Trades and Potential Trades

Three players on the block..

Kessel
Skinner
ROR

 

It seems like 2 of those 3 live on the block.

TEH PHIL has been traded twice already.

 

Teh phil and rutherford have to talk.

 

what? is Pittsburgh out of hot dogs or something ?

 

Phil wants to be on a winning team...


----> <---- He made me say that!

 

He wants malkin time.

 

Since they sell hot dogs and doughnuts everywhere, all teams will be considered.

 

Maybe TEH PHIL is getting tired of lugging the cup around every year. Thx 0vi!

 

teh Phil to Dallas or Florida. Barkov + teh Phil could be deadly. Benn/Seguin/Kessel is terrifying.
Would work for everyone. Pens could use picks + prospects on ELCs for the twilight of the SId/Gino era.

 

not all teams have that deep of pockets or that kind of pipeline to doughnuts and hot dogs !

 

Florida definitely has some young talent at F to trade, but they finally moved their pieces around in the top 2 lines in a way that worked, to end the season. If Kessel were to come in, that's presumably Bjugstad on the outs, getting moved down or out. He was a physical presence on a line with Barkov (big, but not a hitter) and Dadonov (a very effective, more finesse winger). Bjugy wasn't quite right with Trocheck, but McGinn wasn't an all-star there either, with Huberdeau. The idea of Kessel is interesting, and thinking of how he'd fit in has a lot of ramifications... That would be worth the time and fun evaluating, alone.

The defense and future G situation needs addressing right away. If they spent money and trade capital on Kessel, I doubt those issues get touched. I'd rather have another top 4 blue-liner in free agency, and maybe trade a forward prospect or two for another D or promising G prospect. Kessel is tempting, and I could see him delivering kill-shots in crucial games, but... I think this is a team with other holes, and a more complete game with an eye on sustaining for the future is appealing. Also, I'll have to muster admiration for a guy that looks like Kessel, who I know would grab the hot dog and beer out of my hand just as quickly as he can rip a wrister.

Damn, Matty. Got me thinking about this one. I hadn't even considered it, before. Personally, I don't think FLA would make a move that big, but... I can definitely see the positive ramifications of making that kind of wave.

Also, you are right - that line in Dallas would be downright terrifying. The scoring potential is outrageous.

 

Penguins not looking to trade Kessel: report

The rift between Pittsburgh Penguins forward Phil Kessel and coach Mike Sullivan is unlikely to result in a trade, general manager Jim Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Monday.

Kessel, who had an NHL career-high 92 points (34 goals, 58 assists) this season, was held to one goal in 12 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Penguins were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Second Round by the Washington Capitals in six games.

Kessel has four years remaining on his contract.

"I think it will be resolved," Rutherford said. "Will they get together for a special meeting? I'm not sure that's necessary at this point. If it is, they'll figure that out themselves. Knowing Phil the way I know him, knowing [Sullivan] the way I know him and their passion for winning, when they come back to camp, it'll be business as usual."

If Kessel and Sullivan get together this summer, it would be the second time they've met in as many offseasons; they had lunch in Toronto last August to iron out their differences.

"I can say throughout the three years that there could've been a difference of opinion at times as to the thought process of what line Phil was going to play on," Rutherford said. "I certainly wouldn't turn that into a rift.

"They always had good communication directly and indirectly through the assistant coaches. I don't see where that has changed. The only thing that's changed is that we won the first two years, so nobody wants to talk about it. We didn't win the Stanley Cup this year, so it's become a bigger public issue. To me, that's the only reason." (in part; NHL.com)
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lol... a trade must be coming for sure now. When the higher-ups say one thing, it means another.

 

im just saying in my opinion Fla could use a sniper like him. it might not even work financially. completely agree that Bjugstad seems like he'd have to go back in any potential deal for a F. I wonder if Owen Tippett will be ready, I actually saw him play for Springfield in Providence last season and he looked good, especially for a kid.
hopefully Lou is good to go, Id think having the time off last year will help him this season.

 

You're right, they could definitely use him (I see you and I miss you, Marchessault). I struggle thinking about the fit, but I do think the stress would start with the financials - the ownership is down to win, but they seem to have a notably lower spending cap than the league (though not as low as most South Florida franchises, historically). They could fit him in now, before the bigger contracts come up again around the same time / after Kessel's expires, but it'd be tight against their self-imposed cap, presuming that stays the same. Then there's the thought of what Florida would have to give up, which makes it a tougher conversation.

As for who they have that might fill the role, I still think Tippett's another year or two away. He'll definitely get more time early this season. He is an impressive shooter, much in that sniper mold. I think Jared McCann has an impressive shot, but he didn't have too many chances to put it to use last year. Ideally, he gets more time on the second / third line, and gets to put that offensive ability more to use. He made a lot of strides this year in his defensive game. Really like having him on the team.

Lu says he's healthy and feeling good. Says that with age he's learned how to take care of himself and prep accordingly. He says he's excited to be back next year, and there wasn't a hint from him of that "I'm getting old, this might not be for me" attitude that we see from guys getting up there in years.

Time for some controversy:
Trocheck is maybe my favorite player in the league. His game may not be as well-rounded as Barkov's, but I identify with the way he plays the game, and he excels at it. He's also a very vocal and honest player. He'll call the team out in pressers, hisself included. Problem? At the end of the year, he sounded more frustrated than I think I've ever heard him (understandably). He also seemed to lean that on the team a lot more than he usually does. He said numerous times during the season, very plainly, that the team didn't have enough talent.

My fear is that, if the management doesn't make moves to his liking, he might want out. Whether that's a big addition, line changes, or giving the younger guys a chance to make an impact, who knows... But Trocheck is as competitive as they get, and if he thinks he's on a team that isn't supporting him in an effort to win, I could definitely see him readying to leave.

 

Sorry, guys - I don't get to talk Florida hockey very often, and we're now in the dreaded time between games. I can type for days.

 

Love it dline, keep it going.

What are your thoughts on McCoshen and Matheson. I’m a McCoshen fan, not so much Matheson. Saw a lot of them in college but not too much as pros. I think McCoshen will turn in to a nice reliable all-situation Dman ala Brian Dumoulin.

 

I was not a Matheson fan at the start of the season. When they gave him an 8 year deal, on top of having just given away Marchy, Smith, and Demers... I was pretty pissed.

Now that we're at the end of the season, I'm sincerely optimistic about the guy. He's all kinds of stupid athletic, and has stick control that few defenseman share. Offensively, he's far more akin to a forward than a defenseman. He racked up highlight reel goals this year. But, the guys has to learn how to be an offensive presence without sacrificing defensive positioning. Has to pick his spots. Has to be able to hold his own in front of the goal. He has grown a ton in this year, and while he'll never be a physical defender, if he can better his positioning and timing, his skill with the stick and closing speed means that the puck is never safe on the other team's stick, and that's so valuable. Pairing him with a more defensive guy in Pysyk has helped.

McCoshen and Weegar battled for playing time all year long on the bottom pair. By the end of the year, Weegar had won the spot, really. He also improved from the start of the season (another guy I was pessimistic about). The problem for McCoshen is partly due to a lack of athleticism - he is a physical presence, though - and partly due to mental lapses. Whether it's not playing the puck properly or finding himself out of position in his own end, he struggled down the stretch, while guys like Weegar and Matheson improved. During the first half of the season, I thought McCoshen did well enough to be the favorite. If he can put in the work, I also think he's got a ton of potential to be a solid, physical D-man. We could really use it.

 

Big trade, tampa trades peter budaj for kings forward andy andreoff.

 

Budaj is costing the LAK only $1MM; cheap enough to bury in AHL Ontario to tutor young Peterson. It won't count to the Kings cap.

 

Budaj had a successful stint last time w/ the Kings. Assuming he and Quick mesh well or they wouldntve gone done this road.