Hey all. Just noticed news of a free-agent signing by the Cup-champion Panthers from nine days ago that stirred my dander and set my blood a boilin’. (Yes, news travels slooooowly in this neck of the Penguins Nation woods.) I could’ve easily added my diatribe as a comment to my most recent article, but instead decided to make it a full-fledged rant.
The transaction that’s peeved me so? Panthers POHO/GM Bill Zito (now there’s a genius) inking defenseman Jaycob Megna to a one-year, two-way contract for the bargain-basement price of $775K.
Why does this tick me off? After all, Megna (not to be confused with his brother and former Pen Jayson) is a 31-year-old journeyman who’s suited up for four teams during an NHL career that only began in earnest in 2017-18.
Just this. When Erik Karlsson enjoyed his breakout, 25-goal, 101-point season with the Sharks a couple years back, guess who served as his partner? (I’ll give you five guesses and the first four don’t count.)
Yep.
Megna.
Correction. Make that the 6’6” 220-pound, shot-blocking, crease-clearing Megna. While Karlsson was off doing his thing, it was Megna who hung back and took care of business in the Sharks’ end. Basically covering EK65’s arse while his quicksilver tandem-mate went gallivanting.
Did it pretty effectively, too.
A task that at least one high-profile black-and-gold defender (rhymes with “raves”) failed miserably to perform last season.
Given that the Sharks’ coach at the time was current Pens assistant David Quinn, you would think Kyle Dubas would’ve been all over this like white on rice. Instead, he signed Matt Grzelcyk for $2 million more. Then he doubled-down and signed a second shrimpy portside defenseman in Sebastian Aho, as if we needed to corner the market.
By the by, deals that have coach Mike Sullivan’s fingerprints, or at the very least his influence, all over them. All Sully seems to care about is whether his defensemen can skate and move the puck, as if actually defending our zone never enters into the equation.
The Pens should’ve signed Megna and at least given him a shot beside Karlsson in an effort to maximize their considerable investment in the three-time Norris Trophy winner.
Period.
Okay, I’m done ranting.
Hey Rick,
You do realize that you risk the ire of not only the Penguins decision makers but the their propaganda ministers that form the mainstream media and many of the Kool-Aid drinking fans who think that a team comprised only of Fossils, Smurfs and Ruth Buzzi s could support their aging core. None of the aforementioned Sullivan apologists would dare dream of bringing in grit, let alone on grit on Defense. You may as well go to Neverland or Oz with fantasies like that swirling through your cerebral matter. I hope you aren’t holding your breath waiting for something resembling a real live, honest to goodness lunch pail player.