GDT: Free Agency Day 1: You're from Boston? Come on down

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I never bought into the "haul" idea one way or the other since he was a rental. But it woulda been cool to score one of their top five prospects or a first, at least. I want to be excited about Bunting next season but I dunno... he seems like the kinda player we've seen here before that comes in with a bang and then follows it up with a big, swampy, extended wet fart. I'll be very happy to be wrong on that front though as a late-season Bunting extrapolated over the course of all next year would make things a lot more watchable.

Yeah the fact that Carolina had so many decent prospects and we walked away with like their 5th best one annoyed me. Bunting seems fine, fits the net front role better than Jake on the top PP, but I'm not confident he's gonna keep up his pace either.

I'm fine with Hayes for an earlier 2nd. I'm fine with schlubs on one year deals for dirt cheap. I'm happy dumping Smith for something. I'd be happier if they didn't re-sign Petts, and found a way to dump Graves, Jarry and Rakell--all the while preparing themselves for the tearful goodbye of Rust next summer the second his NTC is up.

But one move at a time I guess. Doubt I'll get all my wishes.

 

[Pancakes]

Bunting was legit good here. I don't know if we should just be assuming he'll be ass next year. And we have to give the prospects some time. If none of them are getting NHL time by next season, it's probably not a good trade, but as of now we got a legit NHL player and 3 lottery tickets. If one of them hits as a top-9 NHL forward, I don't see how that's not a good trade for an expiring contract at the deadline (and, don't forget, Jake didn't even re-sign with the Canes)



edit: I'm more upset that we simply didn't offer Jake 7x9 to make it a victimless crime

Yeah it could still turn out to be a good deal. We won't know until we see how these prospects pan out.

Bunting was good but we'll see how he fits in over a full season. Guys come over with something to prove all the time and then revert to be doing kinda crappy after a brief hot stint (see Carter, Jeff). I hope Bunting can repeat how he was playing last year because our paper thin top six is gonna desperately need him to do that for us to have any kind of success this year.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah the fact that Carolina had so many decent prospects and we walked away with like their 5th best one annoyed me. Bunting seems fine, fits the net front role better than Jake on the top PP, but I'm not confident he's gonna keep up his pace either.

I guess I can placate myself with the knowledge that prospect rankings often mean very little and that hopefully one of the three the team ended up with breaks out. We're kinda due. But at first blush they all seem like... well... NHL 2nd round picks. Check the percentages on that. Not too great.

 

[Ulf5]

Seems like he’s a d-bag.

He's from Bahstahn U, a Pen in 10, 9, 8.....

 

[Jag68Sid87]

It ain't about the prospect. If you are drafted, you have some semblance of talent. Development of said talent is key.

We have been among the very worst at prospect development for quite some time now, hence our current predicament.

Dubas is not helping the situation by saying one thing, and acting in a completely different fashion. Unless, of course, he is not the guy steering the boat.

Which is possible.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

It ain't about the prospect. If you are drafted, you have some semblance of talent. Development of said talent is key.

We have been among the very worst at prospect development for quite some time now, hence our current predicament.

Dubas is not helping the situation by saying one thing, and acting in a completely different fashion. Unless, of course, he is not the guy steering the boat.

Which is possible.

I think its a bit of column A and column B with Dubas. I do not think he would have taken the job if he was not given some level of autonomy given how things played out in Toronto and that front office. So I think his hands are on the helm. But I also FSG is probably a hardcore backseat driver with any of their teams. So FSG to use your steering the boat analogy, FSG probably says to him, "You can go anywhere you want... INBETWEEN... And ONLY INBETWEEN North and East. No where else. Knock yourself out." So I think he lives in a semi-autonomous role. Free to make choices within hard defined set of ranges.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think its a bit of column A and column B with Dubas. I do not think he would have taken the job if he was not given some level of autonomy given how things played out in Toronto and that front office. So I think his hands are on the helm. But I also do think FSG is probably a hardcore backseat driver with any of their teams. So FSG to use your steering the boat analogy probably says to him, "You can go anywhere you want... INBETWEEN... And ONLY INBETWEEN North and East. No where else. Knock yourself out." So I think he lives in a semi-autonomous role. Free to make choices within hard defined set of ranges.

I think Dubas is just a bad GM.

I don't know why we have to keep writing these fan fics.

This is the GM that listened to his advisors and moved a 1st for Foligno.

This is the GM that paid Seth Jarvis to get out of the Marleau trade.

This is the GM that said "I won't bet against this group" the moment he got here then made no trades or moves in season prior to moving Jake.

He's just not a good GM and the quicker people realize that the easier it'll be to have actual conversations about where this franchise is heading. Which is nowhere.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I think Dubas is just a bad GM.

I don't know why we have to keep writing these fan fics.

This is the GM that listened to his advisors and moved a 1st for Foligno.

This is the GM that paid Seth Jarvis to get out of the Marleau trade.

This is the GM that said "I won't bet against this group" the moment he got here then made no trades or moves in season prior to moving Jake.

He's just not a good GM and the quicker people realize that the easier it'll be to have actual conversations about where this franchise is heading. Which is nowhere.

I am not saying he is good or bad. I just believe that's probably the reality of his job he exists in. He isn't going anywhere so I just try to read the tea leaves.

 

[PensandCaps]

It's funny that we say signing Graves and Acciari is bad, but then we are crying about losing Marino and Tanev who are just Graves and Acciari.



We could've traded Guentzel for a 1st and a good prospect instead of a bunch of crap.

That's what rebuilding teams do.

See Calgary, Philadelphia, the Rangers, etc.
being
Instead we took a stupid half in / half out approach and got a 2nd and a roster player and some mid prospects.

The prospects we got from Carolina are good, especially Koivunen. Bunting looked to be fitting perfectly in the top 6, while bringing something we need on the PP aswell. They got 3 good prospects, along with a top 6 option, for 22 games of Guentzel.

 

[Gurglesons]

I am not saying he is good or bad. I just believe that's probably the reality of his job he exists in. He isn't going anywhere so I just try to read the tea leaves.

There's no tea leaves.

FSG probably doesn't even know the players names after Crosby, Malkin, Karlsson and Letang.

The prospects we got from Carolina are good, especially Koivunen. Bunting looked to be fitting perfectly in the top 6, while bringing something we need on the PP aswell. They got 3 good prospects, along with a top 6 option, for 22 games of Guentzel.

Koivunen will be a bust within 3 years.

 

[Malkinstheman]

The prospects we got from Carolina are good, especially Koivunen. Bunting looked to be fitting perfectly in the top 6, while bringing something we need on the PP aswell. They got 3 good prospects, along with a top 6 option, for 22 games of Guentzel.

Not sure why Bunting is viewed as a cap dump by people. He was a bad fit on Carolina but he has a short contract and a skillset teams covet. Pens could flip him for good value when he has one year left.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

There's no tea leaves.

FSG probably doesn't even know the players names after Crosby, Malkin, Karlsson and Letang.



Koivunen will be a bust within 3 years.

Who hurt you? Show me on the Iceberg stuffy where?

 

[PensandCaps]

There's no tea leaves.

FSG probably doesn't even know the players names after Crosby, Malkin, Karlsson and Letang.



Koivunen will be a bust within 3 years.

The crow eating will be great when Koivunen is a top 6 wing.

 

[PensandCaps]

Not sure why Bunting is viewed as a cap dump by people. He was a bad fit on Carolina but he has a short contract and a skillset teams covet. Pens could flip him for good value when he has one year left.

He had 19 points in 21 games here, they'll very likely get another decent pick from the Guentzel trade when they trade Bunting. If he keeps that statline up, who knows if they even trade him though.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Not sure why Bunting is viewed as a cap dump by people. He was a bad fit on Carolina but he has a short contract and a skillset teams covet. Pens could flip him for good value when he has one year left.

Which is the reality we are in. As fans, we will probably not even have a full read on how the rebuild is going until after at least one or two of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang retire or have been seperated from the team for a few years. I'd say the earliest would be 25-26 maybe... or more likely 26-27 season till we can fully say whether the rebuild is working or has worked. Or not. Thats too far down the road with dozen of variables to be able to make any reasonable prediction. You can make wild stab in the dark ones. But thats about it.

He had 19 points in 21 games here, they'll very likely get another decent pick from the Guentzel trade when they trade Bunting. If he keeps that statline up, who knows if they even trade him though.

I like Bunting. I don't get the hate ether. But I would be surprised if he keeps up a sub ppg pace. Probably more seasonable to put him in the 45-55 point range. Thats reasonable. If he overshoots that. Nothing but cream on the top.

 

[Gurglesons]

Not sure why Bunting is viewed as a cap dump by people. He was a bad fit on Carolina but he has a short contract and a skillset teams covet. Pens could flip him for good value when he has one year left.

Because he was a cap dump. I don't understand why people are so adamant to defend he wasn't.

Kuzmenko was a cap dump too. He had 14 goals and 25 points after going over to Calgary.

The crow eating will be great when Koivunen is a top 6 wing.

If Koivunen is a top six wing in PIT at any point and actually producing like one, I'll leave HFPens.

 

[Gurglesons]

Live footage of Koivunen.

 

[PensandCaps]

Because he was a cap dump. I don't understand why people are so adamant to defend he wasn't.

Kuzmenko was a cap dump too. He had 14 goals and 25 points after going over to Calgary.



If Koivunen is a top six wing in PIT at any point and actually producing like one, I'll leave HFPens.

Don't forget about Ponomaryov, he'll be a solid player, another crow eating incoming.

 

[Gurglesons]

Don't forget about Ponomaryov, he'll be a solid player, another crow eating incoming.

I think Pono can potentially win us the trade. If he doesn't turn out and Koivunen is the typical "top six skill set" without the size / skating ability + production to be a top six forward that trade is looking like when the Flames moved Iginla.

Ideally we can move Bunting for a big return if he gets his numbers pumped the next two years.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think Pono can potentially win us the trade. If he doesn't turn out and Koivunen is the typical "top six skill set" without the size / skating ability + production to be a top six forward that trade is looking like when the Flames moved Iginla.

Ideally we can move Bunting for a big return if he gets his numbers pumped the next two years.

I think it's tough to gauge, I have absolutely zero faith in Sullivan giving any of them the shot they deserve based on the type of players they are and I don't really have much faith in WBS as a developmental team lately either.

I had some hopes with Lucius, Ponomarev, and Koivunen, but if they wouldn't even give Hallander a proper shot and keep f***ing around with Puustinen, these 3 lads have shitty odds. Which really just makes every trade for prospects look like shit because of how they're handled. You'd need Dubas to acquire someone he really badly wanted and is super high on and then see Sullivan completely misuse him like he loves to do and open his f***ing eyes.

Cruz has put up 68pts in 70 games in U of Wisconsin, he's being forgotten as I think he'll probably end up signing at the end of his 3rd year. Koivunen and Ponomarev are going to learn really quick it doesn't matter what skillset they have, if they can't hack it with pure shit deployment with the likes of Acciari, they aren't cut out for the NHL.

Ps - The Flames have botched almost all their big trades of franchise players from Iggy on - Iginla, Tkachuk and they let Gaudreau walk because Treliving is a dipshit.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think it's tough to gauge, I have absolutely zero faith in Sullivan giving any of them the shot they deserve based on the type of players they are and I don't really have much faith in WBS as a developmental team lately either.

I had some hopes with Lucius, Ponomarev, and Koivunen, but if they wouldn't even give Hallander a proper shot and keep f***ing around with Puustinen, these 3 lads have shitty odds. Which really just makes every trade for prospects look like shit because of how they're handled. You'd need Dubas to acquire someone he really badly wanted and is super high on and then see Sullivan completely misuse him like he loves to do and open his f***ing eyes.

Cruz has put up 68pts in 70 games in U of Wisconsin, he's being forgotten as I think he'll probably end up signing at the end of his 3rd year. Koivunen and Ponomarev are going to learn really quick it doesn't matter what skillset they have, if they can't hack it with pure shit deployment with the likes of Acciari, they aren't cut out for the NHL.

Koivunen is the type of player hockey prospect websites say is an amazing talent then he gets on the North American ice and doesn’t have the size or skating ability to do what he could do against lesser talent in Finland.

Seen it enough times.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Koivunen is the type of player hockey prospect websites say is an amazing talent then he gets on the North American ice and doesn’t have the size or skating ability to do what he could do against lesser talent in Finland.

Seen it enough times.

Those same questions were raised about Puustinen with his size and if he could hack it on NA ice, it's a wait and see approach there. Koivunen did well in Europe and the skill is there. Just have to wait and see how he adapts in WBS.

His skating was an issue when he was in his draft year, but he's worked on it.

The irony is a lot of blokes here also felt Puustinen needed to work on his skating and then when he came over and they got to see him play, that question was answered quickly. I've seen enough footage of Koivunen to see that from his draft profile videos to now, his skating has changed a lot. He's not as choppy anymore, his strides are more fluid and he looks quicker with his edge work.

 

[PensandCaps]

I think Pono can potentially win us the trade. If he doesn't turn out and Koivunen is the typical "top six skill set" without the size / skating ability + production to be a top six forward that trade is looking like when the Flames moved Iginla.

Ideally we can move Bunting for a big return if he gets his numbers pumped the next two years.

He looked hell of a lot better than Smith. So hopefully atleast a 2nd for Bunting.

 

[Turin]

I never bought into the "haul" idea one way or the other since he was a rental. But it woulda been cool to score one of their top five prospects or a first, at least. I want to be excited about Bunting next season but I dunno... he seems like the kinda player we've seen here before that comes in with a bang and then follows it up with a big, swampy, extended wet fart. I'll be very happy to be wrong on that front though as a late-season Bunting extrapolated over the course of all next year would make things a lot more watchable.

Both Ponomarev and Koivunen were in the same exact tier as somebody like Blake. They essentially were both top 5 prospects since after Carolina’s top 3 (one of which was the 2nd best prospect in the world) you could rank them in any way.

 

[PensandCaps]

You don't have to be an amazing skater to be good, having decent foot and hand work around the net, along with a good IQ and a decent shot is more than enough to be a good NHL player. If you have a good low center of gravity and aren't Conor Sheary weak, you can get by with the lack of size.