Vanek is the first one that jumps out if Buffalo is bad through the NewYear. Could you get him for DZ, prospect and a 2nd? He is a UFA so it would cost a little less. I don't think that alone would put them in contention, plus he makes 7m so they'd have to send another player with DZ.
I might be interested in someone like Versteeg. Not sure of his contract situation but the Panthers are probably going to be pretty bad so they might look for prospects for him.
From what I can see so far, Nash does not belong in the same paragraph let alone sentence with those other players..
According to Giannone, the lines at practice are: -Benoit Pouliot, Brad Richards, Ryan Callahan -Brian Boyle, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello -Taylor Pyatt, Derek Stepan, Jesper Fast -Derek Dorsett, Dominic Moore, Arron Asham
Look at those lines. My lord that is bad. Boyle on the 2nd line. Stepan with Pyatt and Fast. Just wow. Also changed up the D pairings: -Marc Staal and Dan Girardi -Ryan McDonagh and Anton Stralman -John Moore and Michael Del Zotto
Bobby Ryan would have been perfect for this team. I know some people aren't high on him but we easily could have packaged DZ and a kid for him, considering what ANH ended up taking for him. There's a 30+ goal scorer who was available and we didn't pull the trigger. Now we're stuck with Bryan Boyle as a 2nd line winger. Glad to see AV is doing the old Torts trick of pulling names out of a hat to make his lines. Why in the world would you put Pyatt and Fast on the same line, then center them with Stepan? They play three completely different games.
yeah, those lines are pretty terrible but he will change them when the game starts. Hagelin cant come back soon enough.
When we are begging for a 3rd line 15 or so goal guy like Hags to get back ASAP, you know there are some issue upfront...LOL.
If your assumption was correct the Pens would win the Cup every year as those in the know predict. I believe the President's Cup winner still only wins the trophy that matters 1/3 of the time and if you look through the years, most SC winners do only have 1 great scoring line, maybe 2 and then grinders to kill time while the scorers rest. Sather has been adding 20 goal scorers for over a decade, they just cease being such when they don the Blueshirt. I have wanted that Beukeboom-style crease clearer for decades, that has been the one untested variable during Sather's tenure of mediocrity.
the team stinks, there is NO OFFENSIVE SKILL PERIOD. the team should have kept torts, they would be better trying to win 2 - 1 games than run and gun with other teams offenses
Haven't had time to post due to a new job, but saw this thread and wanted to respond with my 2 cents. Many say we need 1 more something, goal scorer, crease clearer, etc. I'm trying to look at the team objectively, and just don't think collectively they're that good. It's a bad mix. I like most individuals, but overall team speed is quite slow. A few individuals are fast, but really, Stepan, Richards, Boyle, Pyatt, the 4th line, all extremely slow. McD is a GREAT skater Moore is pretty fast, but rest of dmen are average skaters. Overall team is small and not very tough. Add in no enforcers, crease clearers, few heart and guts players. Too slow to play with fast teams, too small and weak to play the tough teams. They're an average, middle of the pack team at best, with a great goalie (not so far this year) who makes them look better than what they would otherwise be. Their best player (Nash) is good but not great, injury prone since he's been here, and not a leader. Sorry guys, they're just not a great team, and it has to fall on Sather. We got to the ECF with a team that played like a team, with guts and heart, and for each other. They're nothing like that now, and not enough talent, speed, size, and toughness to overcome it. Like someone said in another post, there's a few core guys that we could build around, and a major trade or overhaul is needed. Not trying to be a downer, just looking at it honestly. They might make the playoffs and become a decent team this year, but they are no where near championship caliber.
this team was built for defensive hockey. I don't care what anyone says about the system. They are not talented enough to play pond hockey with some of these teams. they do not have the offensive talents. they are grinders, that is why Torts had his system the way it was. We will see what transition will come about, but I think the roster is going to have to be remade to play the type of game AV wants.
Couldn't agree more. I used to like Torts but did sour on him last year and still felt he had to go. His doghouse, pp, and a few other things made it clear it to me it was time to go. I have no doubt they will improve from what they are now. I don't think they're a bad team, just not a great team. If Vancouver struggles, maybe there will be some kind of swap between the two.
