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This team has given basically zero indication that they view Poulin as a part of their future. I'm not seeing anything that makes me think he's going to be "in the mix" next year.

I don't think much of Ponomarev either at this point, but he was a piece that Dubas brought in and becomes waiver eligible next year. I think there is almost no chance they waive him to give Poulin a spot, when Poulin wasn't a Dubas acquisition and the current team has shown basically nothing that suggests they view him as a NHL option.

The Poulin stuff seems to be more people here trying to speak it into existence than the team suggesting it may happen.
The Ponomarev waiver argument is a valid point. I still believe Poulin has been kept in WBS for the most part because he's considered a leader and stabilizing force for a pretty young team. They're not going to learn anything about him in eight games at the NHL level that they don't already know, whereas giving McGroarty and Koivunen a little bit of a run could be more beneficial.

So while I get what you're saying, I do think they're going to give Poulin a long look next year - he's under contract - and give him a chance to seize a spot. If not ahead of Ponomarev, I would at least put him ahead of Hallander, who we have no idea if he's truly coming over, what his contract would look like (he's an unsigned RFA) or what the organization has offered to him in terms of opportunity.
 
The Ponomarev waiver argument is a valid point. I still believe Poulin has been kept in WBS for the most part because he's considered a leader and stabilizing force for a pretty young team. They're not going to learn anything about him in eight games at the NHL level that they don't already know, whereas giving McGroarty and Koivunen a little bit of a run could be more beneficial.

So while I get what you're saying, I do think they're going to give Poulin a long look next year - he's under contract - and give him a chance to seize a spot. If not ahead of Ponomarev, I would at least put him ahead of Hallander, who we have no idea if he's truly coming over, what his contract would look like (he's an unsigned RFA) or what the organization has offered to him in terms of opportunity.

You're not getting Hallander to leave the SHL and sign to go ride buses in WBS and sit in the AHL. He's having more success in a better league than Poulin. I think fans here just want to make Poulin work when the team really hasn't shown any indication they view him as even a NHL option.

Poulin looks almost definitely like a bust, the coach clearly doesn't like him and he wasn't a piece that the GM brought in. I don't believe there is really any reason to think he's anything more than WBS for this team going forward. Until the team gives some sort of indication that they view Poulin as a NHL piece, I'm not going to believe it because all of their actions suggest the opposite.
 
Penguins would be fools to trade either Rust or Rakell. No way would the Pens get better talent back for trading them. If McGroarty and Koivunen pan out then mix them rest of the players. No way do i want to see just Sid and Geno with no wingers next season. Wait till after next season then blow it up when Geno finally retires.
 
Penguins would be fools to trade either Rust or Rakell. No way would the Pens get better talent back for trading them. If McGroarty and Koivunen pan out then mix them rest of the players. No way do i want to see just Sid and Geno with no wingers next season. Wait till after next season then blow it up when Geno finally retires.

If McG and Koivunen miraculous become top 6 options and they actually manage to make the playoffs next year I could see Geno signing a one year deal and staying.

My dream is that they get in the top 5 this year and the rangers pick goes to next year. Then the rangers suck and they get Mckenna with the rangers pick :)
 
Penguins would be fools to trade either Rust or Rakell. No way would the Pens get better talent back for trading them. If McGroarty and Koivunen pan out then mix them rest of the players. No way do i want to see just Sid and Geno with no wingers next season. Wait till after next season then blow it up when Geno finally retires.
They're Awful NOW with Rakell and Rust. So, you just wanna keep them to appease the core then?
 
The Ponomarev waiver argument is a valid point. I still believe Poulin has been kept in WBS for the most part because he's considered a leader and stabilizing force for a pretty young team. They're not going to learn anything about him in eight games at the NHL level that they don't already know, whereas giving McGroarty and Koivunen a little bit of a run could be more beneficial.

So while I get what you're saying, I do think they're going to give Poulin a long look next year - he's under contract - and give him a chance to seize a spot. If not ahead of Ponomarev, I would at least put him ahead of Hallander, who we have no idea if he's truly coming over, what his contract would look like (he's an unsigned RFA) or what the organization has offered to him in terms of opportunity.
I expect Dubas to load up on one year vet contracts again which will sadly limit the amount of spots for fringe bottom sixers like Poulin.

Like how many slots do you think Dubas will leave open for prospects? I imagine he expects Koivunen and McGroarty to battle for spots, but past them, I dunno if I expect Dubas anticipates any other young players making the team out of camp.
 
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I expect Dubas to load up on one year vet contracts again which will sadly limit the amount of spots for fringe bottom sixers like Poulin.

Like how many slots do you think Dubas will leave open for prospects? I imagine he expects Koivunen and McGroarty to battle for spots, but past them, I dunno if I expect Dubas anticipates any other young players making the team out of camp.

I think the only young guys they'll assume have spots going into next year are McGroarty, Koivunen and Hallander. And Hallander is more because you won't get him to leave the SHL to sign with the Penguins if he's not being at least first dibs on a bottom-6 spot.

I think they will be adding one or two Beauvillier style UFAs to give them insurance in case McGroarty or Koivunen struggle, but the rest of the forward lineup will be filled out with what they have.
 
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I'm sure Sullivan will be patient with Hallander adapting to the NA game, just like has with every other more well-established Euro.
You may be right about Hallander but I'm not super worried about him jerking McGroarty or Koivunen around. Fair or not top prospects tend to get different treatment. If they aren't judged to be ready they'll just be sent down but they aren't going to stay up playing 8 minutes a night Puustinen style I don't think.

Like even this year McGroarty got sent down very quickly when it was evident that would be the case.
 
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I'm sure Sullivan will be patient with Hallander adapting to the NA game, just like has with every other more well-established Euro.

I haven't seen Hallander in a few years so I can't confidently say this, but from what I remember I'm not super worried about that. Hallander's playstyle doesn't have the issues that other Euro players have that Sullivan hates. He hates the soft Euro players like Puustinen, Sprong and such.

He's more like Hornqvist or Hagelin than Puustinen, and Sullivan loved Hornqvist and Hagelin.
 
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You're not getting Hallander to leave the SHL and sign to go ride buses in WBS and sit in the AHL. He's having more success in a better league than Poulin. I think fans here just want to make Poulin work when the team really hasn't shown any indication they view him as even a NHL option.

Poulin looks almost definitely like a bust, the coach clearly doesn't like him and he wasn't a piece that the GM brought in. I don't believe there is really any reason to think he's anything more than WBS for this team going forward. Until the team gives some sort of indication that they view Poulin as a NHL piece, I'm not going to believe it because all of their actions suggest the opposite.
I'm not sure that the SHL is overall better than the AHL. The AHL has deeper rosters and more competitive teams, though the SHL has better higher end talent.

I guess I'm just skeptical about Hallander. He left because he wanted to be back home. Now, two years later, that's changed?
 
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I haven't seen Hallander in a few years so I can't confidently say this, but from what I remember I'm not super worried about that. Hallander's playstyle doesn't have the issues that other Euro players have that Sullivan hates. He hates the soft Euro players like Puustinen, Sprong and such.

He's more like Hornqvist or Hagelin than Puustinen, and Sullivan loved Hornqvist and Hagelin.
I mean, Hallander's playstyle also resembled Poolparty's and Sullivan LOVED him.

It's merely a thought experiment, but I really do wonder how Sullivan would have reacted to a rookie Hagelin.
 
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I'm not sure that the SHL is overall better than the AHL. The AHL has deeper rosters and more competitive teams, though the SHL has better higher end talent.

I guess I'm just skeptical about Hallander. He left because he wanted to be back home. Now, two years later, that's changed?
I feel like the calculus changes when you get the opportunity to play in the top league in the world.

If Hallander doesn't see himself making the NHL then yeah I dunno why he'd bother, but if he feels confident then I can see the allure.
 
I'm not sure that the SHL is overall better than the AHL. The AHL has deeper rosters and more competitive teams, though the SHL has better higher end talent.

I guess I'm just skeptical about Hallander. He left because he wanted to be back home. Now, two years later, that's changed?

The SHL has been considered a better league than the AHL for years. Not sure what you're basing this on.

He went home for family reasons 2 years ago, not sure of the details but @Gurglesons has mentioned it a few times. Considering he's 24 and putting up over a PPG in the SHL while also playing a style that would presumably mesh really well in a NHL team's bottom-6, I think it would be pretty silly to put Poulin over him.
 
You may be right about Hallander but I'm not super worried about him jerking McGroarty or Koivunen around. Fair or not top prospects tend to get different treatment. If they aren't judged to be ready they'll just be sent down but they aren't going to stay up playing 8 minutes a night Puustinen style I don't think.

Like even this year McGroarty got sent down very quickly when it was evident that would be the case.
I'm mostly skeptical that Sullivan wants to take the time to develop anyone. Euros have just a bigger hurdle than NA guys, especially if they show a smidge of talent. My thought is that next year is going to be even more of the "we need to win now, we have a mandate, we don't have time to develop players" bullshit.
 
I'm mostly skeptical that Sullivan wants to take the time to develop anyone. Euros have just a bigger hurdle than NA guys, especially if they show a smidge of talent. My thought is that next year is going to be even more of the "we need to win now, we have a mandate, we don't have time to develop players" bullshit.

Which is a big reason why it's Dubas' responsibility this off-season to not clutter up the depths of the lineup like he has in the past 2 years.

Not only do the young guys need a chance to play, they're hitting waiver eligibility and putting them at risk of getting claimed by other teams that would give them a chance. Just like the Penguins claimed Kolychanok, another team would probably claim Ponomarev and give him a chance.
 
I'm not sure that the SHL is overall better than the AHL. The AHL has deeper rosters and more competitive teams, though the SHL has better higher end talent.

I guess I'm just skeptical about Hallander. He left because he wanted to be back home. Now, two years later, that's changed?
He had a newborn.
 
And speaking of that "clutter up the depths of the lineup", this is looking true for the defense next year as well. I don't think Graves is tradeable but I do wonder if a buyout is a possibility with him this off-season. I don't particularly like Grzelcyk much at all, but I'd not really have an issue with their defense if it's set up like this for next year:

XXXX-XXXX
Grzelcyk-Letang
Pickering-Timmins
Shea-Kolyachonok

But if Graves is still here, it either blocks Pickering, makes Shea a regular or forced Kolyachonok to waivers, all of which would be mistakes. I think EK is definitely gone in a trade, but even if Graves isn't bought out I figure he's not going to be on the NHL team. Or he at least shouldn't be on the NHL team.
 
I expect Dubas to load up on one year vet contracts again which will sadly limit the amount of spots for fringe bottom sixers like Poulin.

Like how many slots do you think Dubas will leave open for prospects? I imagine he expects Koivunen and McGroarty to battle for spots, but past them, I dunno if I expect Dubas anticipates any other young players making the team out of camp.
I could end up being flat wrong, but I think the opposite is his plan. I think this team could be substantially younger next season.

I think he's going to leave a few roster spots open and let guys duke it out. Whoever is left standing gets those spots, but they'll need to continue performing or risk having someone else get a look.'

At this point, I think it's safe to assume they'll dump Heinen in the summer if at all possible. They could move on from Acciari and/or Hayes, too, if they can find takers for what will be one-year contracts.

That would leave:
McGroarty - Crosby - Rust
Rakell - Malkin - Koivunen
XXXX - Novak - Tomasino
Dewar - Lizotte - XXXX

I think it's possible they add another player or two to the mix via trades/offer sheet, similar to their Tomasino/Novak approach. And I'm not sure that you should count on Tomasino being guaranteed that 3RW spot or Dewar being locked in at 4LW (though he's earned it so far). That leaves a fair amount of spots available for Broz, Ponomarev, Poulin, Hallander, and maybe Avery Hayes to contend for.

Where it's more likely that Dubas spends some money is on defense. I think Karlsson is gone. They don't want Graves in the lineup, even if he's on the team. We'll see what they decide to do with Grzelyck. The only guarantees to be on the roster are Letang and Timmins (who is an RFA), though I think they'll continue to give Kolyachonok a look and hopefully Pickering breaks camp with the team.

Pickering - Letang
XXXX - XXXX
Kolyachonok - Timmins
Graves

Brunicke probably isn't ready yet, as much as we liked him. Maybe he gets nine games to start the year and then goes back. St. Ivany and Shea are 6/7/8 defensemen. Nice to have them but they can be passed over.

So if there is money or assets spent, I think it'll be on defense, where their prospects are further away than their forwards are.
 
Damn it's so unfortunate that the Penguins are legally not allowed to trade Rakell because they didn't trade him at the deadline. Tough break!

This team could trade nothing for Connor McDavid and some of you will still find something to whine about.

Have that poster on ignore for that very reason.
 
This team has given basically zero indication that they view Poulin as a part of their future. I'm not seeing anything that makes me think he's going to be "in the mix" next year.

I don't think much of Ponomarev either at this point, but he was a piece that Dubas brought in and becomes waiver eligible next year. I think there is almost no chance they waive him to give Poulin a spot, when Poulin wasn't a Dubas acquisition and the current team has shown basically nothing that suggests they view him as a NHL option.

The Poulin stuff seems to be more people here trying to speak it into existence than the team suggesting it may happen.
some reason to believe pono won’t at least be a strong young 4th line option ala kuhn in 2016?
 

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