter, you only see one team from the west and thats in the final, which you already know. Im saying you saw a goalie have a revision of himself, I havent seen Hank like this since the start of his career (and thats 3 games)

I noticed the media was quick to point out a need for change and then call for punishment. They are off their rockers. If Blysma cant match lines himself he needs more input from the offense. Crosby was silenced, and the Ranger front five were highly motivated by Hanks play then vice verse for Fleury

This is 5 years in the making, not just this year.

Since 2009 the Pens have only beaten the Senators (twice), Islanders, and the Blue Jackets in a seven game series. And have blown three separate 3-1 leads to lose to lower seeded teams. Add that the disaster of last year, getting swept and only scoring 2 goals against Boston, and the nightmare of the Flyers flameout where the entire team went to pieces and there is plenty of evidence this team needs a change.

 

[Darkstone42]

I don't know, DS. I don't know how you essentially keep everyone. Is it even possible with the cap constraints to keep Niskanen and Jokinen?

I'd keep at least Gibbons, Megna, and Sutter. I'd like to keep Goc since his style of play is what this team is missing. Unless Stemp is really cheap or one of the the top 6 forwards is traded I'd just let him walk.

I know we can't keep everyone, but I talk to everyone to see where we stand, and I prioritize in the order I showed.

That doesn't mean we sign each guy before the next. It's just how I rank their value. But the price has to be right.

 

[element1286]

I know we can't keep everyone, but I talk to everyone to see where we stand, and I prioritize in the order I showed.

That doesn't mean we sign each guy before the next. It's just how I rank their value. But the price has to be right.

Gotcha, makes sense.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I would really like to see us trade Letang somehow. That's a nightmare contract. If there's a reason to fire Shero it's because of that contract.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Niskanen is as good as gone IMO. He'll want big bucks & we would be fools to give it to him.

Would love to keep Jokinen but he'll want to get paid as well.

Key is to dump Letang & Scuderi's contracts. If we could do that we could make some good moves. Otherwise we're stuck.

 

[element1286]

I really don't see them dumping many contracts, except maybe Neal.

And if Shero is gone, I think there is less of a chance they move anyone of significance. A new GM will see the roster, and think to himself he's got plenty of talent, just fill out the roster with some glue guys and move on. Which honestly is about all they need, aside from a new system. I don't think they need to blow it up all at once.

If Shero stays I think it's more likely they move someone big. Trying to justify to management his job.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

If the new GM can't start dumping bad contracts, might as well keep Shero.

 

[scoutyjones2]

I move Neal to keep Stemp, Goc, Megna and Gibbons. With the return of Duper I think there is plenty of scoring and solid 2 way forwards, especially with Sutter coming into his home and showing he's actually better than Jordan Staal. That gives you Sid, Geno, Duper, Jussi, Stemp, Goc, Sutter, Megna, Gibbons, Vitale, and Bennett. that's still a very good team. Add Letang as an Engelland type for next year...D and forward.

Tell Scuds to take a walk, Orpik's career is over and I wish him well.

Play the young D...Despres, Borts, Maata. Keep Engo, and try to keep Nisky but he's probably going to see a huge contract. Start letting pouliout see some time and go after another stay at home D man. Hell, keep one of Disco's pets in Glass but Adams must go.

I suspect Abysmal gets one more year