All Playoff talk all the time.

N4L wrote:If Staal doesnt play at 100% or anywhere near it, you get a game 7 with The Habs. Staal is 100% as important to The Pens as anyone outside of Crosby and one could even aruge based on the role he plays, he is more valuable than Malkin.

Markov isnt the end all and be all in Montreal, hell he wasnt playing all that well before he went down anyways. He's a loss to be sure but to say it is over and above the loss of Staal is wrong. He's a fantastic player, carries a huge load on that "3rd line" and plays in every situation.

What would have hurt more to Ottawa? The Loss of Kuba or the loss of Cullen? Pretty easy to answer.

Kuba is not our Gonchar. We don't have one, period.

But that's the problem - as long as you have those three you will not be able to afford a high end defenceman, or a winger.

I can understand the resistance to move any of them, but they are all natural centers. While any forward can play any position, you usually end up becoming really good at one. Centers obviously have to have great face off technique, and they have to chase the puck and usually control the play well.
Wingers don't have as much work to do as centers but have to keep the puck in the offensive zone and get in the slot.

Anyways, if I am building a team I would budget $6-7M each for a franchise forward, defenceman and goalie, ideally. Heck, if you can get them cheaper great. Then you get your 3-5M players, then round out the 3rd/4th liens and 3rd pairing with your $500K-1.5M players. But having two $8.7M centers and a $4M center greatly reduces your chances of signing or keeping a Doughty or Weber if that ever comes.

Look at Tampa back when they had V LeC, Richards and St. Louis. And Ottawa with Spezza, Heatley and Alfie.

Dash wrote:But that's the problem - as long as you have those three you will not be able to afford a high end defenceman, or a winger.

I can understand the resistance to move any of them, but they are all natural centers. While any forward can play any position, you usually end up becoming really good at one. Centers obviously have to have great face off technique, and they have to chase the puck and usually control the play well.
Wingers don't have as much work to do as centers but have to keep the puck in the offensive zone and get in the slot.

Anyways, if I am building a team I would budget $6-7M each for a franchise forward, defenceman and goalie, ideally. Heck, if you can get them cheaper great. Then you get your 3-5M players, then round out the 3rd/4th liens and 3rd pairing with your $500K-1.5M players. But having two $8.7M centers and a $4M center greatly reduces your chances of signing or keeping a Doughty or Weber if that ever comes.

Look at Tampa back when they had V LeC, Richards and St. Louis. And Ottawa with Spezza, Heatley and Alfie.

and Boyle?

The Fantastick Four?!?!?

Obviously it worked for them and it worked for Pittsburgh, but I still think it's too much spent upfront.

Lawrence Nycholat is expected to play if Salo does not.

Yeah, the most successful franchise of the past 3 years need to trade Malkin for wingers? mmh yeah, no.

Dash wrote:Lawrence Nycholat is expected to play if Salo does not.

I think Salo will play. He'll just player higher in the slot.

SpezDispenser wrote:This is a 50/50 in Pittsburgh at best. Halak is unreal, all bets are off, madness in Game 7.

In his NHL career, Halak is 4-0 when facing elimination. Money.

wprager wrote:

Dash wrote:Lawrence Nycholat is expected to play if Salo does not.

I think Salo will play. He'll just player higher in the slot.

He'll be trash-talking in falsetto, too.

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:This is a 50/50 in Pittsburgh at best. Halak is unreal, all bets are off, madness in Game 7.

In his NHL career, Halak is 4-0 when facing elimination. Money.

Fleury is 2-0 in Game 7's and is 15-5 following a playoff loss.

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:This is a 50/50 in Pittsburgh at best. Halak is unreal, all bets are off, madness in Game 7.

In his NHL career, Halak is 4-0 when facing elimination. Money.

Fleury is also one of if not the best bounce back goalie in the league.

Damn, Canucks D is battered and breaking

Oh well, unless they come back in the third, congrats to the Hawks.

Go Sharks!

I think I'm going to bed. Too bad, it was close, what can you do?

That's what I'd call a slaughter

Luongo craps the bed in another game, shocker. 16 goals at home in 3 games, WOW, thats about as bad as it gets. The series isnt on him but he didnt do anything to really help his team out.

Sedins were invisable, Kessler was a non factor, and Van's D was beat up. All that said, Luongo proved again he is anything but a money goaltender at this series was over in game 4 because he couldnt stop a beachball.

Big Ev wrote:Oh well, unless they come back in the third, congrats to the Hawks.

Go Sharks!

any team but the sharks! heatley!

marakh wrote:Yeah, the most successful franchise of the past 3 years need to trade Malkin for wingers? mmh yeah, no.

Wow what a massive resume those Pens have. Everyone should copy their model of organizational success. Forget modeling after Detroit. These guys have 3 whole years of being the most successful.