UFA Shopping List

[Pitts]

I'm not sure why someone who is Doan's age would move to a less successful team.

I see what you did there! I'd take Doan in a heartbeat as that "Gary Roberts" vet to set this team straight again.

[Pitts]

1 - I like Michalek but don't know if he fits on the team with the development of Despres and retaining Nisky (who unlike Z has thrived in Pittsburgh). Assuming Despres starts 3rd pairing with Engel I don't see
Letang-Orpik / Letang-Michalek
Michalek-Nisky / Orpik-Nisky
as addressing the problems (mainly lack of size) exposed in the playoffs.

Okay, Michalek "thrived" in Pittsburgh the year before last. So, to say Nisky thrived after one decent season is a stretch. What happens next season if he reverts to the Nisky form that had people chasing him out of town before last season?

I like and want to keep Michalek. He just needs the right paring to allow him to settle back into his role as shot blocker extraordinaire. I also believe that Niskanen earned another chance with his play last season. IMO, if they can find a way to move Martin this summer, they will. I seriously don't know what that means for the umpteen other d-mn the Pens have! I like Engelland as both a defender and fighter, but also think Despres needs a full time role. There really doesn't seem to be room for any UFA here. Do they make a BOLD move and trade Letang for Bobby Ryan (or similar)??

[shmenguin]

At this point I'd like to see Kennedy shipped out, if only to send the message to the players not to get too comfortable with their spots after this string of early exits

getting rid of one of the hardest working guys on the team sends what message now?

[canaan]

kennedy is one of the hardest working guys on the team?

[shmenguin]

kennedy is one of the hardest working guys on the team?

yes

[Pitts]

At this point I'd like to see Kennedy shipped out, if only to send the message to the players not to get too comfortable with their spots after this string of early exits

getting rid of one of the hardest working guys on the team sends what message now?

That no one is safe. It is a tactic often used to send a message.

[Luckybreak]

1 - I like Michalek but don't know if he fits on the team with the development of Despres and retaining Nisky (who unlike Z has thrived in Pittsburgh). Assuming Despres starts 3rd pairing with Engel I don't see
Letang-Orpik / Letang-Michalek
Michalek-Nisky / Orpik-Nisky
as addressing the problems (mainly lack of size) exposed in the playoffs.

Okay, Michalek "thrived" in Pittsburgh the year before last. So, to say Nisky thrived after one decent season is a stretch. What happens next season if he reverts to the Nisky form that had people chasing him out of town before last season?

I like and want to keep Michalek. He just needs the right paring to allow him to settle back into his role as shot blocker extraordinaire. I also believe that Niskanen earned another chance with his play last season. IMO, if they can find a way to move Martin this summer, they will. I seriously don't know what that means for the umpteen other d-mn the Pens have! I like Engelland as both a defender and fighter, but also think Despres needs a full time role. There really doesn't seem to be room for any UFA here. Do they make a BOLD move and trade Letang for Bobby Ryan (or similar)??

I said I like Michalek, never said he played badly, and that was not my point. My point was (as you also said) that Nisky earned a spot, Engel is great in his role, Despres needs to be playing, and even if Martin is moved we have not addressed the perceived lack of size on D.

The closest thing to 'the right pairing' for Michalek is presumably Orpik for a shutdown unit, but then who would Letang partner? Whilst I think Michalek is great it seems a choice must be made between retaining Nisky or keeping Michalek as they don't both fit, otherwise the team will face the same issues being dominated in their own end.

[meecrofilm]

At this point I'd like to see Kennedy shipped out, if only to send the message to the players not to get too comfortable with their spots after this string of early exits

getting rid of one of the hardest working guys on the team sends what message now?

That no one is safe. It is a tactic often used to send a message.

A lot of players are in fact safe though.

[Pitts]

At this point I'd like to see Kennedy shipped out, if only to send the message to the players not to get too comfortable with their spots after this string of early exits

getting rid of one of the hardest working guys on the team sends what message now?

That no one is safe. It is a tactic often used to send a message.

A lot of players are in fact safe though.

Crosby and Malkin are probably the only true "safe" ones.

[shmenguin]

At this point I'd like to see Kennedy shipped out, if only to send the message to the players not to get too comfortable with their spots after this string of early exits

getting rid of one of the hardest working guys on the team sends what message now?

That no one is safe. It is a tactic often used to send a message.

examples of comparable situations?

[Malkamaniac]

Niskanen is thriving here because when Zubov left Dallas, Niskanen was un-sheltered from the ridiculousness of being thrown out as a first pair D guy at a super young age with no real support. Make no mistake about it for him in Dallas. He performed until he was put on his own, killing his confidence/play. I don't think he'd have to worry about that here.

[Idoit40fans]

Alex Zhitnik

[KG]

Alex Zhitnik

for Braydon Coburn....great trade by Philly...horrible trade by Waddell...one of his last in Atlanta...

[BigMcK]

At this point I'd like to see Kennedy shipped out, if only to send the message to the players not to get too comfortable with their spots after this string of early exits

getting rid of one of the hardest working guys on the team sends what message now?

That no one is safe. It is a tactic often used to send a message.

examples of comparable situations?

'C' Mike Richards to the Kings? To trade your Captain sends a message and would make most players uneasy about their long-term tenure, I would think.

[Malkamaniac]

I don't think they traded C to just be traded. Richards said and did all he could to explain that he wasn't happy with the situation in Philly.

He hated the media, he hated the spot light, and he partied like a rock star. He's not the show anymore in LA, and he's pretty much continuing or thriving with more consistency now.

[BigMcK]

Would Joe Thornton qualify? It was, what 6 - 7 years ago?

[Pitts]

Would Joe Thornton qualify? It was, what 6 - 7 years ago?

More recent - Phil Kessel?

[SolidSnake]

Alexei Zhamnov

[Froggy]

and those guys relate to tyler kennedy how?

[columbia]

It's conceivable that they wouldn't re-sign him, but Kennedy isn't getting traded.

[Froggy]

It's conceivable that they wouldn't re-sign him, but Kennedy isn't getting traded.

right, i was just saying that trading your petulant man-child of a captain sends a message. trading a pretty unoffensive 3rd liner doesnt

[shmenguin]

unless kennedy also likes the smell of cocaine, i don't see how him and richards are comparable.

still waiting to hear an example of a guy getting traded just for the sake of making other guys uncomfortable

[sil]

unless kennedy also likes the smell of cocaine, i don't see how him and richards are comparable.

still waiting to hear an example of a guy getting traded just for the sake of making other guys uncomfortable

I'm pretty sure the Caputi for Ponikarovsky trade was done just to make me feel uncomfortable.

[Idoit40fans]

I don't think they traded C to just be traded. Richards said and did all he could to explain that he wasn't happy with the situation in Philly.

He hated the media, he hated the spot light, and he partied like a rock star. He's not the show anymore in LA, and he's pretty much continuing or thriving with more consistency now.

Uh...he loved the spotlight, I feel like that was the problem.

[Samsdog]

unless kennedy also likes the smell of cocaine, i don't see how him and richards are comparable.

still waiting to hear an example of a guy getting traded just for the sake of making other guys uncomfortable

Carter and Richards traded out to make room for a perceived upgrade (Bryzgalov) in addition to telling the team that only the Cup was acceptable. Kennedy trade to make room for an upgrade-more physical third-liner (Gaustad or similar) that can play the PK in addition to telling the team that only the Cup is acceptable. I fail to see how the situations aren't comparable aside from scale. Sure Carter and Richards were causing their own problems but frankly the problems were used by the media as an excuse for the shake up; they were traded to shake up the structure of the team but the media didn't want to hear it. Additionally, there's no one in the forward corps that's easily singled out, but they were a large part of the defensive problems. So the options are to throw your hands up and say "let's just blame it on the coach and hope it gets sorted out next year" or do something about it. If you pick the latter, who do you move then? Guys that play with and make the superstars comfortable? Guys who actually take special teams time? Not saying you have to make a move, but if you're in the camp that the status quo isn't working, as I am, then the suggestion merits actual consideration.