With the 14th overall selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins select…

[3ladesof5teel]

you'll have an all-star instead of nothing.

You build the best team around the talent you have NOW
if you had the trading chips to do that, then yes. we don't have the chips! right now we can only slow the fall off the cliff.

I wouldn't necessarily say we don't have the chips.

The moves have to be calculated and a very competitive team that could be every bit in it right now can be done.

We have some cap room, we have some picks and we still have 2 very good players down the middle with some solid pieces surrounding them.

Granlund definitely was a terrible move and handcuffs some salary. By far Hextalls worst move while here outside of not landing a big name.

 

[Pens x]

I wouldn't necessarily say we don't have the chips.

The moves have to be calculated and a very competitive team that could be every bit in it right now can be done.

We have some cap room, we have some picks and we still have 2 very good players down the middle with some solid pieces surrounding them.

Granlund definitely was a terrible move and handcuffs some salary. By far Hextalls worst move while here outside of not landing a big name.

The expansion draft debacle could be worse. Honorable mention to refusing to upgrade our goaltending. The bottom six be compiled was also atrocious.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

I personally would put the Expansion Draft as #1. Then goaltending, then Carter 2 year Extension, then bottom 6, then Granlund.

 

[Flying Dego]

So what does the #14 pick net us in a trade? It's the most appealing asset...since FSG says we are here to win I dont see any point in wondering who we select.

Still hoping we see a GM get in here and start getting some actual changes. It's been refreshing seeing the Steelers new GM crew actually make moves.

For correlation. The Steelers Middle LBs were bad last year. What does Khan do? He cuts them all and retools. I absolutely love that mentality and hope the Pens get someone similar. The goaltending was awful? Cut them and start new.

This is the way.

 

[chethejet]

I am not trading the 14th pick as Pens need to re establish the prospect pool and it has to happen now. Pens have to be in a position in a couple years to have a prospect pool that is the base for adding when the rebuild begins. Like to draft Wood as my selection. BUt Rust, Jake and hell even Letang were later round picks. New GM has to have the staff to really draft well for the next 5 years and have the prospects in place to be feeding the big club.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The 14th overall seems JUST mediocre enough in this draft. Exactly as I feared. They couldn't even lose properly this season.

I'd absolutely trade it if the right deal came along that actually addresses one of the many roster problems on this team and moves the needle a bit. Or just do something like shrug and have that hack Granlund stapled to Malkin all next year and bitch and moan when it's inevitably a disaster. Whatever. I don't much care anymore.

 

[Pancakes]

I am not trading the 14th pick as Pens need to re establish the prospect pool and it has to happen now. Pens have to be in a position in a couple years to have a prospect pool that is the base for adding when the rebuild begins. Like to draft Wood as my selection. BUt Rust, Jake and hell even Letang were later round picks. New GM has to have the staff to really draft well for the next 5 years and have the prospects in place to be feeding the big club.

Why does that matter? Do you think a few mid round firsts are gonna forestall the tank that's coming when Crosby retires?

I'm all for trading the pick but it has to be like @BlindWillyMcHurt said. It has to be for a player that moves the needle. If you can't get a significant player back, you might as well keep it and use it and hope you hit a home run. But I'm under no illusion that keeping a few mid round firsts is gonna soothe the transition to post Crosby hockey. We're gonna suck bad unless we pull some late first miracles out of our ass.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah no offense but people getting all hot and bothered about "restocking the cupboard" starting with a pick that usually yields like... Beau Bennett doesn't really sell me super hard on the concept. This looks like a great draft, sure. Unfortunately the Penguins didn't suck QUITE bad enough to find themselves in the range of what are likely the actual GREAT picks.

Ahem... like I keep on saying... worst possible outcome this season.

Anyhow of course there are always Pastas or whatever floating around late in the first or even beyond. But you guys trust THIS team to find them? I sure don't.

 

[steelcityassault]

Anyhow of course there are always Pastas or whatever floating around late in the first or even beyond. But you guys trust THIS team to find them? I sure don't.

Exactly

 

[Gurglesons]

The 14th overall seems JUST mediocre enough in this draft. Exactly as I feared. They couldn't even lose properly this season.

I'd absolutely trade it if the right deal came along that actually addresses one of the many roster problems on this team and moves the needle a bit. Or just do something like shrug and have that hack Granlund stapled to Malkin all next year and bitch and moan when it's inevitably a disaster. Whatever. I don't much care anymore.

Anything out of the top 6-7 is not really a sure thing in this draft.

We are never being that bad with the contracts we have on this team.

Washington is that bad because their core is as old as ours, but they also have an old ass support group.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

All the more reason to trade it, then.

Like sure I'd be happy with a Joel Farabee or Cal Foote or whatever. But that's not really the kind of player that is going to usher in some new golden era. This team needs to shit or get off the pot with what it wants to do. If they want to compete I'm fine with that... maybe they can even squeeze out one more good season. But they have to actually commit to it.

...such as doing things like trading mediocre first rounders that likely won't yield more than a "pretty good" kinda player. Like if people wanna punt on whatever is left so that we can have a like Rakell-level guy a few years from now... cool. I don't get it but cool, I guess.

 

[Pancakes]

Yeah no offense but people getting all hot and bothered about "restocking the cupboard" starting with a pick that usually yields like... Beau Bennett doesn't really sell me super hard on the concept. This looks like a great draft, sure. Unfortunately the Penguins didn't suck QUITE bad enough to find themselves in the range of what are likely the actual GREAT picks.

Ahem... like I keep on saying... worst possible outcome this season.

Anyhow of course there are always Pastas or whatever floating around late in the first or even beyond. But you guys trust THIS team to find them? I sure don't.

That said I am not for trading the pick to just trade it. If we can't get a significant player back (a 3c, a top six winger, or a top LD, or a goalie) then I have no interest in moving it. At that point you keep it and hope you can hit a homer with it.

And yes the pick by itself probably doesn't yield any of those things and we might have to add other prospects to do it. Whatever. Do it if you have to.

Just don't move it for crap. If there's nothing appealing available, keep it.

 

[Gurglesons]

All the more reason to trade it, then.

Like sure I'd be happy with a Joel Farabee or Cal Foote or whatever. But that's not really the kind of player that is going to usher in some new golden era. This team needs to shit or get off the pot with what it wants to do. If they want to compete I'm fine with that... maybe they can even squeeze out one more good season. But they have to actually commit to it.

...such as doing things like trading mediocre first rounders that likely won't yield more than a "pretty good" kinda player. Like if people wanna punt on whatever is left so that we can have a like Rakell-level guy a few years from now... cool. I don't get it but cool, I guess.

I've been advocating to trade it since April 13.

That said I am not for trading the pick to just trade it. If we can't get a significant player back (a 3c, a top six winger, or a top LD, or a goalie) then I have no interest in moving it. At that point you keep it and hope you can hit a homer with it.

And yes the pick by itself probably doesn't yield any of those things and we might have to add other prospects to do it. Whatever. Do it if you have to.

Just don't move it for crap. If there's nothing appealing available, keep it.

Nah. Just move it for whatever. Who gives a shit.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

That said I am not for trading the pick to just trade it. If we can't get a significant player back (a 3c, a top six winger, or a top LD, or a goalie) then I have no interest in moving it. At that point you keep it and hope you can hit a homer with it.

And yes the pick by itself probably doesn't yield any of those things and we might have to add other prospects to do it. Whatever. Do it if you have to.

Just don't move it for crap. If there's nothing appealing available, keep it.

Oh for sure. That would just be wasteful and desperate. I'm just saying that if the choice is between drafting in order to "restock" or pull the trigger on a deal that helps land a difference maker then I think the choice should be obvious.

But I mean... they're just gonna draft 14. Ho hum. Bold decisions have been in short supply for years and I don't see that changing. They'll probably even draft some undersized "great skater" with so-so numbers from North America who reminds them of Rust and call it a day.

 

[Pancakes]

Nah. Just move it for whatever. Who gives a shit.

I mean it's still an asset if you keep it and use it. You then trade that prospect in the future when better deals open up.

The pick has more value than a prospect does though because teams like to make their own selections. So that pick is probably never going to have more value than it does now. So the GM ought to thoroughly explore the trade market asap before the draft because it's only a depreciating asset after that.

 

[Gurglesons]

I mean it's still an asset if you keep it and use it. You then trade that prospect in the future when better deals open up.

The pick has more value than a prospect does though because teams like to make their own selections. So that pick is probably never going to have more value than it does now. So the GM ought to thoroughly explore the trade market asap before the draft because it's only a depreciating asset after that.

There has to be a player we can get that has value for that pick.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I cannot follow or agree with the logic that at 14, this team isn't gonna find an all-world player so they have to deal the pick. Not every pick is gonna be a franchise pillar, but that's fine.

I don't know how or why people are throwing away a pick at this point in the era (it's over dude) in favor of trading it for... Who, exactly? Jason Zucker? Brassard? Kapanen? Drop back into the 2nd for Ryan Reaves? Take the best acquisition in years, Rakell, and you can clone him for the 14th. You think that this team's a Rakell away?

Just keep the pick and hope you land someone who will be an NHLer for this team for the next decade. It ain't as good as a top-5 pick, but the pick holds more value to this team than it does as a trade asset imo, by orders of magnitude.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

*shrug*

And I guess I'll never understand people in a hurry to be a doormat.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

This team couldn't beat the two worst teams in hockey, who had been actively tanking by trading away their only worthwhile players at the deadline, in order to sneak into the playoffs and salvage their playoff streak. I think they're a whole lot closer to doormat territory than a lot of people want to admit.

 

[Pancakes]

I cannot follow or agree with the logic that at 14, this team isn't gonna find an all-world player so they have to deal the pick. Not every pick is gonna be a franchise pillar, but that's fine.

I don't know how or why people are throwing away a pick at this point in the era (it's over dude) in favor of trading it for... Who, exactly? Jason Zucker? Brassard? Kapanen? Drop back into the 2nd for Ryan Reaves? Take the best acquisition in years, Rakell, and you can clone him for the 14th. You think that this team's a Rakell away?

Just keep the pick and hope you land someone who will be an NHLer for this team for the next decade. It ain't as good as a top-5 pick, but the pick holds more value to this team than it does as a trade asset imo, by orders of magnitude.

You're referencing a bunch of shitty deals. Of course moving the first looks bad if we do a repeat of those deals.

Another Rakell would have had us comfortably in the playoffs.

I don't want to throw away the pick for trash. You're absolutely right that if all we can get is Brassard or Kapanen type players then I have no interest in moving it. But you gotta explore the market. If there's a real difference maker to be had, then it makes sense to move it.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

People can whine and stamp their feet about gettin' that ol rebuild started years ago. Neat! That's what Ron Hextall sounded like he initially wanted to do, too! And he's a total loser. Think that's crystal clear, now.

But ya'll keep... on... avoiding... the... question. Sid Crosby. What do you do? Bit of an elephant in the room, no? Try selling that guy on being a shitshow team. Best of luck with that.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

You're referencing a bunch of shitty deals. Of course moving the first looks bad if we do a repeat of those deals.

Another Rakell would have had us comfortably in the playoffs.

I don't want to throw away the pick for trash. You're absolutely right that if all we can get is Brassard or Kapanen type players then I have no interest in moving it. But you gotta explore the market. If there's a real difference maker to be had, then it makes sense to move it.

Another Rakell plays on the 3rd line, and not with Sid and Jake, because Sullivan cannot and will not disrupt his trio.

People overrate 1st rounders in terms of trade value imo. The 14th overall isn't like a top-5 pick, it's not gonna get you a trajection-altering player for the here and now. Moving it probably gets you a player like those I listed.

I'm not saying hold on to it at all costs. I'm saying the guy you're probably getting back ain't shit, and I'd *personally* like to see them start the long and arduous process of restocking the organization. Though I don't think this team's scouting group is worth a damn, pro or amateur, so who gives a shit.

 

[Gurglesons]

This team couldn't beat the two worst teams in hockey, who had been actively tanking by trading away their only worthwhile players at the deadline, in order to sneak into the playoffs and salvage their playoff streak. I think they're a whole lot closer to doormat territory than a lot of people want to admit.

We missed the playoffs by one point.

I wish we were closer to doormat territory, because it would've been a lot easier to blow up the team last year instead of resigning the core.

 

[The Old Master]

The 14th overall seems JUST mediocre enough in this draft. Exactly as I feared. They couldn't even lose properly this season.

just using the scouting report posted in this thread earlier, out of all the forwards ranked in the top 14 only one of then doesn't project to be a top3 player. and while I might not agree with all his rankings, there is nothing mediocre about it.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

People can whine and stamp their feet about gettin' that ol rebuild started years ago. Neat! That's what Ron Hextall sounded like he initially wanted to do, too! And he's a total loser. Think that's crystal clear, now.

But ya'll keep... on... avoiding... the... question. Sid Crosby. What do you do? Bit of an elephant in the room, no? Try selling that guy on being a shitshow team. Best of luck with that.

Yeah, he's never been on shitshow teams before, and he isn't on one now. Good call!

I'm not under the impression they're gonna blow this sad piece of shit up and start the rebuild. I'm just saying they gotta start keeping these picks sooner than later because the cupboard's barren and the guy you're getting for a mid-1st probably ain't doing shit for a team pathetically trying to scratch and claw their way to being a wild card team anymore.