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Matt Vensel's Penguins chat: 07.09.25
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Matt Vensel
11:10
Good morning, Penguins fans. Looking forward to talking hockey with you today. This will be our last chat for at least a couple of weeks, so be sure to get your questions in today. We'll get started at noon.
Arnie
11:59
The Pens went from being near a top 5 pick with a few weeks left in the season, to drafting 3 prospects ranked in the 20's-30's. I get the lottery ticket theory, but after such an awful season didn't the Pens blow their chance for getting a true blue chip talent in their prospect pool.?
Matt Vensel
12:00
Arnie, it's the players' and the coaches' job to try to win games. And that's what they did down the stretch. You try telling Sidney Crosby to tank. That said, had the Penguins actually won another game or two, they would have flipped spots with the Isles and won the lottery.
Mike from VA
12:01
Super disappointed in the 1st rd selections. Is Dubas commited to building the best 3rd line ever in 2027?
Matt Vensel
12:04
Mike, time will tell here. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that nobody participating in this chat, including me, watched more live games and video than Wes Clark and the Penguins' scouts. They have staked their reputation on their surprising moves in the first round, taking Ben Kindel and trading back with the rival Flyers. It's totally fair to question their process. But at this point, it's impossible to know whether they made the right decisions in the draft.
Arnie
12:04
I was shocked when the Penguins passed on Victor Eklund. Even an amatuer fan can see his skating is exponentially better than Bill Zonnon's. Plus Dubas was personally in Sweden recently. Do you think he scouted Eklund and found a reason to pass on such a highly ranked prospect?
Matt Vensel
12:05
OK, so maybe Arnie watched more games than the Penguins' scouts.
TVC15
12:05
Hi Matt, Is there any way at all that the Penguins can make the playoffs this season?  Can Jarry morph into an elite goalie? Can the team or at least some players show some grit and physicality and not just get shoved around with zero retaliation?
Matt Vensel
12:07
I think a number of things would need to fall their way for that to happen. And there is a character limit for me in these replies, so I wouldn't be able to fit all those ifs in here.  Let's face it, this year is all about developing young players and new coach Dan Muse instilling a new culture. If a few of their young players all break out in unison, maybe there is a chance they make the playoffs in 2025-26.
Jason
12:08
Hi Matt! Has everything gone quiet about Mario’s interest in owning the Pens again?
Matt Vensel
12:09
There hasn't been any chatter, at least that I have heard, about that since the initial report came out one month ago. Publicly and privately, FSG has signaled that they are only looking to sell a minority share.
Kris Peterinelli
12:10
Matt, what possible reason do folks continue to think we should be keeping both Rakell and Rust on the team?  This is a rebuild, nothing else.  Their value is not getting any higher than now.  You want to do right by Rust then the next best thing to keeping him is sending him back to his hometown area.  Rust and Karlsson to Detroit.  Rakell to LA Kings or Toronto.  Picks and prospects.  That's the quickest way back to contention (which is at least 4-5 years away).  Geno on Sid's left wing for farewell tour.  Then McKenna on Sid's wing the next year.  (one can dream no?)
Matt Vensel
12:14
Hey, Kris. This is not me advocating one way or another here. Just pointing out a couple of things to consider. One, while Sidney Crosby to this point has expressed no desire to play elsewhere, that could change if Kyle Dubas strips the roster down to the studs and the Penguins sink even further in the standings. So that could kill the Crosby-McKenna fever dream. And two, it is really difficult for young players to reach their full potential when they have no veteran talent (and leadership) around them and are stuck in a losing environment. Look at the Blackhawks right now, for example. They lucked into Connor Bedard but have remained stuck in the mud because they don't have much around him. Again, I'm not saying they HAVE to keep Rust and Rakell. Just noting a couple of important things.
Bob D
12:15
Hey Matt...thanks for the chat.  I'm sure I'm not alone in my questioning of the Penguin's draft strategy. Kyle Dubas selecting Kindel with the first selection is certainly a head scratcher.  There were several players left on the board that would appear to be much more NHL ready.  Horcoff and Zonnon seem to have the potential to be future NHL material, but once again both were selected higher than most scouting services had them rated.  In my opinion, the rebuild is getting off to a bit of shakey start.  What's you thoughts?
Matt Vensel
12:19
Hey, Bob. I think the Penguins have started to shift their focus away from bringing in more NHL-ready talent that could maybe sync up with the end of Crosby's career. Instead, they are thinking more about long-term upside, which is the right call honestly. Now, I know Dubas would still like to get a young NHL-ready player or two if he were to trade Rust or Rakell. But it sure looks as if Dubas has both eyes on the post-Crosby era. As for the guys they picked in the first round last month, I touched on that earlier in the chat and won't repeat myself here. I do know they really like Kindel. They might have even been exploring a trade up into the 8-10 range to make sure they got him. We'll see if they saw something special with him that others did not.
LabInWhitney
12:20
Hi Matt...Thanks for all of your hard work.odds that Eric K is on the roster first game of the season? Can they eat some of his salary....and send him on his way?
Matt Vensel
12:25
Sorry. I don't feel comfortable putting a number on that. What I will say is that I think the Penguins and Erik Karlsson are both open to the idea of a trade. But finding a match could prove to be difficult. Karlsson has a full no-trade clause and can dictate where he would like to go. Word is he wouldn't mind going to a contender. But how many contenders would want him? Karlsson hasn't exactly been a winning player in recent years. Plus, even with retention, he would carry a sizable cap hit. All those factors will limit Dubas' options when exploring trades.
Michael Motorcycle
12:26
It is clear that Dubas has no clear insight into goalies (see Jarry contract renewal and past sins at Toronto).  But the trade of Neds for a 3rd rounder is unforgivable.  How do you justify  trading a proven NHL backup for a 3rd round pick which will likely never see the NHL.  Is there no oversight of Dubas?  Both Dubas and the FSG are asleep at the wheel.  Your thoughts?
Matt Vensel
12:29
Sorry, but what? Trading a backup goalie is unforgiveable? The front office is clearly not trying to win this season. It's a rebuild. And Alex Nedeljkovic is entering the final year of his deal. Plus, the Penguins have a couple of good goalie prospects in the minors and another goalie they like, Filip Larsson, under contract as well. Keeping Ned around would block them from playing in Pittsburgh. Ned is a good guy, was well liked in the locker room and is fun to watch in games because he was so competitive. But trading him made total sense.
GPT
12:31
In this market and with only 2 years left on his deal, Karlsson with 50% retained is a pretty valuable asset, right? What could he fetch?
Matt Vensel
12:31
Did you watch him over the last two seasons and see much value?
RandomHockeyGuy
12:31
Dubas had said a few weeks before the draft he expected to be more aggressive in the trade market than free agency.  Al.oay 10 days into free agency, and Dubas has yet to make a major move with Karlsson or Rust/Rakell.  When should we be concerned?
Matt Vensel
12:32
When did the Erik Karlsson trade happen two years ago? August. And when did Kyle make the surprising Yager-for-McGroarty swap? That was in August, too. I actually have a piece coming out in the morning on what's next for Dubas and the Penguins this offseason. Just know that Dubas isn't done. He's shown he will grind all summer.
Mike
12:33
Who do you think will be the netminders next year.
Matt Vensel
12:34
Tristan Jarry is the likeliest Opening Night starter. And then I think we will see a true camp competition among Filip Larsson, Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov. And I'm guessing that is neither Blomqvist nor Murashov seizes the other NHL spot, it will go to Larsson by default.
Dwayne
12:35
what prospects seem to be poised to make the NHL roster this year and what will their impact be?
Matt Vensel
12:37
Dwayne, I think the prospects with the best shot to start the season in Pittsburgh are Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen and Owen Pickering. We'll see about Harrison Brunicke. His situation is complicated by the fact that he can't be assigned to the AHL, so it's the NHL or back to junior. I mentioned the two goalie prospects in my last answer. They are two candidates, as well. And my sleeper in training camp will be Tristan Broz. He might have made it to the NHL last year had he not gotten mono midway through the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton season.
Mitt
12:37
Hi Matt, Considering how the trade market is favoring sellers and Dubas high price tag for Rust and Rakell, what do you think would be a realistic and good return for each? Also what do you think are the chances for each that they are are a Penguin day one of the regular season?
Matt Vensel
12:39
Mitt, I don't think the Penguins are asking for one particular thing in a trade. By that, I mean the Penguins are probably open to packages that may have a combination of draft picks, prospects and/or young NHL players, not just a specific thing. I will add that I believe they view Bryan Rust as being more valuable than Rickard Rakell.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:40
Looks like the total rebuild has finally begun. Does Rakell, Rust, Karlsson and Letang stay or go? What is the realistic outlook for this year? Player development or trying to make the playoffs?
Matt Vensel
12:40
Hey, Sunner. Kris Letang isn't going anywhere. But I do still believe we see at least one of Rust, Rakell and Karlsson get traded this summer.
12:42
That will do it for today's chat. Apologies if I didn't get to your question today. There were too many for me to plow through. As always, you can email me at mvensel@post-gazette if you've got a question.
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