When I look around, I see one player who is young enough and skilled enough who comes very cheap, is Poni. He is my choice over all others in my mind and if Selanne would drop his NTC and came here would be my first over Poni. The biggest difference is that they have a better chance of retaining Poni on July 1st.
So if anyone would ask me, Poni would be my pick at the deadline and for our UFA signing for next year. Just makes too much sense.IMO
A cheap (salary & cheap to acquire) wiger who can potentially turn into a winger who can consistently produce with Malkin & Sid on a nightly basis.
They could potentially lose in the first round because of this trade with his inexperience. What was wrong with Kopitar, Brown, Smyth, Frolov and so on. I know they are not Malkin or Crosby, but in the end all those players can't make him a scoring machine, it is up too him to make his own stats & stardom.
I just don't think a playoff push is time for experiments. Can you prove he will score on Malkin's & Crosby's wing consistently, is there anything other than his personal bodily stats of his size and right handed shot that will confirm this?
Cheap salary & cheap to acquire is not all that is needed, they need experience and production on the wing for the playoffs and he has neither. At that point they could just bring up Caputi, Cheaper and costs them no assets.
You have too clear a roster spot for him by waiver or trade and to send him down if he doesn't work out he'll have to go on waivers to bring in his replacement. ...So who goes for him to fit in under the roster requirements and does he make it through waivers if he doesn't work out to go down to WBS?
If its not a high percentage sure thing, why would he go for and experiment project at this point in the season? Either way he will cost a roster player that has been doing better than him unless Max is waived or traded away. Unlikely.
At the moment, Ted is a third liner, I think thats covered.
Bourque was there experiment this year, hes gone now and they still have to carry 194,000 on the cap for it. It maybe cheap to get him but he could cost them way more if he doesn't work out. Not as cheap as you think it is.
Why do people assume Ponikarovsky would be cheap? He's a proven 50-60 point winger who's south of 30. Somebody said he's more of a third liner which makes no sense to me. He's closer to a first liner than he is to a checker.
Why do people assume Ponikarovsky would be cheap? He's a proven 50-60 point winger who's south of 30. Somebody said he's more of a third liner which makes no sense to me. He's closer to a first liner than he is to a checker.
Because its apparently cool to make fun of the Toronto Maple Leafs.. like that mediocre Nik Antropov who has done absolutely nothing in Atlanta - oh wait..
Toronto players get underrated because they are constantly being way overrated by their fanbase. Toronto fans last year were talking about multiple assets for Antropov (most including legitimate NHL prospects and high draft picks). They got a 2nd round pick. Every fanbase overrates their own, but Toronto and Montreal are the worst.
Ponikarovsky is more of what we have. He may be the best of what we have already, but that doesn't change the fact he's not a shooter and he's not a guy you can rely on for goal-scoring. If we didn't have Chris Kunitz already, yeah I'd want Ponikarovsky. But otherwise, the guy is really really streaky with points and is by no means a shooter.
Teemu Selanne, or players like him, is what we need. Something we absolutely don't have.
Ponikarovsky is more of what we have. He may be the best of what we have already, but that doesn't change the fact he's not a shooter and he's not a guy you can rely on for goal-scoring. If we didn't have Chris Kunitz already, yeah I'd want Ponikarovsky. But otherwise, the guy is really really streaky with points and is by no means a shooter.
Teemu Selanne, or players like him, is what we need. Something we absolutely don't have.
Yes......and yes, The only thing I feel is that Poni could be that winger for Malkins line unless you feel Kunitz can play for both lines. Other than Teemu, there really is no one out there as far as a pure sniper and we most likely will not get him.
I'm not sure why some people are so against Tkachuk around here. I'd be okay with Nolan as a rental but would prefer Tkachuk:
Owen Nolan - RW
Games Played - 35
Goals - 9
Assists - 7
Cap hit – $2.75m
Keith Tkachuk - LW/C
Games Played - 36
Goals - 8
Assists - 13
Cap hit – $2.15m
Tkachuk is also good at faceoffs which would help on Geno's line. Nolan is a righty though and some people will drool over that
Wow...
I was just spitballing about Tkachuk, but now that you put some numbers down, I'm thinking that it wouldn't be such a bad move. Especially after a game like tonight where someone like Tkachuk would be throwing chairs in the locker room.
Something tells me that the Pens could use a little more of that type of "Oh my God, I think he might kill us" attitude in the locker room. We had that with G-Rob.
I was just spitballing about Tkachuk, but now that you put some numbers down, I'm thinking that it wouldn't be such a bad move. Especially after a game like tonight where someone like Tkachuk would be throwing chairs in the locker room.
Something tells me that the Pens could use a little more of that type of "Oh my God, I think he might kill us" attitude in the locker room. We had that with G-Rob.
We won the Cup AFTER Roberts left. Just saying.
Look, I don't think leadership is at all an issue with this team. If anything, we have more of it this year with Michael Rupp, and we have more snarl on the ice too.
We're missing skill on the wings...we never replaced either Sykora or Satan from last year. They didn't do a lot last season, but just enough. Some added skill on the wings would make us unbeatable once more, imo.
Look, I don't think leadership is at all an issue with this team. If anything, we have more of it this year with Michael Rupp, and we have more snarl on the ice too.
We're missing skill on the wings...we never replaced either Sykora or Satan from last year. They didn't do a lot last season, but just enough. Some added skill on the wings would make us unbeatable once more, imo.
I'm with you on this, but as Shero taught us last year, you can't have enough seasoned vets on one team.
I think Tkachuk would help the scoring in the top 6 situation and also provide even more veteran leadership to a group that while they are the defending champs are still pretty young for the most part.
Ponikarovsky is more of what we have. He may be the best of what we have already, but that doesn't change the fact he's not a shooter and he's not a guy you can rely on for goal-scoring.
Not saying I'm clamouring for Poni, but he is at the high end of what we can expect, and its almost impossible to get a guy like him for next season in terms of the cap.
If you want a shooter who scores more goals than Poni, then he will be expensive, because Poni is now legitimately a big bodied 50-60 points player who gets 20+ goals a season and plays good D and provides net presence.
He is pretty much what Malone was when on Malkin's wing, same size almost to the pound, and if that package isn't something we need over a guy like Dupuis on the top6, then I don't know...
Not saying I'm clamouring for Poni, but he is at the high end of what we can expect, and its almost impossible to get a guy like him for next season in terms of the cap.
If you want a shooter who scores more goals than Poni, then he will be expensive, because Poni is now legitimately a big bodied 50-60 points player who gets 20+ goals a season and plays good D and provides net presence.
He is pretty much what Malone was when on Malkin's wing, same size almost to the pound, and if that package isn't something we need over a guy like Dupuis on the top6, then I don't know...
There is virtually no grit in Ponikarovsky's game, though. Has he even played in ANY NHL playoff contests? Yeah he's huge, but to compare him to Malone is just wrong. Michael Rupp is a lot closer to Malone than Ponikarovsky ever will be.
If we're moving significant assets, and with Brian Burke, you KNOW we would have to, I want something we absolutely need...not just another upgrade of what we already have. Because as good as he is, we don't even know if Ponikarovsky is better than Fedotenko when push comes to shove in the spring.
I'm with you on this, but as Shero taught us last year, you can't have enough seasoned vets on one team.
I think Tkachuk would help the scoring in the top 6 situation and also provide even more veteran leadership to a group that while they are the defending champs are still pretty young for the most part.
Point taken though...
I am actually of the belief that you CAN have too much veteran leadership...if it means you're not quick enough to compete with the fastest teams in the East. Look at Carolina this season. Does anyone have more experience? Nope.
I am not saying adding a Tkachuk would turn us into a lottery team, but what I'm saying is we have enough experience, Cup winners, grit, pugnacity, playoff-proven and playoff-ready performers on this team.
There is virtually no grit in Ponikarovsky's game, though.
So he doesn't fight. Don't we have enough who do? He doesn't quit on all that many plays and he leads the Leafs forwards in hits with 81... second overall on the team. Its also more than any top6 forward on the Pens.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jag68Sid87
Yeah he's huge, but to compare him to Malone is just wrong. Michael Rupp is a lot closer to Malone than Ponikarovsky ever will be.
You mean besides the scoring, playmaking qualities and top6 pedigree? That's just bizarre mate. Rupp is a career bottom 6'er experiencing an out of body goal scoring season.
I'm just not a Ponikarovsky guy. Sorry. I just wouldn't trust that he would go into the dirty areas to score goals at crunch time. I KNOW Max Talbot does it. But I am not convinced Ponikarovsky wants it badly enough. I may be mistaken, who knows.
I'd rather a guy who doesn't have to be in the dirty areas to unleash a shot that can help us way more. Ponikarovsky is another guy that would have to rely heavily on either Sid or Geno to score. Not somebody who can create scoring chances on his own.
I'm just not a Ponikarovsky guy. Sorry. I just wouldn't trust that he would go into the dirty areas to score goals at crunch time. I KNOW Max Talbot does it. But I am not convinced Ponikarovsky wants it badly enough. I may be mistaken, who knows.
I'd rather a guy who doesn't have to be in the dirty areas to unleash a shot that can help us way more. Ponikarovsky is another guy that would have to rely heavily on either Sid or Geno to score. Not somebody who can create scoring chances on his own.
I believe THAT is what's missing from our roster.
Unfortunately, that will cost more than they can come up with or be willing to give up what is needed to get that player.
That's OK, no need for reasons on that account . Those you give just aren't sensible though.
1: He has no grit. He leads all forward in hits on his team and has more than any top 6 player on the Pens.
2: He would rely heavily on Sid or Crosby to score: He led Toronto in points last year (more than all Pens players sens Malkin and Crosby) and is one point off Stajan to lead Toronto forwards again this year. With Antropov last season, and Matt Stajan and Grabovksi this season as the two top centers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jag68Sid87
I'd rather a guy who doesn't have to be in the dirty areas to unleash a shot that can help us way more.
I think you underrate his shot, and most of his game. But I have players I don't particularly like - or rate as high as stats and accomplishments suggest I should - too.
Come clean though, your real issue is that he shoots left, right ?
. Those you give just aren't sensible though.
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