The Penguins 2018-2019 Season Revisited

When I was asked “what would the Penguins look like if I were in charge?”, at first, I did not realize how hard of a question that would be. Seasons do not exist discreetly. One season builds upon another. That is why I started with the 2017-2018 season; at the point I started to question the Coaching and GM decisions.

As I wrote last time, no one can know if the roster I would have put together could have won the Cup, the coach was still the same and Kris Letang was still on the team.

What does that have to do with it?

Letang was on the ice for 11 of the 19 Goals (G) the Washinbton Capitals scored in that fateful playoff series. His team Goals Against per 60 minutes (TGA/60) was a bloated 4.27. in Game 1, he was on the ice when Evgeny Kustnesov scored 17 seconds into the tilt and when Alex Ovechkin scored 28 seconds into the second period of that match. Our waddling waterfowl eventually won that opening game, but Letang helped put them behind the eight ball to start the series. I would have loved to trade in the coming off-season, but I cannot imagine anyone wanting to take on his contract after that pathetic display.

As for the Coach, regardless of who the GM went out and added to the roster, the Coach, Mike Sullivan displayed and continues to display an aversion to playing any players with size and grit. His turn the other cheek and play through it mantra may be laudable to the pacifists out there but it only encourages bullies like Tom Wilson to take liberties with all players (the hit on and injury to Zach Aston-Reese really gave the Capitals momentum), including the stars. He also continues to evidence a rigidity, holding on to old strategies and player combinations long after opponents adapt to them. Chances are our Pittsburgh Penguins fail to repeat under any, and all, circumstances.

And that leads me to the first action I would have taken as GM following the 2018 playoffs. During the traditional injury disclosures that follow a team’s exit from the playoffs, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford disclosed that Phil Kessel had been playing through and injury. Coach Sullivan, in the media, chose to contradict his GM and suggest that Kessel was not really injured. At that point, I would have had a serious sit down with my Coach that included a corrective action for insubordination. He would have been told in no uncertain terms that he would be terminated for cause should he ever try that again.

UFAs
Once again, in the summer of 2018, the Penguins had a host of Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs) and Restricted Free Agents (RFAs).

Re signs
UFAs; Ian Cole, Frank Corrado, John Cullen, Kevin Czuczman, Jean-Sèbastien Dea, Patric Hornqvist, Tom Kuhnhackl, Greg McKegg, Carter Rowney, Scott Wilson, and Tom Sestito

Because of his age, hard style of play, and I had Brian Dumoulin Andrei Markov, and Olli Määttä under contract and Andrey Pedan waiting in the wings I would not have resigned Cole. Corrado really added nothing to the team or to the Wilkes Barre – Scranton Penguins (WBS), so I would not have wasted money or a contract on him. And I would have let Sestito retire.

I know I will take a lot of heat for this, and I mentioned this way back when, I would have tried to resign Patric Hornqvist, but I never would have given him that fat contract. I am not going to say that the man did not earn it. He most certainly did. I just never would have given him that long of a contract, nor a No Trade Clause (NTC). Like Cole, with his style of play and age, although the team was nearly as deep at Right Wing (RW), I would never have paid that much.

Cullen still had some speed and willingness to play – I would have resigned him. Tom Kuhnhackl is a solid defensive forward but is a natural RW. Even though Sullivan always wants to miscast him as a LW, I resign him. Czuczman showed some ability at the AHL level, so I would have resigned him but for WBS. I probably resign Dea for WBS as well.
I am not sure if I resign McKegg, Rowney, or Wilson.

RFA’s Anthony Angello, Lukas Bengtsson, Thomas DiPauli, Jamie Oleksiak, Sam Lafferty, Andrey Pedan, Ethan Prow, Bryan Rust, Dominik Simon, Daniel Sprong, Oskar Sundqvist, Zach Trotman

I would have resigned all the RFAs except Bengtsson. I liked what little I saw of Bengtsson but with his injuries, sickness and desire to go home, I would not have pushed it. I would have let him go. However, just like Pouliot the year before, Rutherford signed Sprong to a 1-way contract. I would have probably signed him to a 2-way contract, if I could, for the flexibility.

New Signings:
Going into Free Agent (FA) season, before the 2018-2019 season my biggest concern would have been at wing. The only top 6 Left Wing (LW) I saw on the team was Jake GuentzeI, so would have loved to sign a LW but James van Riemsdyk signed for $7 Million for 5 years with the Philadelphia Flyers and David Perron, who only signed for $4 million, had already failed in Pittsburgh once before. Therefore, even though I wanted a LW, I would not have signed one.

Also, as you saw above, I would not have paid Hornqvist’s price, so I would have looked for a Right Wing (RW). With veterans Kessel and Bryan Rust already on my roster and if you remember I did want to give Sprong a shot at the NHL, I would not have tried to sign a bigger name. I would, however, have tried to sign Ryan Reaves. Yep, the very same Ryan Reaves that I would not have traded for the previous year, I would have signed in 2018. He was an UFA and since he was not traded to the Vegas Knights the previous season. He may still have been toiling for the St. Louis Blues. He signed a 2-year contract for $2.775 million. I would have gone up to $3 million to replace the grit I was losing by letting Hornqvist go.

Since I would have kept Sundqvist, I do not think I would have even signed Derek Grant.

And finally, considering that I had the above-mentioned depth among my Left-Handed Defensemen (LHD), I would never have even thought to sign Jack Johnson.

The Trades:
Hagelin for Pearson
On November 14, 2018, Carl Hagelin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for LW Tanner Pearson. Yes, I make that trade too. Hagelin was not producing anymore, and a shake-up was in order.

Grant for Blandisi
On January 14, 2019, Derek Grant was traded for Joseph Blandisi. Since I would not have signed Grant in the first place, this trade could not have happened.

Bressard – Sheehan for Bjugstad – McCann
On February 1, 2019 Derick Bressard and Riley Sheehan, with the team’s 2nd and 4th round picks in the 2019 draft were traded to the Florida Panthers for Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. Just like the Grant for Blandisi trade, as you recall from my last post, since I would not have had Brassard or Sheehan on my roster, this trade does not take place either. I keep the draft picks.

Pearson for Gudbranson
On February 25, 2019 Pearson was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for Right-Handed Defenseman (RHD) Erik Gudbranson. After a successful honeymoon phase Pearson stop scoring, just like the player that he was traded for and the team was looking rather soft, so yes, I make this trade as well.

Letang for anyone? With the Abysmal Playoff performance, even though I would have loved to trade Letang, at this point, I doubt anyone could have found a taker.

The Draft
Since I would not have traded my 1st round Draft pick to the Ottawa Senators for Bressard, I would have been able to add some more future depth to my team. The player I would have taken was Alexander Alexeyev. He is a 6’-4” 197lb Left Handed Defenseman. The Capitals drafted him with the last pick of the 1st round, so he definitely would have still been available. I still would have been able to grab Calen Addison with my 2nd round pick, but I would not have had the chance to get Filip Hållander with the other 2nd round pick we had that Draft year.

Therefore, the team I would have taken into the playoffs that year would have looked like this;

No, I really do not like how my LWs look. For a while I would have had Hagelin and Pearson to help Guentzel, but the LWs I would have been left with to go into the Playoffs would have been underwhelming to say the least. However, I would have seen right then and there that Simon was no answer and would have been able to move on.

To be fair to me, this line up could not have done any worse than the one that got swept by the New York Islanders. At least with Reaves, Gudbranson, Pedan, and Oleksiak no one would have tried hurting Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or Guentzel. Furthermore, Pedan and Oleksiak can actually shoot the puck from the point.

More importantly I would now have another first round pick in my system to develop.

Now, for those who asked the question “what would this team look like had I been GMing, we are 1 year closer to the answer.

Odds and Sods

The New Jersey Devils traded Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to the New York Islanders for their 1st round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, A.J. Greer and Mason Jobst. Yes, on paper, it looks like the Islanders got some offense to help them make a Playoff run. Therefore, I do understand some peoples concerns. However, consider this, with 5 more of the 8 games our Penguins have to play against the Devils, does not that trade increase the odds of our Boys of Winter winning those games. Five more Ws could go a long way in solidifying a playoff berth.

Hopefully, the Buffalo Sabres will trade Taylor Hall. That way the 4 more games against the Sabres will look a whole lot better as well.

Sometimes the trades other teams make are more important that than the trades you make. Case in point, during the Penguins 2nd Cup run, the Capitals snagged the darling of that deadline, Kevin Shattenkirk. Marc-Andre Fleury stayed put in Pittsburgh and our Black-and-Gold beat the boys from D.C.