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Matt Vensel's Penguins chat: 03.25.22
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Matt Vensel
11:45
Hello, Penguins fans. Looking forward to talking hockey with you all once again. Submit your questions now and we'll get going around noon. I plan to go 30-40 minutes today. Talk soon.
Jay Daven
12:01
Matt, I still think the Pens need another goalie to back up Jarry.  DeSmith didn't look too good the last outing against Buffalo by giving up 5 goals, two in a shootout.  Is it too late? What do you think?
Matt Vensel
12:04
Jay, the trade deadline has passed. So the Pens have no choice but to ride with what they've got. Casey DeSmith isn't killing the team when he's in there like he did at times earlier in the season. But he remains up-and-down. The only other real alternative is Louis Domingue, who has played six games for WBS after recovering from his fluky foot injury. He allowed two goals or fewer in the first five. We'll see if he emerges as a viable option in Pittsburgh down the road.
Kdog#jtown
12:05
I believe it’s a must we sign Bryan Rust. With that being said who do you believe is the odd man out. Rust,Letang or Malkin?
Matt Vensel
12:07
This is still to be determined and it's not clear cut. It won't be as simple as "We are keeping these two and not him." It's going to come down to the respective price for all three players and the Penguins then making a value determination based off of that. I know I'm not ready to rule out the possibility of all three returning.
arnold slick
12:07
is the chance of re-signing Rust as bad as everyone is saying? The thought of losing him is upsetting to me, after all the years of needing 'a winger for Sid'. Also, do you agree that this is the best line Sid has ever had? I always thought that while Dupuis did a great job, he wasn't even really a top 6 guy as much as someone in the right place at the right time with the heart and soul to rise to the occasion. thanks!
Matt Vensel
12:11
Bryan Rust's negotiation could be a tricky one given his age and contract comparables. Teams often look to slot players into their salary hierarchy. And the Pens could theoretically tell Rust that they need him to accept a lower salary than Jake Guentzel, even though Guentzel is on a very team-friendly deal. But based on his production over the last three seasons, you could argue that Rust should be paid similarly. So where's the compromise? The term of the contract? Probably. But will the Pens balk at going beyond four years with a 30-year-old whose game is centered on skating? There is a lot for both sides to think about. But one thing I know is that it'll hurt if they let Rust walk out the door. He's a high-end player and person.
Guest
12:13
Has there been any discussion of letting reporters back in locker rooms yet/soon?
Matt Vensel
12:16
No. I do not anticipate that happening this season but hopefully a sense of normalcy will be back when training camp opens in September. Why does that matter to the average fan? Well, if you're a PG reader, I'm guessing (and hope!) you like our coverage of the team. And it will be improved if we are able to chit-chat with the players and find new, interesting stories to tell and get a better perspective on how they feel about what's happening on the ice. I know as a sports fan in general, I appreciate what that access does for the content I consume.
Sarah Crumb
12:17
Hi. I noticed some conflicting reports about the Penguins 2nd power play units this morning. One report had Heinen, while the other had Rakell. Are you able to weigh in on which report was accurate? Thank you.
Matt Vensel
12:18
Sarah, I'm sitting at my dining room table in Pittsburgh. But my partner, Mike DeFabo, is at MSG and tweeted that Rickard Rakell was not on the second power-play at the morning skate. That said, I think it's only a matter of time until he is on the second unit. Historically, he has been an effective player in the bumper spot between the circles because he puts himself in shooting position and is adept at tipping pucks. I'll add that based on the skate Rakell will play left wing on the second line tonight.
Guest
12:19
Do you think Crosby deserves to be in the hart discussion ?  He is producing at a high level but doesn’t seem to get any national recognition anymore which just seems crazy .
Matt Vensel
12:24
While Crosby is still an elite, elite player, I do not think Crosby has been one of the NHL's top five players this season based on his performance to date. I'd put him somewhere in the 6-15 range. This year's MVP race is wide open but Crosby is currently 20th in the league in points and we will have a goalie (Igor Shesterkin) and a blue-liner (Cale Makar) get serious consideration for the award. So I'd be very surprised if Crosby finishes in the top five in voting. The case for him is that the Penguins took off in the standings when he joined the lineup. But I don't know that it's compelling enough to make up for the good but not great production relative to his peers.
Now if the question was "Is Crosby still one of the top five players in the league?" I would absolutely say yes.
Guest
12:25
In listening to your podcast it sounded like you think erod will be odd man out when and if all are healthy, you think heinan and Boyle play over him?
Matt Vensel
12:27
The point Mike and I were attempting to make is that at least one player who was so critical in the first half of the season will be a healthy scratch in the playoffs if they ever get their full complement of players. That could be Evan Rodrigues. It could be Danton Heinen. Brian Boyle will be an interesting case because Mike Sullivan clearly values his intangibles on top of his abilities on the ice.
Jesse
12:28
Hey Matt! Thanks for doing this, hope you and your family are well. How would you rank the pens post season match-ups? The Rangers seem most likely in the first round and people have said Carolina gives the pens fits. But what about the other teams? Florida, Tampa, Boston if they make it? etc.
Matt Vensel
12:32
Hey, Jesse. Thank you. We're great. Big fifth birthday party coming up this weekend. Anyway, I think the Pens would handle the Capitals pretty easily as long as guys like Geno and Letang kept their composure against their bitter rivals. Throw out the goaltending and I think the Pens are better than the Rangers, but Shesterkin is my Vezina pick and is capable of winning a series himself. I would not want to face the Hurricanes, though some smart folks have argued that the Pens typically fair well against teams with similar styes. I personally think the Canes are on another level with their speed and forward depth and their goaltending is on par with Pittsburgh.
As if the Penguins make it to the conference finals, they are facing a really tough team no matter what.
Kdog#jtown
12:33
How many more games will Sullivan leave E-rod on the Crosby line until he moves Rakell in or Rust back up and Rakell with Malkin.
Matt Vensel
12:35
I would expect to see a lot of tinkering up front over the next two or three weeks as Mike Sullivan looks to settle on his optimal playoff lineup. But to your point, I will be very surprised if Rust isn't reunited with Crosby and Jake Guentzel before the postseason. Those three are just so darned good together, especially in the cycle game. Keep them together and figure all the rest out.
Guest
12:35
Hi Matt, what did you think of the TNT broadcast the other night ?  I was really disappointed in that there didn’t seem to be much serious hockey discussion , just a lot of gimmick stuff.
Matt Vensel
12:38
I did not watch the pregame show nor did I pay attention during intermissions but that was mostly due to my wife insisting we watch "Below Deck" on demand whenever pucks weren't in play. As for your question, I have no problem with TNT looking to have some fun. That style won't be for everyone. But they are looking to grow the game by emulating the highly-acclaimed NBA broadcast crew. And I'm cool with that. The more the merrier.
Guest
12:39
This goes against hockey culture but given the busy schedule and playoffs are pretty much locked , should Sullivan try and rest some players given there are many in their 30s?  And Jarry has played alot also.
Matt Vensel
12:40
There is a great discussion to be had about load management and resting players, something that is prevalent (maybe too prevalent) in the NBA. But it ain't happening here this season, with the Pens wanting to secure home-ice advantage and make sure they're firing on all cylinders heading into the playoffs. Plus, they've got a lot to figure out in terms of their lineup construction, as we noted a little earlier. Good question, though.
Matt Vensel
12:42
And that will do it for today's chat. Awesome, awesome questions. Probably the best chat in a couple of months, but that might have just been trade deadline fatigue on my part. Anyway, thanks for the questions and either Mike DeFabo and I will do this again next Friday. Enjoy tonight's game in NYC and have a great weekend!
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