from Mark Madden of t5he Pittsburgh Penguin Review,
When the Penguins kept the core three together, it guaranteed the Penguins would ultimately go splat.
A few disclaimers:
• Trading Evgeni Malkin in, say, 2018 for the huge return he would have fetched would have been no guarantee that the Penguins wouldn’t go splat. But it would have provided a legitimate chance to rebuild around Sidney Crosby and maybe win again.
• The Penguins may not be going splat just yet, though warning signs are plentiful. It is, however, 100% inevitable.
• The Penguins won’t avoid going splat, however temporarily, via changing their on-ice method. They refuse to do that. They will play fast despite getting slow. (Barring a coaching change.)
• Going splat is no insult to your precious fandom. No team wins forever. The Penguins were legit threats to win the Stanley Cup every year between 2008-18, doing so three times and making another final. Be grateful.
Splat. Couldn't happen to a more deserving franchise.
Love it. Bye, Bye Crybaby.
Can they please go SPLAT with Cindy and Letang still on the team? It might force Bettman to retire - if his favorite team is kerplunk. They can still win games at West 33rd Street in Manhattan - but no place else! :)
Kidding aside - I just think Jarry is a stiff.
But I think the Isles are *potentially* about a year behind them.....but have some outs....but I don't feel as an Isles fan - that I can pile on too much.....
Pens have one forward with some sort of trade protection (Modified Non Trade/Non Trade or Non movement) clause who is under 30 (Jake Guentzel is 29) Have 2 D who have similar clauses who are under 30 (Graves is 28 - Petterson is 27) Jarry is 28 and has a modified NTc.
Isles have Horvat (28) Engvall (27) Pelech and Pulock (29 each) who are under 30 and have these clauses. I cite these clauses as the team has identified these players as having importance to the team as perhaps opposed to players who do not have these clauses - because the team may not value them as much.
One key difference is this - on PIT - any player i have not mentioned who is active today and is under 30 has a salary of greater than 1 mmm $ Isles have 4 young players who DO NOT have a no trade type clause and are 26 (Barzal) 23 (Dobson) 28 (Sorokin) and 22 (Romanov) who are starters on the team. Simon Holmstrom 22 is on an ELC - and given cap issues - he is the only player on an ELC on the Isles that is a starter by and large (he is earning his way into that role - finally coming around)
Too lazy to do Washington at this point - but these are three teams that are likely to age out in the conference - at least in the Metro.
Sorokin and Barzal's clauses start next year - already negotiated....Thanks for the correction!
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