Iginla to Pens! Wow...

[ruxpin]

Curious - a Pens fan chimed in with a congratulatory post but his icon was a #12 Iginla Pens jersey

Yeah, I remember the post but didn't remember it being a #12 jersey. He must have changed it just to rub salt. I have to respect that.

[B21]

Yeah, I remember the post but didn't remember it being a #12 jersey. He must have changed it just to rub salt. I have to respect that.

Smarmy...and I love it.

[nossagog]

I can just imagine

@ruxpin

And finally in post #241 at 12:28 a.m. from unifiedtheory in Burnaby, BC....

"He's a Penguin!>!!?!?!?!!?!"

It appears these guys haven't been this surprised since Andy Dufresne escaped Shawshank Prison.

OMG! I feel like a bad person. I walked through that forum thread, like watching game 7 of a cup final and knowing the end when your team wins. Sadly, I've got tears in my eyes laughing. Honestly, am I a bad person. I don't hate Boston or their fans, but the whole buildup, then the false announcement, that kathunk, a 10,000 foot drop in emotion from elation to near suicidal. The only thing better would have been seeing the emotion of some of these guys. I wonder how many monitors broke this AM.

[B21]

I can just imagine

OMG! I feel like a bad person. I walked through that forum thread, like watching game 7 of a cup final and knowing the end when your team wins. Sadly, I've got tears in my eyes laughing. Honestly, am I a bad person. I don't hate Boston or their fans, but the whole buildup, then the false announcement, that kathunk, a 10,000 foot drop in emotion from elation to near suicidal. The only thing better would have been seeing the emotion of some of these guys. I wonder how many monitors broke this AM.

Other than being unable to concede at all that Spygate may have helped the Patriots win a Super Bowl or two, Boston fans are wicked allright.

[Polaris922]

I have two B's fans that are close friends from my military days... I just posted an apology to them in Facebook. Lol

[ruxpin]

I can just imagine

OMG! I feel like a bad person. I walked through that forum thread, like watching game 7 of a cup final and knowing the end when your team wins. Sadly, I've got tears in my eyes laughing. Honestly, am I a bad person. I don't hate Boston or their fans, but the whole buildup, then the false announcement, that kathunk, a 10,000 foot drop in emotion from elation to near suicidal. The only thing better would have been seeing the emotion of some of these guys. I wonder how many monitors broke this AM.

I don't hate Boston at all. But that thread--and a couple others on that board--were just riveting. I was laughing, too, but even when they were all excited I was thinking "you poor bastards."

[DinahMoeHumm]

@Polaris922 @B21 et al.

You want an interesting read? Read the thread on the Bruins board from last night regarding Iginla, from the Ward tweet that Iggy was Bruin to the Feaster press conference and the realization, starting on page 10, that Iggy is a Penguin. You almost feel bad for these people. They went from elation and planning line combos and power play units to just devastation.

http://hfboards.hock...d.php?t=1387315

...and their loss to the Habs last night didn't help matters.

[nossagog]

@nossagog

Like I said in the Shero vs Holland thread, Shero is a great gm, cause he has Crosby and malkin. Iginla tells Feaster he wants to play with those two great centers, Feasters hands are tied. Boston offers 2 players that could likely play for Calgary next year, but he's forced to take two guys that will likely never make the NHL and a very low 1st.

I think he's on the gravy train for a few years to come if this works out, but only if it works out. I wonder if any of these types of aging vets will say, "Screw the money, I want to sign here to win a few cups before I'm done." Hey, it could happen.

[nossagog]

I don't hate Boston at all. But that thread--and a couple others on that board--were just riveting. I was laughing, too, but even when they were all excited I was thinking "you poor bastards."

That's what had me laughing so hard. They saw salvation coming at the end of the tunnel in the trade for Iginla. Had him pegged in, planning the party. Too bad in turned out to be the #12 train coming in the opposite direction to run them down. And I'm there reading and waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting . . . and WHAM!!! The world ended for them, and some are REAL bitter about it. I guess I would be too.

[jammer2]

Now that's good stuff.

It will be interesting to see, if we ever get the full story, of what happened behind the scenes. Iginla may have had something to do with this after the Morrow and Murray trades. He might have said, hey, if I'm going to be a rental, what's my best chance to win the cup, and told Calgary that the list of teams he'd allow a trade to is now one.

That's how I kinda see it going down also. On paper, I know I'd rather have the Bruins offer if I'm Feaster and the Flames. The pick would most likely be lower and more valuable coming from the Bruins rather than the Pens. That's almost a given. Plus, I at least know who Bartkowski is, and I'm very well versed on Khokhlechev, the other rumored piece of the Bruins offer. He's a creative little grittiy European forward with nice speed, he woulda made the Flames next year in some capacity. The 2 kids the Pens gave up, I've honestly never heard of, and I try to make an effort to know all teams top 5-10 prospects.

Who knows maybe they are underrated kids and they turn out ok, but on the outside looking in, it looks like Feaster had to take this deal, had his hand forced by Iggy, or risked getting nothing at all for a franchise icon....which would mean certain unempoyment for the already embattled Feaster (ie the near disasterous Ryan O'Rieley saga). Not sure if was you or somebody else, but hell yeah, the Morrow deal seems like it would have been more fair payment for a guy like Iggy than the two no-name kids and the super late 1st rounder.....quite odd.

So, the Pens get out of all of this with only the last pick in this years draft and Joe Morrow moving off the ledger, and *still* have Domulin, Despres, Bennett, Matta, Pouliot, Scott Harrington (who I believe is a legit NHL shut down defender btw), Kuhnhackl....just a wicked prospect pool to pick and choose from. Should the Pens want to make a late run "again" next year, they have the prospects left to get it done, plus a whole lot left over to break into their own roster.....quite the leverage Mr.Shero has built up for himself.

The drafting of Matta is a prime example of the "just pick the best guy available" theory at work. Common sense said they had a wicked stable of young d-men, and needed young scoring wingers, but they did what they thought was best, selected who they thought was best in that spot, and were then in the comfotable position of dealing Morrow without skipping a beat, and *usually* d-men are hotter commodities at the deadline than forwards.

I'm thinking the Pens scouts are paying extra attention to thier defensive prospects this spring, seeing who might have the poise and skill level to possibly replace a Letang should a new contract extension not be in the cards. Who are your favourites to replace somebody with the skill set of Letang? I know any type of rookie could not *really* replace an amazing talent like Letang, but I'd be interested to see who the front runner would be to run the pp. I would think Niskanen would step right in, like his underrated offensive game...and one of the rooks....but which one?

Also, just out of curosity, which 6 d-men do you see playing for the Pens in 3 years from now? I know it's a tough question with a ton of variables that need to be applied, just wanted to hear a guesstimeate from somebody who knows more on the situation than myself.

Edited March 28, 2013 by jammer2

[ruxpin]

@jammer2

I'm waiting for "The Pens trade case of Iron City for Mikka Kiprusoff...just in case."

[jammer2]

@ruxpin At this point, nothing would surprise me.

[JackStraw]

Also nonplussed

What does that mean anyway? Can someone be "plussed"? Sounds like it might be unpleasant, as in, "I went out and got totally plussed last night."

[Polaris922]

@jammer2

Right now Paul Martin has brought more success to the PP than Letang this season. He would become the go to offensive d-man with Simon Depres and Niskanen in the wings developing to replace if need be. Niskanen has a rifle shot and Depres has shown great offensive awareness already in a very young and short career.

I don't want to lose Letang though. He is a lot more solid on D than he gets credit for, and his absence is generally more detrimental than either Malkin's or Crosby's alone.

[jammer2]

@Polaris922 That's right, I forgot about the (re) emergence of Martin this year. I really didn't expect much from him, kind of an expected downturn due to age, but he has really revitilised his game, he's been a nice force back there for you guys. So, you don't think a prospect known for his offense (actually, a good 2 way kinda guy, but offense if better than defense at this point) like Pouliot could not supplant a kid like Depres?

[Polaris922]

@jammer2

I think he's a couple years away yet. Looking that far down the road I'm not sure because there are so many names in the mix.

[Mad Dog]

If I am a Pens fan, I am loving it. With Morrow and Iggy, they added character and mental toughness and some really nice scoring touch to the lineup that was already quite strong. I just don't see many negatives with these two trades and I don't see too many weaknesses with the Pittsburgh's roster.

Makes a world of diference when you have a competent GM, doesn't it?

[jammer2]

Well this story confirms what most already knew, Iggy himself scuttled the Boston trade and wanted to specifically join the Pens....makes sense, the Bruins offer was better, think it was fc who said earlier, this is one of the reasons you don't give out a NTC.

whoops....http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=419320

Edited March 29, 2013 by jammer2

[flyerrod]

Kind of funny, isn't it? Players are choosing to avoid going to Boston where they just watched Jeremy Jacobs lead the Lockout parade. Coincidence? Not in my mind........

[Polaris922]

True.. But Iginla played with Sid, and is a good friend of Lemieux's... Networking matters. The Morrow/Murray trades made a statement about what the organization believes as well. And at the age he's at he wants a Cup. I just hope he gets it!

[flyercanuck]

@Polaris922

I agree. And if I'm Iginla and I want a shot at winning a cup, do i join a team on a 13 game winning streak and have the tough job of being wingman to Crosby or Malkin, or join the Bruins and play with Bergeron and Marchand. I love Bergerons game, But he's not in those guys league.

[B21]

@jammer2

I'm waiting for "The Pens trade case of Iron City for Mikka Kiprusoff...just in case."

Trading a case of Iron City would free up a lot of cap space.

[B21]

Well this story confirms what most already knew, Iggy himself scuttled the Boston trade and wanted to specifically join the Pens....makes sense, the Bruins offer was better, think it was fc who said earlier, this is one of the reasons you don't give out a NTC.

whoops....http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=419320

But was it better? Boston offered the better prospects but their 1st was conditional on Iginla resigning. The Pens' pick wasn't conditional. I guess I'd still give the edge to Boston seeing as how neither pick would be top 10 but I don't think the "gap" between the offers is as big as the media (especially in Boston) are making it out to be.

[B21]

Kind of funny, isn't it? Players are choosing to avoid going to Boston where they just watched Jeremy Jacobs lead the Lockout parade. Coincidence? Not in my mind........

Very interesting point. I wouldn't underestimate the the political capital that Crosby built up either being front and center with the NHLPA throughout the entire process.

[nossagog]

@Polaris922

I agree. And if I'm Iginla and I want a shot at winning a cup, do i join a team on a 13 game winning streak and have the tough job of being wingman to Crosby or Malkin, or join the Bruins and play with Bergeron and Marchand. I love Bergerons game, But he's not in those guys league.

This x 2. Look, there will be alot of hate for Iginla for the way he pushed this, especially from New England. But in the end, can you blame him? He's 35, how many more chances does he get to win the cup, and to probably look good playing with Sid and Geno doing it! Anyone looking at it purely from the Iginla side of things understands.