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Matt Vensel's Penguins chat: 11.07.19
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Matt Vensel
1:29
Hello from Brooklyn, Penguins fans. Happy to chat with you again this week. Submit your questions now. We'll get going in two minutes.
burt reynolds
1:32
Two questions. 1. Who picks up an "A" with Malkin/Letang out? 2. In the 90s, the local press once referred to Wendell Young as the "most well rested backup in the NHL". It feels like Chad Ruhwedel is on that path - he barely gets into any games. What is the reason to keep him on the roster if they are not going to use him?
Matt Vensel
1:34
Burt, I believe we've seen Brian Dumoulin and Patric Hornqvist wear the A this season when guys were out. So there's that answer. As for the second one, I did expect the Penguins to play Ruhwedel tonight because of the lefty-righty preference but it looks like it will be Juuso Riikola. I don't see the big deal with keeping Chad around, though. He is cheap, well-liked and is cool with his role as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency guy.
gamer
1:35
imho Rutherford is still, after all this time, trying to make up for losing Ian Cole a few years back. They had finally built great chemistry late that year, and even actually handled/beat the Caps right before that trade. If you look at the trades & moves since, the Pens have been trying to replace all that Cole brought them. Toughness not afraid to fight & protecting teammates, top shot-blocker, clearing front of the net, decent O-skills, good locker room guy, etc. Should've just paid the man and been happy with winning more cups.  Your thoughts?
Matt Vensel
1:36
I'm not sure about all that. But, in a vacuum, we're talking about Ian Cole versus Jack Johnson here. I, too, would prefer Cole, I think. But Jack's been OK this year and I think he will be good for John Marino once Letang returns. Jack has his flaws as a player, but he is a good, steady, experienced pro who can help Marino come along.
Randy Butternubs
1:37
Hello Matthew. Who in the front office has the responsibility of calculating the daily cap hits/salary and submitting them to the NHL? Is this Rutherford or does he hand this off to someone else?
Matt Vensel
1:37
Randy, Jason Karmanos helps Jim Rutherford out with that. But they do miss Jason Botterill, who was a whiz with the salary cap stuff.
Woj from W Mifflin
1:38
20% of season done tonight, Pens could easily be basically a .500 club falling further behind if loss to NYI. Sullivan and GMJR are happy with the “process” and makeup of the team. But W’s and points matter. When do they push the panic button?
Matt Vensel
1:41
That is a fair way of looking at it. Last week, I made a comment to my partner, Mike DeFabo, about all the positive talk after losses and how they needed to turn some of these moral victories into actual ones that count in the standings. So it was interesting to hear GMJR say that to me, unprompted, during our chat yesterday in New York. Check out our site for all of Jim's thoughts about the team through 15 games.
The Monk
1:41
Good afternoon young fellow.  Yea, I'm old - i remember watching the Fergy Flyer from the balcony of the Civic Arena for $5 a seat.  Any way, It was nice to see the baby pens on the NHL channel, lots of familiar names.  Do you know if ATTP has any plans to show a few WBS games over the course of the season?
Matt Vensel
1:42
The Monk, I'm not sure about that but I can look into it. I know I would love that. It'd be great to keep taps on the guys down there. You can only glean so much from checking out their box scores.
Butler Spark
1:42
Riiight.  Good day Matt.  The same old plays from Letang (risky passes on the PP) and Malkin (trying to skate through three defenders at the blue line) just leave me shaking my head.   However, the energy the young guys are bringing to the team seems to counter Letang's and Malkin's risk taking - as long as they keep that to a minimum.  Old habits are hard to break. I know that's true because I'm about to walk down the aisle with wife number two!!!
Matt Vensel
1:45
Hey, Butler Spark. I grew up in Butler, if you didn't know that. Anyway, you just have to live with the bad with those two players because they are unbelievable talents who elevate the ceiling of this team. I mean, Malkin made a couple of unbelievable plays in those areas the other night. That neutral zone drop-pass to Galchenyuk was bonkers. And then, of course, he made that great, great pass to set up Rust. Letang has mostly been excellent this season, too. I see that some fans are just tired of those two for some reason. But they collectively raise the team's chances of winning another Stanley Cup significantly.
In search of 6
1:45
Hi Matt. I respect and admire all that Malkin has done for the Pens, but his tank is running low between bad plays and injuries. In the hypothetical that the Pens trade him (I know, they won't), what would be a reasonable return?
Matt Vensel
1:46
They're not trading him anytime soon. They don't want to. And he has a no-trade clause. It's just not happening, folks. See above.
Katie
1:47
I guess this follows on from Woj's question, but do you think the number of "near misses" that the Pens have had recently- games that we could have won but didn't quite manage to- is a promising sign for the season or not?
Matt Vensel
1:48
I do think there's a lot to like about this team, how it's playing and what it overcame injury-wise early on. Think of it this way: When was the last time they had a lousy game? The opener. That's it.
Sids Stick
1:49
Do you think the Pens will target any high talent wingers to play with Sid?  This has been a burning question for almost all of Sids tenure, even with his uncanny ability to raise the level of play of anyone who plays alongside him.  If yes, who could you see the Pens targeting?
Matt Vensel
1:51
That Jake Guentzel guy is pretty good, no? That's an elite winger right there. I think the top line is going to be good no matter who their wheel is. I think the thing to watch is whether Galchenyuk clicks with Malkin. If they don't, the Penguins could look to do something about that. His contract is expiring and they have some cap space now to play around with. I know I want to see more from Galchenyuk. He's got that big shot but I didn't see a ton else from him in camp and the preseason, though to be fair he was dealing with that injury.
Guest
1:51
hello
Matt Vensel
1:51
Hello!
Guest
1:52
hello mom
Matt Vensel
1:52
This has taken an odd turn.
Guest
1:52
hello dad
Matt Vensel
1:52
Who let my 4-year-old on the computer?
Guest
1:52
Any chance the pens able to get someone like Taylor hall ?
Matt Vensel
1:53
Now THAT would be something. I'm not saying it's likely, but I'm also not saying it's impossible. Hall's contract is expiring and I think the Penguins could financially fit him in as a rental. That said, I'm not sure the Penguins have the assets it would take to land him if the Metro rival Devils would even consider dealing him within the division.
Guest
1:54
Do you think it’s time to try McCann on top line ?  He is getting lost on third line and he can finish
Matt Vensel
1:55
McCann's another guy that has left me wanting more this year. He's a good, fast player and obviously he produced on the top line last year. But he's struggled with consistency, at least in the offensive end. One thing to consider: If he goes to the top line line, that likely means Guentzel has to move over to his off wing, which is not ideal.
Guest
1:55
I know the fourth line is clicking but should tanev be on a fourth line ?
Matt Vensel
1:56
I wrote about that line (ZAR-Blueger-Tanev) the other day. They've been great. Keep them together until there's a compelling reason to split them up. I think Mike Sullivan might see it that way, too.
In search of 6
1:56
Matt, a non-hockey question - you spent a fair amount of time around them, so what about the Ravens?
Matt Vensel
1:57
I did! My last year there was 2013, though, so there's probably like six players left over, three of them specialists. I will say that it's been fun to watch them evolve and build their offense around Lamar Jackson instead of foolishly trying to shoehorn him into a "pro offense." He's going to be handful for the Steelers for at least a few years.
burt reynolds
1:57
What will the top PP look like tonight?
Matt Vensel
1:57
At the skate it was Crosby, Geno, Jake, Galchenyuk, Schultz.
1:58
BOLD PENS PREDICTION: They get a power-play goal tonight.
GG
1:58
Friedman recently mentioned that the Penguins are looking to add. In your opinion, where do the Penguins need to add? What kind of guys are they looking at?
Matt Vensel
1:58
Elliott is obviously plugged in but Jim Rutherford literally told me to my face yesterday that they aren't calling teams about a trade. Again, that piece is on our website right now. GMJR hit on a lot of topics.
The Monk
1:59
I see the new additions really bringing that extra step to the team as they continue to gel.  This team is going to be really good in the second half of the season as long as they stay healthy and their core guys continue to play solid hockey.  Am I just an old guy longing for 1991, 1992 again or am I onto something here?
In search of 6
1:59
Matt, from your seat, is there enough talent on this team to make a deep playoff run? I know it's hard to get a bead on the team because of so many injuries.
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