Pittsburgh Penguins Thread

[Fubar The Sperm 1]

I mean if the cap keeps going up 7 or 8 million won't seem as large in 3 or 4 years.

[Fenxis 99]

You do know that the Penguins owner is a multi-billionaire, right?

SIgned for a 7.5 cap hit in Minny... my thought on the 8.6 max was as much symbolic as anything.

[Zach6668 513]

Well, when it's 13 years, the trade off for the player is a lower AAV. I heard the Pens were offering 10 years.

[dEv~ 19]

http://twitpic.com/a3yak9

[MapleLeafpoker 1,462]

So, since you guys read much more Pens stuff then I do, here's a question.Why trade Michalek, if Parise wasnt a shoo in? Or was it to clear space in general, cause right now Im thinking Pittsburgh could use a D like Michalek. Am I wrong?

[Zach6668 513]

Yeah, I don't really understand that either. I guess they wanted to switch SOMETHING from the defensive disaster that happened in the playoffs. And while Michalek didn't have the best season, he certainly wasn't completely useless. They still need to replace him. Despres will probably be a regular this year, but still not loving the bottom 2 or 3 d-men. Pens could use a top 6 winger to replace Sullivan. I bet they do a 1-year deal with someone mediocre after striking out on the long term plan. They certainly won't spend good money on a mediocre player for too long. There'll be more free agents next season.

[serge 904]

Penguins are on a tear signing AHLers.Signed Phillipe(not Pascal) Dupuis to a two way deal.Didnt work out in Toronto..Never liked him to be honest...Cocky Montreal Canadiens fan.

[Zach6668 513]

Yeah, unless we get hit with the plague, he'll never see the NHL.Guess they needed to replace a bunch of their AHLers. There's usually pretty high turnover among the career AHL-types, always getting 1 year deals, always moving around to get the best money, etc.

[doox 15]

I thought the Michalek deal was part of something bigger yet to come, but I really don't understand it at this point. We're in need of a shut-down defenseman, now.

[dEv~ 19]

Michalek was a bigger liability than Martin was last year but for some reason Martin was always the bigger lightning rod. I think they are both good players but I think it's less of an adjustment to their playing style for Martin.I think Shero is going to pull off a couple solid short term signings with hopefully leaving themselves more cap space to use at the deadline. Why not give Tangradi a true shot. Put him on a line with Sid/Dupius. Let him disrupt in front of the net and open up room for them. Despres is ready to go as well. Also the pens have an embarrassing amount of young d prospects. Maybe package a couple of them for a winger somewhere.

[Zach6668 513]

Unless Despres has a beyond awful camp, he should be basically a lock for a top 6 job to start the season.

[MapleLeafpoker 1,462]

Michalek was a bigger liability than Martin was last year

wow, is this true? I admit I didn't see a lot of him last year, and certainly not as much as you did, but I didn't get this impression. I thought he was a stud in Phoenix, always been a big fan of Z's game. Not flashy, but very steady.

[Zach6668 513]

I dunno, I thought he was ok. He took a step back from the year before, as did Martin. I think they were speculating that he was basically hurt all season, just playing through it. No idea what is true, obviously.The Martin bashing is/was way over the top. I mean, he certainly wasn't great, but he wasn't a huge pile of shit either. He took a step back, of course. I think the biggest thing was these two guys were paired together most of the time, and both of them struggling probably perpetuated each others struggles.

[dEv~ 19]

I was a big fan of both in their first season but last year was just bad all around. Spliting them up helped them but it hurt both Orpik and Letang. Orpik especially playing with Z. Letang was better able to cover for Martin.Injuries could have certainly been a factor but I was more dissapointed with Z's play. It could be perhaps because I held him to a higher standard than Martin though. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a beast back in Phx as I just don't think he was a great fit in Bylsma's system.

[dEv~ 19]

The Pens haven't gotten better this offseason. Sure having Crosby for a whole year (finger's crossed, knock on wood, etc) will help but I don't think they got better anywhere else. Moves are to be made and guys are going to be given opportunities to step up but I really hope they add a piece or two from the outside. Guess I gotta keep going back to the statement above my avatar.I'm guessing Doan's visit in NY didn't go as planned and may have triggered this deal. Funny thing is that I can see Doan fitting that system a lot better than Nash will.

[Zach6668 513]

Yawn, it's July 23rd.

[dEv~ 19]

Yawn, it's July 23rd.

Obviously I'm being a little over-dramatic but seeing these teams adding these major players is a little uncomfortable. Doesn't compare to the feeling I get when I hear the word lockout though.

[Zach6668 513]

I don't really know why anyone would worry about stuff like this. I mean, I trust Shero is going to put out the best roster he possibly can, and I trust he can get it done.The message board people are losing their minds, and it's completely mind blowing to me.

[dEv~ 19]

[Zach6668 513]

I use that line all the time. I'm elitist, though and think I'm smarter than everyone.

[dEv~ 19]

I use that line all the time. I'm elitist, though and think I'm smarter than everyone.

Zach is right about pretty much everything.

[Zach6668 513]

LETS GO PITTSBURGH

That too tho

[LongLiveYorke 38]

I don't really know why anyone would worry about stuff like this. I mean, I trust Shero is going to put out the best roster he possibly can, and I trust he can get it done.The message board people are losing their minds, and it's completely mind blowing to me.

Uh, those guys know you have Crosby and Malkin, right?

[dEv~ 19]

The Pens fans on these boards tend to be a little more educated than those other places. They are full of people that have been fans for 5 years tops and barely paid any attention from 2001-2006. If I didn't leave town from 2006-2011 I would have been at least in my 5th year as a season ticket holder by now. They couldn't give away tickets back then and now their season ticket waiting list is over 4,300 according to their site. I'm currently debating joining it.

[doox 15]

Pittsburgh fans, in a general sense, are starting to become a bit delusional and entitled. We're spoiled by having arguably the best player in the league at any given time, on our roster, for the majority of the past 25 seasons or so. A lot of fans around here not only expect us to be in play for any major free agent on the trading block, but also get upset when said player has the audacity to sign somewhere else, or not come here to play at a discount for the honor of playing in Pittsburgh. That's why so many fans felt stabbed in the back by Hossa, Jagr, and to a smaller degree - Parise.