It is okay for us to disagree with this summer's moves and still like the Pens and think they have a chance at the cup. We just feel like ultimately letting Bonino walk, not addressing the Cullen situation until he decided, and moving our only center prospect for an enforce type is bad management.
But Sundqvist wasn't our only center prospect. The biggest and most NHL-ready one, sure. Though the front office apparently disagreed with the latter part. He's also the only one we'd have risked losing on waivers this October. We still have Blueger, Tiffels and Johnson. The latter two will most likely need at least one AHL season to adjust to the pro game. But Blueger should have the smarts and pro experience to step up, if not immediately then maybe after another 30 games in WBS. There's also McKegg and Dea though they don't have much NHL upside anymore.
Also, there was no better option on the table than re-signing Cullen. Getting this guy two years ago was a big stroke of luck that paid off in spades. IMO Cullen earned the right to take his time deciding. Unfortunately he decided to leave. It's tough expecting management to come up with another Cullen. Due to his age he was very underpriced for what he brought, and there's not many players like him around.
If Reaves puts up 20 points and becomes a physical force like Tom Wilson, I know I'll be completely stoked.
Reaves already is a physical force, and he's much smarter about it than Wilson, too. But he won't get 20 points unless he somehow became our 3rd line RW.
Just because the three of us see flaws in the moves doesn't mean we expect them all to not pan out, but it is okay to also not be super stoked on what seem like moves against the kind we made in the last two cup runs especially when a huge member of our management is no longer here.
It is a discussion board, it's for discussion. Ultimately, we all learn from each other and realize more about the game and team we all love.
I agree we still have one serious hole to fill, namely 3C. I just don't think that should be cause for so much alarm. Rutherford is aware of the problem but simply needs time fixing it the right way. It's a problem every contender has. You either overpay in cap space in July or you overpay in picks and prospects during the season. We can't compare ourselves to some up and coming team that still has tons of cap space and picks to spare. The Pens aren't Edmonton or Toronto, we're already in our prime. We have the Cups to show for it, but also the cap crunch and shallow prospect pool. You can't have it all in today's NHL.
JR got rid of Fleury's cap hit, let Kunitz leave, and re-signed Schultz, Dumo and Sheary at fair prices. We only really lost Bonino and Cullen which created this one roster hole. Other contenders have it much worse. So by which measure has this been a bad off-season? If you're worried about Guerin running the ship aground now that Botterill is gone that's merely speculation and another problem entirely.
As long as we get 25+ from McClement, we're golden, pony boy.
Do you mean 25+ games? Because you surely can't mean points.
IMO McClement is nearly done as an NHLer and a stop-gap solution at best. He's merely a cheap insurance in case Rowney or the kids get injured in camp or aren't ready for 4C for some other reason. I hope some younger guy steps up and pushes McClement out of roster contention.
