Macklin Celebrini to Pittsburgh thread.

[Pancakes]

48 hours ago, i felt this would be most likely

The last two games, and, yeah, we're pretty much guaranteed to be getting a solid top ten after the lottery

Yeah the schedule is rough as well. They might finish top ten even if they start trying again.

 

[Pancakes]

Here's something to ponder - consider what winning 1OV does for us. We draft Celebrini and suddenly you have a franchise 1C again.

If you elect to keep everyone and add Celebrini...is that alone enough to turn things around? Does adding him delay the much needed rebuild? Or would it accelerate it?

I somehow think it might be worse for us overall if we got the 1OV as opposed to, say, the 5OV. The only thing that would save it, would be a true commitment to an early rebuild. You can keep Sid-Geno-Letang. Ask EK what his thoughts are but plan to move him. Then 100% move Pettersson, Jarry, Rakell, and Rust. You might get them on board with 1-2 losing seasons with the idea that you try one last time when Sid is on the end of his extension.

Obviously, the most important part of that scheme would be to can Sullivan and Co. Instilling "Pittsburgh hockey" into the new kids is fine and all, but a rebuild involves a rebranding of what Pittsburgh Hockey means.

Fire Sullivan.
Pettersson+Jarry+DOC+Koivenen to NJD for Holtz+Mercer+Bahl
Rust to Detroit for Berggren (I think Detroit has a ton of young guys that they could afford to give him up - similar to Carolina and Guentzel)
Smith to Buffalo for a 2nd
EK+Rakell to Ottawa for Chabot+Norris
Eller and Acciari to whoever will take them.
Draft Celebrini

Bunting-Sid-Yager
Holtz-Celebrini-Mercer
Malkin-Norris-Berggren
Poulin-Pono-Puustinen

POJ-Letang
Bahl-Chabot
Graves-Ludvig

Blomqvist-Nedeljkovich

I do think Celebrini instantly turns the team around, at least in the sense that I think they're a playoff team with him.

I don't think they're a true cup contender again until the core retires and they reload in the draft.

But Celebrini probably makes them a playoff team for the duration of Sids career.

 

[Jargon]

As a Sharks fan, I’m really interested in this discussion, obviously. It’s pretty wild how similar you guys feel to the Sharks when we got Karlsson. Older core, sorta stuck between having to rebuild and making a final run.

I don’t envy the choice of which pick to give up if you fall into the top 10. I’d prefer you guys get the 11th pick this year just, again, bird in hand and all (and I’m impatient). But take it from a sad, broken Sharks fan — an unprotected 1st is a dangerous thing to give away.

 

[SEALBound]

As a Sharks fan, I’m really interested in this discussion, obviously. It’s pretty wild how similar you guys feel to the Sharks when we got Karlsson. Older core, sorta stuck between having to rebuild and making a final run.

I don’t envy the choice of which pick to give up if you fall into the top 10. I’d prefer you guys get the 11th pick this year just, again, bird in hand and all (and I’m impatient). But take it from a sad, broken Sharks fan — an unprotected 1st is a dangerous thing to give away.

I mean this with the utmost respect and in the most non-trolling of ways but I think the Sharks over the last 6 years are a cautionary tale for the Penguins. You look at the picks and names that were sent out and brought in and I don't think any of it was productive. The Hertl deal was woof. Smart selling Meier. The EK deal, yowzers. I just hope Dubas does a better job with our decline than what Wilson did.

The Hertl/Meier deals are probably good situations to ponder when discussing Guentzel.

 

[Andy99]

I mean this with the utmost respect and in the most non-trolling of ways but I think the Sharks over the last 6 years are a cautionary tale for the Penguins. You look at the picks and names that were sent out and brought in and I don't think any of it was productive. The Hertl deal was woof. Smart selling Meier. The EK deal, yowzers. I just hope Dubas does a better job with our decline than what Wilson did.

The Hertl/Meier deals are probably good situations to ponder when discussing Guentzel.

Guess who’s here shepherding Dubas through the process lol…

 

[SEALBound]

Guess who’s here shepherding Dubas through the process lol…

I almost put that in at the end

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Guess who’s here shepherding Dubas through the process lol…

And he had 1 job apparently to do while KD was working the Guentzel trade and he didn't get nothing done lol

 

[Jargon]

I mean this with the utmost respect and in the most non-trolling of ways but I think the Sharks over the last 6 years are a cautionary tale for the Penguins. You look at the picks and names that were sent out and brought in and I don't think any of it was productive. The Hertl deal was woof. Smart selling Meier. The EK deal, yowzers. I just hope Dubas does a better job with our decline than what Wilson did.

The Hertl/Meier deals are probably good situations to ponder when discussing Guentzel.

Oh, Doug Wilson left us in total shambles - which is a bummer because I thought he was a fantastic GM until then.

Grier has done a great job aggressively rebuilding our prospect pool (from atrocious to top 5 in two seasons) and I actually disagree re: Karlsson and Hertl. Both are over 30, signed to insane contracts because of Doug, and won’t be part of our rebuild. The fact that Grier got a 1st for Karlsson (who was immovable a year prior) and essentially 2 for Hertl — who has broken knees and may not last through his contract (ideal for cap circumvention!) is honestly a miracle. He inherited a cap space nightmare with old dudes and zero talent in the pipeline. I know it’s weird to say, considering the state of the Sharks currently, but I’m thrilled with everything Grier has managed to pull off.

And I absolutely agree - the Penguins are absolutely at risk of becoming the Sharks. A lesson I learned is as a GM you better get really lucky/aggressive in retooling or pull off the band-aid as soon as you can and trade your old stars to start the rebuild in earnest.

I hope to get your 2025 lottery pick but then I wish you a quick rebuild, as a kid I’d always play with the Penguins in the old NHL games, so I’ve got a soft spot.

 

[Pancakes]

I hope to get your 2025 lottery pick but then I wish you a quick rebuild, as a kid I’d always play with the Penguins in the old NHL games, so I’ve got a soft spot.

Lol yes I'm sure you'd feel quite well disposed towards the Pens if we hand you a lottery pick next year. We appreciate your magnanimous nature .

The way things are going it might well happen because this idiot franchise is gonna keep Sullivan next year and let him ruin another season.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I don't even think winning the draft lotto and landing Celebrini fixes things tbh, particularly if Sully is still around. You're probably looking at a kid who ends up with like 60pts as he adjusts to the NHL game.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to luck into a prospect like that, but I don't think we're talking about a Sid, McDavid, Matthews, etc. caliber dude. Even Bedard's like a 75pt guy as a rookie.

 

[Pancakes]

I don't even think winning the draft lotto and landing Celebrini fixes things tbh, particularly if Sully is still around. You're probably looking at a kid who ends up with like 60pts tbh as he adjusts to the NHL game.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to luck into a prospect like that, but I don't think we're talking about a Sid, McDavid, Matthews, etc. caliber dude. Even Bedard's like a 75pt guy as a rookie.

I wonder how they would even use him. He's a center. Would they move Malkin to wing? Or put Celebrini as the 3c?

I think adding another significant piece like that might well be enough though.

Like if you add a 60-70 point center to this year's team, it's probably a playoff team.

The question as always with this old team is how long can the core keep playing at a reasonably high level. This might be the last great year Sid ever has. Who knows if he has another year like this in him next year? And Malkin is already slowing down significantly and is going to be even one year older next year.

But - and this is a huge but - if they got Celebrini and the core played at a similar level to what it has this year, then I think that might be enough.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I wonder how they would even use him. He's a center. Would they move Malkin to wing? Or put Celebrini as the 3c?

I think adding another significant piece like that might well be enough though.

Like if you add a 60-70 point center to this year's team, it's probably a playoff team.

The question as always with this old team is how long can the core keep playing at a reasonably high level. This might be the last great year Sid ever has. Who knows if he has another year like this in him next year? And Malkin is already slowing down significantly and is going to be even one year older next year.

But - and this is a huge but - if they got Celebrini and the core played at a similar level to what it has this year, then I think that might be enough.

Yeah, I dunno. They gotta fire the coaching staff as soon as this season's over regardless of what they wanna do; try and eek into the playoffs one final time, or commit to the teardown/rebuild while playing youth.

They're still gonna be down Jake. I'm no Jake fan but that's a big chunk of production you're missing. At best, Celebrini is making the departure of Jake less painful, and even then... Eh.

 

[Jargon]

Lol yes I'm sure you'd feel quite well disposed towards the Pens if we hand you a lottery pick next year. We appreciate your magnanimous nature .

The way things are going it might well happen because this idiot franchise is gonna keep Sullivan next year and let him ruin another season.

Hey, listen, I’m a generous guy, you’re welcome!

Boy, I hope you’re right. The Sharks fanbase is so devastated that at this point, we’re just hoping in lieu of getting your pick this year, that you and Vegas completely fall apart next year and we get 3 top 5 picks.

Hiiiigh hopes, I’ve got, hiiiigh hopes…

 

[HandshakeLine]

Whatever we do, you can bet your ass it’ll be dumb as hell and completely unnecessary, that’s for sure.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

What the hell would we even do with a Celebrini type, anyway? Make him play three years in the minors until he could PK, call him up sporadically for two seasons to play next to 45 year old Jeff Carter, get all pouty-faced when he tries to do something with the puck in the middle parts of the ice and turns it over and ultimately trade him for like a second round pick and yet another Rust-clone?

Just cut to the chase and overdraft some milquetoast tweener.

 

[Al Smith]

Whatever we do, you can bet your ass it’ll be dumb as hell and completely unnecessary, that’s for sure.

In other words, this calls for a really futile and stupid gesture be done on someone's part . . . and we're just the guys to do it.

 

[Pancakes]

What the hell would we even do with a Celebrini type, anyway? Make him play three years in the minors until he could PK, call him up sporadically for two seasons to play next to 45 year old Jeff Carter, get all pouty-faced when he tries to do something with the puck in the middle parts of the ice and turns it over and ultimately trade him for like a second round pick and yet another Rust-clone?

Just cut to the chase and overdraft some milquetoast tweener.

Celebrini would make the roster immediately I think. Pretty rare for a first overall to not do that.

How Sully would use him is another question. Putting him as 3c and asking him to defend would be an extremely Sully thing to do and probably not end well.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Celebrini would be 4C getting 9mins a night until he's sent down the rest of the year

 

[Andy99]

Celebrini would be 4C getting 9mins a night until he's sent down the rest of the year

If Sullivan is still here, he’d be benched at the first mistake…he’d also be playing wing…who cares if he can score goals: can he play without the puck in the Dzone and PK? Because it’s not like you need to score goals in the NHL to win…also benched if he doesn’t pass to the points so the trailing D man (probably Ruh when he gets re-signed) can take a shot

 

[cygnus47]

If Sullivan is still here, he’d be benched at the first mistake…he’d also be playing wing…who cares if he can score goals: can he play without the puck in the Dzone and PK? Because it’s not like you need to score goals in the NHL to win…also benched if he doesn’t pass to the points so the trailing D man (probably Ruh when he gets re-signed) can take a shot

And then Geno gets injured for a couple games, he's forced into 2C, scores a bunch, but then is pushed back into 4th line PK minutes.

 

[Gurglesons]

What the hell would we even do with a Celebrini type, anyway? Make him play three years in the minors until he could PK, call him up sporadically for two seasons to play next to 45 year old Jeff Carter, get all pouty-faced when he tries to do something with the puck in the middle parts of the ice and turns it over and ultimately trade him for like a second round pick and yet another Rust-clone?

Just cut to the chase and overdraft some milquetoast tweener.

Yeah, I'm kind of frightened by the prospect of Mike Sullivan inheriting a top 5 draft pick.

 

[Wattsburgh]

Pettersson+Jarry+DOC+Koivenen to NJD for Holtz+Mercer+Bahl
Rust to Detroit for Berggren (I think Detroit has a ton of young guys that they could afford to give him up - similar to Carolina and Guentzel)
Smith to Buffalo for a 2nd
EK+Rakell to Ottawa for Chabot+Norris
Eller and Acciari to whoever will take them.
Draft Celebrini

Bunting-Sid-Yager
Holtz-Celebrini-Mercer
Malkin-Norris-Berggren
Poulin-Pono-Puustinen

POJ-Letang
Bahl-Chabot
Graves-Ludvig

Blomqvist-Nedeljkovich

Holy S. That’s a bad ass lineup.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Whatever we do, you can bet your ass it’ll be dumb as hell and completely unnecessary, that’s for sure.

"He knows how to win, we really love that he plays the right way." After picking a consensus 4th rounder with their 7th overall pick, 5'9" and 158lbs.

 

[SEALBound]

Yeah, I dunno. They gotta fire the coaching staff as soon as this season's over regardless of what they wanna do; try and eek into the playoffs one final time, or commit to the teardown/rebuild while playing youth.

They're still gonna be down Jake. I'm no Jake fan but that's a big chunk of production you're missing. At best, Celebrini is making the departure of Jake less painful, and even then... Eh.

I think what Celebrini would do is allow us to reshape how we utilize Malkin. Instead of relying on him for 2C, heavy scoring duties, you could do one of two things - shift him to wing or 3C. If you shift him to wing, you are removing a heavy defensive burden from him and can allow him to use more offensive skill sets. Or you can push him to 3C and hopefully reduce the quality of competition he has to go against. DOC-Malkin-Puustinen would be a great THIRD line for us. It would really help build the "Three-scoring Lines + One-Defensive Line" team I've wanted to return to.

Holy S. That’s a bad ass lineup.

The NJ trade is pretty unrealistic, but yeah, I like it sans Norris having another season-ending shoulder surgery.

 

[The Old Master]

I think what Celebrini would do is allow us to reshape how we utilize Malkin.

ok, the big question now is "how high or should i say low do we need to get before we keep the pick? that's if we can keep our pick until after the lotto. I'm still not sure about when we need to decide on if we keep the pick or move it. it would need to be a great pick to keep it , knowing the next years pick could be 1oa