Prospect Info: Draft 2025: Is it too late to tank? Asking for a friend

[Ryder71]

Isles have NJD and WAS

Philly has OTT and CBJ

We have BOS and WAS

I don't think schedule strength and who is resting who matters all that much here.

How about the fact that the Isles top two goalies are out with injuries? And the fact that Sullivan and Crosby are playing these games as if it's game seven of the finals?

I know BOS and WAS won't play balls to the wall like we will. Maybe we'll get lucky but...

 

[Ryder71]

Rags down early.

 

[JakeNBake59]

The Rangers play the Lightning and Panthers, another 2 teams that will be resting players for the playoffs. Guess you can chalk up 2 wins to them too.

those two games for the rangers arent really a certainty, whilst both teams are in. Outside chance of first, plus home ice to play for

 

[Ryder71]

Rags need ONE point to stay ahead of us if we win out. They are at CAR, AT FLA, Home against TB. The last two there are fighting for home ice and a slight chance at the division title..

 

[Ryder71]

those two games for the rangers arent really a certainty, whilst both teams are in. Outside chance of first, plus home ice to play for

Exactly, they are playing for home ice as of now. With an outside chance at winning the division,

 

[Ryder71]

2-0 Canes. And the Canes have absolutely nothing to play for.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

2-0 Canes. And the Canes have absolutely nothing to play for.

pLaYIng fOr PrIde!

 

[Jacob]

The Rangers have no chance of picking 14th if they lose 1 more right?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

4-0 Canes now

It's gonna be very funny if the Rangers keep their pick this draft and continue to suck ass next year. That team's a Shesterkin injury away from handing the Pens an unprotected top 5 imo.

 

[Ryder71]

The Rangers have no chance of picking 14th if they lose 1 more right?

They are down 4-0.

 

[Andy99]

We’d be hurting Boston and the Caps more if we forced them to win these meaningless games lol…

If Washington can scratch Ovi, we certainly can scratch Sid …and play Ned too..

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

This team's not gonna scratch guys like Sid, Rust or Rakell. They're way too f***in' stupid and proud for that.

 

[Ryder71]

If we lose tomorrow in REG (which doesn't seem like at all) we would be guaranteed no worse than 9TH OA before the lottery. An OTL we'd be no higher than 10th OA. That's how important losing that game is. We couldn't catch DET, NYI or NYR with REG loss. DET and NYR with OTL.

If not we could still be as high as 12OA. Two points now could swing two or three spots.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Glad to see the Rangers losing, them losing out likely results in their pick being #10

We want the Rangers to lose out to either give the Penguins a 1st at #10 or #11 or just give up the unprotected 2026 1st.

 

[Darren McCord]

This team's not gonna scratch guys like Sid, Rust or Rakell. They're way too f***in' stupid and proud for that.

Sid is on pace to have of the best seasons ever for a 37 or older player. Let him have that. Let Koivunen get more time with him as well. The hopefully Koivunen goes down and kills it in the AHL playoffs so he gets a legit chance to start with the team next year.

 

[Turin]

I’ll take a 3 point game between Isles and Philly. Just gotta lose one more game this year and Pens will be good for the lottery and the Rangers pick is also looking nice.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

It's insane that the Rangers are playing Rempe and sitting guys like Othmann and Perrault.

Christ, coaches are such donkeybrained idiots.

 

[Ryder71]

I’ll take a 3 point game between Isles and Philly. Just gotta lose one more game this year and Pens will be good for the lottery and the Rangers pick is also looking nice.

If we lose tomorrow in REG and the Ducks win tomorrow in REG, we'd be no higher than 8th OA. We couldn't catch Rags, Ducks, Isles or Wings if that happened.

Unfortunately I doubt that happens. But lets root for it.

 

[Andy99]

It's insane that the Rangers are playing Rempe and sitting guys like Othmann and Perrault.

Christ, coaches are such donkeybrained idiots.

Some teams think losing meaningless games at the end of the season are better for them…lol…and then there’s the Pens

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Sid is on pace to have of the best seasons ever for a 37 or older player. Let him have that. Let Koivunen get more time with him as well. The hopefully Koivunen goes down and kills it in the AHL playoffs so he gets a legit chance to start with the team next year.

I couldn't give a shit less about Sid's point total in a year that should've been used to get the best prospect possible tbh. But I realize that's a controversial take and anything but tummy butterflies for Sid is tantamount to sacrilege. These concessions are why we continue to see shit like "Can't trade Rakell for a haul cuz Sid likes him. Can't trade Rust once his NTC drops cuz Sid. Gotta keep limping along picking 7-14 cuz it's somehow 'doing right by Sid'."

It's just all so annoying after half a decade of steep and unmitigated decline. /shrug

 

[Ryder71]

Some teams thinks losing meaningless games at the end of the season are better for them…lol…and then there’s the Pens

That Dallas win could really hurt us.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Some teams think losing meaningless games at the end of the season are better for them…lol…and then there’s the Pens

It's very clearly a case of Laviolette being a schmuck imo. If they were trying to lose they'd sit Shesterkin and Panarin.

 

[Darren McCord]

I couldn't give a shit less about Sid's point total in a year that should've been used to get the best prospect possible tbh. But I realize that's a controversial take and anything but tummy butterflies for Sid is tantamount to sacrilege. These concessions are why we continue to see shit like "Can't trade Rakell for a haul cuz Sid likes him. Can't trade Rust once his NTC drops cuz Sid. Gotta keep limping along picking 7-14 cuz it's somehow 'doing right by Sid'."

It's just all so annoying after half a decade of steep and unmitigated decline. /shrug

Ya you are right. Burn it down and give me that amazing blackhawks team to enjoy.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Ya you are right. Burn it down and give me that amazing blackhawks team to enjoy.

You're already basically watching the Blackhawks, but instead of getting top 3 picks like Bedard, Misa/Schaefer, Levshunov, Nazar, to build upon so there's a light at the end of the tunnel, they're drafting guys like Yager and Pickering. Much better.

 

[Pancakes]

You're already basically watching the Blackhawks, but instead of getting top 3 picks like Bedard, Misa/Schaefer, Levshunov, Nazar, to build upon so there's a light at the end of the tunnel, they're drafting guys like Yager and Pickering. Much better.

The Pens were never going to out tank the likes of Chicago or San Jose with Sidney Crosby on the roster.

Had Dubas gutted the roster more at the deadline by trading Rakell then maybe they could have had a few more losses though, which could have meant the difference between like 5th overall and 8th overall. Maybe that's significant. I kinda doubt it. I think that only ends up mattering if the 5th overall or so slot wins the lottery. Otherwise I don't personally see a big difference between picking 5th or picking 8th. The Pens should get a similar quality prospect either way.

Now if the Pens actually win out and pick like 11th or 12th or something that would be pretty tragic as based on what I've read of this draft you want to be in that top 8 or so. But they say that shit about every f-ing draft so at the end of the day whatever. Call it copium if you will but I think the Pens should be able to find a quality player whether they end up picking 12th or 8th or wherever. If you get into that top 15 you should be able to find somebody or your scouts are dog shit.