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Matt Vensel's Penguins chat: 06.28.23
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Matt Vensel
11:17
Good morning, Penguins fans. Big day here in Nashville. Should be an interesting couple of days for the new president of hockey ops. Happy to answer your questions. You can start firing away now and we'll get this party started around noon. Talk to you soon.
12:01
OK. I've got WiFi and a cup of coffee. Let's get this going.
Alex R
12:02
Dubas has stated that he is unlikely to move the 1st round pick unless its for a young impact player. Are there really any out there that are realistic options for the Pens?
Matt Vensel
12:06
Hey, Alex. Thanks for the question. That is how Kyle Dubas put it last Friday. We'll see if that's just posturing on his part, but I do think that's a sensible approach. To your point, it's a difficult needle to thread, finding a really good player who can help the Penguins now and retain value until the team enters into a rebuild, whenever that may be. There are a number of options out there, at least in theory. Pierre-Luc Dubois fit the bill but he never seemed to be a consideration before Winnipeg moved him to L.A. yesterday. Alex DeBrincat is also in that sweet spot but he is said to want a pretty significant contract beyond this year. What about Noah Hanifin? He's a very good blue-liner who is only 26. I don't know that there's a perfect option for what the Penguins need. But there are definitely some decent possibilities.
Alex R
12:06
other question I had was.... Phil Kessel?  Would be cheap and would be a nice story....
Matt Vensel
12:07
Sorry, Alex. Don't see that one happening. His time here ran its course and it's not a good sign that Phil barely played during Vegas' Cup run. It would be a fun story, but it probably wouldn't end well.
Jeff M
12:08
Do you really think the Pens will try to resign Brian D
Matt Vensel
12:10
Jeff, I don't know if that door is closed at this point. But I would have to think that if Brian Dumoulin does re-sign with the Penguins, it would be on a cheap short-term deal. And even then it might not be the wisest move because Mike Sullivan could still want to slot him into a significant role. It's probably best to not give him that option. Letting Dumoulin go is a tough one from a sentimentality standpoint. But he has steadily declined over the last three years or so.
Johnny M
12:10
Hi Matt. Bye Jarry. It's Connor Hellebuyck for me.  Even Dan Rosen is still saying he wants traded. Last season (64 GS / W-L 37-25-2 / 2.49 GAA / SV% .920)
He's pretty durable which Jarry isn't. He's only age 30 with 8 yrs in the League.
In 445 career NHL games he's averaged almost 56 games a season. Career W-L 238-154-37 / GAA 2.66 / SV% .916.
Sign him for a year at $7.5 Million that he makes. UFA 2024-25. He may like it here then & resign.
Matt Vensel
12:15
Johnny, Connor Hellebuyck is an awesome goalie, probably the best one theoretically available this offseason. But the Penguins would not only have to give up significant assets to acquire him, they will also have to pay him big bucks to prevent him from reaching free agency next summer. We are talking about $9 million a season with significant term. Given the volatility we see in the performance of goalies, I would worry about making that kind of financial commitment. Dubas likely feels the same way. During his time in Toronto, the Leafs did not sign Freddie Andersen and Jack Campbell to long-term deals, instead letting them sign multi-year deals elsewhere.
Spaceman
12:16
Any news about the Pens looking to bring in John Gibson as a replacement for Jarry?  Would need to be done with Anaheim paying a part of his salary, but seems plausible.
Matt Vensel
12:20
There have been rumblings that John Gibson has told the Ducks he wants to be moved and that he has interest in returning to his hometown of Pittsburgh. But I haven't heard that the feeling is mutual. (The Penguins have been tight-lipped since Dubas was hired.) As for Gibson, he is coming off a few down years. Maybe a change of scenery will help him get back to his previous form. But that would be a big bet for the Penguins, with Gibson having four more years left on a contract that has a $6.4 million annual cap hit. As you note, getting Anaheim to retain some salary would help, but I'm not sure that they will be willing to do that. Depends on how in demand Gibson is.
George T
12:21
Hi Matt, Will the Penguins have new goalies next season?  If yes who do think it may be.
Matt Vensel
12:26
George, I do think the Penguins will have a new No. 1 goalie next season. Time is running out for them to find middle ground with Tristan Jarry, and he might get scooped up quickly if he is allowed to reach free agency. It's probably time for them to move on from him anyway if they are confident they can find a suitable replacement. You need reliability from your starting goalie, and Jarry simply has not provided that. As for which goalie might replace him, I don't have that answer for you. Don't be surprised if it's an under-the-radar pickup. Last season, Dubas brought in Ilya Samsonov on the cheap, and he had a strong regular season. Could be something like that.
Guest
12:26
hey Matt do you expect the penguins to make a trade?
Matt Vensel
12:27
I will be surprised if the Penguins have not made at least one trade involving NHL players before we leave Nashville on Friday.
Rahn
12:28
Any discussion about trading the first round pick seems lubricous at this point. With good players to be had through trade for 50 cents on the dollar and an excellent draft through the first round, dealing the pick would be a blunt headed approach that maybe Rutherford might have done, but not this new administration. There are enough attractive prospect additions that will be available for the team to choose from that makes moving the pick seem highly unlikely. What are your thoughts as we grow closer to 8 p.m.?
Matt Vensel
12:28
As of this moment, my gut is telling me that Dubas will keep the pick.
62 Stack Monster
12:30
Hi.  What position do the Pens key on in this draft OR is it best player available?
Matt Vensel
12:33
At No. 14 overall, it has to be best player available. And chances are that player will be a forward given NHL draft projections. We could see at least 15 forwards go in the first 20 selections. That does line up with organizational needs. Given the state of their prospect pool, the Penguins need impact prospects at all positions. But they are really thin at forward. And even though the Penguins have a couple of quality goalie prospects in the pipeline, it seems likely they will pick another one in the later rounds. Dubas picked a goalie in the fourth round or later in each of his drafts as Toronto's GM.
Johnny M
12:34
How many picks do we have total? Matt, please refresh my memory.
Matt Vensel
12:35
Six picks in total. In addition to their first-rounder, they have a third-round pick (90th overall), one fifth (142nd), one sixth (174th) and two in the seventh (217th and 223rd) this year. They gave up their second-round pick to Nashville for Mikael Granlund.
Johnny M
12:36
They should just keep Granlund. His career, he's been a setup guy with good assist years. He only played 21 games. Not a good sample size. I thought Sully loved speed. Hope he gels on a line starting in Training Camp.              Remember David Perron i/e couldn't hit the broadside of a barn when he was here, now look at him.
Matt Vensel
12:39
Granlund looked slow and tentative after the Penguins traded for him and he did next to nothing as a passer. That is his calling card for sure, and maybe he will look better in that area if given the opportunity to stay with the Penguins and develop chemistry with the guys. But both his production and his peripheral numbers have declined in recent years. He's not a bad player, but also not worth anywhere near his $5 million cap hit at this point in this career. I'm interested to see what Dubas does with him. He could keep him for now.
Rahn
12:42
I know it's an easy association to make but Kyle Dubas's Sioux St. Marie connection to Matt Murray and his acquisition of him previously, combined with the Leafs' interest in moving him and the Penguins' interest in acquiring more draft picks and the need for more goalies... if Murray is healthy, it'd be an interesting gambit to bring him back for depth. Sullivan likes him. Does the team? As we know, teams are using more tandems than sole No. 1s and the Cup playoffs showed the need for this. Your thoughts on that fodder?
Matt Vensel
12:46
Obviously, Dubas has an affinity for him. So I suppose the possibility shouldn't be ruled out, especially if the Leafs buy out Murray. But unfortunately I don't think Matt will ever be able to put it all back together. Injuries have been a huge problem for him. And he has attempted to remake his game to adapt to the east-west style that NHL offenses have become reliant on. It seems like any time he gains some traction, he gets hurt again. Matt is a great guy and I'm pulling for him. But I don't think he's the answer in Pittsburgh.
Peter
12:47
Have you met Kyle Dubas?  Was he as gracious and decent as he seems to be.  Do you think he will be successful here in Pittsburgh.
Matt Vensel
12:51
Hey, Peter. By all accounts, Dubas is a good dude who does well in building and maintaining working relationships. I look forward to getting to know him as he takes on this new role. As for the hire, I believe it was a home run for the Penguins. Kyle is young and will bring fresh ideas, but he also has a staggering amount of experience for someone who is only 37. He'll embrace analytics and modernize aspects of the organization. I don't know if he will be able to lead the Penguins to the Cup, because that ain't easy. But I am confident he will at least do an adequate job running the show. I'll put it this way: He has a high floor as a manager and also a high ceiling.
Johnny M
12:52
They want to get younger, right? Shouldn't they just buy out Jeff Carter? The Cap hit would be only $1 Million for 2 yrs.
Matt Vensel
12:52
That's not accurate, Johnny. There is no cap benefit to buying out Jeff Carter because Carter signed his contract after turning 35. Buying him out would only open up a roster spot. That's it.
Clark from Virginia
12:53
I know the bottom six were the weak link last year, but how do you feel the blue liners were?  Do we need an upgrade there or are the defensemen we have adequate?  If we get an impact player is there a chance he will be on defense?
Matt Vensel
12:57
Clark, the defensive corps did not meet expectations, that's for sure. Marcus Pettersson had a strong season and I feel Kris Letang was pretty good after returning from a broken foot and the death of his father. But overall, that group was not good enough. Brian Dumoulin had a lot of ugly moments. Jeff Petry was solid but not spectacular, and now there are rumblings he could be traded away this week. Jan Rutta got injured and was ineffective after that. Pierre-Olivier Joseph had ups and downs. Add it all up, and that group let the team down, both in terms of defending and puck management. I do expect more change this offseason. The Penguins need more youth and mobility on the back end. Perhaps Ty Smith steps up to provide some of that.
Rahn
1:00
Your pick if Moore, Benson, Perrault and Danielson are all there at 14?
Matt Vensel
1:02
I will defer to the draft experts on this one. They know the prospects best. I'll add three more candidates who intrigue: forwards Matthew Wood and Brayden Yager and defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka.
Marc from Germany
1:03
Hi M! How many elite contributors do you think Kyle Dubas has to lure to the Pens, to make them instant contenders again? My guess is Goalie, 1 Defender and 2 Forwards...which I think is nigh on impossible, I would say. Your take?
Matt Vensel
1:09
Hey, Marc. I don't know that the Penguins necessarily need a few more elite players to become contenders again. I think they need to build up some depth. Too many weak links last year. I also believe they need some more attitude and a fresh identity. Last year's team just never came together for whatever reason. It won't be easy, but if the Penguins pick the right goalie, make some smart bets in their bottom six and bring in a difference-maker on defense, they should have the pieces they need to push for a playoff spot. But will they rediscover the urgency and composure that disappeared in 2022-23?
1:10
That's going to do it for today's chat. There's a Nashville hot chicken sandwich calling my name. Thank you for joining us today. Appreciate all the questions. Enjoy the draft, and we'll do this again soon.
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