2024-2025 Season Random Penguins Fodder

[TexasPenguins]

Unfortunately, this is Rickard Rakell...not Jake Guentzel, Mitch Marner, or Miko Rantanen. Rakell is a good player and he has term left. He's a 3rd tier player, if you are putting guys like Crosby, MacKinnon, McDavid in the top tier, Marner, Guentzel, Rantanen types in the 2nd tier. Rakell has never eclipsed 70 points in a season. This will be his 3rd 30+ goal season, but his last 2 30+ goal seasons came 8 years ago.

In a best case scenario, Rakell brings in a 1st, a high end B-level prospect, and a roster player. If Dubas gets more than that, then he's pulled off a miracle.

As for the marketing side of things, I'm excited by the prospects of maybe 2 years down the road, Pickering and Brunicke on defense, McGroarty, Koivunen, and Broz somewhere up front, and Murashov and Blomqvist potentially in goal...but I also think we need to obtain some higher end young guys in that mix, via both the draft and via trade.

Dallas gave up a 2025 first and 4th rounder for that bum Granland and Cody Ceci. I expect the Pens to be able to get far better than that for Rakell who is a better goal scorer and is under contract for 3 more years. It’s a sellers market.

Great, so Team X gives us a 2026 1st, a 2025 2nd, and a 2026 3rd. That's better than Granlund. What does that buy us? Nothing that is going to help Dubas achieve his goal of trying to give Crosby 1 more run at a Cup. None of those picks are going to help us in the next 4 years.

I would prioritize a 20 year old former 1st round draft choice who plays center....someone like Greentree, or an under 24 young guy with a lot of upside, someone like JJ Peterka. But to think we'll get a good A-level prospect / good young NHLer AND a 1st round pick....that's probably expecting too much.

EDIT: I'll add that, I don't think Dubas will be able to get this team to where it needs to be by next season. With that said, I think Malkin is done next year. Finishes out his contract and hangs em up. He'll be 39 to start the season. He's not going to hit 20 goals this year, which will be only the 2nd time in his career he hasn't hit 20 or hasn't been on pace for more than 20 (the other being 20-21 when he was injured, he had 8 goals in 33 games). If Malkin is done after 25-26, this team desparately needs to find a top 6 center. Maybe they draft one in a Misa, McQueen, Frondell, Hagens, or Desnoyers...but banking on that drafted player to be ready after sitting out only 1 extra year in Juniors is asking a bit much.

You believe the goal is to make a run at the cup in the next three years?

[Victor]

Greentree+ for Rakell sounds reasonably fair. Greentree is a big skilled winger, something the Penguins could really benefit in the next few years. Plus he has the "C" for Windsor in the OHL and wears #66.

As usual for young power forwards, his acceleration needs work for the NHL level.

[KG]

Murashov recalled from Wheeling to WBS. Wonder a goalie got hurt?

[Michael74]

https://www.si.com/onsi/breakaway/news- ... jj-peterka

Wonder what it would cost.

I'm NOT giving up any of OUR 1sts in each of the next three drafts however.

McGroarty I'd also wanna hold onto.

The Rags 1st and Koivunen I'd possibly move. For JJ and a '26 3rd. That Rangers pick could be almost anywhere though. Just spitballin

[DelPen]

Murashov recalled from Wheeling to WBS. Wonder a goalie got hurt?

AHL roster eligibility for playoffs is also Friday, it sure how that works from the ECHL up but could explain it. Certainly something I forgot about as to why Blomqvist would be sent down anyways.

[Michael74]

Greentree+ for Rakell sounds reasonably fair. Greentree is a big skilled winger, something the Penguins could really benefit in the next few years. Plus he has the "C" for Windsor in the OHL and wears #66.

As usual for young power forwards, his acceleration needs work for the NHL level.

I watched some highlights and I see that. We really don't want a guy who isn't fleet of foot. He cruises around there pretty well but I agree, his acceleration is ''meh''.

[Pitts]

Murashov recalled from Wheeling to WBS. Wonder a goalie got hurt?

Or getting traded? With Murashov looking like the REAL future for the Pens, I would not be against moving any other goalie.

[Victor]

https://www.si.com/onsi/breakaway/news- ... jj-peterka

Wonder what it would cost.

He's playing top line minutes and producing and producing well, almost 70 points per 82 games. Maybe he does not want to sign there, as he's a RFA at the end of this season? Cap space is not even an issue for Buffalo.

[Michael74]

https://www.si.com/onsi/breakaway/news- ... jj-peterka

Wonder what it would cost.

He's playing top line minutes and producing and producing well, almost 70 points per 82 games. Maybe he does not want to sign there, as he's a RFA at the end of this season? Cap space is not even an issue for Buffalo.

That sounds about right to me.

[FLPensFan]

Looks like Kolyachonok is going to get into the lineup tonight

[dark_forces]

https://www.si.com/onsi/breakaway/news- ... jj-peterka

Wonder what it would cost.

He's playing top line minutes and producing and producing well, almost 70 points per 82 games. Maybe he does not want to sign there, as he's a RFA at the end of this season? Cap space is not even an issue for Buffalo.

That sounds about right to me.

That also coincides with Friedman's continued reporting that Pittsburgh has ongoing interest in some of Buffalo's young players. He would be at the top of my list and if I were to deal the Rangers 1st round pick, it would make sense to start there. Though, I'm sure it would cost more than that to acquire him. You'd probably have to add a at least a B+ prospect and adequate NHL roster player.

[offsides]

Looks like Kolyachonok is going to get into the lineup tonight

Sounds good and Bout time. Hopefully he gets mote than 2 minutes of TOI. I'd like to see what he got.

[Pens4Life]

lines and D-pairs at morning skate in Denver:

Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Beauvillier-Malkin-Tomasino
Heinen-Hayes-Bemstrom
Lizotte-Glass-Acciari

Shea-Letang
Grzelcyk-Karlsson
Kolyachonok-Desharnais

[Pruezy11881]

Good god...Shea on the top pairing??

[Maestro]

lines and D-pairs at morning skate in Denver:

Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Beauvillier-Malkin-Tomasino
Heinen-Hayes-Bemstrom
Lizotte-Glass-Acciari

Shea-Letang
Grzelcyk-Karlsson
Kolyachonok-Desharnais

yikes lines 2-4 are frighteningly awful.

[offsides]

lines and D-pairs at morning skate in Denver:

Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Beauvillier-Malkin-Tomasino
Heinen-Hayes-Bemstrom
Lizotte-Glass-Acciari

Shea-Letang
Grzelcyk-Karlsson
Kolyachonok-Desharnais

Looks like good lines for a regulation loss which is what we want, right?

[KG]

lines and D-pairs at morning skate in Denver:

Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Beauvillier-Malkin-Tomasino
Heinen-Hayes-Bemstrom
Lizotte-Glass-Acciari

Shea-Letang
Grzelcyk-Karlsson
Kolyachonok-Desharnais

Looks like good lines for a regulation loss which is what we want, right?

Take the L. Hope for Sid to get at least 1 point. Kolyachonok to look solid. No injuries!

[Pens4Life]

lines and D-pairs at morning skate in Denver:

Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Beauvillier-Malkin-Tomasino
Heinen-Hayes-Bemstrom
Lizotte-Glass-Acciari

Shea-Letang
Grzelcyk-Karlsson
Kolyachonok-Desharnais

yikes lines 2-4 are frighteningly awful.

Better than before.. these lines are at least logical a bit..
Before we had Nieto - Lizotte - Acciari as 4th.. this one is better

Also Tomasino for Glass on 2nd line, also better..
Bemstrom on 3rd line,also more logical as 4th line.

Finally Kolyachonok on D...good

I dont expect any youth revolution this season OR until Sully is here..

[Tico Rick]

Good god...Shea on the top pairing??

Hey, do you want a top 5 draft pick or not?

[thehockeyguru]

lines and D-pairs at morning skate in Denver:

Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Beauvillier-Malkin-Tomasino
Heinen-Hayes-Bemstrom
Lizotte-Glass-Acciari

Shea-Letang
Grzelcyk-Karlsson
Kolyachonok-Desharnais

yikes lines 2-4 are frighteningly awful.

Better than before.. these lines are at least logical a bit..
Before we had Nieto - Lizotte - Acciari as 4th.. this one is better

Also Tomasino for Glass on 2nd line, also better..
Bemstrom on 3rd line,also more logical as 4th line.

Finally Kolyachonok on D...good

I dont expect any youth revolution this season OR until Sully is here..

Figures Vladislav Kolychonok Day falls on a west coast trip. Sully is definitely messing with us

[Maestro]

lines and D-pairs at morning skate in Denver:

Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Beauvillier-Malkin-Tomasino
Heinen-Hayes-Bemstrom
Lizotte-Glass-Acciari

Shea-Letang
Grzelcyk-Karlsson
Kolyachonok-Desharnais

yikes lines 2-4 are frighteningly awful.

Better than before.. these lines are at least logical a bit..
Before we had Nieto - Lizotte - Acciari as 4th.. this one is better

Also Tomasino for Glass on 2nd line, also better..
Bemstrom on 3rd line,also more logical as 4th line.

Finally Kolyachonok on D...good

I dont expect any youth revolution this season OR until Sully is here..

Thank you. I needed a bit of optimism. LGP!

[Victor]

WBS lost 4-1. Larsson was in net, Murashov as backup.

Nieto had an assist

[Wyopen]

Speaking of WBS, whenever I see the lineups, Pickering is on the third D pairing. If he’s our best prospect why this pairing?

[Pens4Life]

Speaking of WBS, whenever I see the lineups, Pickering is on the third D pairing. If he’s our best prospect why this pairing?

hm,that is odd - are Kral and Aho on first 2 LD spots?

[Wyopen]

Speaking of WBS, whenever I see the lineups, Pickering is on the third D pairing. If he’s our best prospect why this pairing?

hm,that is odd - are Kral and Aho on first 2 LD spots?

I know Kral is. If I’m not mistaken Aho just came back from injury.