Confirmed Trade: [PIT/VAN] Erik Gudbranson for Tanner Pearson

[wej20]

Could you guys take Pouliot back too?

Pouliot/Johnson/Gudbranson, one on each pairing.

 

[JaegerDice]

Between Jack Johnson and this, Pittsburgh's decisions on D this season have been.... confusing.

 

[Jyrki]

Some major hyperbole in this thread.

Gudbranson is not a good defenseman, but that doesn't mean he's among the worst in the league. He's a big, slow, physical defensive defenseman.

Can some Penguins fans chime in on what to expect from Pearson?

He has the worst +/- in the league even though he averages less than 18 minutes/game and he's fallen down the depth chart... like, the Canucks would rather double shift Hutton and Stecher than give ice time to Gudbranson. His play is that bad.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Pittsburgh has both Jack Johnson and Gudbranson under contract through 2021. LMAO

For over 7M combined.

I’m just disgusted right now

 

[Fatty McLardy]

JR is slowly destroying the Pens with his reckless trades/signings for players who really don't fit our system and the type of hockey Penguins played that won them the 2 cups.

 

[PensPlz]

Pittsburgh has both Jack Johnson and Gudbranson under contract through 2021. LMAO

1975

 

[ColbyChaos]

30 million in defense lmao

 

[Pancakes]

I am so glad JR won the 2 cups when he did. I can't ever get truly mad at him because of that.

But his past two years have been some of the worst GMing I've ever seen.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

As a Nucks fan... uh... sorry Pens fans...

 

[Steely Van]

Holy ****. Benning is a genius. I will not say another bad thing about him.. The fact that he was able to trade Gudbranson and actually receive something in return..
I have never seen a player as clueless on the ice as Gudbranson.. He gets beat every time and doesn't even know how to use his stick. He doesn't even use his size like he should either.

Please don't use Benning. And Genius in the same sentence....ever.

 

[LMFAO]

This is obviously a move to have someone that can stand up to Tom Wilson.

 

[wej20]

Between Jack Johnson and this, Pittsburgh's decisions on D this season have been.... confusing.

Maybe JR has inside info that they're going to allow hooking back into the game.

 

[clydesdale line]

Gudbranson when asked if he has one final message for Canucks fans:

“I wish I could’ve been better.”

At least he knows he sucks...er... sucked.

 

[sting101]

Gudbranson is better than he's shown in Vancouver. I think this is a reasonable safe move for Pittsburgh.

Unless something changes drastically he's been trending out of the league and fast.

I generally support Canuck players but this guy has been indefensible. He makes a simple pass look tough and his coverage is ghastly.

Hopefully he plays on adrenaline and gives you some good weeks because for us he's been ghastly and i'm an old school guy who likes toughness.

Money is a wash though and you can spot him and he will defend Crosby and Malkin so theres that i guess

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Very happy with this. After doubling down & re-signing Guddy last year I figured he'd be here for the duration of his contract. Very surprised Jim moved on.

Not sure what Pearson will bring, but its a better fit for us so we'll take our chances on him.

 

[Hivemind]

1975

I'm a Caps fan. Nice try

 

[ColbyChaos]

 

[absolute garbage]

This is actually hilarious. Heard the rumors about Ceci and thought "well this about as bad as it can get for Pittsburgh" but nope, they actually got the one player who is even worse than that.

Gudbranson is literally, with ZERO hyperbole, the worst player in the NHL. His season with Canucks this year has been arguably the worst of any regular player in the modern NHL.

There's some serious brain damage in the Penguins FO when you look at these defense additions. From Oleksiak to JJ to now Gudbranson. It's like they are actually targeting the worst players possible. Mind-boggling incompetence. You can say goodbye to the Cup if Gudbranson is in the lineup. Could say the same about JJ. And both are signed long term with a lot of money. Unreal.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Do we have another lockout pending? When can we compliance buy out Gudbranson?

I think the Pens cup window just slammed shut.

 

[vancityluongo]

Hope he passes the Cup to McCann hahaha

 

[BronzeSpruce]

When did JR become more he embodiment of the McGill brothers? He’s part Slippin Jimmy part old dementia Chuck.

One thing is for sure Jimmy is slippin’

 

[Icarium]

JR is pissed people are criticizing him for JJ and is doubling down by getting Gudbranson. Unprofessional as hell. Team's biggest issue is sloppy defending and lack of puck moving defencemen and he gets another big, slow, defensive defenceman with terrible plus/minus? I am usually optimistic about the Pens' chances (well, compared to most posters at least) but this is just all kinds of stupid.

Pearson was mostly disappointing for us but he has a good shot and is responsive defensively. He might not add much but he doesn't hurt you, the way big, slow defencemen tend to do in today's NHL.

 

[JTmillerForA1stLOL]

Good team guy and he's tough as nails but doesn't always show it. Not great defensively.

Overall I liked him being there to "protect" the young guys, but other than that he's pretty useless.

 

[Red Piller]

Nearly beat you after two long playoffs and only having 3 healthy forwards on the ice (Sid/Guentz/Hornqvist). Enjoy the one cup against the misfit toys in Vegas. Was certainly new and exciting to see players drink beer after they won it. National news.

-Fan since 2009

 

[Canucks5551]

Holy ****. Benning is a genius. I will not say another bad thing about him.. The fact that he was able to trade Gudbranson and actually receive something in return..
I have never seen a player as clueless on the ice as Gudbranson.. He gets beat every time and doesn't even know how to use his stick. He doesn't even use his size like he should either.

I mean, Benning was the one that traded McCann, a 2nd, and a 4th for Gudbranson and then signed him to his awful contract after watching him stink it up in Vancouver for a year. Partially fixing his mistake shouldn’t award him kudos.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Nearly beat you after two long playoffs and only having 3 healthy forwards on the ice (Sid/Guentz/Hornqvist). Enjoy the one cup against the misfit toys in Vegas. Was certainly new and exciting to see players drink beer after they won it. National news.

Hey, I'd be upset too if I was paying Jack Johnson and Erik Gudbranson $7.25mm over the next two seasons. No worries.