Ever the optimist. Hope you're right.
- Tojo.

Realist* Realists, amongst many pessimists can often be misinterpreted as optimists...

If I was optimist I'd think they were making the playoffs hahaha...i'd of thought they were definitely making the playoffs before the season even started.

Realistically they want to keep Sid happy, he's been Sid's best winger of all time, he's a top 5 producing winger in the league and they still think Sid and co can win. He's already in house. They will have cap space.

For all we know about what Jake is thinking he could be very comfortable in Pittsburgh with roots laid down for his family, want to stay. Just because he hasn't publicly said anything one way or another it doesn't mean that he doesn't want to stay.

highlights from Dubas's press conference (so far)
-Sullivan isnt going anywhere
-Team needs to get younger
-Powerplay failures are organization failures
-Next 2 weeks will dictate how he approaches Jake
-No player has been asked to waive NTC/NMC as of now.
-as of now, no plans to use draft capital to improve the team

My opinion:
This team is about to get younger but not necessarily better. The organization realizes this team isnt good enough and isnt going to waste assets trying to salvage the season. We arent close to a deal with Jake.

Realist* Realists, amongst many pessimists can often be misinterpreted as optimists...

If I was optimist I'd think they were making the playoffs hahaha...i'd of thought they were definitely making the playoffs before the season even started.

Realistically they want to keep Sid happy, he's been Sid's best winger of all time, he's a top 5 producing winger in the league and they still think Sid and co can win. He's already in house. They will have cap space.

For all we know about what Jake is thinking he could be very comfortable in Pittsburgh with roots laid down for his family, want to stay. Just because he hasn't publicly said anything one way or another it doesn't mean that he doesn't want to stay.
- MattStrat

The unsettling thing for me is that neither side is giving an indication they want a deal to happen. Usually both sides are playing PR to say how much they want the other one and they want to play no where but Pittsburgh. Neither Dubas nor Jake's agent have really led anyone to believe a deal is probable.

If the 8 year deal is the sticking point, its important to remember no team can offer a player an 8 year deal besides the one that owns the player. So if Jake goes to free agency, he isnt going to find an 8 year deal unless we trade him.

I'd be interested to see if he gets dealt. Rumor earlier in the season was that he was homesick and wanted to head back West, specifically to Vegas. Not sure they can afford him now.
- SuperHenderson13

i don't hate the idea of bringing him in, especially with just a year left. I feel like he fits better into what Carolina does with their forwards than what the Penguins do.

highlights from Dubas's press conference (so far)
-Sullivan isnt going anywhere
-Team needs to get younger
-Powerplay failures are organization failures
-Next 2 weeks will dictate how he approaches Jake
-No player has been asked to waive NTC/NMC as of now.
-as of now, no plans to use draft capital to improve the team

My opinion:
This team is about to get younger but not necessarily better. The organization realizes this team isnt good enough and isnt going to waste assets trying to salvage the season. We arent close to a deal with Jake.
- SuperHenderson13

Keep kicking the dead bird down the road Dubass

i don't hate the idea of bringing him in, especially with just a year left. I feel like he fits better into what Carolina does with their forwards than what the Penguins do.
- BINGO!

Smith makes a lot of see with the Canes MO. Get the extra year and probably buying a little low.

Rob Rossi asked him to define the core and said should we assume Sid, Geno, Letang and EK are the core? Dubas's response was "we'd like to add to that the core. Hope is to add younger guys to that group."

Smith makes a lot of see with the Canes MO. Get the extra year and probably buying a little low.
- Tojo.

Fills in a whole for when Teravainen walks at the end of the year too.

highlights from Dubas's press conference (so far)
-Sullivan isnt going anywhere
-Team needs to get younger
-Powerplay failures are organization failures
-Next 2 weeks will dictate how he approaches Jake
-No player has been asked to waive NTC/NMC as of now.
-as of now, no plans to use draft capital to improve the team

My opinion:
This team is about to get younger but not necessarily better. The organization realizes this team isnt good enough and isnt going to waste assets trying to salvage the season. We arent close to a deal with Jake.
- SuperHenderson13

I thought he was pretty candid on how his goal of creating a defensive bottom 6 wasn't working -- especially with the PP failing.

highlights from Dubas's press conference (so far)
-Sullivan isnt going anywhere
-Team needs to get younger
-Powerplay failures are organization failures
-Next 2 weeks will dictate how he approaches Jake
-No player has been asked to waive NTC/NMC as of now.
-as of now, no plans to use draft capital to improve the team

My opinion:
This team is about to get younger but not necessarily better. The organization realizes this team isnt good enough and isnt going to waste assets trying to salvage the season. We arent close to a deal with Jake.
- SuperHenderson13

I figured they would stick with Sully through the full season for better or worse. I disagree with it but clear sign that they will not be going for it this year. Hopefully they take their time in the offseason finding someone new.

He needs to get on making some moves though. I remember the one year Hextall just waiting until the last minute thinking he would make a bunch of deals happen and nothing materialized. I wish we would just get to stripping it down and securing a better draft pick.

highlights from Dubas's press conference (so far)
-Sullivan isnt going anywhere
-Team needs to get younger
-Powerplay failures are organization failures
-Next 2 weeks will dictate how he approaches Jake
-No player has been asked to waive NTC/NMC as of now.
-as of now, no plans to use draft capital to improve the team

My opinion:
This team is about to get younger but not necessarily better. The organization realizes this team isnt good enough and isnt going to waste assets trying to salvage the season. We arent close to a deal with Jake.
- SuperHenderson13

Thanks for the updates. Aside from Sully, which is a mistake but totally expected, said a whole lot of nothing then. Good luck getting younger. Aside from maybe adding Poulin or playing POJ more, not sure what they can do there. Carter will drop the age down. But none of that is very impactful.

Edit maybe Yager if he can make the jump, especially if he can snag that RS PP spot everyone is failing at

He talks about getting younger but he spent the offseason getting older. (frank)ing moron.

I thought he was pretty candid on how his goal of creating a defensive bottom 6 wasn't working -- especially with the PP failing.
- j.boyd919

That's good, I like that.

Thanks for the updates. Aside from Sully, which is a mistake but totally expected, said a whole lot of nothing then. Good luck getting younger. Aside from maybe adding Poulin or playing POJ more, not sure what they can do there. Carter will drop the age down. But none of that is very impactful.

Edit maybe Yager if he can make the jump, especially if he can snag that RS PP spot everyone is failing at
- Tojo.

Dubas said, "others may not agree," but he feels there is a responsibility to Crosby and the Big Three, based on pedigree and history, to continue to try to win by putting the right supporting cast around them.

That's good, I like that.
- MattStrat

Yeah he said it falls on him. His goal was to take the defensive burden off of lines 1-2 and have lines 3-4 play the defense, and let lines 1-2 and the PP score, but with the PP failing, it puts more burden on depth scoring, and the decision to go that route falls on the GM.

Here's a thought, make your 3rd and 4th line capable of scoring too. That's what won the Pens back to back cups 6 years ago lol

Dubas said, "others may not agree," but he feels there is a responsibility to Crosby and the Big Three, based on pedigree and history, to continue to try to win by putting the right supporting cast around them.
- j.boyd919

That's nice. But if you're saying that and at the same time saying you aren't sure what you are doing with Guentzel, I'm not sure I believe it. But hey, I'll root for it. Just hope Sully plays some of these younger guys.

Yeah he said it falls on him. His goal was to take the defensive burden off of lines 1-2 and have lines 3-4 play the defense, and let lines 1-2 and the PP score, but with the PP failing, it puts more burden on depth scoring, and the decision to go that route falls on the GM.

Here's a thought, make your 3rd and 4th line capable of scoring too. That's what won the Pens back to back cups 6 years ago lol
- j.boyd919

The team looks a lot different with just a middle six wing who gets the opportunities DOC got. Well, Smith and Rackell probably still fail, but on paper those didn't look to be the problems they turned out to be so I don't blame Dubas there.

The team looks a lot different with just a middle six wing who gets the opportunities DOC got. Well, Smith and Rackell probably still fail, but on paper those didn't look to be the problems they turned out to be so I don't blame Dubas there.
- Tojo.

poop the team looks different with a middle of the road PP too. They're probably in 3rd in the metro and looking to buy at the deadline lol

As always, take this for what it's worth....

Madden went on a rant the other day about Smith after he showed terrible effort on a GA.

He again repeated that Smith never wanted to be here....which is fully understandable. Then he said, Smith has rubbed a bunch of guys in the locker room the wrong way because they feel he's let his disappointment about the trade bleed into his on ice effort. He says he's heard that from multiple people in the locker room.

Hope they can move him. Carolina would be greener pastures, so maybe they get the player we were expecting.

That's nice. But if you're saying that and at the same time saying you aren't sure what you are doing with Guentzel, I'm not sure I believe it. But hey, I'll root for it. Just hope Sully plays some of these younger guys.
- Tojo.

I took that as trading Guentzel to get younger haha.

He talks about getting younger but he spent the offseason getting older. (frank)ing moron.
- sammy87

It's because this was the plan the whole time.

EK was him throwing Sid and Co a bone and saying "Okay, you don't want me to blow it up, here's last year's Norris winner. Show me I'm wrong."

And they didn't. So now they get to do it his way, which is going to be harder.

It's because this was the plan the whole time.

EK was him throwing Sid and Co a bone and saying "Okay, you don't want me to blow it up, here's last year's Norris winner. Show me I'm wrong."

And they didn't. So now they get to do it his way, which is going to be harder.
- BINGO!

I think Dubas is going to look to bring in younger guys, similar to bringing in Bunting with the leafs.

He can do a similar sell job in the off season, come to pitts and play with hall of famers and re-ignite your career.

I think Dubas is going to look to bring in younger guys, similar to bringing in Bunting with the leafs.

He can do a similar sell job in the off season, come to pitts and play with hall of famers and re-ignite your career.
- Aaron_85

If he wants to do a sign-and-trade for Guentzel I have a Martin Necas he may be interested in.

I think Dubas had a good plan last offseason:

-didnt have many assets to add great players
-did have a lot of contracts to move
-had a bottom 6 that had no identity/purpose
-had some good top 6 options

He chose to:
-acquire Karlsson because of his value. Good player for a cheap price
-move out a lot of the bad contracts through Karlsson trade
-sign cheaper depth guys for the bottom 6 and sign a lot of them hoping some would stick.
-focus the bottom 6 on more defense than scoring goals because of how much more expensive it is for scoring bottom 6 options

The results should've been:
-High scoring top 6 at 5 on 5 with Crosby still playing well and Karlsson being added
-Bottom 6 that may not score as much, but arent defensive liabilities and can eat minutes during games
-Stronger powerplay thanks to Karlsson acquisition
-Bounce back goaltending from a Ned/Jarry pair

All in all, a good team. Obviously that hasnt as each of the points didnt really happen minus the goaltending.

As always, take this for what it's worth....

Madden went on a rant the other day about Smith after he showed terrible effort on a GA.

He again repeated that Smith never wanted to be here....which is fully understandable. Then he said, Smith has rubbed a bunch of guys in the locker room the wrong way because they feel he's let his disappointment about the trade bleed into his on ice effort. He says he's heard that from multiple people in the locker room.

Hope they can move him. Carolina would be greener pastures, so maybe they get the player we were expecting.
- madmike71

I found it interesting that at today's optional practice, only Smith and Carter were absent. Carter I understand due to age. Unless he is nursing an injury we don't know about, that's a bad look for Smith