Tomasino to PIT; 2027 4th rounder to NSH

[FLPensFan]

On the plus side, he's a former 1st rounder who has done a lot more with his time than Sam Poulin (from the same draft, Tomasino went 3 picks after Poulin). Can play all 3 forward positions, but has been a healthy scratch 10 times for a team just as bad as Pittsburgh.

In a vacuum, I don't mind taking a chance on a 23 year old former 1st rounder that hasn't fit in with Nashville. He has 23 goals, 71 points in 159 NHL games. On the other side...really hope this means someone else is being sent out of the roster (*cough, Acciari or Hayes)

[Puck-Lurker]

Don't like the move if it doesn't get accompanied by sending some old bum out of town.

Tomasino has no waivers exemption so there'll be grid lock on the roster.

[KG]

The 4th round pick is the Rangers pick, so that's good.

Poulin got sent down to make room for him on the roster...shocker.

Tomasino has some decent offensive skills. Unfortunately we have the immortal Beauvillier that needs to play in the top 6 so Tomasino will be miscast as a bottom 6 wing here.

[Skatingpen]

He’s better than what they would have picked in round 4. 23 years old, has some speed and pedigree. He will do well getting 4 minutes of ice time on the 4th line

[Pens4Life]

Solid pickup, that probably means Puljujarvi is next to be scratched..

[Daniel]

On the plus side, he's a former 1st rounder who has done a lot more with his time than Sam Poulin (from the same draft, Tomasino went 3 picks after Poulin). Can play all 3 forward positions, but has been a healthy scratch 10 times for a team just as bad as Pittsburgh.

In a vacuum, I don't mind taking a chance on a 23 year old former 1st rounder that hasn't fit in with Nashville. He has 23 goals, 71 points in 159 NHL games. On the other side...really hope this means someone else is being sent out of the roster (*cough, Acciari or Hayes)

Kind of a weird trade to be honest. I agree why not take a chance, but feels like spaghetti to the wall hoping it works kind of trade. With Acciari, Glass, Hayes, Lizotte, Nieto on the roster, kinda eh, but I'd love to see all of them gone (minus maybe Glass) and see what they have with Tomasino and others taking their place.

[Admin]

But our draft capital?

[Bo_Pens]

Pointless, just another band aid to dull the masses.

Rip the band aid off.

[FLPensFan]

Nashville writer stumped at the move:

[KG]

Sullivan is actively working on negotiating a long-term contract extension with Nieto. He needs to be in the lineup!!

[Admin]

Nashville writer stumped at the move:

Progressing but losing ice time. He'll fit in here just fine.

[Antonio]

Seriously. What the **** is the plan with this organization?

[Daniel]

Seriously. What the **** is the plan with this organization?

It's almost being run like an expansion team. Take a chance on young players, bring in older players. Have very few in their prime talent and hope to win in a few years.

[largegarlic]

I don't have any opinion on Tomasino (I don't recall him standing out from any Pens/Preds games), but I'm ok with this sort of trade generally. I think Dubas is rebuilding but isn't committed to the idea of a "burn it all down and totally suck for 4-5 years" rebuild. I think he wants to see if he can do it quicker than that. So, if he can trade a good prospect like Yager for another good prospect like McGroarty when the latter is closer to NHL-ready, he will. Or if he can trade a 2027 4th for a guy like Tomasino, who is in a bad situation but is youngish and already has a bunch of points in the NHL (something that 4th rounder is unlikely to ever have), he will.

[Cow_Master66]

Nothing not to like about this trade for the Pens. Only reason to not like it is if you are expecting something big that is gonna propel this team into the playoffs this season. That won’t happen unless some of the geezers are traded.

[dark_forces]

I don't have any opinion on Tomasino (I don't recall him standing out from any Pens/Preds games), but I'm ok with this sort of trade generally. I think Dubas is rebuilding but isn't committed to the idea of a "burn it all down and totally suck for 4-5 years" rebuild. I think he wants to see if he can do it quicker than that. So, if he can trade a good prospect like Yager for another good prospect like McGroarty when the latter is closer to NHL-ready, he will. Or if he can trade a 2027 4th for a guy like Tomasino, who is in a bad situation but is youngish and already has a bunch of points in the NHL (something that 4th rounder is unlikely to ever have), he will.

Your post sums it up perfectly. There's value in a trade like this. We need to keep steadily turning over the roster to younger, hungrier players who can skate.
Will they all work out? No. But, if you bring in enough young(ish) guys with pedigree, you're bound to hit on two or three.
Perhaps he becomes a longer term answer on the 3rd line, who knows? At least he has a former teammate in Glass who he can lean on to get up to speed on the team.

[EndO FanEra]

I don't have any opinion on Tomasino (I don't recall him standing out from any Pens/Preds games), but I'm ok with this sort of trade generally. I think Dubas is rebuilding but isn't committed to the idea of a "burn it all down and totally suck for 4-5 years" rebuild. I think he wants to see if he can do it quicker than that. So, if he can trade a good prospect like Yager for another good prospect like McGroarty when the latter is closer to NHL-ready, he will. Or if he can trade a 2027 4th for a guy like Tomasino, who is in a bad situation but is youngish and already has a bunch of points in the NHL (something that 4th rounder is unlikely to ever have), he will.

Your post sums it up perfectly. There's value in a trade like this. We need to keep steadily turning over the roster to younger, hungrier players who can skate.
Will they all work out? No. But, if you bring in enough young(ish) guys with pedigree, you're bound to hit on two or three.
Perhaps he becomes a longer term answer on the 3rd line, who knows? At least he has a former teammate in Glass who he can lean on to get up to speed on the team.

I agree as well, that type of player is worth taking a shot on.

Hopefully he's defensively responsible, kills a ton of penalties, and doesn't play a physical/chippy style of hockey. Otherwise, he'll just get jerked around the bottom 6 getting 4 minutes a night and/or end up in the press box. We won't really know if he could be part of the future or not.

At least until, well, you know...

[Daniel]

Nothing not to like about this trade for the Pens. Only reason to not like it is if you are expecting something big that is gonna propel this team into the playoffs this season. That won’t happen unless some of the geezers are traded.

I don’t like or dislike the trade, it’s throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. He took a risk with Karlsson, but he really doesn’t take any risks. Doesn’t try to change up the status quo.

There’s nothing to dislike, but their’s also nothing to like about it. He’s just another bottom six guy that maybe or may not be an NHL capable player. Maybe if Dubas gets rid of the usual suspects, this might look better than it is, but it’s just bleh.

[KG]

With how bad things have gone, hopefully KD tells Sully we want to give Tomasino top 6 minutes to see what we have. He’s a 23 year old skilled forward.

Those type of players are not 4th line fodder. Give him a run with Sid or Geno.

[DelPen]

With how bad things have gone, hopefully KD tells Sully we want to give Tomasino top 6 minutes to see what we have. He’s a 23 year old skilled forward.

Those type of players are not 4th line fodder. Give him a run with Sid or Geno.

Good in theory, but Sullivan doesn’t approach his lineup that way. I’m old enough to remember a guy named Valteri Puustinen who was thrust into a top 6 role way back in 2023 and looked like a good fit with Malkin and then he gets dropped to the 4th line with 5:00 a game while players who are simply older and paid more money get ice time to be as effective, or ineffective, as someone who might surprise us and get better.

Considering the only reason Sullivan had success when he was promoted was because he brought up a lot of WBS players with him who were younger, faster and all of them had enough skill to score when there was a good opportunity. I don’t think Sullivan would had been as successful early on if he had the same roster that Johnston had to open 2015.

[largegarlic]

I don't have any opinion on Tomasino (I don't recall him standing out from any Pens/Preds games), but I'm ok with this sort of trade generally. I think Dubas is rebuilding but isn't committed to the idea of a "burn it all down and totally suck for 4-5 years" rebuild. I think he wants to see if he can do it quicker than that. So, if he can trade a good prospect like Yager for another good prospect like McGroarty when the latter is closer to NHL-ready, he will. Or if he can trade a 2027 4th for a guy like Tomasino, who is in a bad situation but is youngish and already has a bunch of points in the NHL (something that 4th rounder is unlikely to ever have), he will.

Your post sums it up perfectly. There's value in a trade like this. We need to keep steadily turning over the roster to younger, hungrier players who can skate.
Will they all work out? No. But, if you bring in enough young(ish) guys with pedigree, you're bound to hit on two or three.
Perhaps he becomes a longer term answer on the 3rd line, who knows? At least he has a former teammate in Glass who he can lean on to get up to speed on the team.

Yeah, I was thinking that too. Dubas has said before that he has a "quantity over quality" approach sometimes, looking to acquire lots of guys with pedigree on the cheap and seeing if a couple pan out. I would say he's already had a hit with Puljujarvi, even if we're all annoyed that Sullivan won't play him more. Dubas basically plucked him off the scrap heap, and now he's a solid 3rd-liner.

[Cow_Master66]

Nothing not to like about this trade for the Pens. Only reason to not like it is if you are expecting something big that is gonna propel this team into the playoffs this season. That won’t happen unless some of the geezers are traded.

I don’t like or dislike the trade, it’s throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. He took a risk with Karlsson, but he really doesn’t take any risks. Doesn’t try to change up the status quo.

There’s nothing to dislike, but their’s also nothing to like about it. He’s just another bottom six guy that maybe or may not be an NHL capable player. Maybe if Dubas gets rid of the usual suspects, this might look better than it is, but it’s just bleh.

That's a fine outlook, but it's hard to argue they would have gotten a better player with the pick they gave up.

[Antonio]

I don't disagree that it's a fine move on paper for what is in all likelihood a completely worthless pick. For me the larger issue is what is the actual plan here? Where is this organization trying to go? Do they even have a plan? Sure doesn't seem so... just seems like random **** day to day based on whatever thing they see at any given moment that seems like maybe an ok thing to do.

[Bo_Pens]

We trade for a young guy and send two young guys back to the minors
Poulin and Ponamarev. POINTLESS.

[Cow_Master66]

We trade for a young guy and send two young guys back to the minors
Poulin and Ponamarev. POINTLESS.

They are better off there. Let them develop together, play the dumpster fire elders we have, and trade as many as possible between now and 2 years from now.