During recent interviews, Penguins POHO/GM Kyle Dubas indicated he might seek to make hockey trades as a way of supplementing his team’s rebuild/retool.
He even suggested a willingness to part with some of the draft capital he’s worked so diligently to accumulate over the past couple seasons.
Wait. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of amassing those picks in the first place? To say nothing of flying in the face of conventional wisdom that states you build through the draft.
Yes and no.
Allow me to explain.
There’s an executive out there who’s laid down an alternate blueprint for building a champion. A modus operandi that’s led to a Presidents’ Trophy, two Cup Final appearances and a Stanley Cup in relatively short order.
I’m referring to Florida’s Bill Zito, who happens to be a Pittsburgh native.
Since taking over from Dale Tallon as the Panthers’ GM in September 2020, Zito’s largely eschewed the draft, instead building a perennial powerhouse predominantly through a series of incredibly savvy if not downright brilliant trades and free-agent signings.
Think Jim Rutherford, circa 2015-17, on steroids.
An audit of the Panthers’ current roster reveals only five players, forwards Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell and Mackie Samoskevich along with defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Dmitry Kulikov, who were drafted by the Panthers. A sixth skater, Latvian d-man Uvis Balinskis, entered the NHL as a Panthers’ free agent. The other 19 players listed on PuckPedia came from outside the organization.
Incredibly, Zito has added four former top-six picks through trades. They include power forwards Matthew Tkachuk (6th overall in ’2016) and Sam Bennett (4th overall, ’14), 50-goal man Sam Reinhart (2nd overall, ’14) and his most recent high-profile acquisition, defenseman Seth Jones (4th overall, ’13). Along with home-growners Barkov (2nd overall, ’13) and Ekblad (1st overall, ’14), that makes six former top-six picks.
In each case, Zito shrewdly took advantage of trade partners who were more or less stuck between a rock and a hard place. Bennett, a pending RFA who’d disappointed with the Flames, was acquired at the ’21 deadline for a second-round pick. Three months later Reinhart, who’d likewise fallen short of expectations, was gleaned from the Sabres for a first-round pick.
In his most seismic move of all, Zito again acquired a pending Flames RFA, Tkachuk, in the summer of ’22. The price was steep—100-point scorer and former top-three pick Jonathan Huberdeau, along with puck-moving defender MacKenzie Weegar and a first-round pick. But Zito had his man, not to mention a whole new identity for his team.
Zito continued to display a Midas touch this spring. With an eye turned toward replacing UFA-to-be Ekblad, he plucked Jones—whose talents were largely going to waste in Chicago—from the Blackhawks for a first-rounder and goalie Spencer Knight.
Sensing his team needed a dose of swagger and leadership in the wake of an injury to Tkachuk, Zito acquired Brad Marchand from the Bruins for a conditional second-round pick.
He’s proven to be equally adept with free agents, inking the likes of productive Carter Verhaeghe (cut loose by the Lightning), versatile former Pen Evan Rodrigues and rugged rearguard Niko Mikkola. Gustav Forsling, who’s emerged as one of the top defensemen in the league, incredibly, was claimed on waivers from the ‘Canes.
Zito’s been every bit as brilliant in handling his coaching staff. Recognizing the need to play a more physical, playoff-ready brand of hockey, he replaced Presidents’ Trophy winner Andrew Brunette, no slouch, with sage bench boss Paul Maurice.
Maurice promptly led the Panthers to back-to-back Final appearances and a Cup.
Although hardly on the same grand (or successful) scale, Dubas, too, has shown an inclination to part with draft picks for players who, for whatever reasons, didn’t develop as hoped at previous stops. Although hardly in the category of a Bennett or Reinhart, ex-Preds Philip Tomasino and Tommy Novak are prime examples.
He’ll have to go a long (long) way and then some to match the work of Zito, a visionary who consistently seems to be a step or two ahead of his peers while possessing the courage to move boldly and decisively once he’s zeroed an opportunity. Another strength—and this can’t be emphasized enough—Zito possesses an innate feel for the mix of players required to produce a champion.
Not every GM does. In fact, most don’t.
Still, the blueprint is in place for Dubas and others to follow.
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Hey all,
I'm going off-topic. Dan Kingerski on PHN speculated that Wild center Marco Rossi might be on the trading block despite a 24-goal, 60-point season, and that the Pens might have interest. For the record, Rossi's 23 years old, but only 5'9" and 182 pounds. Despite his production, the Wild reduced his ice time down the stretch and in the postseason.
Loved what commenter Don had to say.
"Why in the world would the Pens waste time & money on yet another undersized player, especially a center because he skates fast? Sullivan’s 1980s Soviet style of slingshot hockey is so yesterday. It’s big boy hockey, requiring size, speed and toughness. Look at the teams left in the playoffs. There are no Sullivan-type teams and there won’t be in the future. I personally can’t wait to see what happens with Rempe on the Rangers this year."
Couldn't agree more.
On a team like the Panthers or Caps that already possesses the requisite physicality, a player like Rossi makes more sense. But on our soft serve Pens?
Not so much.
Rick
Hey Rick,
I have stopped reading that site for the most part. However, I did read the article you suggested. There was a lot there that I could argue with very strong arguments against.
The part about Rossi, I am sorry but it is lazy journalism. Rossi has picked up 33 and 35 points over the last 2 seasons but two seasons ago he benefited immensely from an O-Zone Start% of 63%, this past season it dropped only slightly to 57* I believe. Maybe Rossi does have an offensive upside, but to date, it can be super strongly argued that his numbers were proportional to his O-Zone starts..
Also, the article asserts that the Penguins don't have any natural Centers in their Organization but try to convert natural Wingers to play Center. This is complete fallacy. All anyone has to do is look at the players in Hockey Reference, Elite Prospects, or any of the multiple hockey stat sites and they will find that most of the Penguins forwards are listed as C or at least Center first being converted to Wing because that is/was Sullivan's MO and coveted player - a utility knife that he could shift up and down the lineup. Perfect examples of this throughout history have been Guentzel, Rodriguez, and Simon were originally listed as Centers. On Hockey Reference Crosby, Malkin, Tomasino, Lizotte, Acciarri, Henen, Dewar, Bemstrom, Ponomarev, and Novak are listed as Centers. On the WBS web site Ponomarec, Bemstrom, Poulin, Koopanen, Huntington, Broz, Gallant, and Calvert are listed as Centers. These players are listed as Centers because they came up as Centers and Sullivan tried to convert them to Wingers like Guentzel and Simon. Sometimes it works (Guentzel), sometimes it doesn't (Simon).
Therefore the assertion that the team needs more Centers is a little iffy. Yes they will need a top 6 Center very, very soon, when Geno retires but they are top heavy at center.
More importantly, they could use a couple more NHL level true Wingers and not Centers converted to Wing to help their Centers out.
The only time the truth starts to emerge in the post iswhen the discussion turns to Defensemen, everyone can see the glaring hole on D.
PS:
The post also ignores the pathetic Goaltending by Jarry Elephant.
Rick,
If you haven't noticed, the trade route and external hired guns is the same route the Penguins have bungled for 8 years. It isn't the method of acquiring players that has been important in Florida, but the exact players the Panthers accumulated. The Panthers built their team with playoff hockey in mind. As a friend of ours, Joe has noted on many occasions, the Panthers players and system are the same whether it is regular season or not. They do not need to get into playoff mode in April, they were playing that way in October.
The problem with the Penguins has been the system and the acquisition of the players that fit that system.
It doesn't matter where you get the your players as much as getting the RIGHT players. The Panthers accumulated the RIGHT players. The Pens didn't.
Hey Other Rick,
It's important to mention that while Dubas is dealing 4th-round picks for the likes of Tomasino and Novak, Zito is dealing 1st and 2nd-rounders and 100-point scorers for the Tkachuks and Reinharts.
Dubas to date is wading into the shallow end of the pool. Zito's diving head-long into the deep-end.
Rick
Rick
But Tomasino and Novak aren't Dubas' only trades. KD traded a 1st round pick to San Jose and a 2nd round Pick to Montreal in his first block buster trade that brought Erik Karlsson, Dillon Hamaliuk, and Rem Pitlick to Pittsburgh. Therefore, assets are not the only reason why Sullivan stocked this team with less than Cup contender teams. And let’s face it, even though KD was hired to replace RH, they were barely more than meat puppets for Mike “Geppetto” Sullivan.
The problem that has plagued the Penguins for the last 8 seasons has not been a lack of assets but simply targeting the wrong players to try and support a system that is a flop. Tomasino and Novak are clones of the parade of soff’, “skilled” passengers that every GM has brought through Pittsburgh under Sullivan’s reign of terror.
Also Rick, let's remember that the Caps got Chychrun for a 3rd round pick, Zadorov was traded to the Canucks for a 3rd and 5th. There were far better Defensemen out there getting traded about while we were trading a 1st for Karlsson, a 5th round pick for Timmins and future considerations for POJ, signing Ryan Graves and Ryan Shea, and claiming Vladislav Kolyachonok off waivers but flipping Desharnais and Schenn immediately or almost immediately.
There were options, unfortunately KD didn't choose wisely.
One last follow-up thought.
Regarding trading top picks, everyone Zito acquired with the exception of Marchand is smack-dab in their prime. As you so duly noted, we spend our 1st-round pick on a soon-to-be 35-year-old (Karlsson) who's never been accused of playing even marginal defense, his offensive skills notwithstanding.
Again, a huge difference in the way Dubas and Zito operate.
Rick
Hey Other Rick,
Amen to KD not choosing wisely. In fact, for the most part his work at the NHL level has been, shall we say, less than inspired. Nieto, Acciari, P-O Joseph, Graves the list goes on-and-on.
If he'd done even cursory checking on the latter, he would have discovered that Graves needs structure, and lots of it, to thrive. From what I understand, Sullivan's system gives defensemen a lot of freedom and options.
In other words...a train-wreck waiting to happen, which is pretty much what's played out.
I do like the work Dubas has done in stockpiling picks, and I'm hopeful about some of the kids he's drafted. But to me, the jury is still decidedly out on him.
Rick
Amen
Quick Addendum,
You mention a quick audit of the Panthers roster having 6 drafted players, only 9 of the Penguins players on last seasons roster were drafted by the Pens (Rust Malkin, Letang, Pickering, Poulin, Crosby, Puustenin, Jarry, and Blomqvist). Three of those players predate the recently passed Sullivan regime. Of the rest, only Rust and Jarry was given a regular shift. Blomqvist, Pickering, Poulin, and Puustenin were only afforded the most minimal TOI Sullivan would grudgingly offer them.
Just trying to reinforce that it was the choice of player not the way they got there that led the Panthers to the promised land.
Must have been typing this while you were responding
Hey Other Rick,
Absolutely spot-on. As you say, it isn't so much as acquiring players (Tomasino, Novak) as getting the right ones (Tkachuk, Reinhart, Bennett, Jones). HUGE difference.
Again, Zito has an outstanding grasp of the market and who might be available, and he's quick to pounce. And he absolutely understands the type of players and attributes that go into making a champion.
I am hopeful that now that we're free from Sullivan's preferences and influence, Dubas will be able to build a more well-rounded team with considerably more competitive zeal. In hindsight, I think we saw that process begin when Imama was promoted and he acquired guys like Desharnais and Schenn. Privately, I can't imagine Sully was clamoring for (or on board with) any of those moves.
I'll truly be curious to watch how the Rangers construct their roster going forward. Ex: Will Borgen is a big, stay-at-home defenseman with little in the way of offensive chops (ditto Carson Soucy) who they extended long term. We'll see if these guys start pinching like mad men under Sully.
Rick
I am just hoping the crash and burn is immediate (the coming season) but in their hubris the rangers thinking that they are now champion material give us next years draft pick and not this years. Particularly, in the light of the rumors I am hearing from fairly credible sources that there was tampering going on.
...and exposing Igor Shesterkin in the process.