Penguins Update: The Day After (and After That)

Hey all. I’d originally intended to post the first section of this article yesterday, but life and work combined to throw a Jacob Trouba chicken-wing elbow my way. Since many of the thoughts are still valid, I thought I’d publish it now and tack on a second section to include today’s (Friday’s) moves. Here goes:

#############

I feel for Ron Hextall and Mikael Granlund. I really do.

I can’t for one minute imagine what it would be like to wake up and find yourself being ripped to shreds in the blogosphere and on social media for something I did. Or in Granlund’s case, something I wasn’t the least bit responsible for. I hope I never find out.

Granlund hasn’t even played a game for our Penguins (remember, this was written yesterday), and already he’s Public Enemy Number One. Make that Public Enemy Number Two. Hextall’s Number One.

In a way, Hexy’s being excoriated for being a man of his word. In statements made leading up to the deadline, GMRH didn’t promise us a rose garden, to borrow from country music legend Lynn Anderson. He did say he’d work to improve the team and that he’d likely make upgrading the third line a priority.

So why do we feel so cheated…if not downright enraged?

Perhaps it was our hopes for something bigger that set us up for disappointment. Hoisted on our own petard, so to speak.

We were wrong to harbor such aspirations for our Pens? Especially after St. Louis handed us a gift reprieve by claiming Kasperi Kapanen and his $3.2 million cap hit, in the process clearing one of Hextall’s most egregious mistakes off the books.

Virtually every other Eastern Conference contender went big. And I mean BIG. In the Metro, the Islanders added stud scoring center Bo Horvat and Pierre Engvall. The Rangers one-upped their Empire State brethren, acquiring snipers Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane and rugged d-man Niko Mikkola. The Devils landed Timo Meier, perhaps the best of the bunch, and fellow forward Curtis Lazar. Carolina added a pair of enigmatic talents, forward Jesse Puljujarvi and offenseman Shayne Gostisbehere.

As for the Atlantic Division? Those teams are going after the Cup…hard. The Bruins added talent and grit with the likes of Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway. The Lightning paid a hefty price for power forward Tanner Jeannot.

And the Maple Leafs? GM Kyle Dubas practically remade what was already a very good team, acquiring former Conn Smythe and Cup winner Ryan O’Reilly, defensemen Jake McCabe, Erik Gustafsson and Luke Schenn and rugged support players Noel Acciari and ex-Pen Sam Lafferty. Ottawa snagged a top prize as well, acquiring defenseman Jakob Chychrun, rumored to be a target of Mike Sullivan’s affection

By comparison? Hextall’s initial moves to improve the Pens look feeble. Perhaps another reason why we reacted so vehemently.

Too, his recent track record leading up to the deadline isn’t too hot. Since wrapping up Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang and extending top-sixers Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, he’s fumbled the ball on lesser transactions, starting with the extensions to Casey DeSmith and Kapanen along with decision to let versatile Evan Rodrigues walk. Factor in the onerous Jeff Carter extension and the acquisition of Granlund, a pricey version of E-Rod, and you might say Hexy’s on a losing streak.

This town and fan base ain’t too kind to losers.

The Day After (After)

I’ll say this for Hextall. Despite the backlash he received earlier this week, some of it downright vicious, he continued in his efforts to reinforce the team.

I’ll start with the most prominent deal first. As reported in my game summary earlier today, Nick Bonino is, indeed, returning to the Steel City. The two-time Cup winner has bounced around a bit since leaving town, moving from the Predators to the Wild and onto the Sharks. But with 10 goals and 19 points in 59 games, he can still contribute offensively, to say nothing of the PK.

What I like about the trade? “Bones” brings a ton of intangibles to the mix. He’s crafty, gritty and oh so gutsy…he once tried to play on a fractured tibia. Bottom line…a winner. We had way too many passengers in the mix, and Bonino’s definitely not the type to be found lounging in a deck chair sunning himself while others do the dirty work.

He gets involved.

The price was certainly right. We surrendered a conditional fifth-round draft choice in 2024 and a 2023 seventh-rounder to San Jose in a three-way trade that included the Canadiens.

If there’s a negative, it’s Bonino’s age (he’s 34) and the fact that he’s dropped off a bit in the faceoff circle (48.5 percent). But his game has never been predicated on speed but rather wits and guile, kind of like a poor man’s Ronnie Francis.

Overall, I give the swap a thumbs up.

In his other trade, Hextall added experience and depth to the left side of our defense by acquiring Dmitry Kulikov from the Ducks for left wing Brock McGinn and a third-round pick in the 2024 Entry Draft.

A former first-round pick of Florida back in 2009, the 32-year-old Kulikov stands 6’1” and tips the scales at 201 pounds. Okay size, especially for a Penguin. He’s not much of a puck mover (three goals and 15 points in 61 games this season), but specializes in stay-at-home defense a la Jan Rutta. While not overly physical, he’ll hit and block shots and even drop the gloves if the situation merits it, although by no means is he an accomplished fighter (sorry Phil).

A solid add, especially when you consider we shed the remaining two seasons of McGinn’s contract.  Credit Hextall for fixing two of his perceived mistakes, first Kappy and now the “Brock Star.”

Both additions are UFAs-to-be, so we’re not tied to them long term.

Financial details haven’t been fully disclosed. And there’s the not-so-little matter of being able to recall Drew O’Connor, who was sent to the Baby Pens (at least on paper) in order for the deals to go through.

To sum up. Provided we’re able to recall O’Connor, who’s proven beyond a shadow of a doubt he belongs, I’d say Hextall improved the team enough to secure a playoff berth.

Perhaps just as important, he changed a mix that had grown more than a bit stale.

Unfinished Business?

There were persistent rumors linking us to a blockbuster with Jimmy Rutherford in Vancouver…one that ultimately fell through…involving Pittsburgh-area native J.T. Miller. According to a report by Darren Dreger, Hextall initiated the talks and was willing to part with draft picks, but Rutherford wanted immediate help in return.

Hey, at least Hexy took a run at it.