Kasperi Kapanen (Aberg/J Lindgren) Traded to Pittsburgh (15OV/Hallander/E Rod/Warf to Toronto)

[Peat]

Pens third line blows and has been a major issue.

KK is a hell of a third liner that can have a Rust like impact on a line.

That is quite valuable and something this team really lacks with Rust being a top sixer now.

Again, I don’t know if you a pay the 15th overall and a decent prospect for that though.

If he can play in their top six full time its worth it... but he had two top end pivots in Tor he couldn’t gel with so...

Malkin and Crosby are better pure playmakers than those two, but that starts up the old “this guy will score 30 with them” BS we all know is horse shit.

If he can be a guy who really helps drive the bus on the 3rd line, that'd be cool, that might make it worthwhile, but Patric Hornqvist is there. And I doubt Hornqvist is getting moved up to the top 6.

I dunno. Wait and see I guess. I can see your argument but as you say, it's quite a price.

My favorite new part of this trade is if Kapanen explodes we need to protect him likely opening up our D to losing Pettersson in expansion if he continues to be a top four D.

Kapanen doesn't change ought - we're going 7-3 with Letang, Dumo and Pettersson protected (with Marino exempt) already.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

If Kapanen has that value what is Rust worth?

JR would have to trade with JR

 

[Gurglesons]

That's not true. Marino isn't eligible for the expansion draft.

Yeah. Thought he was. Good thing.

 

[Victor Z]

Where do you guys think he'll play in your lineup?

Leafs fan here. He won't be with crosby cause he's not a grinder or very creative. Probably not Malkin too for similar reasons. Is he slotting on your third line and on PK?

If he brings his mean and hitting game consistently he's a much better player than he often showed on the leafs, but still best suited on the 3rd line I assume.

Thanks for the input, but.... not allowed to play that way on the Penguins. Sullivan & the refs won't permit it.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

I really don't get this deal. Doesn't make any sense. I was really hoping he was going to keep the 1st. Maybe he has something else planned for getting one in return for the goalies. JJ is still here so nothing solved.

 

[PensandCaps]

That's not what it means at all.

If Kapanen goes to Geno... Sid gets Rust... whom he loves.

Let's hope Rust is better with Sid now.

But another thing would be putting Rust on line 3 and letting him create offense on his own, which he will.

 

[Turin]

I really don't get this deal. Doesn't make any sense. I was really hoping he was going to keep the 1st. Maybe he has something else planned for getting one in return for the goalies. JJ is still here so nothing solved.

There’ll be more moves. We just have to hope they kind of offset the value here.

 

[OswaldBates]

I do think Rutherford needs Boterill back. Or at least somebody with authority close by besides Karmamos who might be a mole sent by his dad to sabotage JR.

yeah since he is kicking ass in Buffalo............ wait

 

[Beauner]

Did you see how Malkin played this postseason? He was a ghost.

They're in their mid-30's. If they were nearing 30, I'd be on that boat. Now? Nope.

74 pts in 55 games in the regular season but yeah let's judge based on 4 games coming back from a months-long delay with a flawed roster.

 

[pensfan71]

I hate this trade...but right now we get better bc the draft is a crap-shoot so we never know. We all loved Kap when we first saw him anyways, and there's been significant improvement to his game. I also love reports that he's cocky, our team is too old and too tame; if he can provide the energy juice I suspect he can with his personality why not take it and run. If he plays with Sid or Geno, I expect 25 goals.

I also expect all of Murray+Rust/Horny+Bjugs+McCann to go in either separate deals or in some sort of package to Calgary. If we get Gaudreau somehow, that's great but my targets are Bennet and Lindholm.

Sign Brodie in the off-season as well and I'm happy with how the team could turn out aka the Pittsburgh Flames

 

[Pancakes]

Nyet my dude. Out of the last eight 15OAs, half of them made their NHL debuts at D+2. 15OA isn't a gamble on three to four years, it's a gamble on a swift turnaround - which you trade if it doesn't look swift enough.

And even if we think it's going to be 3-4 years and we should be throwing all futures at win next year? Don't throw them at Kapanen.

So we're talking about a 50% chance of a D+2 contribution, versus an immediate contribution (for the next three years at least) from Kapanen.

I don't feel like it's such a bad gamble to make from JR, especially given (as I pointed out) that we were the 7th best team in the league this year. Adding a productive 20 goal two-way player might be enough to push us over the top. We're not some bubble team. We're an elite team still.

Not saying I would have been opposed to keeping the first rounder, but I'm ok with the logic of going all-in given where we stand.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I believe the Leafs won this trade, BUT having said that, I can actually see Kap on Crosbys line, lighting it up. I think they could mesh well. Kap is a good player, very fast, a very good third line winger, but Crosby makes his linemates better and with Kaps speed i think you might have something there.

Thats what I'm thinking Rutherford is thinking. And I'm a leafs fan, but I think this may work out for you guys. Wishing you guys luck.

My wife is a Leaf’s fan so I’ve watched KK a ton.

The issue is if you move a 15th overall in a deep draft and a pretty good prospect, you should land a legit top six guy.

KK isn’t that... he may be, but we should all know by now that Crosby and Malkin don’t create miracles and turn third liners into legit top sizers.

It’s a myth.

 

[Victor Z]

Pens window is now. All I will say is Kapanen has never played with a true playmaker as he will as indicated by Rutherford's Kapanen is a top 6 fwd tweet. If he plays with Sid or Geno, I think you guys have a guaranteed 25 goal scorer, perhaps a 30 goal scorer, and a ceiling high 40 goal guy next year. That's not bad at 3.2. The key is Sid and Geno, if Kapanen plays with either, expect a career year Pens fans.

Isn't that what some were saying about Alex Galchenyuk not too long ago?

It was thought he might play with Geno, but that never really happened and Galch went from "guaranteed 25 goals" to bust in record time. Sully didn't give him much opportunity, but what few chances he did get he looked like he was squeezing his stick at about 1000 PSI.

What it comes down to is that how WE think a player should be used often varies wildly from the visions of the Mystical Mike Sullivan.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Basically what I'm driving at here is that 33 year old torn-gut Crosby and 34 year old arm-falling-off Malkin need more DIRECT help than try-hard, north/south, coach-favorite, "project" kind of guys.

But hey knowing JR there are like 25 more trades on their way so might as well wait and see. But this is a poor start, IMO.

Piggybacking that, what assets are we gonna use to land those players?

McCann, Hornqvist, and Murray?

Eeeeeeyeah

 

[Turin]

My wife is a Leaf’s fan so I’ve watched KK a ton.

The issue is if you move a 15th overall in a deep draft and a pretty good prospect, you should land a legit top six guy.

KK isn’t that... he may be, but we should all know by now that Crosby and Malkin don’t create miracles and turn third liners into legit top sizers.

It’s a myth.

He’s Rust before this year.

 

[Pancakes]

Again, can't reiterate enough. We were the 7th best team in the league this year. A few playoff flops doesn't mean that we're suddenly past being a contender. We have as good a chance as anyone to win a cup. We really do.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The more I think about it, the more I think people are overreacting to JR overpaying. JR overpaid by including Hallander, that's about it. If the deal was just a 1st, Rodrigues and Warsofsky for Kapanen, Lindgren and Aberg, I think it would have been fine. It sucks that JR overpaid, especially because Hallander looks like a pretty solid prospect, but overpaying with a Hallander caliber prospect isn't going to ruin this team. The team is better for the short run with Kapanen than if they would have kept the 1st.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Id have rather kept the 15th overall and Hallander. And called Poulin up(hes gonna get blocked now). I dont know why they think we only have a few years left. The only way thats true is if they keep going this route. We could have landed a top prospect(who knows..maybe the next Barzal. Maybe but we never keep our picks to find out).

I felt like this team could still have a chance when Geno/Sid were in their late 30s. Like the Sharks for example with Thornton and Marleau(except our two are better) by building around them. Yet JR keeps going all in. Thats puts more pressure on them to win now...

Its time for a new GM. JR was fine but now hes ending up like he was when on the Canes. He doesnt care about the Pens 5 years from now.

 

[pensfan71]

Isn't that what some were saying about Alex Galchenyuk not too long ago?

It was thought he might play with Geno, but that never really happened and Galch went from "guaranteed 25 goals" to bust in record time. Sully didn't give him much opportunity, but what few chances he did get he looked like he was squeezing his stick at about 1000 PSI.

What it comes down to is that how WE think a player should be used often varies wildly from the visions of the Mystical Mike Sullivan.

Gally also had crazy issues not related to Sully. I wouldn't have even traded for him lmao let alone put him with Geno

 

[OswaldBates]

Again, can't reiterate enough. We were the 7th best team in the league this year. A few playoff flops doesn't mean that we're suddenly past being a contender. We have as good a chance as anyone to win a cup. We really do.

Posters here shit their Underroos with regularity

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Piggybacking that, what assets are we gonna use to land those players?

McCann, Hornqvist, and Murray?

Eeeeeeyeah

Right. At least from where I am sitting they just used the best bullet in their gun on small-ish game if you are looking at trying to bag a top six wing.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

15th overall pick and a solid prospect for a 40 point winger is overpayment.

We don't have any 1st round picks until 2022 and KK isn't that much of an upgrade over what we have currently. Can always find a speedy 40pt winger in free agency.

This trade lowered my faith in JR.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Worst case scenario he becomes a replacement for Hornqvist on L3.

I don't even think that's a bad scenario. I think that's a realistic, and good scenario for us now and moving forward. But good lord, not for that payment.

 

[OswaldBates]

Id have rather kept the 15th overall and Hallander. And called Poulin up(hes gonna get blocked now). I dont know why they think we only have a few years left. The only way thats true is if they keep going this route. We could have landed a top prospect(who knows..maybe the next Barzal. Maybe but we never keep our picks to find out).

I felt like this team could still have a chance when Geno/Sid were in their late 30s. Like the Sharks for example with Thornton and Marleau(except our two are better) by building around them. Yet JR keeps going all in. Thats puts more pressure on them to win now...

Its time for a new GM. JR was fine but now hes ending up like he was when on the Canes. He doesnt care about the Pens 5 years from now.

Funny neither does Sid, Geno & Letang

 

[Darren McCord]

In a less doom and gloom we got a young potential top 6 player!

As fans we need to enjoy these next two years as much as possible. Crosby and Malkin are generational players and its clear because of contracts the team thinks the next two years are whats left in the tank.

After 2022
Malkin contract up
Letang Contract up
Rust Contract up
Kappy Conract up (RFA)