Penguins/NHL
Decision Day for Penguins on Expansion Draft
The Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday celebrated another Stanley Cup with an estimated 650,000 in attendance for the championship parade and now the work starts to begin for Penguin management.
Exit meetings are being conducted today between coaches/management/players and just over 48 hours from the Penguins having to send in their protected expansion draft list, the club has to start looking forward to next year today.
The looming decision is whether to go with the 7-3-1 setup for the expansion draft or the 4-4-1 setup?
As reported here a weeks ago, the Penguins are one of the few teams that’s given strong consideration to going with the 4-4-1 to protect defensemen Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin, Olli Maatta and Justin Schultz.
“At times the composition of the list gets changed a little bit, but we have a pretty good idea of what we’re doing,” GM Jim Rutherford told the Post-Gazette on Wednesday. “We haven’t made a decision on that (7-3-1 or eight skaters). I’ll make a final decision on it Thursday. There’s a possibility it could go either way.”
Ian Cole who the Penguins will give strong consideration to signing to an extension this summer, will be exposed under each scenario but the Penguins are confident he won’t be selected.
If the Penguins can work something out where Vegas won’t touch one of their top-4 defensemen, the Penguins will likely go with the 7-3-1 route but as Rutherford said, it’s 50-50 at this point.
It’s anticipated only 3-4 teams will go the eight skaters route.
MORE CHATTER
— The Penguins do not have much expectations of resigning Nick Bonino solely for financial reasons only, but will take a wait and see approach on older UFA’s Chris Kunitz and Trevor Daley.
Kunitz has all intentions of playing next season and early indications are he’s eyeing a two year deal.
Many are anticipating Matt Cullen to retire.
— Speculation around the league won’t go away that the Ph[hide]iladelphia Flyers are a team than plans to pursue Marc Andre Fleury if he, as expected, becomes a member of the Vegas Golden Knights one way or another by next week.
Fleury and Vegas are both willing to start a marriage but it’s uncharted waters for Fleury as Vegas has given the Fleury camp no guarantees of what will happen, a source says.
That what makes Fleury giving the Penguins his word in February that he’d waive his no movement clause for the expansion draft even more impressive. Fleury said Wednesday to the Post-Gazette he agreed to waive solely for the helping the Penguins Cup Run and nothing else.
Fleury recently submitted a new 12-team no trade list to the Penguins. He can be traded to 18 other clubs.
— Justin Schultz arguably the biggest wildcard this off-season indicated today he wants to stay as a Penguin, which players in final interviews always say. It’s all going to come down to whether he’s willing to take less than market value or not in regards to whether a long-term deal happens.
The Penguins have a number they value him at and this isn’t going to be some long contentious negotiation. The Penguins expected to learn early which way it is going to go.
Notable Injuries
*Ian Cole played in the playoffs with a fractured hand.
*Justin Schultz has fractured ribs.
*Nick Bonino a broken tibia.
*Brian Dumoulin played with a bad hand injury all post-season.
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Simon Despres will be bought out.
News is light – this is an interesting read – I think I had mentioned this before as a suggestion personally – I don’t agree with what Wilson is willing to pay him from a Penguin perspective, but I like the idea:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Ryan-Wilson/Joe-Thornton-and-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins/177/85781
No thanks on Thornton.
Riveting analysis.
will you guys still have a st.bleury style meltdown if i still make fun of him if he is in a flyer uniform?
Literally the only one the melts down over Fleury is you – that’s how we know you’re a scorned little pincushion.
Why would it matter when he’ll being playing in LV.
Of course you are so jaded that you would follow him to another city to cry about him. Although this is a clear admission that your talk of killing off yoda was just another in a long list of lies you’ve told
When does the nhl release their schedule? I already have stuff set aside for the game in Vegas. Anyone else planning on coming out?
Stanch is flying us out on his private jet. Something about a short bus.
jaydogg will be there. he can’t wait to bang the vegas hookers.
First off, it’s Gaydogg. And he only bangs incompacitated under-aged “chics.”
Excuse me, CoachD.
Under-aged
Aged like wine
You know I’m always a pretty good sport when it comes to ball busting but you’ve now made comments suggesting I’m a pedophile several times. It didn’t sit well the first time and it isn’t sitting well now. We’ve all come to except the fact that you’re a pathetic human being but that’s over the line even from you.
Yogurt will be there. Vying for Fleury’s love one more time. Driving insidevegassports.com absolutely nuts with his incompetence.
That might be the only correct post you’ve ever made.
Stanch will probably be there. Stanch does not have a private jet. But you can bet your asss I’m not flying coach.
tbj – to answer your question – i believe the NHL is releasing schedules on the 21st or 22nd.
Too far away for me to make definitive plans but I expect to be headed out.
Drouin sucks. Perfect fit for Montreal.
Fuck outta here Philly…
What happened?
Just the commentary around them looking at MAF. I hope he goes to a team I don’t hate lol
He’s going to end up in Vegas playing for Vegas.
Calgary would be good
Doughty said all southern Ontario players secretly want to play for the leafs. I guess they are all stuck playing for American bandwagon teams so jew bettman stays happy
And he evidence of this is how all the UFAs from the area sign with the team right? Fucken idiot.
I actually think Doughty said he loves that he’s in LA and can go out without having people know who he is, and that it’d be difficult to deal with in Toronto, and he’s not sure he could transition to that, and that it probably huirts the leafs in FA. Good one sam.
Was just gonna post this. Sams being yoda level dishonest here lol
Doughty said it I’m just saying what he said clown
go get marty st. louis.
Drouin to Habs
Used their biggest trade chip on another wing. 0 center model. Bergevin is a world class retard.
Funny thing is Bergevin is going to trade Galychenuk. I bet they move Drouin to center. He played center in the Q.
Not long ago I said imagine fleury to flyers and he out plays Murray
ok..i can say things that wont happen too….
Not long ago, you said “dont’ trade from ‘chubby,’ get Martin St. Louis,” and then they traded for chubby anyway and won 2 cups, and Martin St. Louis retired the very next day.
Id be shocked if the Pens didnt have a deal with Vegas to acquire Fleury and only take a player like Kuhnhackl in the draft. Giving them Fleury as a trade chip will go a lot longer way in acquiring talent than taking the Pens top exposed player.
Why would Pens do that? They can just make Fleury available in draft and not lose anyone else.
if the saint goes to the flyers all you patheitc cultist will be out buying flyer merchandise. you are a bunch of garbage fans
Not a good fan, like you – who wanted a rebuild rather than 2 cups. #Fraud
Look – don’t lecture anyone here – you’re the board moron. The court jester. Just dance for us and shut the fuckk up.
Kill yourself you ridiculous fuck, no one out here other than sam has given up on this team more than you. Go fuck your cuntwhore mother douchebag.
#yodalling
I’m terrified to even hear that MAF could be a Flyer.
Are you a black Jew?
That was funny.