Eaton signed to a one year deal.

[Digitalgypsy66]

Per Pens Twitter...

http://t.co/vf516YuTX7

[Gaucho]

And here I thought I was joking ...

[Rocco]

Good, Bylsma will no longer have to vomit whenever he puts a rookie defenseman in the lineup. Now if they can just find another corpse at forward to play so he can bench Bennett he'll be fine.

[DelPen]

Good, he's better depth than Lovejoy and can kill penalties. I'd still try to work Despres and Bortuzzo in as much as possible but having Eaton as a fall back is not bad at all.

[columbia]

lol

This should be interesting.

[SolidSnake]

It's a no lose situation, I'm fine with it.

[sharpshootr55]

Possible trade coming? I don't see the point of having 2 D-men as healthy scratches every game during the regular season.

[Tico Rick]

Plan the Stanley Cup parade.

Seriously, I don't mind this as a depth signing. I'd prefer a Stanley-Cup winner in the press box over a rookie.

[MarioLives]

Mind Boggling

[Gaucho]

I guess the plan is to play him as little as possible.

[npv708]

Here's why I like it (other than being a huge Eaton fan when he was with the Pens last time):

You have a bunch of young Dmen in the system and two vets, Martin and Orpik (tanger is still learning). Eaton has been around the block a few times in various roles and can bring some experience different from Orpik and Martin. Also, I'd feel more comfortable with Eaton as a replacement if we get hit by injury again.

[pcm]

Oh he'll get a few games here and there to make sure he's in game shape for the playoffs. I suppose a trade could be coming, but I doubt this is anything more than a depth signing.

I really like how our defense looks right now, so with the exception of Engelland, I hope Shero doesn't trade any defensemen from the roster.

[Gaucho]

Well, if the right offer comes along...

[Steve Dave]

So I'm guessing Malkin to IR to make room for Eaton. When Malkin returns, who goes? Boychuk? Dman trade?

[Rocco]

So I'm guessing Malkin to IR to make room for Eaton. When Malkin returns, who goes? Boychuk? Dman trade?

Despres goes back down.

[Gaucho]

So I'm guessing Malkin to IR to make room for Eaton. When Malkin returns, who goes? Boychuk? Dman trade?

Nobody has to go, we had a roster spot left. I think so, anyway.

[Idoit40fans]

Possible trade coming? I don't see the point of having 2 D-men as healthy scratches every game during the regular season.

I see the point to it in a regular season, its real easy to see the point in a compressed schedule.

[RisslingsMissingTeeth]

it is the signings like this that tarnish the RS star. mind blowing. This is not the Eaton people remember, this is the Eaton no other team valued.

[tfrizz]

So I'm guessing Malkin to IR to make room for Eaton. When Malkin returns, who goes? Boychuk? Dman trade?

Nobody has to go, we had a roster spot left. I think so, anyway.

14 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goalies. Someone will have to be moved when Malkin comes off IR as Eaton makes 8 defensemen.

[demondg1]

That's good Eaton.

[Gaucho]

it is the signings like this that tarnish the RS star. mind blowing. This is not the Eaton people remember, this is the Eaton no other team valued.

It's a pure depth signing, insurance. It tarnishes bupkis.

[Hawkeynut]

Am I missing something? Seems to me Despres and Bertuzzo were doing just fine in their limited roles. Why this?

I get that with Geno on IR opens a spot, but why fill it with a dman?

I confused.

[Defence21]

So I'm guessing Malkin to IR to make room for Eaton. When Malkin returns, who goes? Boychuk? Dman trade?

Nobody has to go, we had a roster spot left. I think so, anyway.

I don't think -- there were three scratches last night: Malkin, Boychuk, Bortuzzo. Malkin to IR creates room for Eaton temporarily, but when he is healthy, someone will have to go, and that someone likely is Boychuk.

As for the signing, I like it. As someone else said, it's a lot more reassuring having a been-there-done-that, Stanley Cup winning veteran in the press box than having a 29-year-old with fewer than one full season's worth of games under his belt. The playoffs are no joke, and Lovejoy showed last year what happens when an inexperienced bench player gets the nod...and it isn't pretty.

I don't expect Eaton to get much ice time, and I'd be very surprised if he pushes out either of the rookies. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if this singing signals the end for a guy like Niskanen (whom I'd prefer to see stay) or Engelland (whom I can live without).

[pcm]

Well, if the right offer comes along...

Yeah, it's true. We really don't need Despres right now with the emergence of Niskanen and Martin. But trading him seems like a fool's move, like trading Letang in 2009. I'd rather wait and see how Morrow or Harrington look in the NHL before trading one of them. And I don't think he's quite ready for top 4 minutes, so moving Niskanen is not really an option either without weakening the team (his trade value would be less than value to us). I suppose we could move Bort, but he looks like Orpik's replacement, ie. exactly the type of defensemen we're lacking.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

The Cup is ours!