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Matt Vensel's Penguins chat: 06.13.19
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Matt Vensel
2:00
Good afternoon, folks. We'll get started in a couple minutes here. In the meantime, feel free to leave a question if you've got one.
Blues Blues
2:02
So, the Blues won the Stanley Cup. Can they bring back the same group next season and make it back to back?
Matt Vensel
2:03
Yes, they did. Great turnaround by the Blues and great series overall. Can they win it again next year? Sure, why not?
Dino
2:03
The Penguins are never mentioned as buying out contracts. Why is that and are there any current options on the roster for a buyout?
Matt Vensel
2:04
Dino, I don't think there are any great candidates for that.
hockey
2:05
Did the Post Gazette send you to game 7? They always sent Ed B to the Super Bowl.
Matt Vensel
2:06
No, and that's OK. There were a few former Penguins on the Blues in Bortuzzo, Sundqvist and Perron, but none had significant stints here that warranted us being there, likely Fleury in the finals last year.
Guest
2:06
Even if Rutherford can’t trade Phil, why can’t he at least trade both JJ and Maatta at the draft for picks (or in the case of JJ maybe send out a pick out to someone to get rid of him) and then he’d at least shed $7.25 million to go after other players via trades or free agency?
Matt Vensel
2:09
I don't know if they just want to dump Maatta. Yes, he was a healthy scratch in the playoffs and his skating causes him problems. But he is a two-time Cup-winner who is still only 24. I think he has value, both here and to other teams. As for Jack Johnson, yeah, that would be a salary dump, and I'm not sure if the Penguins would give up a pick to get off his contract. It's clear they will need to make a move or two to clear salary space if they don't actually trade Kessel.
Guest
2:09
Chances that Phil will still be traded—your best guess?
Matt Vensel
2:12
Ah, yes, let's chat about Kessel. Jim Rutherford made the rounds this week to state that he expects Kessel to be back with the Penguins. Now does he actually meant that? I'm not so sure. Him coming out and saying that may attempt to signal to other teams that they aren't just going to give Kessel away. Maybe it's sending a message to Kessel, too, that Minnesota might be the best option for a trade. Either way, I still think there is a decent chance Kessel gets dealt the next few weeks.
Drop the puck
2:12
With all of the trade rumors, it's going to be awkward bringing Kessel back this season.  Is he the type of player that will be able to put it out of his mind or will it be a lingering sore point all season?
Matt Vensel
2:16
Kessel is no stranger to trade rumors. There were whispers last summer, too. But this feels different, so I'm sure if he sticks around some things will be smoothed over with the coach and GM.
Guest
2:16
I see Schultz as someone, given an injured last season, wants to go to free agency next summer and likely won’t be signing with the Pens, who probably can’t offer him the most money. If so, shouldn’t he be on Rutherford’s trade list and is he?
Matt Vensel
2:17
I think if the Penguins decide they don't want to or will be unable to afford him next summer, they'll look to move him now. As he is one player who should fetch something good in return.
66fan
2:18
given a choice between keeping Malkin and Letang OR Sully and GMJR which pair do you keep?  I’m taking Malkin and Letang every time.  put another way: I think the Pens would have a better chance of winning again with those two players and new management than trading away Malkin and Letang and keeping the coach and GM.  thoughts?
Matt Vensel
2:19
I don't see such an either/or situation materializing. But, to your point, those two have already Cups with two different management teams.
Drop the puck
2:19
Without being able to include Jack Johnson in a Kessel trade deal, do you see any way that the Penguins can get rid of his contract?  It seems more likely that they'll trade Maata or Gudbranson.  What kind of return could they expect to get for Maata?
Matt Vensel
2:21
Sure, they can give away Jack Johnson's contract, if they want to give up something good along with it or take someone else's unwanted contract back. As for Gudbranson, as good as he was here after the trade, he was previously considered to be a player with such a deal. So I'm not sure how easy it would be to get rid of his contract now.
Guest
2:22
If the problem with the team is lack of commitment to play the coach wants, and the GM has accepted or handed out too many no trade clauses that make it difficult to trade players like Kessel and Hornqvist (who has a full NTC at age 32), why aren’t the coach and GM in any danger of being fired? Why are the players getting the entirety of the blame?
Matt Vensel
2:27
I think the coach and GM, who just won a second straight Cup this time two years ago, are already under scrutiny. But, look, winning a championship is hard. It's not going to happen every year. If the team takes another step back this upcoming season, could there be a coaching change or a change at GM? It's possible. The Penguins as an organization know they have only so more chances to win another Cup with Sidney Crosby and some of these other guys here.
Guest
2:27
Watching the Blues win,and in particular the play of Oskar Sundqvist  only reinforces how bad the Brassard trade was and its long term impact. Sunqvist,a First Round Pick, Reaves, and Cole for  Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. That was a really bad trade perhaps one of the worst in Pens history.
Matt Vensel
2:28
The Ryan Reaves looked bad at the time and still looks bad now. The Brassard deal, though, seemed like a smart bet but Derick Brassard just couldn't settle into a lesser role. I won't rip GMJR for that.
Normie
2:29
Greetings Matt.  Penguin's Nation is anxiously waiting to see if the GM sticks to the "win now" mantra.   Unless a team gets a top  5 pick, the likelihood of an 18 year old contributing to win now is low.  Either deal for that pick and a couple NHLer's that fit Sullivan's system, or start offloading guys for more developmental picks to build for the future.  Trying to do both leaves the  Pens stuck in middle - good enough  to go a round deep.  I would like to see a clear signal this summer as to which way the GM is taking  the team.  Talk is cheap, action speaks.
Matt Vensel
2:30
As long as the Penguins have Sidney Crosby, they are going to try to compete for a Stanley Cup every single year. I don't blame them.
ChrisA
2:30
Pittsburgh teams have had enough drama with #84 & #26 the last couples years. Now that Kessel and JJ trade was officially agreed upon by the clubs, not to mention Letang and even Malkin rumors, how do the Pens move forward and find the chemistry that is so important to deep playoff runs?
Matt Vensel
2:33
Those situations aren't comparable. While Phil butted heads with the coach at times, he was very popular among his Penguins teammates. And Jack Johnson is a professional who handled his playoff benching well despite understandably being upset. Him potentially being dealt doesn't, to my knowledge, have anything to do with his personality.
66fan
2:33
is Blueger the next Sully casualty along with Cole, Sprong, Sundqvist (who at 800k/season was better than anyone playing 3rd or 4th line center in PIT), Reaves?  it seems like it’s a personality thing with the coach— he just doesn’t like certain guys and doesn’t play them; or on the D. Simon flip side, guys he does like will play regardless.  Blueger looks like a winner but I fear he’ll never get a fair chance and in the salary cap era you need guys like that on cheap contracts to be successful.
Matt Vensel
2:36
I don't see it that way with Teddy Blueger at all. Do I think he should have been in the lineup in the playoffs over, say, Garrett Wilson or a rusty Zach Aston-Reese? Definitely. But was it an abomination that he wasn't? Not at all. I think Blueger will earn a regular role this upcoming season, especially if Matt Cullen moves on. He's an extremely smart, hard-working, mature kid. He is Mike Sullivan's type of player.
Guest
2:36
The Blues followed the Pens formula for Cup winning: fire the coach, keep your old players, play a young stud goaltender. The Pens can do that in 2019-20 can’t they?
Matt Vensel
2:36
Just that easy!
Dino
2:37
Sorry to give you another non Kessel question. Do you think the recent recommendations regarding replay are going to be added?
Matt Vensel
2:39
I do think there will be changes when it comes to expanded video review. I'll be curious to see how far they take this. Obviously, you want to get the calls right. But you don't want more lengthy reviews and the unintended consequences that could come with expanded replay. I hope they are able to find a good balance.
Adam
2:39
Any particular guys you like with our pick in the upcoming NHL draft?
Matt Vensel
2:44
It's hard to say with not knowing who might be available at No. 21. But they should be able to snag a good player. It's a deep draft and given how barren their farm system is, they should just grab the best player regardless of position. Jim Rutherford said this week that the Penguins are open to adding another pick or two and could trade down from No. 21 in order to get one if they don't trade a veteran for a pick. They don't have a pick in the second or the third round right now.
Sam
2:44
Is the team going to make space for any FA? Ferland or Zuccarello could make sense.
Matt Vensel
2:46
I think it will be difficult for them to make much of a splash in free agency considering they will also want to save space for new deals for Matt Murray and Marcus Petterrson. Ferland could be an option. They had interest in him at the deadline and he would bring something different to the mix from what they already have up front.
Manny
2:46
Is Kessel the only move JR will look to make? Has he been looking at trading guys like Hornqvist?
Matt Vensel
2:48
I don't see there being much of a market for Hornqvist. He is 32, will make more than $5 million over the next few years and he suffered two more concussions this past season. Who would want to give up anything of significance for him? The Penguins just have to hope he bounces back this upcoming season and can avoid injuries. He did have a strong world championship, which is encouraging.
Normie
2:48
Couple random thoughts for the upcoming season since Letang, Malkin, and Kessel appear to be in town for another year.  This is setting expectations.   You can't teach and old Letang, Malkin,and Kessel new tricks and bad habits are hard to break.   2019/2020 same as 2018/2019 unless something changes.
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