Engineer

Crosby Kessel Malkin Hornquist Hall Matthews Josi Subban Butcher Burns

If vegas was smart, their goal should be to suck for the first 2-3 years while staying at salary floor. After all, you don't win cups without stars. Hopefully, their is a mcdavid type available The questions to each team should be as follows: if you want me to not pick a certain player(s), the cost is picks. If you want me to take a player with a bad contract, the cost is picks. This could be very valuable to contenders. And would help vegas meet floor while still sucking. If you want me to take someone from one of your rivals, the cost is picks. Of course, they should flip the player. If you want a player from another teams list, the cost is picks. If no deal is made with any team, take best available and flip. Goal should be 15-20 total first and second rounders combined in this years and next years drafts. Being competitive the first year is over rated.

Before you conclude that I'm sane, realize that the choice for my last F come down to a choice between Malkin and Panarin :-)

The kid...

Forget about the goaltenders, the story from a UND perspective is Rowney. Very impressive in his role. He kid is earrning a spot in the league.

I guess it's surprising, considering how bad they struggled in last years playoffs, that Murray is on the team. Actually, you're correct that MAF can can steal more games than Murray. But he can give more away also.

While it may be debatable who is better than stopping the puck, there is no question Murray is better at handling the puck. With no Letang, the pens D are susceptible to a forecheck. With Murray, Sens cannot afford to sell out on forechecking as much and risk transition opportunities by Pens. Also, MAF has to freeze pucks more which results in a high number of defensive zone draws. All this means less zone time for Sens...as you saw in game 4. To be fair, the return to form of Daley helped the breakout. Also, the return to form of Hagelin forces Sens D to not pinch as much. This too helps breakout. Now if only Sully would sit Sheary. He plays like he has eggs in his pockets.

Let me take a stab at this. Patrick Kane Artemi Panarin Conner McDavid Sidney Crosby Phil Kessel Jake Gentzel Duncan Keith Justin Schultz Oscar Klefbom Shea Weber

Dave, you seem to be a passionate pens fan. What is you prediction for next season? Do you think they can be the first back-back in a while?

If you put 10 fans in a room, you would get 10 different opinions on any sports subject. The MAF debate has been going on in Pittsburgh since he's been there. It seems split 50/50. Half the people, like you, love him. The other half thinks he should be traded. I am somewhere in the middle. In this case, I simply would go with the younger cheaper option who may have a higher ceiling. By the way, I have been a season ticket holder since 1980.

Haha. Sorry, I am not Matt. But I did play goalie once on roller skates about 30 years ago :-)

We can agree to disagree. MAF has had more playoff issues than just 2012. It goes back to the 2004 WJC where he let in a softie from the blue line to tie the game in the third and ended up putting the puck in his own net for the winner. I know stats don't always tell the whole story but MAF save % for the 4 years after the 2009 cup were .891, .899, .834, and .883. In his two years in Wilkes Barre, he was pulled half way through the playoffs in both years and replaced by a non-prospect veteran. His save % in those two years were .843 and .883. I do have to give him credit for 2014 and 2015 playoffs, he played solid and the lack of scoring hurt the team. Also, he played as well as he ever during the 2015-2016 regular season. Murray's save % for the playoffs was .923. This after he posted stellar number in both regular season and playoffs in WBS. Also, Murray is not just a guy who played above his level at a good time, there have been whispers for the past year that he could be the next thing in the NHL as far as goalies go. That is how he is perceived in the organization. Time will tell whether there is any truth to this school of thought. Stats aside, the choice depends on your philosophy on goaltending. MAF will make spectacular saves but let a fluttering puck from the point get past him. Murray plays at a more even keel. Considering the age difference in age and salary, I would go with Murray.

There is no doubt Fleury is the more athletic of the two and they may have won with him. However, don't sell Murray short. He did not buckle under the pressure. While MAF did win a cup, he also experienced many playoff meltdowns. If it a toss up, the tie breaker may be the team's need for cap space.

Will be interesting to see which direction Pens go. They have a couple of young guys they would like to work into line up but it will be tough to ignore what Cullen did last year.