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Jason Mackey's Penguins chat: 12.14.17
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Jason Mackey
1:07
Hi folks. Apologies for being a few minutes late. Was finishing up breakfast with Mark Madden. Alright, let's go.
Joe
1:07
Jason, if Rutherford wants to make a trade that will shake the team up, he's got to trade a more significant player than Hagelin, or someone in the bottom six, right? Do you think, given his recent poor play, that Letang is someone Rutherford would consider trading, or is he an "untouchable?"
Jason Mackey
1:08
I would say Letang is likely untouchable. I also wonder whether it's smart business; he's not playing his best right now. Also, what sort of offers do we think are out there for Letang right now? Struggling, plenty of injury history, the neck thing, etc. Might make it tough.
Joe
1:08
Rutherford keeps talking about trading for another center but those have shown to be hard to find, and he'll be in competition with other teams like CBJ, who just lost Dubinsky. Don't you think top nine LW and another defenseman are equally important? Sullivan keeps talking like he wants to play a power forward next to Malkin but there isn't any in the organization (ZAR is not really one). Don't you think, despite his past personal issues, that Evander Kane would be the perfect fit there if the cost wasn't prohibitive?
Jason Mackey
1:09
You know, before this recent stretch -- especially Sullivan trying Hornqvist at LW, which I think he's going to do tonight -- I would have disagreed on Kane. I've changed my tune. Gonna dig into whether there's any smoke here, but I think it's something I would consider. However, it doesn't fix your problem with the third line.
Guest
1:09
Is the issue with the Pens really one of personnel or is it that current players can't or won't play with the effort and execution needed night after night? I think it's the latter--focus, hunger, drive or whatever you want to call it is not there after two long Cup runs. If so, then why not at least try to bring up more youngster from WBS, like Simon, who will have that drive and sit some regulars? Why not try that first before JR starts on the trade talk?
Jason Mackey
1:10
You're not wrong. Problem is, they don't have anyone forcing their hand. Sprong's the only one, and right now he's playing an incomplete game. They could bring him up, but he also might hurt them in spots. Using different people is something I think Sullivan might try. You'll likely see Archibald in for Hagelin tonight.
Jason C
1:10
Hi Jason how you doing hopefully well. So when GMJR says he may may major trade to shake up a team who do you think that would be? I would think Kessel,the return would be pretty nice and some cap room and would pitch a pretty nice 3rd line center. What could the pens get by trade for a major trade in any Scenario?
Jason Mackey
1:11
Tough to say what they could get, at least specifically, but they could get premium return on Kessel, I'm sure of that. And I'd at least listen, if I was GMJR. If you have Sprong coming up, he and Kessel probably can't be in the lineup at the same time for an extended stretch because they do the same stuff. Sprong's also much cheaper.
To answer your question, the guys I would look at include: Sheahan, Hagelin, Cole, Rust, Kuhnhackl and Sheary.
Guest
1:12
Do you think the team, which is desperate for scoring, is being hypocritical by not bringing up Sprong?  Sullivan claims he has to work on two-way game and yet someone like Sheary is playing regularly and he has been terrible defensively. Seems to be some bias there to me. Sprong has more goals on the PP I understand,but he also just scored another ES goal last night and is nearly a point per game. Why not give him a chance in the top nine before Rutherford blows up the team looking for a spark?
Jason Mackey
1:12
You're not wrong. The difference with Sheary, though, is he has proven to be better than this at the NHL level. I think that's why he's afforded more leash. Should they try Sprong before doing something drastic? Yeah, I think it's worth a look. But I don't think Daniel Sprong is the magic elixir for this team right now.
caopall
1:13
A few weeks ago I thought the Pens found a cure for their problems scoring 5-on-5 with 87-43-72, 71-81-59, 15-17-62. Crosby, Hornqvist and Kessel were racking up points and the 3rd line finally starting to chip in a few goals to go along with their really long shifts in the offensive zone. Any idea why Sullivan switched things up? Was it to make room for Simon somewhere other than the 4th line?
Jason Mackey
1:13
It wasn't to make room for Simon, since he wasn't up at that time. But I agree with you. 43-87-72 worked, then had one bad game, and HCMS got antsy. He's shown that this year, the willingness to tinker quickly. I'd go back to that line and see what you have, but it doesn't seem like that's the direction HCMS is going to go.
Danny!
1:14
Who do you think GMJR will give up to make a trade and what will that bring in/Danny from Sweden
Jason Mackey
1:15
I think GMJR is going to try and shore up the bottom-six, Danny, specifically at center. What he gives up is tough, since it's dependent on what other teams want. Ian Cole would be an attractive option. Maybe Bryan Rust, too. I don't think Sprong or Aston-Reese have a bunch of value to other teams, and you might want to do something where you force the acquiring team to take Carl Hagelin.
caopall
1:15
Rust has been playing solid 2-way hockey this season. Then again, he hasn't been finishing his scoring chances. . Then again again, he currently comes cheap (and unless he improves his scoring, might not be able to command more than a couple of million next contract). At this point, is he trade bait?
Jason Mackey
1:16
I like Bryan Rust. I think he's a tremendous player and a wonderfully nice kid. His speed game also really fits what the Penguins want to do. I worry trading him might hurt them in a larger way long-term when compared to what it would help short-term. That said, if someone is willing to overpay, I would do it.
Mike G
1:16
Do you think JR 's trade comments are legit or is this a motivational ploy? Who do you think he would part with if a good player was available?
Jason Mackey
1:17
I think probably a little bit of both, Mike. Having covered GMJR for a couple years, he likes to stir the pot. After we finished, he smiled and said, "You should have enough to get people talking." We both laughed. He knew exactly what he was doing, and I was happy to be the conduit. I also think there's some legitimacy. GMJR isn't the type to sit around and do nothing if his team is struggling.
I think he'd part with anyone other than probably 87, 71, 59, 58, 3, 4, 8 or 30.
OHIO412FAN
1:18
Alright Jason, let’s get down to business. What is wrong with this team? I think it’s not having the depth and speed, and also the mental and physical will to win another cup. They lack in scoring. Penalty kills, breakouts, etc. It’s all distinctional. GMJR needs to do what he did the last two years: Make those key trades and big time roster adjustments. What are your thoughts? What do they need to do now?
Jason Mackey
1:19
Well, that's a lot there. The PK has been better, but they need more depth scoring. That's their biggest weakness -- the third line. I think GMJR needs to find a way to make that better, probably by adding a player. Likely a third-line center.
OHIO412FAN
1:19
In your mind, what players or package is GMJR looking for Since we now know there will be trade dominoes falling very soon?
Jason Mackey
1:19
Like I said before, I think he's looking to do something to shore up the third line, likely with a center to give them more depth down the middle.
guest
1:19
What to Sheahan do, or maybe not do, that got him basicly benched in the Toronto game last week?
Jason Mackey
1:19
He got a nice, long look on what I believe was Toronto's second goal. Don't have time to look it up right now, but it was an early goal, and Sheahan did nothing.
guest
1:20
How high of chance do you think that the Pens can get Cullen back in a trade?  They are obviously missing all of the lost leadership, how else do you explain the poor play lately because the talent is there.
Jason Mackey
1:21
Hard to say. I was told it was something that has not yet been seriously considered. Do I believe that? No. But Minnesota has been better lately, and Cullen has played a little bit more. It could work with the Wild in a hurry, thus he's not available. But I do think there's a chance of it happening. So, maybe 30 percent?
Dave
1:21
Was just wondering if there has been a Conor SHARE-EE not SHERRY-EE sighting at one of the Pens games recently? He’s getting paid waaaaaay tooooo much for scoring the occasional goal.  When does JR start making these players accountable?
Jason Mackey
1:22
What do you want Jim to do? Take him up to the mountain, whip him 25 times, then slide down together and live happily ever after? (This was Jim's joke to me when I asked about moving on after the Cole stuff, how they made it amenable again.) Sheary needs to play better. He's hardly alone at this point.
Dave
1:22
Does JR sell high on Maata and start plugging some of these gaping holes that are bringing this team down, ie a third line center and a defenseman named Cole that will hit somebody?
Jason Mackey
1:23
Well, Cole isn't a hole. They have him. But to your question of will they trade Maatta? It's an interesting one. I'd listen. I don't sense the Penguins are willing, though. They seemed reluctant in the offseason, before this much-improved season from Maatta. I feel like this is what they wanted. They don't want to move him. They just want him to play better. Legitimate top-four defensemen are hard to find, and Maatta is finally playing like one.
Red
1:23
With regards to Daniel Spring still being in WBS, do you think the Penguins put too much emphasis on skilled offensive prospects needing to be good "two way" guys?
Jason Mackey
1:24
No, I don't. I think the Penguins know what they're doing developing young forwards. Look at Rust, Sheary, Guentzel, etc. I think they're trying to reinforce this stuff to Sprong, as much as they can, before promoting him. As they should.
Dave
1:24
Glad to see that JR finally realized now what he knew he had to do this past summer and address the many issues surrounding this underachieving bunch while there is still time. How quickly will he move to get something done?
Jason Mackey
1:25
I would say if they don't win tonight, the heat will turn up a lot. Lose Saturday, too, and I can almost guarantee it happens in Denver.
Frank Scoblete
1:25
Question about the Pens' absurdly low shooting %: Is there something they're not doing right, systemically, for it to have endured this long? They're about ten games beyond where, historically, comparably poor starts begin to normalize. Are too many of the shots low-danger, is there a lack of net traffic, etc., or is it really just almost unprecedentedly-bad luck?
Jason Mackey
1:27
Good question, Frank. Looks like you know your stuff. I think it is a combination of things. There is some luck involved, but you also make your own luck. Sullivan yesterday talked about needing more of a net-front presence with Geno and Phil, and he's right. There's some loose change that nobody's picking up around the net. The Penguins have also passed themselves out of really good looks at times. That doesn't address the shooting percentage, per se, but it does explain why it hasn't improved.
Curious Fan
1:27
As someone who watches a lot of practices, do you see a correlation between players struggling in practice and also in actual games?  I recognize the situations are different, but, for example, is Hagelin struggling to put the puck in the net evident in practice, too, or just in games?   Do Letang’s reads on rushes look off in drills, too, or is a game speed problem and not something you see in practice?  Just curious based on what you’ve observed (not just this year, but in general).
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