I was sitting around with a couple of my buddies talking, what else, Penguins hockey and what they might be doing in the coming months ahead. We wondered what would happen if NHL general managers acted like fantasy hockey owners so we started throwing around some crazy trade ideas just to see which ones might actually be feasible in today’s NHL.
Here are some of the more outlandish ones we came up with. Tell me which ones you like, how you might improve upon them or suggest your own.
Penguins trade Evgeni Malkin, Paul Martin and Marc-Andre Fleury to Vancouver for Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin and Corey Schneider
Our thoughts: 1. It gets rid of not only Paul Martin but his contract as well. 2. The Penguins would free about $5 million in salary cap space although some of that would get eaten up as Schneider is a pending RFA. The Penguins would acquire a Center capable of putting up Malkinesque numbers and a Winger who will put up 90 points. Fleury is 27 and Schneider is 26 so, a wash there. Vancouver gets the top player in the league, parts company with the Sedins who are quickly wearing out their welcome in Vancouver and a Stanley Cup winning goaltender. Did I mention we get rid of Paul Martin?
Evgeni Malkin and Paul Martin to Los Angeles for Anze Kopitar and either Drew Doughty or Slava Voynov.
Our thoughts: 1. See above in regards to Paul Martin. 2. LA gets the top rated player in the NHL and rids themselves of Kopitar’s contract. He is an unnecessary luxury now that they have Richards and Carter. Penguins either make it an even salary swap by asking for Doughty who LA signed to a ridiculous contract or Slava Voynov, a superstar in the making who would give them lots of salary cap space.
Jordan Staal and Paul Martin to Nashville for Ryan Suter and Patrick Hornqvist.
Our thoughts: Yes, I know Suter is a UFA, but before July 1, Nashville is allowed to resign him so why not sign him to a two-year $6 million deal and tell him he will be traded to Pittsburgh. He gets two years to try to win a cup in Pittsburgh with a loaded team and then gets to become a UFA again. Hornqvist put up 43 points on a Nashville team that had a lot of trouble even locating the net. With Crosby or Malkin Centering him, I could see that going up to the 60’s. Martin is still gone and the Pens have two of the top five defensemen in the league. It works for Nashville because Suter can walk without them getting anything in return.
Jordan Staal and Marc-Andre Fleury to Vancover for Corey Schneider and Ryan Kesler
Our thoughts: See above for Schneider and Fleury info. The Penguins swap one of the best two-way Centers in the league for one of the best two-way Centers in the league except for the fact that Kesler is signed through 15/16 for $5million per year giving the Penguins stability at that position knowing that Staal might ask for more than that.
Jordan Staal, Paul Martin and 1st Round pick to Edmonton for their 1st round pick and Magnus Paajarvi
Our thoughts: Penguins free up a ton of salary cap space by trading Staal and Martin. Paajarvi is an underused, up and coming winger who Edmonton is having a hard time getting ice time for with all of the young, stud top draft picks they’ve had recently. Martin could be a veteran presence on a team filled with so many youngsters and a real lack of depth on defense. The Penguins get to draft Nail Yakupov who is this year’s Crosby to Anaheim’s Bobby Ryan or Mario Lemieux to New Jersey’s Kirk Muller. (There is that big of a gap between him and whomever will be picked second) The Penguins free up almost $9 million in salary cap space.
Those are our thoughts – Let’s hear some of yours
Great suggestions except you have to remember that NO ONE is going to just grab Martin and his salary. We’re stuck with him.
You DO NOT trade Jordan Staal. Anyone who has been awake during the Pens’ PLAYOFF GAMES has noticed that he is our BEST PLAYER. Yes, best player. Without him scoring that SHG vs. Detroit, we don’t win the Cup. We don’t win faceoffs. He was the ONLY player to show up in these playoffs. Malkin, Neal, Fleury were all horrid. Crosby wasn’t in game shape. Martin sucks. You do NOT trade Jordan Staal. You can win all the Art Ross’ you want, come playoff time, it means shit. If anything, start with that goaltender who can’t stop a fucking BEACHBALL half the time and has to have a HORRIBLE game before he bounces back with a good one…
Jordan Staal, Paul Martin and 1st Round pick to Edmonton for their 1st round pick and Magnus Paajariv I would see this as a feasible trade. I would be highly surprised if the Pens organization supports a trade of Geno. He is the 1st line center if Sid goes down.
Love it!!!!!!
Yeah, because Edmonton would be more than happy to pick up Martin’s 5 mil a year salary. Pens are going to have to eat a portion of that salary if they want to get rid of him. Shero crapped out in his haste to get Defenseman
trade sid crosby why his health, if pitt keeps him not worth more than one year contract he should prove he can play like 2 years ago
HA!!!!!!!!!!! Shero would never be a GM ever again. You do know when you say trade Crosby your saying trade the face of our franchise one of the reasons sales of our merchandise, tickets, and etc are so high. Just because Crosby has had a concussion and has had problems doesn’t mean you trade him. A healthy Crosby (which he is now after taking multiple blows) can put up crazy numbers you sign him for as long as you can and give him what he wants. Now to me trading staal and Martin can work but I’d trade them to Toronto for schenn and a pick. Btw staals trade value isn’t as high since he has one year left if you wanna trade him for a good player he needs to be
Resigned and just because we don’t want Martin doesn’t mean other teams do. He also has a low trade value
I say try to sign all three centers and get rid of Martin for a bag of pucks or a late round draft choice. The additional 5 million he frees up should do it. I would sit down with all the centers together and explain what the dilemma is. If Sid and Geno want top dollars, tell them Staal or someone else we need has to be moved and that hurts the team. I would put it to them this way – let’s say Sid and Malkin take 9 million and pay Jordan 5, everyone should be able to live with that. Give them 6 years each. The Pens are only 1.6 over what they were last year and with Martin gone they can afford to look for a nasty defensemen (Hal Gill?), which is something they need. The only other thing that is essential is a better b/u goalie. I say go the Moose who is free this summer. I don’t know what he will cost, but it can’t be too much more that Johnson has been getting.
Another way is to talk Nashville into the following: Weber for Despres, Martin, our number 1 or Beau Bennett. That helps both teams; now they can sign Sutter.
And who’s going to TAKE Martin for a bag of pucks or a late round pick? Who would invest 5 million for him? NO ONE!!! I hardly think Nashville is going to part with Webber for an unproven defenseman who’s playing in Wilkes-Barre, a 5 million dollar bust and a first rounder who’s still two to three years from the NHL.
Why not try to get something for Sid? We’re pretty good when he’s gone-as “Malkin’s Team”. Things got a little wonky when he came back – think about it. And he sure has a different demeanor, lost an edge, I can’t really explain. I’d rather dump Sid before Malkin or Staal. And Fleury’s like every other goal tender – he’s off, he’s on – you love him / you hate him. Look at Brian Elliot right now. Just get a more reliable back up so he gets rest and let Meloche deal with coaching Fleury up. I don’t really know if we can actually get rid of Martin – but I do know our coach needs to make better in game adjustments/decisions. And I get it hindsights 20/20 but two early p/o exits in a row ought to tell you your system isn’t built for the play-offs. I like Dan, but he needs to play better chess against other coaches. Dump Sid, beef up the D, get a character guy like Guerin somewhere and a scoring power forward who can play anywhere, center, right wing/left wing –get Dan to learn how to adjust and we’ll be fine.
Trading Crosby would be as stupid as say someone from Philadelphia posting all over a Penguins website using different names that the Penguins should. Someone who thinks they are putting doubt into Pittsburgh fans minds so the fans will boo him. That’s not the way it works here in Pittsburgh GEO. We don’t boo our players and chase them out of town like they do over there in Philly. Nice Try. Go Kings!
Wow. Because everything I said in that post makes me a troller from Filthy trying to talk the fans out of loving Sid? Really? Not the case. In fact, I’m not sure your response makes any sense at all. All I’m saying is in response to the original “kicking around some crazy Pens trades” article is why not think about Crosby? Malkin/Staal/Fleury and Martin (for obvious reasons) were put up – buy we may be able to get what we need for Sid too. Relax 871, we know Sid’s not going anywhere. He is the difference for this team, just feel it hasn’t been a good difference (yet). Brand new season coming up – we’ll see how he goes.
Penguin871 is off base with the Philly crack. Simply thinking that there are options some people will not like does not mean they are not valid input. Look at the Steelers with Hines Ward. People love him and nobody wanted to say goodbye, but there comes a time when it is a good business decision. I think trying to deal Crosby makes sense. He will be up for a contract soon as well and he is not going to want to give any away, he will want more.
In a business where it is truly what have you done for me lately, this could be a hard sell to give a player with multiple concussions a long-term contract when he could be gone forever sooner than you expect.
Hines Ward was not traded, he retired (big difference). Why would you trade the face of the franchise and your biggest offensive threat? Crosby sells tickets, he is one of the best players in the league (if not the best player), when healthy, he will be 100% again. Offense was not the issue in the playoffs this year (4.25 goals a game). Defense, discipline, goaltending, and coaching were the issues. Pittsru2, do you even watch hockey? Crosby did not have a concussion, he had a neck injury that caused concussion-like symptoms. So recovery is not an issue. I know someone that works in the Pens organization. Secondly, I had a serious concussion while playing hockey and I made a full recovery and was able to continue playing, after a year off. Pittsru2, you have demonstrated your ignorance of hockey.
“When healthy” . You can’t say for sure if he’ll EVER be 100% again. Are you a doctor Ryan? Is the person you “know” a doctor?? Hockey’s a business like any other sport, not many players are immune from trades. Two words for you, WAYNE GRETZKY. He was tradeable not once, but twice. Sid’s a great one, but he’s not THE Great One, and Gretzky wasn’t above being traded. And that was when he was in his prime, not in his wanning years.
And ask Marc Savard about coming back from concussions and “concussion like” syndrome. Not everyone’s as resiliant as you Ryan, maybe not even Sid.
i love jordan stall but when you love something set it free…gee, that sounds stupid
YOUR IDEAS ARE MORE THAN CRAZY, THEY ARE RIDICULOUS. WHY WOULD YOU TRADE ANY OF THOSE GUYS STAHL OR MALKIN ESPECIALLY WHEN WE REALLY DO NOT KNOW CROSBY IS REALLY BACK FROM HIS INJURIES. HE SURELY DID NOT LOOK LIKE THE OLD SID IN MOST OF THE PHILADELPHIA SERIES. HE HAD SEVERAL REAL DEFENSIVE LAPSES AND MANY TIMES IT SEEMED LIKE HE DID NOT REALLY WANT THE PUCK. DO WHAT YOU LIKE WITH MARTIN BUT THE RE ST OF THIS STUFF IS JUST A BUNCH OF CRAP MANUFACTURED BY THE MEDIA SO THEY WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK OR WRITE ABOUT. STAHL HAS NEVER INDICATED HE IS UNHAPPY IN PITT OR ON THE THIRD LINE. IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE HE IS JUST COMING INTO HIS OWN OFFENSIVELY AND THAT HE MIGHT BE CAPABLE OF 35-40 GOALS IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO UNLOAD THE TWO DEFENSEMAN, GET WHATEVER WE CAN AND EAT WHATEVER SALARY WE HAVE TO. PERHAPS WE NEED A BETTER BACKUP FOR FLEURY WHO CAN PLAY A FEW MORE GAMES TO REST HIM. THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PENGUINS IS THAT THEY LET TOO MANY GOOD ROLE PLAYERS GET AWAY, NOT SUPERSTARS BUT GUYS LIKE MAX TALBOT,HAL GILL, AND THEN SCUDERI THATS WHAT WAS MISSING FROM OUR STANLEY CUP TEAM. SO STOP WRITING ALL THIS FANTASY STUFF. WHY DO I HAVE THE FEELING THAT MALKIN A FOREIGN PLAYER MAY MISINTERPRET THIS SILLY STUFF AND THINK THE PEOPLE IN PITTSBURGH DON’T WANT OR APPRECIATE HIM AND DECIDE TO GO ELSEWHERE.
Wow, I had no idea that I had the power to make Malkin want to stay or leave with what I write. I may have to ask the big boss here for a raise. Oh, and next time, if there’s any way that you could possibly type with a bigger font, would you? People on Mars couldn’t quite make out what you were saying.
Hmmmm, if Staal is capable of 35 – 40 goals, don’t you think he’s going to want to be paid like a 35 – 40 goal scorer? Where exactly is the money going to come from to pay him, or, in your world, do the Penguins not have to play by the same salary cap rules that everyone else does?
Malkin’s a foreign player? Guess what Sparky, other than Martin and Orpik, EVERYONE on the Penguins is a foreign player including Staal.
I have the right to an opinion as anybody else. I think Sid, Malkin, and Staal will stay in the City of Champions (Pittsburgh), and unless Paul Martin can keep developing to make his game better, he most likely will be the player who will be going somewhere else. I know people might think it’s going to be difficult to keep Crosby. Geno, and Staal together, especially when Staal’s contract expires this year, but I believe if he can get an extension, along with keeping Crosby and Malkin, hopefully, that can be a possibility.
I agree1000%with steve tlapa …Jordan means too much to this team to let him go. I was talking the other day and said Crosby should give some of his salary up to keep him…a great gesture from the C. Trade fluery and martin
Okay, so we trade Fleury. Who is playing goalie for us next year, Thiessen? Easy to say “Trade Martin”, but you do know it takes two teams to make a trade? Sid ain’t giving up any money to keep Staal especially now that he has seen just how short his career might actually be. I’m pretty sure you haven’t given up any of your salary to keep a fellow worker at where ever you work, have you?
I would rather see the Pens hold Staal and Malkin and unload Sid and Martin and /or Michalek. The ongoing questions over Crosby’s health and leadership are there to be dealt with. Malkin has proven he can lead the team without Sid. Neither did shit during the playoffs, but I think some of that comes down to shifting lines and chemistry as they attempted to insert Sid as much as possible. Staal is capable of stepping up to the second line.
Michalek was better than Martin and does not have the anti-trade claus Martin does in the current contract. This makes it easier to make a deal. Martin should be the best paid in Scranton until he relearns the position. I would look for draft picks but we have not done well developing draft picks into the lineup.
With Straite and Depres, who can grow into these defense roles for more long-term stability there is a need to bring in a great winger to pair with Staal on line 2 or move Kunitz and pair Neal and Malkin with a new winger.
Before you trade Sid why don’t you ask the people who thought it would be a good idea to trade Malkin the last two seasons because of his injury troubles. I would bet finding one of those people could be as easy as looking in the mirror.
Franco – How did you get in here? I thought they were stopping all people with any intelligence at the door. This may have been one of the smartest responses I have ever read.
Nice to see that both of you can type your names. Sid has chacked in the playoffs as well as Malkin. I was not one of the ones wanting to trade Malkin before. I think he has genuine talent. I think Sid has talent, but brings a load of downside. He has pressure to be the posterboy for the NHL. He has looked like he lost a step and/or confidence over the last year. His is also the largest contract eating away at the team.
I know this is a difficult concept for some, but he has value now. Another hit to the head and he may not. Then you have a large chunk of salary owed to him if he is playing or not. Malkin has had some injuries and has worked hard to come back. He has looked stronger and better after the last outage.
I think some of his falloff during the playoffs was directly due to the shift in chemistry when Sid came back.
Franko11 and Disco Stew do not have to like the idea, but it is better than loosing Staal and I think the team was better with Malkin. What tears will you shed if the trade Malkin and Sid goes down with another concussion for a year or two? Who are you going to count on then? I know logic is dangerous when people talk sports, but it is underutilized in many cases. Try it some time.
As long as we’re dealing in what ifs, what if Malkin sustains another season/career ending knee injury? Isn’t he just one hit away from that happening? Maybe we should get rid of him too. It is possible to sign Sid to a long term deal, and then, if he gets hurt again, he goes on LTIR, and his salary does not count against the cap although he does still get paid. Penguins would be able to replace his salary although. again, the money would still be coming out of Burkle and Lemieux’s pockets.
Funny, how the team’s chemistry wasn’t messed up back in December when Sid came back for a short time. I don’t think that had anything at all to do with the team’s struggles against Philly. My opinion is that Disco Dan failed miserably at making needed adjustments, Letang is hurt more than he or the team is letting on, Orpik had the worst series he’e ever had, Fleury, well, we don’t need to go into him any more, the Pens ran into a team that wanted it more than they did and was willing to do whatever it took to win, the Flyers were able to make the Penguins lose their composure(See what happened to the Flyers when NJ didn’t lose theirs) and we’re proven once and for all that run and gun hockey doesn’t work in the playoffs.
No trade for Staal, no draft in exchange for Staal. The people that run the Penguins have real problems thinking that getting rid of a 23 year old superstar like Staal is going to make them a better team??? What the heck are they smoking!! Blysma told my 17 year old daughter in a mall in Pittsburgh this year that if everyone gave the effort Staal does in pracctice and in games, that they would never lose!! Cap or no cap, this would be a stupid move. Have Crosby send some of his money to Staal. Crosby knows what Jordan means to this team. Have Malkin give him a piece of his pie also. Staal carried this team into the playoffs last year. Now we have the 3 best centerman in the league. Come on Mario, just give Jordan another boat! He loves them. He loves Pittsburgh and the fans. Look how many Staal jerseys are at each game.My God, he is only 23 and he hasn’t even reached his prime!!! Give him a ownership in a car dealer. Do whatever it takes to keep him, not get rid of him. He is in the top 5 players in the NHL that play against the top lines, PK ,scores, doesn’t take dumb penalties and wins faceoffs!! Dump some of the sorry ass defenseman and try new one’s. You let Staal go and you will have an uprising of fans and bad press. I come from many,many years of playing and now officiate for USA Hockey. Jordan is the real deal. Don’t F this up! Thanks Steven Tlapa
Steve,
How many of your com-workers have you given up some of your salary to to keep them from taking a job with another company? Very easy for you to say when you’re talking about someone else’s money. What if Jordan asks for the same amount that Sid and Geno are making? You do realize that there is still a salary cap, right? There’s no, “Let Staal go” involved here. It’s if the Penguins realize that they will not be able to afford what he wants, then the best option is to trade him and get something in return rather than just letting him walk next July and get nothing in return. This is emotional for you. It’s just business for the players. Staal already has his name on the Cup. At some point, he’s going to want to get paid. Unfortunately, we are now seeing just how fleeting an NHL career can be.
Package Martin and Orpik to a team needing Defense for young, stud Forward and/or picks.
Fill Orpik’s spot with some of our Blueline depth in minors.
Clean about $7-$8 million in cap space.
Orpik is a strong D-man but is getting odler and didn’t have his best year this past season.
Staal and Martin for Landeskog and 1st pick. Landeskog and Crosby = OMFG
Malkin and Martin for Weber and Wilson. The lines would be:
Neal-Crosby-Kunitz
Sullivan-Staal-Dupuis
Cooke-Wilson-Kennedy
Who cares it’s a 4th line
Weber-Letang
Orpik-Michalek
Despres-Niskanen
Fleury
Hedberg!!!
Trade tyler kennedy for a bag of pucks, so this way the pens would get something useful in return….. he drives me crazy, people always argue with me on this one but, he misses the net more than anyone i have ever seen, he had a shooting percentage of 5.6% after 150ish shots this season, yes it got better but at that time his shooting percentage was lower than all but 36 regular defensemen in the nhl. he takes shots from angles even lemieux didnt do (do not say its the pass off the pads, he is the first one in the zone when he does that garbage, coming in 1 on 4, who can get that rebound?). he gives opposing teams the best breakouts they could wish for when he misses the net by 10 feet. please i beg of shero trade him right now! hell i would even give someone money to take him with nothing in return.
Trade Crosby.
For who or what I don’t care. Head trauma may or may not decrease value. He’s not quite the same and is out of character it seems though his skill will always be there. Who cares, we’ve shown repeatedly we don’t need him and that this is Malkin’s team. I’d take Schneider over MAF all day long. I’d keep Staal + Neal, Sully and Letang and maybe Orpik. All else can be dealt.
UH, not Staal or Malkin or MAF…but Martin YEAH!!!!
Schenider is not going anywhere..Roberto will move shortly
The Sedin Sisters?? REALLY???
Yes, because teams are just lining up to trade us anything beyond a bag of pucks and a used skate sharpener for Martin by himself
I’d take a bag of pucks for Martin just to free up the space. We could sweeten the deal by letting them keep the bag and just send us some pucks.