#Pens vs #BlueJackets Official Thread! #StanleyCupPlayoffs

[Aoki11]

Brandon Sutter will need to be big, I was talking with a friend the other day who writes for the steelers and is a huge pens fan an he said "if the pens don't make it to at least the eastern conference finals sutter is gone" I actually totally disagree with this, here's why: in the past there have been players who after winning a cup, their value skyrockets, that's no surprise and that's old news. What I'm getting at is their respective teams don't have the cap space to keep them so they ship then off, examples being Tyler Seguin, Hal Gill and Satan and fedotenko and, correct me if im wrong but goligoski, from Pittsburgh in the past. I think you can even make the argument that Jordan Staal was one of these players, although pens haven't won a cup recently, he spent for years here padding his stats and upping his value, and look at him now. But that's besides the point. Why I'm saying is sutter will be interesting to watch in the next couple of months and into the offseason. Good thing he's dedicated to Pittsburgh and has expressed he will stay no matter what.

[Aoki11]

I re read this and I know I made it seem like tyler Seguin was a penguin, that's not what I meant so don't read it in that context

[theoneandonly]

Goligoski was shipped off in a deadline deal that brought Niskanen and Neal... one of the most lopsided deals probably in NHL history.

Satan and Fedotenko were towards the end of their careers and got more money elsewhere than the Pens could have given them and what they were worth. Same with Hal Gill. I wouldn't say their value "skyrocketed at all". Actually saying those 3 players and the word skyrocket in the same sentence makes me laugh. Satan was a healthy scratch at times towards the end of his time in the Burgh. When you have such a high paid core like the Pens do there is going to be a constant revolving door with the role players... some come and stay but some chase the dollars and it doesn't work out as well other places, just the reality of the NHL and professional sports in general. Those guys have nothing in common with Jordan Staal. He certainly benefited from playing within the Pens organization but he still has upside... something the other former Pens mentioned didn't.

Sutter is going to be shipped somewhere and Ryan Kessler will be a Pen in the offseason... wait and see.

[Aoki11]

Exactly my point, thank you for reiterating exactly what I said , Neal and niskanen were two nobody's and goli was considered a solid player. Now Neal is one of the best snipers in the game and niskanen is a highly rated defenseman that contributes to the attack pretty well. Have no idea what you were going for there.

I'm not really laughing, after the Stanley cup gill was sought after by many teams, the pens couldn't keep him and he got shipped off. Again exactly what I said.

I don't know how satan was considered a scratch when he was on the roster for 50+ games and was on the Stanley cup roster but whatever you think brother!

I also forgot to mention tyler Kennedy!

[Aoki11]

And max talbot, there value went up due to their success in Pittsburgh and they went somewhere else where their numbers and production is lower.

Aside from everything else, I will say it again, this playoff will make or break sutter with the penguins. At this point and the way he's been playing, I don't deem it necessary to look anywhere else. Unless giroux decides to throw on a pens jersey! (Joking)

[Aoki11]

Does anybody have any thoughts on the Western conference picture? I like Chicago even though they slumped at the end of the season. I don't think Colorado has what it takes, too inexperienced an less dynamic without duchene. San Jose is automatically scrappy with Thornton and couture. Western should honestly be more interesting

[theoneandonly]

Exactly your point? We clearly aren't on the same page man.... James Neal scored 24,27 and 21 goals in his first 3 seasons in the league, not exactly an unknown by any stretch. If you don't think Shero had him pegged as his guy you're nuts. Matt Niskanen was viewed as a "toss-in" for the trade and has ended up blowing up. When was the last time you heard of Alex Goligoski? Sure he's been a decent player but he wasn't traded b/c his value "sky-rocketed". I mean this in the nicest way possible but you really confuse me with whatever point you're trying to make. Every single season teams lose players via trades, free agency and etc. Sometimes it is performance related and sometimes it's Cap related.

This is directly from Satan's wikipedia page... "The Penguins did not re-sign Šatan when his contract expired at the end of the season and he was not signed during the free agency period." Not one single team signed him until January of the next season.... that is some skyrocketing value!!!!!

Tyler Kennedy sucks and has for 4 years. He had 4 goals and 10 assists this season. He made $2.35 mil this year. I'm sure the Sharks are thrilled they were able to sign him. In contrast Brian Gibbons played 26 less games and scored one more goal and had 2 more assists and made.... wait for it... $1.8mil less than TK. I think things worked out okay for the Pens.

[konjo78]

West give me the blues and ducks in western conference finals!


Pitt is one of the bedt market teams. Shero is more of an MVP to that organization than anyone but Mario. Kessler won't be in Pennsylvania next year... My guess is Toronto or Detroit

[Aoki11]

You are right oneandonly only we are not on the same page. You keep stating that the players I mentioned went to other teams and plummeted like its news to me. Thanks I guess? Even though that's what I've been saying. With the exception of Seguin of course.

It's pretty ironic because in a previous forum you criticized players like brandon sutter for being in the 20-30 point range saying they need to contribute more. But now that it suits your argument and james Neal had in that range, he was a blockbuster target. No, he wasn't known throughout the league at the time, ray Shero made a move and it paid off. As you say "nothing more, nothing less"

Earlier you mentioned something about fans being too dependent on fleury. I don't see what you're going for there either. Okay so fans aren't supposed to have high expectations for the guy who, not exaggerating, won it for Pittsburgh just five short years ago in hockey town, in the finals and in the final stanza? Hm. That's pretty smart. You are "mad" if you think fans aren't going to expect, that's how the nhl goes right? And history repeats itself, fans don't like change, they like to see good players last and do well. You remarking on that makes you look like a hipster.

Konjo, I could see St. Louis, but my only reasoning for not having them is because I think they don't have the firepower. They are a team that is defense first and consistently holds teams to 1-2 goals while only putting in 2-3. They are similar to LA. Playoff hockey will be different for them.

[theoneandonly]

James Neal wasn't in the "20-30 point range" he was in the 20-27 goal range his first 3 seasons in the NHL. Big difference. He was viewed at the time as Sid's winger of the future until 87's injuries derailed that.

When it comes to Fleury... Sure i think he is as important as anyone going forward in the playoffs. I've defended him for years but the truth is he hasn't been very good at all the past two post-seasons. I was more or less implying that while it is very very important for MAF to play like the MAF of 2009 that alone won't be enough for the Pens to make a deep run. He was hung out to dry by defensive meltdowns the past two years. I certainly remember what he did 5 years ago but the reality is 5 years is a lifetime in professional sports.... it comes down to, what have you done for me lately?

I don't even know what the hell a hipster is?