Beukeboom Fan
Registered User
I was looking at how Anaheim rebuilt after thier Cup since 07 and the same with Pens since 09 and the thing that really sticks out is the sheer amount of 1st and 2nd round picks.
Anaheim: 22 - 1st and 2nd round picks since thier Cup win in '07. 31 - 1st to 3rd round picks.
Pens: 12 - 1st and 2nd's in that same span. 19 - 1st to 3rd round picks.
At a certain point, you just have to be sellers and retool/restock. The Ducks did. The Pens haven't/didn't.
Pens should've been trading away the likes of Orpik, Niskanen, Martin regardless of where they were in the standings. They need all the 1st's and 2nd's they can get right now.
As some have said before me, the future isn't entirely bleak. They have Kap and Sundqvist who could pan out but they need to jump on guys like Panarin or Hayes/Sekac before him or even a Moses/undrafted CHL'ers that are mega point producers(ie. Tyler Johnson). Only way to really catch up on all those missed draft picks.
So let me get this right - the #1 team un the Eastern conference should have traded their pending UFA's to rebuild when they had prime Crosby and Malkin in an effort to stockpile picks that might contribute in 2019?