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

[Andy99]

Yeah when talking about forwards you don’t pick for position at all…

 

[Ryder71]

Just watched his recent press conference, he said he wants to hold on to first round picks and Owen Pickering. I couldn't agree more with that assessment. Sounds like an individual who wants to extract as much value as possible. But he doesn't want to go for the Big Splash moves. That'll be different than what we've been used to with jr. But considering Where We Are it's probably the most prudent way to go.

 

[Andy99]

Just watched his recent press conference, he said he wants to hold on to first round picks and Owen Pickering. I couldn't agree more with that assessment. Sounds like an individual who wants to extract as much value as possible. But he doesn't want to go for the Big Splash moves. That'll be different than what we've been used to with jr. But considering Where We Are it's probably the most prudent way to go.

Yes and that’s the tack Hextall took too…it works really great to improve the team’s ability to contend now lol…I know you don’t think they can, which is a fair position to take, but then I’m tired of the bullshit lip service being given to contending over the next two seasons…again, there’s nothing remotely wrong with saying we’re rebuilding and to rebuild effectively players like Jake will be needed to move out…half measures are BS…just f**king get yourself in position for a few top 5 draft pick years…but if we’re trying to contend while we still have Sid 2-3 big bold moves are needed to attempt to make that happen and you can’t keep this pick

 

[Ryder71]

Yes and that’s the tack Hextall took too…it works really great to improve the team’s ability to contend now lol…I know you don’t think they can, which is a fair position to take, but then I’m tired of the bullshit lip service being given to contending over the next two seasons…again, there’s nothing remotely wrong with saying we’re rebuilding and to rebuild effectively players like Jake will be needed to move out…half measures are BS…just f**king get yourself in position for a few top 5 draft pick years…but if we’re trying to contend while we still have Sid 2-3 big bold moves are needed to attempt to make that happen and you can’t keep this pick

sounds to me like KD is doing it the way I would want him to do it. Holding on to high draft picks and Prospects and trying to bolster the bottom six at the same time. No big splashes just staying the course. Actions will speak louder than words, but if he follows through with this and I have no reason to doubt KD, well then he's doing the right thing for the long-term viability of this great and illustrious franchise! I would say this, bringing in some quality bottom six players would in Theory help his team contend. I don't believe anything they do would change much in that realm, but at least it'll look better than what we have now in the bottom six. It might improve us incrementally but this team was never going to win and you need to know that.

 

[Andy99]

sounds to me like KD is doing it the way I would want him to do it. Holding on to high draft picks and Prospects and trying to bolster the bottom six at the same time. No big splashes just staying the course. Actions will speak louder than words, but if he follows through with this and I have no reason to doubt KD, well then he's doing the right thing for the long-term viability of this great and illustrious franchise!

Not really because he’s not making us bad enough to get a top draft pick the next couple seasons and not good enough to contend…that’s stupid…if he wants long term viability over contention then he needs to trade away any of our best assets like Jake

 

[Ryder71]

Not really because he’s not making us bad enough to get a top draft pick the next couple seasons and not good enough to contend…that’s stupid…if he wants long term viability over contention then he needs to trade away any of our best assets like Jake

No, he's trying to make it look like they're going to contend to keep people in the seats. But in the next couple of years they're going to fall off the side of a cliff and they will undoubtedly be picking in the top five or 10. It's just might take a couple more years but make no mistake about it the abyss is coming. And I can't wait!

 

[Ryder71]

And I love to see them Trade Jake, I love it so much. Well, depending on what we're trading for. Some younger players or prospects and picks? Oh you betcha!

 

[Andy99]

No, he's trying to make it look like they're going to contend to keep people in the seats. But in the next couple of years they're going to fall off the side of a cliff and they will undoubtedly be picking in the top five or 10. It's just might take a couple more years but make no mistake about it the abyss is coming. And I can't wait!

If what he’s doing is all to fake out the fan base that’s ridiculously stupid too…I hope not…just get on w it

 

[Ryder71]

If what he’s doing is all to fake out the fan base that’s ridiculously stupid too…I hope not…just get on w it

They still have to fill seats though, you need to understand the economics of it. Also, there are people like you who actually believe this team is still viable for some reason. No offense that's extremely naive. As long as we keep our draft picks, the high picks, first or second Rounders and maybe make some trades to pick up more picks and Prospects that's the way to go. That doesn't mean you have to alter the immediate idea of trying to contend. But again I look at these next few years as an exercise in futility. The best we can hope for is possibly a first round victory. That would be equivalent to US winning the Stanley Cup in my eyes. I just want to see the prospect pool be one of the best in the league in the next four or five years. That's the only way we'll have a viable chance to succeed moving forward. Not by selling off first and second round picks now to bolster dinosaurs who have no chance to do much of anything.

 

[Andy99]

They still have to fill seats though, you need to understand the economics of it. Also, there are people like you who actually believe this team is still viable for some reason. No offense cause you're n my buthink that's extremely naive. As long as we keep our draft picks, the high picks, first or second Rounders and maybe make some trades to pick up more picks and Prospects that's the way to go. That doesn't mean you have to alter the immediate idea of trying to contend. But again I look at these next few years as an exercise in futility. The best we can hope for is possibly a first round victory. That would be equivalent to US winning the Stanley Cup in my eyes. I just want to see the prospect pool be one of the best in the league in the next four or five years. That's the only way we'll have a viable chance to succeed moving forward. Not by selling off first and second round picks now to bolster dinosaurs who have no chance to do much of anything.

Sid and Geno are still here…that will be enough to fill seats and that’s regardless of whether they make a big goalie or LD splash or they pick up cheap players to fill up our third line…that approach won’t matter to the seats initially…making the POs is the biggest money maker and there’s no guarantee of that w Dubas’ moneyball approach, if true…they’d need to hit on a lot of cheap players

 

[Ryder71]

Sid and Geno are still here…that will be enough to fill seats and that’s regardless of whether they make a big goalie or LD splash or they pick up cheap players to fill up our third line…that approach won’t matter to the seats initially…making the POs is the biggest money maker and there’s no guarantee of that w Dubas’ money all approach, if true…they’d need to hit on a lot of cheap players

Our bottom six should look decidedly different come September. I feel very confident you'll see a sizeable upgrade. Now, that said I don't know how much of a difference it'll make but it should make at least some difference. The problem is there's a lot of good young teams in the conference like Buffalo and Ottawa for example who may just graduate to the next level. And if they do so we're likely on the outside looking in again.

 

[The Old Master]

There are many current centers that project to look more like wings in the NHL. Then you have a few guys like Benson who on most teams would be playing C but his junior team happens to be stacked at that position.

Just because a player is currently playing a certain F position doesn’t mean that’s where they will play in the NHL. Heck, Poulin was drafted as a wing and has been transitioning to C in WBS.

I'm counting benson as a center. that's my story and I'm sticking to it. and if he is there, I'm grabbing him. but I don't think there's a chance.

 

[SomeDude]

I'm counting benson as a center. that's my story and I'm sticking to it. and if he is there, I'm grabbing him. but I don't think there's a chance.

No arguments there. He and Michkov are the 2 potential fallers that I’d hope Dubas would try to move up to grab.

 

[The Old Master]

No arguments there. He and Michkov are the 2 potential fallers that I’d hope Dubas would try to move up to grab.

one never knows, if rumors are right and some team wants to reach for a defenseman or two.

 

[Jacob]

Nowadays a winger can move to center if need-be. Ideally you start the transition when they’re young and give it a year or two but it can be done. Kuznetsov and Fehr immediately come to mind. Maybe Hartman?

I think in the old days wingers had a lot less defensive responsibilities but that’s not the case now. They need to stay tight and once in a while they might be the F3 that has to come deep and take center responsibilities. Nobody’s cherry-picking at center anymore. The big adjustment is faceoffs and distributing the puck from your own goal line out to the offensive blue line.

 

[Ryder71]

I want the best player available.! Now some of these players are very close in Talent and ability, if all things are equal I go with the center, but I certainly would prefer a forward over defense. That is unless a defenseman really stands out at number 14. Maybe we'll move up, I'd love to see that oh my!

The next two or three weeks are going to be absolutely tremendous I can't believe how excited I am and how excited this board is going to be! We will absolutely catch fire!

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

TSN mock draft had the Pens taking Brayden Yager at 14th. Good two-way game, but at 5'11 and only 170 lbs. I'm not sure how well being a shutdown center at the NHL would translate to that size.

 

[Gurglesons]

TSN mock draft had the Pens taking Brayden Yager at 14th. Good two-way game, but at 5'11 and only 170 lbs. I'm not sure how well being a shutdown center at the NHL would translate to that size.

I don't see Dubas passing on Benson or Perreault given his history.

 

[Ulf5]

I don't see Dubas passing on Benson or Perreault given his history.

Button has Benson going to Buffalo right before us. Then Danielson and Perreault going right after we take Yager.

Mock Draft: The fun starts after No. 1 in Craig Button's NHL Draft projection | TSN

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button has Connor Bedard as a lock to go No. 1 when the Chicago Blackhawks step up to the podium on June 28 in Nashville, but the real intrigue starts with the Anaheim Ducks.

www.tsn.ca

 

[Zirakzigil]

Button has Benson going to Buffalo right before us. Then Danielson and Perreault going right after we take Yager.

Mock Draft: The fun starts after No. 1 in Craig Button's NHL Draft projection | TSN

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button has Connor Bedard as a lock to go No. 1 when the Chicago Blackhawks step up to the podium on June 28 in Nashville, but the real intrigue starts with the Anaheim Ducks.

www.tsn.ca

Mid to late 1st round is always a crap shoot to predict, there is always at least 1 flyer of a pick drafted top 10 that throws everything out of whack. With how deep this draft is, it will be interesting how it plays out.

 

[Ulf5]

Mid to late 1st round is always a crap shoot to predict, there is always at least 1 flyer of a pick drafted top 10 that throws everything out of whack. With how deep this draft is, it will be interesting how it plays out.

Absolutely. Even the rankings are all over.
Bobby Mck has ASP, Yager, Danielson, Honzek and Stenberg ranked 14th through 18th.

 

[Pens x]

sounds to me like KD is doing it the way I would want him to do it. Holding on to high draft picks and Prospects and trying to bolster the bottom six at the same time. No big splashes just staying the course. Actions will speak louder than words, but if he follows through with this and I have no reason to doubt KD, well then he's doing the right thing for the long-term viability of this great and illustrious franchise! I would say this, bringing in some quality bottom six players would in Theory help his team contend. I don't believe anything they do would change much in that realm, but at least it'll look better than what we have now in the bottom six. It might improve us incrementally but this team was never going to win and you need to know that.

It’s prudent to stay the course? So aim to miss the playoffs and hope other teams in the division fall apart, or we stumble upon some turd free agents that aren’t horrible? That strategy worked great under JR and Hextall.

 

[Ryder71]

It’s prudent to stay the course? So aim to miss the playoffs and hope other teams in the division fall apart, or we stumble upon some turd free agents that aren’t horrible? That strategy worked great under JR and Hextall.

That's not what I said at all, but I'm more interested in building for the future than playing for the present.

 

[Pens x]

That's not what I said at all, but I'm more interested in building for the future than playing for the present.

Then trade Sid, Geno, and Letang. Why did we bother re-signing them for this half-ass approach?

 

[lokomotiv15]

I hope if the Pens draft him, he proves me wrong, but I don’t want us taking a faller like Jager. Love the shot. Prob the best inside leg shooter in the draft, but those point totals as a third year player in the WHL on a decently filled out roster don’t look great. The light frame and lack of a good stride at that size worry me. If you want to go high risk with questionable skating, I’ll take the guy that at least had 100 points, even if he gives up a few inches, in Cristall.