So I went on hockeysfuture.com yesterday...

[RisslingsMissingTeeth]

and I can say with much sadness, that the forward cupboard is pretty much bare. I was almost shocked at how empty the prospect list was for the Pens when I went to look at other teams.

I went and looked at the most recent season stats and read up on our best forward prospects and felt that the only person we have is Archibald and he is at least 2 years away. Shame on Shero and the scouts in this regard. Young talent is cheap and we are simply going to have to trade for it. In my mind, with Letang signed for freaking 8 more years, I say Pouliot becomes our most intriguing trade prospect. They are the same player.

If anything happens over the next week, I think it will be Ray trying to get forward prospects.

[pens2005]

and I can say with much sadness, that the forward cupboard it pretty much bare. I was almost shocked at how empty the prospect list was for the Pens when I went to look at other teams.

I went and looked at the most recent season stats and read up on our best forward prospects and felt that the only person we have is Archibald and he is at least 2 years away. Shame on Shero and the scouts in this regard. Young talent is cheap and we are simply going to have to trade for it. In my mind, with Letang signed for freaking 8 more years, I say Pouliot becomes our most intriguing trade prospect. They are the same player.

If anything happens over the next week, I think it will be Ray trying to get forward prospects.

The only one I see is Beau Bennett.

[meow]

Good thing the defensive cupboard is overflowing.

[Nizzy]

You just said Letang and Pouliot are the same player.

I've made that mistake before here. You're going to have a bad time. People are going to come here soon.

It's so funny, go look at the prospects before Shero took over the team. No defensive prospects what-so-ever. I don't agree completely with Shero's drafting however he has shown, over multiple trades, to get great value from trading defenseman/defensive prospects.

I think Letang will be traded sometime during that 8 year deal.

[RisslingsMissingTeeth]

You just said Letang and Pouliot are the same player.

Glad you brought this up. I wanted to paste this description of Pouliot they gave:

"Pouliot is mobile offensive defenseman with good passing skills, vision, and an accurate shot. He also possesses vision and on-ice awareness that is through the roof. Not a particularly imposing physical presence on the blue line, Pouliot needs to add considerable strength to his relatively lean frame. He also needs to improve his explosiveness, particularly in his first step, and learn when to make the simpler plays."

Substitute Letang's name in there for everything except the end part and it is spooky.

[mikey287]

It's disconcerting but think about it, where are these guys going to play right now...? Now 5 of our top-six are locked up for the foreseeable future and the other slot will have one of the few prospects we have filling it in...we're set there. We have time to get some forwards moving in the right direction, even if it's next draft or two...maybe we get a little luck with some undrafted guys...

Right now, there's a kid in Sweden named Viktor Arvidsson for instance, who no one is talking about that should have been drafted but was passed over, he's available to us. We don't scout in Scandinavia for some reason (too much hockey sense?). There's kids in the WHL that were passed over that could be interesting down the line, but we don't do enough there either...there are guys out there, we have to just be a little more creative and a little more vigilant on that front and accumulate a couple of these types.

And Ray, if you're reading, I've got a few names for you....I work on commission, if they don't make it, don't pay me...call or text

[mikey287]

Pouliot = Brian Campbell, right now to the number on his back. Carbon copy to my eyes so far.

[Nizzy]

Pouliot = Brian Campbell, right now to the number on his back. Carbon copy to my eyes so far.

Pouliot is Feisty.

[JoseCuervo]

I think Rust is going to be a good NHL player. He should be a solid 3rd liner or good 4th liner at the worst. He plays a great two-way game, and I think he would probably mesh well with Sutter to form a good shut-down duo. There is actually a decent amount of forward talent, but most of them are at least a couple years away from pro because it looks like Shero prefers players who are going to college which typically takes longer.

[The Snapshot]

What's the story on guys like Holzapfel, Sill, Dupuis (the other one), Thompson, Peters, Smith and Uher as cheap 4th line players? I know Dupuis was injured all year and not sure if he is even still our property - but I know that a few of these guys have at least borderline NHL 4th line potential and some NHL games sprinkled in.

Not saying anyone is a diamond in the rough, but do any of these guys have enough of a skillset to eat up some modest 4th line minutes?

Also I believe Kostopoulis is a UFA again, and we already signed him last year but lost him to waivers

[RisslingsMissingTeeth]

From what I've read and looked at, size is a big factor. Thompson is not good enough to skate with the top 2 lines and not big enough to be on the bottom 2. Could be wrong, but that is what I noticed.

[mikey287]

Uher (younger) and Holzapfel (older) could be serviceable this season. The rest of those names listed aren't really that great. Other Dupuis also could be a 13th forward here if called upon...

[Steve Dave]

I think the other Dupuis signed in Europe.

[Gaucho]

I don't understand not scouting in Sweden. Is it because the Red Wings have that market cornered?

[pugilist13]

Phillipe Dupuis signed overseas as did Chad Kolarik,fwiw.

[MRandall25]

The guys you mentioned are basically Dustin Jeffreys: good AHL players. Not good enough to play top 6 in the NHL, and not well suited for a 3rd or 4th line role (though some , like Sill, are still very much works in progress, IMO).

[taz71]

Our goaltending propect pool looks good.

[tfrizz]

Uher (younger) and Holzapfel (older) could be serviceable this season. The rest of those names listed aren't really that great. Other Dupuis also could be a 13th forward here if called upon...

Philippe Dupuis signed with someone in the KHL - I can't remember who.

[sil]

I'm all for giving Uher a shot. Love the way he plays.

[The U]

Our goaltending propect pool looks good.

Too bad somebody like Hartzell/Thiessen/Zatkoff isn't ready to play.

Could go with Vokoun as the #1 and Hartzell or Zatkoff as #2. Vokoun plays in the postseason.

Fleury gets moved. You are paying Hartzell or Zatkoff like 900k. You just saved yourself $4.00 million dollars and got rid of an expensive, mentally screwed-up goalie that you don't trust to dress for a playoff game.

The money isn't even the point really. If we had a playoff game tomorrow and Fleury was playing FOR FREE, you still would rather have Vokoun in net. You can just never trust the guy ever again. No clue why Shero/Bylsma have his back right now.

[tfrizz]

Our goaltending propect pool looks good.

Too bad somebody like Hartzell/Thiessen/Zatkoff isn't ready to play.

Could go with Vokoun as the #1 and Hartzell or Zatkoff as #2. Vokoun plays in the postseason.

Fleury gets moved. You are paying Hartzell or Zatkoff like 900k. You just saved yourself $4.00 million dollars and got rid of an expensive, mentally screwed-up goalie that you don't trust to dress for a playoff game.

The money isn't even the point really. If we had a playoff game tomorrow and Fleury was playing FOR FREE, you still would rather have Vokoun in net. You can just never trust the guy ever again. No clue why Shero/Bylsma have his back right now.

Lack of options. Hartzell doesn't even have a pro game to his credit, Thiessen has proven to not be capable at the NHL level, Zatkoff has had nothing but failure in the playoffs over his entire hockey career, and Jarry/Maguire/Murray aren't anywhere near ready yet.

[sil]

Yeah, seems like an "anyone-but-Fleury" mentality...and that's a recipe for disaster.

[Beveridge]

What are the Vegas odds on Fleury being Paul Martin V2.0? I want to put money down on that cause I have a feeling we are in for a huge bounce back year.

Although... He didn't have a terrible regular season so who knows. He is still worth it to see if a new coach / get his head straight over this year.

[The U]

Yeah, seems like an "anyone-but-Fleury" mentality...and that's a recipe for disaster.

I don't think Vokoun is just "anybody but Fleury".

Vokoun could be your starter in the regular season and playoffs. The debate I would have is who can back him up or help him get through the long regular season?

[taz71]

I agree Hartzell is maybe the only NHL ready prospect