Trade Rumors and Free Agent TalkTrade rumors, transactions, and free agent talk. Rumors must contain the word RUMOR in post title. Proposals must contain the word PROPOSAL in post title.
This seems lopsided in the Pens favor, no? Niskanen's not adding any value, so it's basically Tangradi for those three.
I like Tangradi, and still have high hopes he can eventually become a solid top six producer for the Pens. But I don't think he's proven near enough to bring in three pieces, including an already established 20+ goal scorer.
This seems lopsided in the Pens favor, no? Niskanen's not adding any value, so it's basically Tangradi for those three.
I like Tangradi, and still have high hopes he can eventually become a solid top six producer for the Pens. But I don't think he's proven near enough to bring in three pieces, including an already established 20+ goal scorer.
Kostitsyn is probably the more skilled offensive player(Their numbers aren't really that far off, but I don't think Kunitz can create as well by himself), but Kunitz is more than capable enough to get the puck past goalies when 87 gives it to him, and in my eyes is much better without the puck.
Without Kunitz the offer is way too in favor of the Pens.
Kostitsyn has scored or been on pace for 50+ points in a season once. Kunitz has done so in each of the last 5 years on top of being better defensively and a homing missle on the forecheck. Right now there is simply no debate on who the better player is.
Kunitz is an awesome player...I would never trade him for Kostitsyn. Kunitz is the type of player you go to war with, hence him being on the top line of two cup winners. (Anaheim 2007, Pittsburgh 2009)
The world where he outproduces him, outhits him, and plays a better two-way game virtually every year: this one.
AKost would be a nice addition with potential, but he hasn't done anything to suggest he's better than Kunitz to this point.
I'm pretty sure playing on the first pp and taking a consistent shift with Crosby would make Andrei Kostitsyn surpass Kunitz's narrow lead in points.
Cammalleri and Plekanec have good chemistry. And Pacioretty, Gomez, Gionta showed good chemistry, so Kunitz would start on the 3rd line playing with Lars Eller and Desharnais.
I'd rather just try to get Tangradi, but that's gonna cost us some, too.
I'm pretty sure playing on the first pp and taking a consistent shift with Crosby would make Andrei Kostitsyn surpass Kunitz's narrow lead in points.
Kunitz produced at a better pace as a rookie in Anaheim than Kostitsyn did last year. So clearly, it's not just Crosby. Further, a 3 point lead last year while playing 15 fewer games is hardly negligible.
Even beyond that though, Kunitz is a much more consistent all-around player than AK because of his defense and physical play. The only argument AK has going for him over Kunitz right now is potential.
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Cammalleri and Plekanec have good chemistry. And Pacioretty, Gomez, Gionta showed good chemistry, so Kunitz would start on the 3rd line playing with Lars Eller and Desharnais.
You're kidding yourself if you think CK wouldn't be playing in Montreal's top 6.
I'm pretty sure playing on the first pp and taking a consistent shift with Crosby would make Andrei Kostitsyn surpass Kunitz's narrow lead in points.
Cammalleri and Plekanec have good chemistry. And Pacioretty, Gomez, Gionta showed good chemistry, so Kunitz would start on the 3rd line playing with Lars Eller and Desharnais.
I'd rather just try to get Tangradi, but that's gonna cost us some, too.
The gap in production is not as narrow as you make it out to be, and Kunitz is also significantly better in areas outside of scoring.
As for where Kunitz would play in Montreal, that's baseless speculation and really says nothing about the player in question. Of course lines with chemistry would stay intact, which is why Dupuis has been on the top line with Sid for a good portion of the past two years despite being one of the least talented wingers on the team.
Also, Kostitsyn has played on more productive powerplay units in Montreal than Kunitz has in Pittsburgh.
Kunitz fills so many roles for the Pens, I don't think people realize how valuable of an asset he actually is. It goes beyond playing with Crosby or being on the powerplay, it's his forechecking and physical play, PKing, he even gets used in the shootout.
The little things he does often go unnoticed. In game 7 in 2009 he fought off the forechecking Wings players and sprung Talbot on the 2 on 1 that led to the cup winning goal. He's constantly winning battles like that.
Kunitz fills so many roles for the Pens, I don't think people realize how valuable of an asset he actually is. It goes beyond playing with Crosby or being on the powerplay, it's his forechecking and physical play, PKing, he even gets used in the shootout.
The little things he does often go unnoticed. In game 7 in 2009 he fought off the forechecking Wings players and sprung Talbot on the 2 on 1 that led to the cup winning goal. He's constantly winning battles like that.
Yep. I've become a big fan of Kunitz over the past few years. Hopefully we're able to re-sign him to a 2-3 year deal at a cap friendly number by the end of the year.
Kunitz fills so many roles for the Pens, I don't think people realize how valuable of an asset he actually is. It goes beyond playing with Crosby or being on the powerplay, it's his forechecking and physical play, PKing, he even gets used in the shootout.
The little things he does often go unnoticed. In game 7 in 2009 he fought off the forechecking Wings players and sprung Talbot on the 2 on 1 that led to the cup winning goal. He's constantly winning battles like that.
Indeed. There's a reason why he's been on two different Cup winning first lines as the dirty work guy. He's the kind of guy that lets the skilled guys do their jobs with space...and is able to add-on himself. He's proven to be a pretty skilled guy himself, though not overly so, too. 48 points on the Penguins last year in an injury plagued season with his linemate in Crosby missing half the season is pretty damn impressive in my book, especially considering the more skilled Kostitsyn had 3 less points in 15 more games. Kostitsyn is 26...we can't be talking about potential for that much longer with the guy.
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Last edited by Big McLargehuge: 08-06-2011 at 12:44 AM.
Trotter? That dwarf that went to Europe and just came back? All he would do is take a spot away in the AHL from some kid that deserves it. As for the so called Pens fans that say Niskanen has no value, don't listen to them, it's their new whipping boy. I'm one of the few Pens fans that wants to see Niskanen in camp and see if he can turn his game back around and on track.
In any case, I would rather the Pens kept Tangradi than trade him for another guy that will screw with the Pens cap situation.
Yes, the 3 more mins he plays a game with superior linemates and the 2 more mins of PP time he plays have no significance at all.
Kunitz is a fine player but to suggest that he's that much better than Kostitsyn is wrong.
Overall wise, Kunitz is the much better player. Could the team use a guy that isn't that good defensively but is good offensively? Sure but after Sykora's disappearing act in his final 20+ games with the Pens and bringing nothing to the table when he couldn't score, I'd rather not have players like that around, at all. Not at the expense of Tangradi and Niskanen.
Overall wise, Kunitz is the much better player. Could the team use a guy that isn't that good defensively but is good offensively? Sure but after Sykora's disappearing act in his final 20+ games with the Pens and bringing nothing to the table when he couldn't score, I'd rather not have players like that around, at all. Not at the expense of Tangradi and Niskanen.
Sykora was injured during the last half of 08-09, it wasn't a case of a player disappearing due to inherent streakiness. When he was healthy he was a very good player - I'd take the Sykora of old back in a second.
The biggest issue with trading for Kostitsyn is that he's on the last year of his deal and is set to become a UFA. If he were an RFA at the end of the year or had another year left on his deal I'd do a deal centered around Tangradi for him without hesitation. There's enough skill and talent there that he could be a very nice addition to our top 6.
