Last season our Pittsburgh Penguins at least made it to the dance; they just got left in the stag line with no one to dance with, being swept by the New York Islanders. This year, during the sorting process of who to invite, they got left off the invitation list, nearly being swept by the Montreal Canadiens. Our friend Rick Buker has already started a discussion of where he thinks/would like the Penguins to go. Rather than go piece by piece through his article in reply and to answer a question by another of our Penguin Poop writers, James Arthurs, about how culpable I find the Penguins player I will answer them here.
Let’s start by looking at our Penguins Centers.
Believe me, I understand everyone’s frustrations, neither Sidney Crosby nor Evgeni Malkin have been all that effective in the playoffs these last couple of embarrassments (I mean playoff series). Standing roughly equal with 4 Points (Pnts) in 8 Games Played (GP) and both owning a -4 +/-, both have been rather pedestrian. However, our frustration may be more a product of unrealistic expectations. Neither is the Crosby or Malkin of even 2016-2017, let alone 2008-2009. Neither of these Conn Smythe winners of lore can strap the team on their backs and carry them through the war of playoff hockey. They both need a little help.
Sidney Crosby
What did you want from him? Crosby was playing with one Wing (Jake Guentzel) still pretty much healing from a nasty injury that kept him from playing an NHL game from December 31, 2019 until August 1, 2020, and another Wing (Conor Sheary) that was basically a pylon – slight upgrade from Dominik Simon.
Crosby has a full No Movement Clause (NMC) contract until 2024-2025, and good! At age 33 he may not be the best Center in the league anymore, but he is still checked in at 9th among all centers for scoring with 2.63 Pnts/ 60 minutes 5 on 5, during the regular season.
Crosby stays.
Evgeni Malkin
Wow, I just don’t understand some people’s prejudices. Crosby finished the season 9th in scoring per 60 minutes 5 on 5, among NHL Centers last season, but Malkin finished 1st (3.58), in that department, while posting a +7 +/-. In fact, Malkin was the driving force that kept this team afloat while the team was without the services of Crosby. Malkin WAS the teams MVP this year. Get over it.
Furthermore, since this team hasn’t been able to find a 3rd line Center since Nick Bonino, where are you “Trade Malkin” folks looking to get a 2nd line Center? Add to that, like Crosby, Malkin has a full NMC, he isn’t go anywhere unless he wants to go.
Granted, given that Malkin was 1st in the league in Pnts/60, 5 on 5, you could possibly get someone to take his $9.5 million but anyone suggesting that the team shed Malkin is thinking with their prejudice not with their head.
Malkin stays, end of story.
Nick Bjugstad
Nick Bjugstad won the Beau Bennett award. That prestigious award is given to the most fragile of big men on the team. I am not sure if his injuries caused his lack of production but given both his limited availability and his lack of scoring 5 on 5 in his 2 years in Pittsburgh (1.26 Pnts/60), Bjugstad is a good place to start to try and shed salary; here is a quick $4.1 million (assuming you can find any takers).
I loved his enthusiasm to get here, racing through the airport to get to his first game as a Penguin but Bjugstad must go, bottom line.
Bjugstad goes.
Jared McCann
As Crosby’s Right Wing, Jared McCann showed tons of promise. As a 3rd line Center, he was a bust last year. McCann is a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) this year. Because of what he did two years ago, depending on his asking price, I may keep him, but not as a Center. If he asks too much, I may sign him, but then trade him.
McCann is a maybe.
Teddy Blueger
He was not the problem this season either. For what he was asked to do Teddy Blueger did a great job. I am not sure how far up the depth chart he can climb but as a 4th line checking Center he proved his worth.
Blueger stays.
Sam Lafferty
Like McCann, even though he can play Center, Lafferty has shown himself to be more of a Wing. He may be able to fill in, in a pinch. Again, like McCann, Lafferty is RFA. So depending on his asking price I keep him but not as a Center.
Lafferty is a maybe.
Evan Rodrigues
Evan Rodrigues has yet to get a chance here in the ‘burgh. He was toiling on the 4th line for the Buffalo Sabres and came here in exchange for Dominik Kahun. He only played a handful of Regular Season games and none in the Playoffs. We really have no solid visual record of this Center. He is just one more RFA on this roster. He made $2 million last season. If he signs for roughly the same price, I may keep. Newcomer to these boards, Caleb pointed out some interesting stats that makes me want the Penguins to give him an audition for 3rd line Center.
Rodrigues is a maybe
How I see the Penguins Center Depth
1st line Sidney Crosby
2nd Line Evgeni Malkin
3rd Line TBD
4th Line Teddy Blueger
The biggest problem our Penguins have suffered these past 3 seasons with their Centers was a lack of a 3rd line Center and that hasn’t changed.
Where would I look for that elusive 3rd line Center?
As I said above, I would be willing to give Rodrigues an audition, but with Cap constraints, that would all depend on his asking price to re-sign.
I wouldn’t count out Jordy Bellerive, if his hands are healed. He has struggled for several seasons after the tragic accident that burned his hands. Since then he has had to fight to regain his scoring touch. However, he did start show some flashes of his old form before the AHL shut down.
A draft possibility that I like, if GM Jim Rutherford keeps our 1st round pick this year would be Anton Lundll, the Finnish prospect. He is 6’-1” 183 lbs. Tony Ferrari of Dobber Prospects writes “The team drafting him will get about as close to a ready made top-line center. He will be able to affect the game at both ends of the ice almost immediately.” Alex Chauvancy of the Hockey Writers, Sam Cosentino of Sportnet, Ryan Kennedy of the Hockey Writers, and Cam Robinson of Dobber Prospects say he is a solid two-way center. Mike Morreale of NHL.com said “The two-way left-shot forward is tough to knock off his skates on the cycle, can protect the puck extremely well and finds teammates in traffic.”
If the team keeps their pick and Lundll is still available, and our GM plucks him, with the complete lack of anything else, I give this kid a legitimate shot here in Pittsburgh. He couldn’t do any worse than what we have suffered through these last three seasons.
Another option could be the trade route. Anybody who reads these boards knows I am a Matt Murray supporter but given the vituperations that 25 year old suffers at the hands of Penguins fans and the Edmonton Oilers with 37 year old Mike Smith as their number one Goalie, maybe we could make them an offer. With Centers like Connor McDavid, Leon Drasaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Andreas Athanasiou already on their roster, I would think a deal could be made sending 2-time Cup WINNING goalie Murray for 6’-4”, 193 Right-Handed Center/Right Wing Raphaël Lavoie. Lavoie was 9th in scoring last season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League ahead of Penguins Prospect Samuel Poulin in overall points, 82 to 77, and just a shade off his Pnts per Game (PPG), 1.47 to Poulin’s 1.67.
Hockey Prospects write of him, “He has a big time shot and can score from almost anywhere in the offensive zone. Future Considerations says” He has great strength and can protect the puck at all costs using his body and positioning when entering the zone. And McKeen’s Hockey notes “He has quick and skilled hands although he is more of a scorer than a playmaker.”
I am not sure if, like McCann and Lafferty, he is more comfortable on the Wing, but given the lack of any other option having worked and the real probability of Murray being run out of town by the fans, this might work.
The last option that comes to my mind right now is from within our own organization, Filip Hållander. Apparently, the kid is finally healthy and can play all forward positions. Elite Prospects writes of him, “Two-way forward with a strong skating ability. Works hard and forechecks and backchecks impressively. Shoots and passes the puck equally well. Smart in all three zones and a good team player.”
All in all the State of the Penguins at Center is pretty much the same as it has always been. Solid at the top, but that 3rd line is suspect.
It amusing how you manipulate statistics to support your confirmation bias. Bjugstad was injured last year. In his healthy time the year before, he scored at a 23 goal, 35 point pace, which about his pace for the full year. The year before he was 19 goals and 49 points – in 82 games. It’s dreaming to think that they can get anyone much better than him without giving up major assets, which they can’t afford. If they trade him just for salary relief, odds are he will be replaced by some low cost nobody like Lafferty. The Penguins have neither the assets nor cap space to bring in much next year.
As far as dumping low cost players like Sheary, Aston-Reece, Simon etc etc, is concerned, the chances of doing better are about 0 unless you have some good ELC players to call up. And we all know that the Penguins don’t.
Hi TOR!
Great post! I agree with all your options except for Malkin. But let me explain why!
I agree with the fact that Malkin takes the lead when Crosby is injured. And when he does, he can play great hockey. I think Geno likes the spotlights, he likes to be in charge and I think he feels highly motivated.
Malkin has a full NMC and as you said, he is not going anywhere unless he wants to leave the Pens and get a fresh start elsewhere.
But my question is: Is Malkin really happy with the Pens? I can tell you that a few times this season (and also in previous seasons), his body language spoke for itself. Is he unhappy because of the team’s performance, of his relentless perfectionism or of management’s decisions?
Speaking of management’s decisions, he wasn’t happy about Hagelin’s trade. Hags had the ability to complement Malkin very well (his speed and his willingness to play down low to retrieve the puck). Hags was covering for Malkin’s lack of defence awareness.
His good friend Sergei Gonchar was fired yesterday. I’m sure he’s not happy about that either.
I really wonder deep down, TOR, if Malkin is happy with the team. Some elements tell me that he is not.
To conclude, Rick Bucker mentioned in his last post that Crosby dictates who play on his line. If he really does, is it because he doesn’t want to be overshadowed by a star player? What do think TOR? Rick B., if you want to jump in on this one, feel free to do so.
Hey Jorenz,
If Malkin does wants out, then you have to deal him and hope he asks in private and not in the media so that the team is hamstrng like when Jagr left and all we can get for him is the bag of pucks Jagr netted (Beech, Sivek, and Lupaschuk).
However, I am not all that convinced he wants out. Certainly he appears to play better when Crosby is out, but that may be more of a question of linemates. When Crosby is out, Malkin actually gets 2 NHL level Wingers. When Crosby is in, they have to share the precious few quality Wingers.
I don’t know how true it is, but from what I have heard when these discussions start (with people who like to pretend that they have inside info) is that Malkin loves Pgh but his wife wants out. Again that comes from people who like to pretend they know something, so I don’t really pay that much attention to it.
Malkin certainly was friends with Hags from all accounts but they actually didn’t together that much. During his tenure here Hagelin only played 118:06 with Malkin 5 on 5 but 428:30 without him. The one thing that still is a sore spot with me over Sully is that as you pointed out, Hags’ speed really made Malkin’s line work better but Sully never really used that combo (as the above 5 on 5 demonstrates) nor did he try another speed merchant like Hags (Adam Johnson?); it would have seemed the thing to do.
Also, with Gonchar being his mentor in the States during his first few years here, Gonchar’s firing has to sting Malkin a bit. However, there were many years between when Malkin was a rookie and now where Gonchar wasn’t here in Pgh. As I said it may have stung a bit but I think Malkin can get over it.
However, if there is a sticking point, it may be Sully. Sully seems to always need a player in his dog house, almost like Capt Sobel from “A Band of Brothers”. And if this is the case, since it is a whole lot easier to replace a Sullivan than it is to replace a Malkin, dump the guy that doesn’t seem to get along with anyone, the coach who only knows how to shuffle his lines rather than adjust to opponents, Sullivan.
I can see were people may think that Crosby dictates who he plays with and that he doesn’t like to be overshadowed. Let’s face it Sheary and Simon have never shown they could do anything without Crosby, like Warren Young and Dan Frawley to Mario Lemieux. However, it may not be a case of not wanting to be overshadowed. Sid could just like to play with HIS friends, or he may like the challenge of trying to make pylons look like NHL players.
But back to Malkin to wrap it up. If he wants to stay, he stays. If he wants to go, then you have to find a way to get some sort of return. Furthermore, if he does want out, even if you were to fire Sullivan, then you really have to go into reboot mode. The laws of probability are against immediately filling that 2nd line center role.
The Other Rick
Pen’s have plenty of skill – more than probably 75% of the teams in
the NHL – My question is where does the size & toughness come
from? This is a major issue that needs to be addressed.
Also, you said in your article Malkin stays – that may be true but as
long as Letang and Malkin are wearing Penguin jersey’s Sullivan can’t
be held accountable for how the Pen’s perform – These two players
refuse to adjust their style of play for the good of the team.
We tried the skill thing and it’s not working – It’s time to assemble the
right skill with will. “WIT” Whatever it takes type players.
Just a quick note: Andres Lee dropping the gloves with Wilson yesterday –
do Pen’s fans that hate toughness realize the positive impact this will have
on the entire Islander team going forward?? It’s huge.
Mike
Hey Mike,
I agree with you, I want some toughness and size. I would have loved to Alexis Lafrenière for that very reason. That is also why I mention the players I mention for that 3rd line Center; Lundll, Lavoie, Bellerive, and Hållander. All four of these guys are big, play 200′ game, and not afraid to go to the dirty areas. Okay, Bellerive isn’t all that tall but he plays big – he hits and won’t back down.
Also, I agree it is well past time for the Pens and Letang to part ways but I will address that more fully later.
As for Malkin, I have said it before, and I will say it again, every player is tradable in my book, but …
1) Unless you are for blowing up the whole team and going into rebuild mode, then trading Malkin doesn’t make any sense what so ever. The Pens will be extremely hard press to even come close to replacing him. It is and always will be a lot easier to replace a coach than a Malkin. There is a very good reason why Sully still hasn’t even been nominated for a Jack Adams – he doesn’t deserve it.
2) Malkin has a full blown NMC – he doesn’t go anywhere unless he wants too, just like Crosby.
3) He was the reason for the team would have made the playoffs had this been any other season. Crosby and Malkin are not that young anymore. The Pens 2nd line Center has to be able to be number 1 Center at times. That isn’t easy.
4) Malkin had the best 5 on 5 numbers of all Centers in the League, not just on the team. Maybe it is time for Sully to adjust or leave.
Hey Other Rick,
I really like the way you did this. Kind of telling people who stays and who goes in plain English. (Wish I’d thought of it…lol).
I also like the way you looked outside of the organization for solutions. I like your Murray-for-Leone swap. If Edmonton agreed it would be a great deal.
Nice pick-up on Anton Lundll…sounds like he’d be an excellent pick if we can get him. Really like Bellerive although I don’t know how much his hands have recovered from the accident (12 goals in 53 games with the Baby Pens). But you know he has the drive and the heart…a couple of qualities that seem to be in short supply with the current crop.
Rick
I really like Bellerive too. I am pulling for that kid, if not this year – soon.
I did see some mock draft site that did list Lundll still being around and the Pens nabbing that kid. I would not be upset at all to see them draft him.
The Other Rick
I posted a comment but it seems to of disappeared !!!
Hey Mike,
My first though was that it may be hung up waiting for approval (sometimes if a person cites another website it hangs things up for approval) but I am not seeing it.
The software changed a bit so I am still learning how to navigate it, so it still may be there somewhere in the ether. I just asked Rick B if he could find it, but he couldn’t find either. Maybe Phil has an answer.
I just re-posted it and it’s up – thanks