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Matt Vensel's Penguins chat: 02.14.25
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Matt Vensel
10:38
Happy Friday (and Happy Valentine's Day), Penguins fans. Today's chat starts at noon. Got a question for me? You can submit it at any time.
Joe
12:04
Will Dubas be aggressive in trading players before the deadline if he can get a good return, and I mean good players such as Rakell or Karlsson? Or will he persuaded that this team has a chance of squeaking into the playoffs? Hint: they won’t
Matt Vensel
12:06
Hey, Joe. We have already seen him trade two quality players in Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor, and I expect we will see at least one or two more players get traded. I will have a big trade primer in Sunday's paper and on our website, so I don't want to spoil everything here. But I do not think we will see Erik Karlsson get traded during the season. Too complicated with his $10 million salary. As for Rickard Rakell, his trade value probably will not be any higher than it is right now...
Judy from Carrick
12:07
Matt,GMBC's recent addition of LD Kolyachonok to the 23 Man could spell the end of Grzelcyk's time here in the 'Burgh. Other Teams could be interested @ the Trade Deadline in Acciari,Nedeljkovic &/or Beauvillier. Even Rakell's value is up. What say you as far as GMBC moves on the Trade horizon? Also, how's 'bout former Pen Draft Pick & Sweden's Goalie Filip Gustavsson from that GMJR Trade for Vince Dunn from the Sens way back. Another typical Penguins / Pirates bad Trade.
Matt Vensel
12:09
Judy obviously means Kyle Dubas, not the Pirates GM. As for her first question, I think the Penguins trading Pettersson has to increase, even slightly, the odds of the Penguins trying to hang on to Matt Grzelcyk beyond this season. After a shaky start here, he has been playing OK at 5-on-5, and he has surprisingly boosted the power play. Clearly, he is not untouchable, though. So we will see if another team offers up something that compels Dubas to trade him.
Commissioner
12:10
Do you expect the pens to trade one of their goalies before the deadline and if so, which one? Thank you
Matt Vensel
12:12
I do not. At the moment, Tristan Jarry is untradeable from practical standpoint. And I think Alex Nedeljkovic is the kind of teammate and competitor you want to pair with a young goalie like Joel Blomqvist. That is not to say that Nedeljkovic is untouchable. I just have a hard time picturing another team valuing Ned, who is good backup but not a potential difference-maker between the pipes, more than the Pens.
Surley
12:13
What’s the criteria for sending players to the minors, especially from the Penguins to compete for the Calder and Kelly Cups?  Murashov was just sent back to Wheeling which will help.  It would be great if the other teams in the organization could hoist a cup, if the Pens can’t.
Matt Vensel
12:15
Surley, I am not going to lay out all the details of the NHL's waiver system here. Would not make for compelling chat fodder. I would recommend checking out PuckPedia or CapWages for more on how the waiver system works. But I will say there is no one on the NHL roster right now who is a candidate to be sent down for the WBS playoffs, other than maybe Ryan Shea.
Adam S
12:16
Should Fleury have made Team Canada, even at 40? He’s got better numbers than any other goalie in the team. Also, how fun would that be?
Matt Vensel
12:17
Adam, there were some media types advocating for Marc-Andre Fleury before the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters were announced in the fall. I do not know how seriously he was considered by Hockey Canada. To your point, I would have added him as the third goalie for the vibes alone.
DXF
12:18
I am new to hockey. Your colleague Jason Mackey referred me to your expertise. My question deals with what schematic defense the penguins use. He stated it was a pressurized system. Would you be able to clarify and break it down on an novice level? Thanks again for all your information.
Matt Vensel
12:18
Too nuanced for a chat. Email me at mvensel@post-gazette.com.
MaybePerhaps
12:18
I see logic in both directions the team can go.  Sell now or go for one more playoff run next year. I’m leaning towards one more go with Geno and Sid.  But, Geno needs to be the 3rd line center.  Run back the same 1st line. Sign a 2nd line center, 2nd line winger (should have the money) and Bunting. Geno would have a wbs prospect and Tomasino as his wingers.  If things don’t look promising, then  trade Rakell and Rust then.  But moving Geno to 3rd line center is key. What camp are you in… rebuild this year, or try one more time with Sid and Geno?
Matt Vensel
12:20
I don't know how many times that I, along with the rest of the local media, have to say that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin aren't going anywhere. Respectfully, it's not worth even hypothesizing about.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:21
Hi Matt thanks for the chats! With the improved play right before the break, will the Pens hold off on trade talks for Rakell and Rust and try to make a run for the playoffs? They have shown this year to be able to beat the better teams but also have shown us the ability to look like they're tanking for the number 1 pick in the draft. Where does this team go?
Matt Vensel
12:23
They went 3-4-1 going into the break and fell further back in the playoff pack, so even if they did play a bit better than the record might indicate, that is irrelevant at this point. They need real victories, not moral ones. Anyway, the Penguins and their hockey ops department have no illusions about this team and its hopes for the playoffs. The fact that they already traded Pettersson and O'Connor tells you that.
Dean
12:23
Hi Matt.....my question is the acquiring of Vladislav Kolyachonok.  now does he have to stay on the active roster.  Or can they send him to Wilkes-Barre without putting him on waivers?
Matt Vensel
12:24
Dean, if they tried to send him down, he would go back on waivers.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:24
What do the Pens do with Jarry and his albatross contract if anything? Can't trade him or release him. Do they let him stay in the minors for the next couple of years to see if he can get out of his funk or write him off like a Jack Johnson?
Matt Vensel
12:26
The Penguins are not going to give up a quality future asset just to dump his contract. They are in a rebuild and that would make no sense. (Not saying you are suggesting that, but others ask me about that often.) It is a bad contract but not a catastrophic one, especially with the cap going up. So they could theoretically keep him around. However, I think both the organization and he need a breakup at this point, so I expect him to be a buyout candidate in the summer. Dubas has stated in the past that he is not a fan of buyouts. But I don't think the cap consequences of doing that with Jarry would be too painful.
Joe
12:27
Matt, any chance Sullivan is finally gone after this season? I really don’t think he’s the best option to develop young players coming up from Wilkes and Dubas should be bringing those players up after the deadline or early next season and give them an extended run to see what they have there
Matt Vensel
12:28
I'd rather not speculate on that today, Joe. All I will say is that FSG and Kyle Dubas very much like Sullivan and think he is a good coach. Check back at the end of the season and I'll be more comfortable weighing in.
Jeff
12:29
Matt, of the players currently in Wilkes-Barre, how many do you project as top-6 forwards or top-4 defensemen?
Matt Vensel
12:32
I am hardly a scout. The people who track this stuff much more closely don't seem to project any of the guys in WBS as sure-fire impact players. However, it is in the range of possibilities for a few players, most notably Owen Pickering, Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:33
With Crosby playing for Canada and playing with some of the best players in the NHL, why would he want to come back to the Pens for a rebuild with no hope to make the playoffs any time soon?
Matt Vensel
12:33
Who are we to tell Sidney Crosby what he should do with his life?
God
12:34
Hello Matthew.  God, the Almighty here.  Serious question:  Should I fear for my job?   Sid87 is looking like he has me beat on that omnipotence thing.
Matt Vensel
12:37
Hello, holy father. I see you have been watching Sid from the highest of nosebleed seats. Yes, Sid was awesome in the first game of the 4 Nations tourney. He looked invigorated by playing in a high-stakes game for the first time in a few years. Still, given the caliber of the rest of the (younger) players on the ice and that he is presumably still dealing with that upper-body injury, what he was able to do in that showcase game was remarkable. You really gifted the Penguins a good one in the 2005 draft lottery, didn't you?
That will do it for today's chat. Thanks to everyone who popped in.
12:38
Enjoy the weekend, and don't forget about USA-Canada tomorrow.
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