Aside from the odd transaction here and there and an occasional flareup (and cool down) of the Tomáš Tatar-to-our-Penguins rumors, there really hasn’t been much to write about lately.
However, a trade went down yesterday that just has to warm your heart. The Canadiens sent recently acquired defenseman Jeff Petry to Detroit for defenseman Gustav Lindstrom and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Some salary retention was involved.
As a refresher, Petry’s trade from Montreal to the Pens last summer was facilitated in part by his desire to be closer to his family, who just happen to reside in suburban Detroit. Of course, his recent trade back to the Canadiens put the veteran blueliner back to square one.
That’s when Habs GM Kent Hughes stepped up big time…with an assist from Red Wings boss Steve Yzerman.
“I’m a believer in general, whether it be players or people, that you try to do the right thing,” Hughes said. “Certainly, in this case, I called Jeff. I said, ‘Listen, I know you didn’t go to bed expecting to hear from me this morning. I was probably one of the last people you expected to [hear from].’ They were, as a family uptight. They have four young boys, and they were about to start school in two weeks, so I gave him my word. I said, ‘Listen, we saw an opportunity here to facilitate the trade between Pittsburgh and San Jose and to help ourselves, but we’re mindful that you’ve got a family and your own career and Montreal is probably not the place you’re expecting to play.’ I promised him that we’d work expeditiously to get him moved and that we wouldn’t drag this out trying to maximize every last piece of value in the trade.”
How wonderfully refreshing.
For the record, Petry didn’t play poorly for the black and gold last season as some seem to think. On the contrary, his five goals and 31 points (in 61 games) would’ve translated roughly into seven goals and 42 points over a full 82-game slate. Pretty close to his recent norms. The veteran defender proved to be a workhorse as advertised, logging an ATOI of 22:21…second on the team behind only Kris Letang.
Jeff also provided a needed physical element to the back line, dishing out 190 hits, tops among Pens defensemen and third on the team behind fellow departees Jason Zucker and Josh Archibald. He was one of only seven regulars to register a positive plus/minus (plus-2).
As for his overall impact? We were 32-21-8 with Jeff in the lineup, 8-10-3 without him. By comparison, we were 31-26-7 with Letang, 9-5-4 without him.
In other words, the Ann Arbor native did pretty much all that could be reasonably asked or expected of him. Unfortunately, his contract ($6.25 million for two more seasons) and age (35), not to mention Erik Karlsson’s availability and Kyle Dubas’ desire to nab the Norris Trophy winner, mitigated against Jeff remaining in the ‘burgh.
I, for one, am delighted he’s going home.
Speaking of Rumors…
There was a doozy floating around last week. One that claimed Dubas was in the process of negotiating a one-year deal to bring franchise icon Jaromir Jágr back to the Steel City.
When I saw the term I figured something was fishy, although Mr. Hockey, the late great Gordie Howe, played 80 games (and tallied 41 points!) for the Hartford Whalers at age 51, which just happens to match No. 68’s current age.
I’ve suggested this before, but I’d love to see the Pens bring Jágr back for one game. Can you imagine the excitement his return would generate among Penguins Nation? Ticket sales would go through the roof.
Plug Jags into the lineup and let him work the right half-wall on the power play for a shift or two.
The place would go bonkers.
Heck, it wouldn’t shock me to see him pick up an assist. Tell me that wouldn’t provide a fitting final exclamation point to a brilliant career.
A Tragic Footnote
Maple Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov passed away from a brain tumor on Monday. He was only 21 years old. Shades of former Penguin Michel Briere.
The 15th overall pick in the 2020 Entry Draft, Amirov was diagnosed with a brain tumor in February 2022. The youngster’s tragic and untimely death struck a particularly emotional chord with Dubas, the man who drafted him.
“Personally, I am so sad for the loss of such a wonderful young man with so much potential,” said the Pens GM. “His unabashed positivity — even when faced with an awful diagnosis — will stay with me forever. Rodion was such an example of courage and I am certain that his spirit has touched and will live on in everyone lucky enough to have known him.”
Hey Rick,
Thanks for the updates.
1) However, I was not a fan of the Hornqvist/Matheson trade, nor was I a fan of the Matheson/Petry trade (mainly due to contract terms and another RHD at the cost of the only decent LHD on the squad), nor am I now a fan of the 1st Rnd Pick-Petry-et al/ Karlsson throw away. I am glad for Petry and await with trepidation the results of this latest archaeological dig. Petry was one of the most effective PK D-men.
2) I have a great memory, a memory these revisionist historians cannot compromise, I haven’t forgotten the “I am dying alive in Pittsburgh”. Jagr quote. (Look it up – Los Angeles Times Dec. 10, 2000 and CBC July 12, 2001). I can’t argue about that popinjay’s talent level but no amount of spin doctoring can get me to forget that whiner’s disrespect of this city and team. Only an actual apology, not cover-up will serve to begin to make me amenable to that clown coming back.
Hey Other Rick,
I guess I have a different take when it comes to Jagr. And believe me, I was P-L-E-N-T-Y angry when he snubbed our offer back in 2011 to return to the NHL in favor of the Flyers of all teams.
But as the old saying goes, time heals all wounds. With all due respect to Sid and Geno, Jagr in my humble opinion is arguably the second-greatest player ever to don the skating Penguin logo. I think it’s time to make a peace.
Rick
Hey Rick,
I didn’t argue Jagr’s talent. I agree, he is the second greatest talent in Penguins history and leads the team in Playoff GWGs with Malkin the next closest. However, Jagr was and still is unrepentant over his dis ing of our City and Team when he pouted like a little baby and DEMANDED a trade in the media (as I typed above, go back and read the papers and media outlets of the time; his trade was never about saving money (it did save money but that wasn’t the reason for the trade). The reason for the trade was Jagr was an insufferable JERK! Mario even commented on the cancerous nature of Jagr in the locker room when he came back and Jags had to play second fiddle.
Jagr still has yet to display the character to warrant any adulations from this city.
Hey Rick,
I’m with you on this one “Forgive and forget” Life is to short. This town would be rocking if
Jagr was to suit up for one game. It would probably be just what the doctor ordered
to mend old wounds. I for one would love to see it.
Mike,
I do believe in forgive, but I don’t pine for the girl who doesn’t want me. Once I grew up, I stopped having crushes. I have more respect for myself.
Second, there can be no forgiveness if there is no acknowledgement of wrong doing. When Jagr and even the Org is trying to rewrite history and deny the truth, saying it was a money saving move and that Jagr didn’t demand the trade. Too bad for them that it is in the written record.
I don’t believe in subjecting myself to an abusive relationship, even for external rewards.
The Other Rick
I don’t disagree with your reasoning but in these types of situations someone
has to be the bigger person and make the 1st move. That person should be
Mario. This gives Jagr a chance to repent and apologize to the fans – which
I’m confident he would embrace. In these situations I’m careful about taking
sides – you never know what transpired behind closed doors.
I’m with you, Mike.
I know a couple that dated, briefly, about seven or eight years ago. Didn’t work at the time. But they met again a few years back, and this time they clicked. In fact, they married not too long ago. They fit together hand in glove.
Sometimes it’s all about timing…and a willingness to forgive and try again.
Rick
Rick, there is a big difference between bad timing and outright disrespect. There is a big difference between one or both parties saying “I am sorry but I am just not sure about this” and one of the two saying “Drop Dead”.
There is also a big difference between one of the two parties mooning over something that just isn’t there while the other plays them like a harp from hell, using them for all they can, only to dump them time and time again.
When Jagr had an opportunity to come back to the Penguins he used their lonely, desperation to parley himself a bigger paycheck from our penguins biggest rival and then laughed at the love sick fools
And you may know of one couple, who actually cared about each other but need to get the timing right, but I know you know multiple people who were and some who still are in toxic relationships because one of them is too blind to see how they being used. We both knew a guy who is dead now, but who used all his savings to pay the bills of a drug addict who used all her money on her habit and that guys money to pay her bills. She even used him to watch her child as she went out with other men. That is what you are asking Pittsburgh to do. The Penguins and some of the fans are throwing their away their savings (feelings) on a player who doesn’t give to shakes about them.