Miscellaneous NHL Discussion XCIII: Spring has Sprung

[Ghosts Beer]

The Penguins missing the playoffs, even with Crosby and Malkin having 91 and 83 point seasons at ages 35 and 36, would be glorious.

 

[ellja3]

The Penguins missing the playoffs, even with Crosby and Malkin having 91 and 83 point seasons at ages 35 and 36, would be glorious.

Especially if it comes after losing to CHI & CBJ in last two games.

 

[TCTC]

Like a proud dad

Highest single season point total with 97 points. Says a lot about the Devils. A team that's been in the Stanley Cup final 5 times and never had a 100 point player.

 

[VladDrag]

From the Pens PGT:

"I know we have no shot at Bedard but we deserve him. We're the worst team in the world with the worst coach and management."

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They got to watch a top 10 all time talent for the last 15 years….they can f*** off for a few years for all I am concerned.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Mikael Granlund really stormed in & solved Pittsburgh’s massive depth problem, with 1 goal and 4 assists in 20 games since the deadline.

But hey, he’s “only” 31 & has a “mere” $5M cap hit for “only” two more seasons after this one.

Want to talk about a bad use of a 2023 2nd round pick….

 

[deadhead]

So, will the Florida pick end up as good as Tippett?

Looks like the 2024 won't be that much different than the 2023 1st in value.
Unless of course Lyon is the real thing and wins 40 games for them next year.

 

[Redpath]

Mikael Granlund really stormed in & solved Pittsburgh’s massive depth problem, with 1 goal and 4 assists in 20 games since the deadline.

But hey, he’s “only” 31 & has a “mere” $5M cap hit for “only” two more seasons after this one.

Want to talk about a bad use of a 2023 2nd round pick….

Hextall's deadline this year was really a microcosm of his abilities.

Magically clear a bad contract (Kapanen), immediately turn around and overvalue someone else's bad contract (Granlund), all the while being too afraid to pull the trigger on any big moves (JT Miller, Boeser, Chychrun).

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Hextall's deadline this year was really a microcosm of his abilities.

Magically clear a bad contract (Kapanen), immediately turn around and overvalue someone else's bad contract (Granlund), all the while being too afraid to pull the trigger on any big moves (JT Miller, Boeser, Chychrun).

Yes, though he gave Kapanen that contract just last summer.

He was forced to clear it through waivers due to his own poor cap management.

And, the way Kapanen has played in St. Louis, with 8 goals & 6 points in 21 games, crushes what Granlund has done in PIT.

And Granlund is more expensive plus they gave up a ‘23 2nd.

Whereas they gave up Kapanen for free.

Just a disaster of management.

 

[deadhead]

Hextall wasn't good at evaluating NHL talent, maybe it wasn't the Flyer scouts (though CF was no better). He signed Weise and overpaid JVR (a good scorer with limited flexibility, a LW who needed to be sheltered). Did a good job trading marginal players for 3rd rd picks, but not obtaining useful NHL players. Seems to have a similar problem across the state, one good FA signing in Heinen, but poor cap management, overpaying veterans with declining skills.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Hextall wasn't good at evaluating NHL talent, maybe it wasn't the Flyer scouts (though CF was no better). He signed Weise and overpaid JVR (a good scorer with limited flexibility, a LW who needed to be sheltered). Did a good job trading marginal players for 3rd rd picks, but not obtaining useful NHL players. Seems to have a similar problem across the state, one good FA signing in Heinen, but poor cap management, overpaying veterans with declining skills.

Hextall’s player evaluation is dreadful. He’s proven that conclusively at two separate stops.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Not to excuse Hextall because I have no reason to believe he is anything but mediocre, but he and Brian Burke were a package deal. If you think Burke doesn’t have his fingerprints on some of those moves you’re crazy.

 

[GKJ]

It sounds like the talks with Miller fell apart on the Canucks end. The Penguins needed to move Zucker, but the Canucks only wanted to do it if they could flip Zucker and couldn’t, for some reason, because those guys are buffoons too.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I look forward to Fletcher getting the proper credit for his abilities. I wonder if it ever happens?

All those Flyers personnel who have churned out constant failure are still in place, so Briere is doomed.

 

[GKJ]

Not to excuse Hextall because I have no reason to believe he is anything but mediocre, but he and Brian Burke were a package deal. If you think Burke doesn’t have his fingerprints on some of those moves you’re crazy.

Burke was definitely in on it. Hextall was prepared to let Malkin walk until Burke, or somebody, told Hextall to get the f*** back in his office and don’t come out until it’s done.

 

[TCTC]

Burke was definitely in on it. Hextall was prepared to let Malkin walk until Burke, or somebody, told Hextall to get the f*** back in his office and don’t come out until it’s done.

Letting Malkin walk after re-signing Letang into his 40's would've been idiotic though. You either let them both walk or re-sign both of them.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Burke was definitely in on it. Hextall was prepared to let Malkin walk until Burke, or somebody, told Hextall to get the f*** back in his office and don’t come out until it’s done.

Well, Malkin sure isn’t the reason they’re missing the playoffs.

But if Hextall wanted to start a full rebuild instead of winning now, sometimes your bosses tell you that’s not an option.

 

[GKJ]

Well, Malkin sure isn’t the reason they’re missing the playoffs.

But if Hextall wanted to start a full rebuild instead of winning now, sometimes your bosses tell you that’s not an option.

Which begs the question as to why he was hired to begin with

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Letting Malkin walk after re-signing Letang into his 40's would've been idiotic though. You either let them both walk or re-sign both of them.

And why re-sign a 37 yr old Jeff Carter in January 2022 to a two year extension at $3.125M beginning in 22/23 if you are planning to let Malkin go & rebuild instead of trying to win now?

 

[Beef Invictus]

Which begs the question as to why he was hired to begin with

He had just demonstrated he couldn't take a team to another level of contention. It was a bizarre hire for what the Penguins needed.

 

[renberg]

Too many bad contracts is Shittsburgh. The FO didn't have the cajones to let people just walk. Then they topped that by giving the guys that they should have cut ties with contracts that were above their play grade.
It was time to let go. Obviously Crosby has to stay there for the duration of his career but after that.... Malkin is a lumbering lurch on the ice of dubious value. It would have been interesting to see what he would have garnered on the open market. 4X$6.1? I doubt it. Letang 6X$6.1? With his health history, I doubt that any sane club would match that. (Maybe Fletcher would have after what he took on with Ellis)The Carter deal was fine since it was short but taking on Granlund; the Kapanen extension; the Rakell deal. It's worse than what has gone on here in Philly.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Which begs the question as to why he was hired to begin with

He knew his mandate was always going to be win-now until Crosby retired.

Must’ve convinced Pittsburgh ownership he would compete for the Cup while still building for the future.

He sold Snider on a “plan,” so I guess selling a bill of goods to ownership is the one thing he’s good at.

 

[Kelmitchell2]

So, will the Florida pick end up as good as Tippett?

Looks like the 2024 won't be that much different than the 2023 1st in value.
Unless of course Lyon is the real thing and wins 40 games for them next year.

Yeah let's not get ahead of ourselves, that season hasn't started

 

[Beef Invictus]

He knew his mandate was always going to be win-now until Crosby retired.

Must’ve convinced Pittsburgh ownership he would compete for the Cup while still building for the future.

He sold Snider on a “plan,” so I guess selling a bill of goods to ownership is the one thing he’s good at.

He's also good at moving contracts and actually winning some trades, which is two more things than Fletcher is good at. Weird that you still have a user title defending the guy who wrecked the Flyers.

Hextall is bad, but you've spent years defending a guy who is worse. Why?

 

[FLYguy3911]

I remember a Pittsburgh fan came to our board to tell me what a great deal that Carter deal was after I trashed the signing. Betting against unsustainable goal scoring seasons is usually a pretty good investment.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I remember a Pittsburgh fan came to our board to tell me what a great deal that Carter deal was after I trashed the signing. Betting against unsustainable goal scoring seasons is usually a pretty good investment.

A bunch of us also took heat for questioning why a team that needs to be trying to win immediately would hire a GM whose only mode is "slow build" and who was terrible at best at picking established talent.