Here is my "what I'd do if I were GM" rant.
#1 Do whatever it takes to ensure Malkin is playing here next year. This would be my number 1 priority.
#2 Either draft E. Johnson or trade the pick for an established NHL defenseman or forward.
#3 Trade away as many of the aging veterans as possible for draft picks or prospects.
#4 Sign a proven, young NHL defenseman in free agency. If you can't then either pocket the money or sign a vet to a 1-2 yr deal so if he doesn't pan out, the possibility of trading him is still available( unlike Gonchar).
#5 Improve the size and grit of this team through trades, draft, FA, etc. There are too many small floater type players on this team. In order to compete in the East you need to have players that aren't afraid of playing physically.
You are all welcome to add your opinion.
What the Pens need to do for next season
-
Sam's Drunk Dog
- NHL Fourth Liner
- Posts: 20,587
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:31 am
- Location: Shutter Island
-
DelPen
- NHL First Liner
- Posts: 61,601
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:27 am
- Location: Lake Wylie, SC
Malkin should have been the #1 priority last year too but they waited too long to have him make a decision and were left with no good centers after Crosby. This needs to be taken care of before the draft so they can move their 2nd rounder if they need to bring a proven, young center in.
As far as getting Johnson, I'm for it. If I could take any player it would be him. He's big, strong, moves the puck well, good skater and a righty. The EXACT player we need on this team. But we still need scoring and Kessel, Toews and Staal could bring that too. if we have a chance at drafting one of those 3 I use the pick unless the offer is just too good to pass up.
Your other ideas are great in theory but tough in reality to accomplish.
As far as getting Johnson, I'm for it. If I could take any player it would be him. He's big, strong, moves the puck well, good skater and a righty. The EXACT player we need on this team. But we still need scoring and Kessel, Toews and Staal could bring that too. if we have a chance at drafting one of those 3 I use the pick unless the offer is just too good to pass up.
Your other ideas are great in theory but tough in reality to accomplish.
-
FallenHero96
- AHL'er
- Posts: 3,133
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 1:39 am
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
I agree with #1
#2, not sure i agree with. If i got 1st pick, im still not sure I would pass up Kessel. This team could use a good defenseman, but this team also needs someone who will score some goals. It seems Kessel has fallen back a little bit, put he attracted all that attention for a reason.
#3 might take care of itself. I think it is obvious with Lemieux and Palffy gone the scope of this team has changed completely since the beginning of the season. It's back to the young guys.
#4 you can try to do that, but that all depends on who's available and what they want to do.
#5 I would definately try to get tougher, but I wouldnt trade toughness for skill.
#2, not sure i agree with. If i got 1st pick, im still not sure I would pass up Kessel. This team could use a good defenseman, but this team also needs someone who will score some goals. It seems Kessel has fallen back a little bit, put he attracted all that attention for a reason.
#3 might take care of itself. I think it is obvious with Lemieux and Palffy gone the scope of this team has changed completely since the beginning of the season. It's back to the young guys.
#4 you can try to do that, but that all depends on who's available and what they want to do.
#5 I would definately try to get tougher, but I wouldnt trade toughness for skill.
-
Kicksave
- NHL Fourth Liner
- Posts: 20,572
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 1:53 am
- Location: Feeling like I want to rage...right now.
#1 - Agree wholeheartedly. You need Malkin here. With him, we are set down the middle for the next 10 years.
#2 - It would depend on whose available and what I could get for the pick. If I could get a Marion Gaborik, Martin Havlat (although I wouldn't want to give it to Ottawa), or a defensemen like Joni Pitkanan or Jordan Leopold (both unlikely) I would trade the pick.
#3 - The young guys is where its going to be. Next year you're going to have a defensive corps of Gonchar, Orpik, Welch, Whitney, X, X, and Cairns. I hope they keep Cairns as the #7 d-man for those games against Philly, Rangers, etc.
#4 - Basically, you fill the need you didn't fill through the draft/free agency. You need a finisher, preferably on the LW, for Crosby's line, 2 solid defensemen, and a backup goalie whose not Sebastian Caron or Jocelyn Thibault.
#5 - You need those energy guys but you don't need to go outside the organization to achieve this goal. You have Daniel Carcillo (who remind me a lot of Darcy Tucker), Maxime Talbot, Matt Murley who will mix it up and get physical. To go along with them, you have guys like Koltsov to use their speed and draw penalties. I also hope we keep Eric Boguniecki for the 3rd or 4th line.
I would also add to that list...
#6 - Convert Eric Christiensen to the wing. I believe he is going to be a top 2 guy in this league but to fit he'll need to goto the win. He has a nice finishing touch with an excellent wrister. Put him on the second line wtih Malkin next year.
My depth chart would look like this
C: Crosby, Malkin, Talbot, Hussey, Endicott with Eaves, Stone in the wings.
LW: Surovy, Rita, Murley, Lefebvre with Carcillo in the wings.
RW: Christiensen, Armstrong, Malone, Ouellet, Boguniecki, Koltsov with Filewich waiting in the wings.
D: Gonchar, Orpik, Whtiney, Jackman, Cairns, Scuderi, Melichar with Welch, Bissonette, Letang, Fernholm, Golginski and Lannon in the wings.
G: Fleury, Caron, Thibault, Chiodo
I left off players that won' t be here soon, like LeClair, Recchi. They'll probably trade Malone and Jackman too but its not as certain as those two. I don't think Andre Roy, RVB won't be here hopefully.
I'm hoping Rita can turns out to be a good LW for Malkin's line. Lines can look like this
X - Crosby - Armstrong (X being the scorer we bring in with our draft pick, FA, trade)
Rita - Malkin - Christiensen
Carcillo - Eaves - Ouellet (I'm hoping Eaves has a good camp and makes the team. I'd like how this line matches up with other third lines.)
Murley - Talbot - Boguniecki
Ex: Koltsov, Hussey
Gonchar - Orpik
Whitney - Welch
Jackman - X (someone we bring in to be a solid defensive presence)
Ex: Cairns
Fleury/Caron
Malone will probably be gone this year, which is why I didn't include him but if he isn't he'd probably fit in on the 3rd line with Eaves and Ouellet. Surovy I just couldn't fit in. Hes too inconsistant to fit in the top two lines and he doesn't fit in with the bottom 2. I would try to include him in a deal to get that top LW for Crosby. I'm hoping we can keep Ric Jackman becuase his solid RH shot is good for the 2nd PP and with the right partner, he can be extremly effective.
#2 - It would depend on whose available and what I could get for the pick. If I could get a Marion Gaborik, Martin Havlat (although I wouldn't want to give it to Ottawa), or a defensemen like Joni Pitkanan or Jordan Leopold (both unlikely) I would trade the pick.
#3 - The young guys is where its going to be. Next year you're going to have a defensive corps of Gonchar, Orpik, Welch, Whitney, X, X, and Cairns. I hope they keep Cairns as the #7 d-man for those games against Philly, Rangers, etc.
#4 - Basically, you fill the need you didn't fill through the draft/free agency. You need a finisher, preferably on the LW, for Crosby's line, 2 solid defensemen, and a backup goalie whose not Sebastian Caron or Jocelyn Thibault.
#5 - You need those energy guys but you don't need to go outside the organization to achieve this goal. You have Daniel Carcillo (who remind me a lot of Darcy Tucker), Maxime Talbot, Matt Murley who will mix it up and get physical. To go along with them, you have guys like Koltsov to use their speed and draw penalties. I also hope we keep Eric Boguniecki for the 3rd or 4th line.
I would also add to that list...
#6 - Convert Eric Christiensen to the wing. I believe he is going to be a top 2 guy in this league but to fit he'll need to goto the win. He has a nice finishing touch with an excellent wrister. Put him on the second line wtih Malkin next year.
My depth chart would look like this
C: Crosby, Malkin, Talbot, Hussey, Endicott with Eaves, Stone in the wings.
LW: Surovy, Rita, Murley, Lefebvre with Carcillo in the wings.
RW: Christiensen, Armstrong, Malone, Ouellet, Boguniecki, Koltsov with Filewich waiting in the wings.
D: Gonchar, Orpik, Whtiney, Jackman, Cairns, Scuderi, Melichar with Welch, Bissonette, Letang, Fernholm, Golginski and Lannon in the wings.
G: Fleury, Caron, Thibault, Chiodo
I left off players that won' t be here soon, like LeClair, Recchi. They'll probably trade Malone and Jackman too but its not as certain as those two. I don't think Andre Roy, RVB won't be here hopefully.
I'm hoping Rita can turns out to be a good LW for Malkin's line. Lines can look like this
X - Crosby - Armstrong (X being the scorer we bring in with our draft pick, FA, trade)
Rita - Malkin - Christiensen
Carcillo - Eaves - Ouellet (I'm hoping Eaves has a good camp and makes the team. I'd like how this line matches up with other third lines.)
Murley - Talbot - Boguniecki
Ex: Koltsov, Hussey
Gonchar - Orpik
Whitney - Welch
Jackman - X (someone we bring in to be a solid defensive presence)
Ex: Cairns
Fleury/Caron
Malone will probably be gone this year, which is why I didn't include him but if he isn't he'd probably fit in on the 3rd line with Eaves and Ouellet. Surovy I just couldn't fit in. Hes too inconsistant to fit in the top two lines and he doesn't fit in with the bottom 2. I would try to include him in a deal to get that top LW for Crosby. I'm hoping we can keep Ric Jackman becuase his solid RH shot is good for the 2nd PP and with the right partner, he can be extremly effective.
-
Pens4Life
- AHL All-Star
- Posts: 5,442
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:02 pm
- Location: Fire Sullivan
my way
C : Crosby, Malkin, Christensen, Talbot
LW ; Surovy, Malone, Fata (1 FA signing or thru trade)
RW ; Armstrong, Ouellet, Recchi (1 FA signing or thru trade)
D : Gonchar, Jackman,Whitney, Welch, Lannon, Orpik, Scuderi,
Cairns plus 1 more 23-29 years proven righty D-man
LW ; Surovy, Malone, Fata (1 FA signing or thru trade)
RW ; Armstrong, Ouellet, Recchi (1 FA signing or thru trade)
D : Gonchar, Jackman,Whitney, Welch, Lannon, Orpik, Scuderi,
Cairns plus 1 more 23-29 years proven righty D-man
-
yeltzen
The Penguins need a totally different mindset.
They need to become a team that no one wants to play because they'll feel it the next morning. Bringing in softies like Malkin, Christensen, Kessel, and a bunch of kids from WBS isn't going to cut it. When guys like Crosby and Talbot are the only forwards you have that will throw the body, you have a major problem. Teams like the Flyers laugh at the Penguins because they know all they have to do is push them around a little bit and they'll wilt.
The Pens need to do whatever it takes (including trading the #1 pick if they get it) to acquire big wingers that can skate fairly well. Guys that will go down in the corners and lay the body on d-men and make it tough to break out the puck. You can't just say, "hey, Koltsov... you're fast... be a checking winger". God bless him, he's done the job as well as he possibly can, but eventually, you need big guys on the wing that can intimidate. NOT guys like Ryan Malone who is the walking definition of lazy.
The Pens have a franchise goalie, and tremendous depth at center. Their wings are, in a word, pathetic. Their defense isn't far behind, but they have much more promise there than on the wing. You will NEVER be able to acquire a very good blueliner through trade unless you're talking about trading the #1 pick to a desperate team that needs forwards, or trading Crosby, Malkin, or Fleury. There are so few very good defensive defensemen in the league that you can't just throw up any old deal and get one. You have to draft and develop well.
Case in point: this year, the only D-men we could bring in were offensive defensemen. Good wingers, on the other hand, are much more common. The Pens could easily get a decent winger or two with their #1 pick and a guy like Malone or Jackman.
Just my opinion. Believe me, Malkin is not the savior. The Pens and the media can talk him up all they want, he isn't going to do a damn thing on this team. He'll end up on a line with a couple guys who have "shown promise", but won't deliver. I know it's hard to accept, but Recchi is the only winger on this team that finishes right now. Surovy can't, Armstrong looks like he might but so did Surovy, Ouellet can't except on the PP, Malone can't consistently. It's a sad story.
They need to become a team that no one wants to play because they'll feel it the next morning. Bringing in softies like Malkin, Christensen, Kessel, and a bunch of kids from WBS isn't going to cut it. When guys like Crosby and Talbot are the only forwards you have that will throw the body, you have a major problem. Teams like the Flyers laugh at the Penguins because they know all they have to do is push them around a little bit and they'll wilt.
The Pens need to do whatever it takes (including trading the #1 pick if they get it) to acquire big wingers that can skate fairly well. Guys that will go down in the corners and lay the body on d-men and make it tough to break out the puck. You can't just say, "hey, Koltsov... you're fast... be a checking winger". God bless him, he's done the job as well as he possibly can, but eventually, you need big guys on the wing that can intimidate. NOT guys like Ryan Malone who is the walking definition of lazy.
The Pens have a franchise goalie, and tremendous depth at center. Their wings are, in a word, pathetic. Their defense isn't far behind, but they have much more promise there than on the wing. You will NEVER be able to acquire a very good blueliner through trade unless you're talking about trading the #1 pick to a desperate team that needs forwards, or trading Crosby, Malkin, or Fleury. There are so few very good defensive defensemen in the league that you can't just throw up any old deal and get one. You have to draft and develop well.
Case in point: this year, the only D-men we could bring in were offensive defensemen. Good wingers, on the other hand, are much more common. The Pens could easily get a decent winger or two with their #1 pick and a guy like Malone or Jackman.
Just my opinion. Believe me, Malkin is not the savior. The Pens and the media can talk him up all they want, he isn't going to do a damn thing on this team. He'll end up on a line with a couple guys who have "shown promise", but won't deliver. I know it's hard to accept, but Recchi is the only winger on this team that finishes right now. Surovy can't, Armstrong looks like he might but so did Surovy, Ouellet can't except on the PP, Malone can't consistently. It's a sad story.
-
Pitts
- NHL Fourth Liner
- Posts: 24,048
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:22 am
- Location: Working ....
Finishes what? The pizza in the lockeroom? Recchi has scored some goals lately on sweet feeds from Crosby. That's about it.yeltzen wrote:I know it's hard to accept, but Recchi is the only winger on this team that finishes right now. Surovy can't, Armstrong looks like he might but so did Surovy, Ouellet can't except on the PP, Malone can't consistently. It's a sad story.
I think you are underestimating Malkin. From what I've read, he's pretty darn physical, is a great finisher and also very smart defensively. What's not to like?
-
yeltzen
I didn't say there was ANYTHING not to like. I'm just saying a lot of people seem to think that all will be well once Malkin gets here. And "softie" wasn't the right word for Malkin. He doesn't shy away from punishment at all, but I don't see him as a major physical force... and he shouldn't be. His wingers should be doing that.Pitts wrote:Finishes what? The pizza in the lockeroom? Recchi has scored some goals lately on sweet feeds from Crosby. That's about it.yeltzen wrote:I know it's hard to accept, but Recchi is the only winger on this team that finishes right now. Surovy can't, Armstrong looks like he might but so did Surovy, Ouellet can't except on the PP, Malone can't consistently. It's a sad story.
I think you are underestimating Malkin. From what I've read, he's pretty darn physical, is a great finisher and also very smart defensively. What's not to like?
Regardless of how great the feeds from Crosby are, Recchi puts the puck in the net. Surovy has gotten several great feeds and has had several great shots in front of the net and just can't put the puck in. Same with Ouellet. Other than his little tap-ins, he fans on one-timers like it's going out of style.
-
Pitts
- NHL Fourth Liner
- Posts: 24,048
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:22 am
- Location: Working ....
I don't think all will be well next season with Malkin in the fold. What people need to understand is that this team should start on an upswing with Malkin here. This is the laying of the foundation of greatness. Pens fans really need to be patient for a season or two as this team is built and the junk fetted out. Crosby, Malkin, Whitney, Orpik and Fleury is a hellavu base to build from for the next 10 years! Believe me, the Pens are the envy of the NHL right now and if Patrick's contract is not renewed, GM's should be lining up to run this team.
-
netwolf
- NHL Fourth Liner
- Posts: 15,840
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 1:04 am
-
yeltzen
Well, I didn't say you did.Pitts wrote:I don't think all will be well next season with Malkin in the fold. What people need to understand is that this team should start on an upswing with Malkin here. This is the laying of the foundation of greatness. Pens fans really need to be patient for a season or two as this team is built and the junk fetted out. Crosby, Malkin, Whitney, Orpik and Fleury is a hellavu base to build from for the next 10 years! Believe me, the Pens are the envy of the NHL right now and if Patrick's contract is not renewed, GM's should be lining up to run this team.
Next year, the Pens just need to let Crosby, Malkin, Christensen, Whitney, Welch, Orpik, and Fleury play and get NHL experience. It'll be a rough season, but it has to happen before they turn into what they eventually will. No more signing 89 free agents and sending young guys up and down. Let them play and learn and then add a few pieces if need be.
The HAVE to address the wingers and blueline in the draft, though.