Since I’ve been a huge proponent of signing Erik Gudbranson, I feel it’s my sworn duty to report that he reached an agreement with Calgary on Friday…a one-year deal for $1.95 million. Frankly, way out of the Pens’ tenuous financial ballpark. I expected the big defenseman to sign for around $1 million (if not on a PTO), which would’ve been much more palatable for the black and gold. Not that we outwardly expressed any interest in him.
A positive if there is any? At least Gudbranson didn’t sign with the Capitals, who as an organization have the good sense to value muscle. But it pretty much leaves us without any viable options to add physicality to a defensive corps sorely in need of some.
For the record, Zdeno Chara remains unsigned. The mammoth 6’9″, 250-pounder would certainly take care of the Pens’ enforcement needs while adding a ton of leadership and other intangibles. FYI: he played for the league minimum with the Caps last season albeit with bonuses. However, at this stage of his career the 44-year-old defender is a glacial skater and a left-handed shot, while our need is on the right side. Frankly, it’s hard to imagine the Pens or more specifically…Mike Sullivan…having any interest.
Bullish on Bozak?
Speaking of interest, the Pens have been linked to former Maple Leafs and Blues center Tyler Bozak. Solid defensively, excellent on faceoffs and a strong possession player, Bozak also possesses a bit of a scoring touch, notching 167 goals over his 764-game NHL career. In fact, he centered a line for our old friend and brother-in-arms Phil Kessel when the pair played in Toronto. He’s also a coveted right-hand shot and a former Stanley Cup winner with the Blues.
At age 35, you wonder how much the 6’1″, 199-pounder has left in the tank, especially since his Corsi for in all situations (40.9) nose-dived sharply last season compared to his impressive career mark of 52.7. But Bozak could be a solid add…if the price is right.
Pens Hire Goalie Coaches
In an organizational move, the Pens swung a two-fer, hiring Charles Grant and Kain Tisi to serve as co-goaltending development coaches. The tandem replaces Andy Chiodo, promoted to coach the Pens’ netminders in August.
Grant and Tisi will work with the organization’s stable of goaltending prospects, which include Joel Blomqvist, Calle Clang, Alex D’Orio and recent high-profile signing Filip Lindberg. The duo will also scout draft-eligible and college free-agent goaltenders.
The 29-year-old Grant served as goaltending coach of the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the past three seasons. Tisi, 36, served in the same capacity with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League for the last seven seasons.
Hey all,
Just a quicky update. Former Pens center Mark Jankowski signed a PTO with New Jersey. While he wasn’t one of my favorites, he actually did a pretty solid job defensively for us last season. It’ll be interesting to see if he sticks with the Devils.
In other news, Tyler Bozak signed a one-deal with the Blues for $750,000…way under what most experts were expecting. And former Pens assistant Rick Tocchet signed on as a studio analyst with Turner Sports. With the Rangers, Columbus and Seattle all in the hunt for coaches this summer, I’m surprised he didn’t land a job. Wouldn’t mind seeing him back in the ‘Burgh when Sullivan hits his expiration date.
Rick
” Wouldn’t mind seeing him back in the ‘Burgh when Sullivan hits his expiration date.”
Lets all take up a collection for Tocchet’s plane ticket back to Pittsburgh tonight Rick !!
For me and others it could not happen soon enough.
Cheers.
Hey Jim,
Count me in, I pledge $1,000 for Tocchet’s plane ticket; anything to get rid of Papa Smurf.
Hey all,
An interesting article over on Pittsburgh Hockey Now. Dan Kingerski writes about possibly extending offers to RFAs from other teams and mentions three specifically…Nolan Patrick (Vegas), Kieffer Bellows (the Islanders) and Givani Smith (Detroit).
All are interesting…I found Smith especially intriguing. Former second-round pick, 23 years old, 6’2″ 210 pounds, left wing…and a power forward to boot. And he can fight…and quite well. Kind of reminds me of a young Wayne Simmonds, who I’ve always admired/coveted.
The kid’s had limited success at the big-league level…thee goals and seven points in 37 games. But we are talking the Red Wings here. Anyway, long shot though it is, I salivate at the mere thought of getting a young power forward who’s capable of doing some enforcing.
Rick
Hey Rick,
I just read the article a little bit ago. As I digested the article, it reminded me of my father. He had a bit of a gambling problem; no not on the scale of the “House of the Rising Sun”. He didn’t seek out games of chance at every turn. However, when he did sit down at the table, he never knew when to fold them. He constantly thought he was one hand away, one toss of the dice away, from breaking the bank……. He only ended up throwing good money after bad.
Even if Crosby and Malkin were healthy, this team is more than 1, 2, or even 3 brinks shy of a load.
If Crosby is out 2 Weeks, that is only 5 games. Five games for a Cup contender is nothing to panic over. Five games for a pretender, well that is another story, that could be difference between missing the playoffs, with its ticket for the Shane Wright sweepstakes and sneaking in the back door of the playoffs for just one more first round disgrace.
Let’s get over it. There is NO ONE out there that the team could possibly sign that would put them over the top. The problems are systemic and involve the coaching philosophy. Last season’s debacle wasn’t the Offense per se. Yes they tend to play perimeter Hockey, especially Crosby’s line (and with the Simon signing it doesn’t appear that the Coach or management are willing to acknowledge that short coming yet). The real problem was Goaltending and Defense.
Even with Ceci babysitting Matheson, the team gave up the 5th most HDSA 5 on 5. Mike giving up HD shots is not a question of forwards not willing to play Defense, it is the fact the Defensemen can’t do the job they are paid to do, they do not have the skill said inherent to the term defense.
Rick, I am not saying that the team not try and sign Bozak as one article proposed. Nor am I saying that the team not considering a reclamation project like Givani Smith, or Patrick Nolan, or any other. What I am saying fold; no signing will change the teams fortunes this year, with the limited Cap space available, even if they possibly can get some LTIR relief with Malkin’s injury, Bozak, Smith, Patrick, et al, will not sign for a PTO contract, so Hextall will have to work Cap magic, the RFA’s will come at a compensation price – one that may end up being to high, particularly if it turns out that the reclamation projects aren’t any better or even possibly worse than what we already have in the system.
I will also say this, if Burke pulls off a stunt like the article say he did in Tor when he pushed Bos to trade him Kessell, using the threat of an offer sheet to get a trade on HIS terms and trades ZAR or something like that for one one of the RFA’s rights, freeing up Cap space in the process, that may be worth it. At his age and with the sate of this team, swapping out the older fringe players for some youth, that could be worth it
Hey Mike,
Didn’t have time this AM when writing this. I meant to add an apology, I really wasn’t looking to start an argument but to make a point. I agree that forwards need to assist in the defensive zone. My point is that the High Danger areas are the purview of the Defensemen and our Pens D is not protecting their own house. If the total shots were high as well then I would agree the entire D corps was at fault, but the team’s total shots against was average while the HD shots were among the leagues worst.
I only singled you out because you do correctly remind some people that Forwards are supposed to help out; they have defensive responsibilities too.
Hey Rick,
Until Silly….I mean Sully is gone, I don’t see Pgh ever getting any big men and actually using them. You recently wrote about one of my all-time favorite Penguins, Bob “the Battleship” Kelly; he would never have gotten out of WBS if Pittsburgh’s very own Pierre Culliford was coaching back then. Even Kevin Stevens would never have been given a chance. Artie would never have scored those 260 Goals or 555 Points for the Penguins.
Changing gears to Bozak.
As I wrote to Jorenz, I heard and read all of those rumors. First I am neither supporting nor opposing the idea of signing Bozak, but Rick, before turning your nose up at Bozak consider this; Yes Bozak’s CORSI was only 42.88% last season but his O-Zone starts were only 39.32%. Bozak apparently shifted the ice to his opponents ice. Bozak’s O-Zone Facoeoffs also support the idea that Bozak pushes the “O”. Even though he only had 39.32% starts in the O-Zone, he had 43.67 of his Face-Offs in enemy territory. His stats do say look like he shifts his line to the attack..
That is certainly better than the Human Pylon’s (Simon) last season in the ‘burgh. Simple Simon had 68.61% of the starts in his last season here in the attacking zone and most often flanking the Captain Sidney Crosby (When both were playing in the same game). However Dominik was not a Dominator, he his CORSI was only 52.21% – Significantly lower!
I certainly would prefer to see Bozak over the Oxygen Thief on the ice for the Penguins.
However, that may be water under the bridge. Pgh has almost no cap room to try and sign Bozak. and as I wrote to Jorenz earlier today, Bozak most certainly won’t sign a PTO so they could cut him when they are done with him, nor are the chances that will he sign for the league minimum very high. In fact, they border on the non existent. And Crosby apparently won’t be out long enough to be able to send him to the LTIR and Malkin appears to be only out the first month, so although the team could get some Cap relief, it won’t be much. Hextall will need to play with the numbers and get creative to get Bozak in here.