Pens persuing R.Niedermayer

[pixburgher66]

whhhhhhat? The Insider on Pittsburgh Sports is reporting. normally i'd take this as kinda a grain of salt, but DePaoli (guy who runs TIOPS) has been SOLID this offseason in rumors. apparently he's saying that he has to be reassured the 3rd line C job. so this would mean Staalsie would move up to 2nd line C and Geno to the wing. it's an interesting idea...and honestly with our lack of wingers right now i wouldn't be surprised if this happened, especially with the lack of wingers on the market. shero's apparently pushing hard for him. though, with only 2 mil to work with, obviously Rob would be taking a 1/2 year cheap deal. this really surprised me...

 

[HonusWagner66]

Is there anyway we could get Scott instead?

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

Is there anyway we could get Scott instead?

yes... but you have to be sure to get the DeLorean up to 88mph

 

[pixburgher66]

i wouldn't mind rob. but then what's the point of getting him instead of the winger in guerin? i guess they're looking for a shakeup up front in general, out with the old in with the new to the team old.

 

[pixburgher66]

pens are also rumored to be persuing jeff halpern. another center. apparently they're going for the staal/geno/somebody 2nd line.

 

[JustAsking]

Ah, Malkin better move the wing, not Staal. Staal is a much better center than Geno.

Lines should be

Malkin-Sid-Dupuis (like errey of the old, fast defensive forward)
Kunitz-Staal-Tangradi (he needs to step up this year)
Cooke-Letestu-Kennedy
Rupp-Talbot-Adams
Goddard

The Pens have about 2 million in cap space. You need about 1 million for wiggle room throughout the year. Therefore Pens have just over 1 million in cap space then. Well, the 7th d-man takes up 500K. The Pens have about 500K left in cap space... Letestu makes about 500K. Pens have zero left in cap space. In my opinion, if the Pens want to leave that 1 million wiggle room that Shero likes, they can not sign anyone else.

 

[HonusWagner66]

Staal is a much better center than Geno.

WHAT?!?

No.

Absolutely not.

At all.

No.

Staal is marginally better at faceoffs than Malkin, but isn't great at that himself.

Should Malkin move to wing instead of Staal? Sure. I can understand the argument for it. The disparity between Malkin and Staal at wing is more than Malkin and Staal at center. But Staal is no where near as good a center as Malkin. Not even close.

 

[ELYEAH82]

WHAT?!?

No.

Absolutely not.

At all.

No.

Staal is marginally better at faceoffs than Malkin, but isn't great at that himself.

Should Malkin move to wing instead of Staal? Sure. I can understand the argument for it. The disparity between Malkin and Staal at wing is more than Malkin and Staal at center. But Staal is no where near as good a center as Malkin. Not even close.

Dude you are stoned. Staal is a better center than Malkin, offensively Malkin has an edge but defensively Staal has a ridiculous edge. I would also think given the chance on the 1st PP and 2nd/1st line duty Geno gets JS would be right there offensively.

 

[pixburgher66]

you can't compare malkin and staal in that regard. different players. staal is, technically speaking, a better 'center' because he's a better faceoff man, better shutdown/defense guy, and decent at distribution.

 

[HonusWagner66]

Dude you are stoned. Staal is a better center than Malkin, offensively Malkin has an edge but defensively Staal has a ridiculous edge. I would also think given the chance on the 1st PP and 2nd/1st line duty Geno gets JS would be right there offensively.

Malkin's edge on offense is massive. Staal's edge on defense isn't. It was just a year ago people were saying how Malkin could be considered a Selke finalist. Last season he still finished with twice as many takeaways as Staal.

There is so much more to playing center than taking faceoffs, which Malkin was slightly worse at during the regular season and better at in the playoffs. Both are below average.

Malkin is vastly superior at leading a rush and carrying the puck up ice.

Malkin is vastly superior at distributing the puck to his wingers.

His on-ice vision makes Staal look like Ray Charles.

Malkin's shot is way better than Staal's.

Malkin is better at possessing the puck than Staal.

The only thing Staal does better than Malkin is being in better position defensively and throwing more hits, but that's his role.

Calling Staal a better center than Malkin is asinine. Staal's a good shutdown center. Malkin's a top 5 center in the league.

Jesus.

 

[HonusWagner66]

Being better defensively =/= being a better center.

 

[HonusWagner66]

Nor does being a better at faceoffs.

Otherwise David Steckel would be an All-Star.

 

[HonusWagner66]

And there's no way in hell Staal getting more power play time would put him at Malkin's level offensively. Malkin has hit 100+ points twice and played at a 95-point/82 game pace last season in his "down year". Staal has yet to hit 50 points. Malkin's assist total has matched Staal's career high in points each year he has been in the league. Staal winning 5% more of his faceoffs and playing more sound defense doesn't make up for that.

Edit to an above post: Staal had a better faceoff % in the playoffs last year. Looked at the the Cup season when posted.

 

[scottflyers88]

you guys seem to be in a similar situation as us. we have briere or carter at center. briere can produce from the wing although he is much better offensively at center. carter is better at center and not as good offensively from the wing and he is better defensively than briere.

you just have to find out which one helps out the team more.

 

[HonusWagner66]

I think to get max value out of them playing together would be to have Malkin play wing and Staal player center because Malkin is about 150x a better wing than Staal, while being only about 50x a better center than Staal.

*Multiplier of times better Malkin is at each position is exaggerated for effect*

 

[HonusWagner66]

Of course they can't lose Malkin's ability to carry the puck up ice, or limit his playmaking abilities. Both of which are near the top in the league.

I'd rather just keep the three centers deep lineup and fill in the wings with what we've got.

 

[HonusWagner66]

...Staal gets plenty of ice time anyways so it's not like they're wasting a good player on the third line.

 

[HonusWagner66]

One last thing. And there's a reason Staal hasn't been given a top six role or top power play minutes. He hasn't belonged there. He at least hasn't proven he does in the numerous chances he's been given. It's not like you are seeing something the Penguins' coaching staff isn't. Dan Bylsma isn't oblivious to this 100-point player he has stuck on the third line and 2nd power play unit. If Staal was as good as Malkin, even the worst hockey coach in the league would be able to judge that and give him an the appropriate role.

 

[Darkstone42]

I said this last year and I'll say it again:

Staal and Malkin should be on the same line, as they produce well together. Staal should be the center of that line, technically speaking, and Malkin should play left wing. Staal will take faceoffs and take care of the defensive responsbilities of a center. Malkin will carry the puck up-ice and play the offensive role of a center. All they have to do is rotate on the breakout. Both of them would likely see increases in production in this scenario.

Kunitz - Crosby - Dupuis (Tons of speed and grit, and great along the boards.)
Malkin - Staal - Tangradi (What a physical presence that line would have!)
Cooke - Talbot - Kennedy
Rupp - Adams - Letestu/Godard

If a free agent top-six forward upgrade comes in, give him to Crosby and bump Kunitz to the third line, Talbot to the fourth, and Letestu/Godard will be depth.

 

[HonusWagner66]

If a free agent top-six forward upgrade comes in, give him to Crosby and bump Kunitz to the third line, Talbot to the fourth, and Letestu/Godard will be depth.

You'd take Kuntiz out of the top six before Dupuis? I'd keep Kunitz. He is a better goal scorer and more physical.

As long as you don't say Jordan Staal is a better center than Evgeni freakin' Malkin, I won't give you too hard a time though...