Which players to keep for next season?

[Pens4Life]

My choice :
C : Malkin, Crosby, Malone (i would keep him on C), Talbot (here we are covered)
LW ; Surovy, Christensen (if Malone wont play C ok,they could switch)
soo we are 1 LW short - opinions?, Murley maybe, Carcillo ???
RW ; Ouellet, Armstrong, Recchi (?) , 1 RW short
DL ; Gonchar, Whitney, Orpik, Welch, Scuderi, Lannon
DR ; Jackman, ????? here we are short

[puckad]

Gonchar and Whitney are right defensemen?

[DelPen]

We can't assume anyone under contract for next year won't be back. So that means Cairns, Caron, Endicott, Jackman, LeClair, Melichar, Ouellet, Recchi, Scuderi, Talbot, Thibault, Whitney, Crosby, Roy, and Gonchar all have to be factored in here or in WBS. Out of those players, Thibault and Endicott are the only ones not making the Pens. That leaves 1 G, 2 D and 7 F to resign or promote from WBS or sign as draft picks. Fleury, Orpik, Welch, Malkin, Murley, Christensen, Malone, Armstrong, Surovy and Koltsov have the inside track now.

Now as far as a line up goes:

Surovy-Crosby-Arsmtrong
Malone-Malkin-Ouellet
Leclair-Christensen-Recchi
Murley-Talbot-Roy

Gonchar-Orpik
Whitney-Welch
Jackman-Scuderi

Fleury

Caron, Koltsov, Melichar and Cairns are the frequent benchings.


But that all being said I would not be surprised to see Leclair, Recchi, Jackman and Melichar all moved at the deadline to playoff teams looking for depth. I'd almost put money on Melichar ending up in NY and Jackman ending up in Philly.

[Peter]

Keep recchi, because who else will do the recchi hop hop hop?
keep LeClair because he screens goalies
trade crosby and gonchar for ovechkin
go into russia and kidnap malkin
keep orpik for Sharon
keep malone in his hometown
keep surovy because he's that damn good
keep caron

[Kicksave]

Keep recchi, because who else will do the recchi hop hop hop?
keep LeClair because he screens goalies
trade crosby and gonchar for ovechkin
go into russia and kidnap malkin
keep orpik for Sharon
keep malone in his hometown
keep surovy because he's that damn good
keep caron

There is no reason why you shouldn't have an NHL job right now

</sarcasm>

[Peter]

There is no reason why you shouldn't have an NHL job right now

</sarcasm>

Am I better than CP?

[OneTimer]

I'd almost put money on Melichar ending up in NY

I'll second that. I'm hoping Jackman stays. I think the Pens will keep Recchi. Hopefully, he's really not that poisionous to the team. LeClair is long gone just the team hasn't been decided yet.

I'm not confident Ouellet can keep his current pace. Christensen can continue to be good at faceoffs. This team desperately needs that from the third line center.

Here's the team I'd like to see next year:
Surovy-Crosby-Armstrong
Malone-Malkin-some Russian through FA or trade
Koltsov-Christensen-Recchi
Murley-Talbot-Roy
Ex: Ouellet, Boguniecki/Rita
Gonchar-Scuderi
Whitney-Welch
Orpik-Jackman
Ex:Cairns
Fleury - Caron

[PensFanBryan]

Well, There really arent many guys i would like to keep... Here are the guys i think we should keep though...

Forwards:
Crosby
Malone
Christensen
Oullet
Surovy
Murley (UFA, but by far our best PK... he needs to be re-signed)
Talbot
Hussey (UFA, but would be nice to keep for Depth)
Recchi (If he isnt traded before deadline this year)
Armstrong
Morozov (UFA, could be a great combo with either Crosby or Malkin)

Defenseman:
Gonchar ($5M tag means he will be back next year)
Whitney
Scuderi
Orpik

Goalies:
Fleury
Caron

To fill the rest of the team i would try to pick up some key FAs. Maybe a LW to fill the 1st or 2nd line.

[wondermoose]

If we draft Johnson will he be ready to play for next season?

[jmh70]

I don't know why everyone has Surovy-Crosby-Armstrong listed as the top line. It's already proven to be ineffective, which is why that line is no more. Army is only an energy guy and Surovy is the next Morozov. That line explains Crosby's lack of even strength production in the last month.

Malone-Crosby-Recchi A scoring line with speed and strength.
Surovy-Malkin-Ouellet Two decent finishers with Malkin = goals
Rita-Christensen-Army Good energy line with a few goals in it.
Murley-Talbot-Koltsov Everyone else

The defense it too depressing to list. Hopefully Gonchar will be dealt for someone who can actually play the position. Signing Chara would help, but I'm dreaming, of course.

Fleury
Tbo/Caron (one will get traded)

[PensFanBryan]

Why does everyone keep posting the same lines as this season. We are losing this season... why would we want to keep the same players? This thread is about who you want to keep for next season.

[DelPen]

Why does everyone keep posting the same lines as this season. We are losing this season... why would we want to keep the same players? This thread is about who you want to keep for next season.

Just because we all pretty much want to see Leclair gone doesn't mean he will be gone. You do understand NHL contracts are garunteed and we can't just cut him, right? Most of the guys we all want to be gone are under contract next year so we will be looking at the same team with a few tweaks like adding Malkin and Welch but other than that...

[wondermoose]

it takes 2-3 years at BEST for a defenseman to break into the league and be effective.

Dion Phaneuf was doing pretty well his rookie season last I checked.

[NIN]

it takes 2-3 years at BEST for a defenseman to break into the league and be effective.

Dion Phaneuf was doing pretty well his rookie season last I checked.

OH SNAP. mmmmmHHHMmmm. No you didnt! MMMMhhhhhmmmm ahhhhh DANG!

[netwolf]

Dion Phaneuf is also 20 years old and was drafted back in 2003, so it did take him 3 years to break into the league. Eric Johnson may be the best defensive prospect available, but he won't be ready to step into the NHL as an 18 or 19 year old this fall.

I also think you are underestimating how incredible it is for Phaneuf to be doing hat he's doing. 20 year olds do not step right into the roster like he has. Expecting any kid to duplicate that feat is unrealistic and borders on asinine.

[DelPen]

it takes 2-3 years at BEST for a defenseman to break into the league and be effective.

Dion Phaneuf was doing pretty well his rookie season last I checked.

OH SNAP. mmmmmHHHMmmm. No you didnt! MMMMhhhhhmmmm ahhhhh DANG!

But Phaneuf was drafted in 2003, played two more years in Red Deer and is now 20 going on 21 in April.

For a kid who is already 6-4, 225 at 17 and is a righty I'd be willing to wait for Erik Johnson.

[Pitts]

Crosby, Malone, Fleury, Orpik, Whitney, are all I care to keep out of this group. For all I care, they can make anyone else available for trade. There are the only 4 untouchables on the team and 1 I like for, YES, sentimental, local reasons. In my eyes, everyone else is replaceable.

[NIN]

it takes 2-3 years at BEST for a defenseman to break into the league and be effective.

Dion Phaneuf was doing pretty well his rookie season last I checked.

OH SNAP. mmmmmHHHMmmm. No you didnt! MMMMhhhhhmmmm ahhhhh DANG!

But Phaneuf was drafted in 2003, played two more years in Red Deer and is now 20 going on 21 in April.

For a kid who is already 6-4, 225 at 17 and is a righty I'd be willing to wait for Erik Johnson.

Absolutely, the more I read up on him the better I feel about drafting him over a Kessel or even Staal who I think will be the best player 3 years after and beyond. The thing that Penguin fans should know better than any other NHL fan is that 2 or 3 players don't equal one great one. Now that there is a cap there wont be any Lindros-esque trades ever again. If you got a Jagr caliber player available take him and keep him and if you cant afford him later make sure your GM isnt retarded.

[MrKnowNothing]

it takes 2-3 years at BEST for a defenseman to break into the league and be effective.

Dion Phaneuf was doing pretty well his rookie season last I checked.

OH SNAP. mmmmmHHHMmmm. No you didnt! MMMMhhhhhmmmm ahhhhh DANG!

But Phaneuf was drafted in 2003, played two more years in Red Deer and is now 20 going on 21 in April.

For a kid who is already 6-4, 225 at 17 and is a righty I'd be willing to wait for Erik Johnson.

There are people saying that Johnson is polished enough that he might be able to play right away.

Knowing the Pens, they will draft him and rush him to the NHL and ruin him.

[schreibdog]

Dion Phaneuf was doing pretty well his rookie season last I checked.

Maybe so, but he's obviously the exception, not the rule with young defensemen. And if the Pens drafted Phaneuf, knowing the way they've handled Whitney, Orpik, etc., they probably would have had him in WBS for a year anyhow.

[DelPen]

Knowing the Pens, they will draft him and rush him to the NHL and ruin him.

The only person they did it with ever was maybe Fleury. Crosby was ready, Whitney was ready and everyone else was well seasoned in WBS before getting the call up.

Unless of course you think there's some other players who were rushed? If anything this organization waits too long or never gives players chances like Kraft and Beech after Lang left.

[Redlight]

Forwards: Crosby, Surovy, Ouelett, Malone, Recchi, LeClair, Talbot, Armstrong

Defense: Gonchar, Jackman, Orpik, Whitney

Goalies: Fleury, Caron

[cojac]

CROSBY, MALONE, SUROVY, OUELLET, ARMSTRONG, RECCHI, LeCLAIR//// ORPIK, GONCHAR, WHITNEY, JACKMAN, CAIRNS, ////FLEURY, CARON

[Orpik Fan]

[quote="Peter"]
keep orpik for Sharon

Make sure CP knows that!!!

[Mad City Mike]

In consecutive posts we have:

Knowing the Pens, they will draft him [Erik Johnson] and rush him to the NHL and ruin him.

And if the Pens drafted Phaneuf, knowing the way they've handled Whitney, Orpik, etc., they probably would have had him in WBS for a year anyhow.

Now come on. You both can't be right, saying things 180 degrees apart here. I take schreibdog's side. They have shown zero inclination to rush defensemen. And besides, Phaneuf spent a year in juniors after he was drafted.