Speculation: Why do quality wings not want to come to the Pens?

[plaidchuck]

I feel like the only player who came here willing to take a discount to play for a legitimate contender was Jay McKee who was horrible.

We have retained players for reasonable contracts, but it seems like we don't attract players at a discount. Maybe it's because very few players are from Pittsburgh.

But but McKee was a shot blocking specialist that was gonna be our 2nd goalie!

 

[Darth Vitale]

I feel like the only player who came here willing to take a discount to play for a legitimate contender was Jay McKee who was horrible.

We have retained players for reasonable contracts, but it seems like we don't attract players at a discount. Maybe it's because very few players are from Pittsburgh.

Or maybe it's because very few players take discount contracts *anywhere* they play.

 

[zero8771]

It is speculation, as I titled it. Not tin hat variety, but merely whether it is priorities of Shero, or maybe it is something going on with the players. I think likely the former rather than anything with Crosby or Malkin.

I am not looking at specific wings in this, nor providing any specific speculation for that matter. I am merely observing that over this long a period and this many players, that statistically you have to wonder what is going on. The Pens had to have opportunities to upgrade reasonably and either keep whiffing or have passed on purpose.

Did you ever think we just never offered them enough money because we had other priorities and didn't want to overpay since we can get more out of less with our big C's? Hossa is the one exception and this is well documented why he didn't come.

Despite what you say, this is tin hat variety. There is nothing concrete suggesting this. In fact, with the number of players taking home town discounts, there is more evidence saying that players DO want to play here.

 

[zero8771]

Semin is the obvious one who got away last year. And it is not Monday morning quarterbacking to say it. I literally was screaming for them to sign him as were many here. You did not have to be a fortune teller to tell he would do what he actually did.

But I am not talking specific examples. I am saying that there have been hundreds of wings change hands in the last eight years. Oh those literally dozens of wings better than we have, and have had, have passed from one team to another. Looking at the aggregate, it is impossible without something going on behind the scenes that Shero could not find one upgrade to come here.

He didnt get away. All signs point to him not being pursued, or not being pursued for that kind of cash. You have to be kidding me if you think the vast majority of "experts" thought he would play this well.

 

[Zatch88]

because no winger wants to deal with the bipolar knee jerk reactionary negative nancies on the penguins section of hfboards.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Anyone who actually watched Semin play (and didn't listen to the often ridiculous "facts" quoted about him) knew that he was going to do just fine. His problem was that he played for Washington. Which is perennially a mess for a multitude of reasons that had little to do with Alex Semin.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Apologies to Jaded, but closing. I don't see any reason to separate these kind of discussions from the main winger thread. There's nothing substantively different here. Already we're talking about Semin and whether we should or shouldn't have made an offer, etc.