Kris Letang Trade Week, Day 2: The Detroit Red Wings

By Artistry (follow me on Twitter)

Click here for Day 1 of Kris Letang Trade Week: Toronto

The subject of today's unrealistic Kris Letang trade that will never happen is the Detroit Red Wings. Admittedly still searching for Niklas Lidstrom's heir and having dipped their toes into the Keith Yandle pool before presumably deciding the trade price was too steep, the Wings could be an ideal dance partner. Only one problem: Mrs. Holland didn't raise no dummy. Ken Holland is like a bizarro Ray Shero, the primary difference being Ken Holland has to live in Detroit. The pitch from Shero has to be this: "Look, we agree that Letang has transcendent talent. He's just untamed, a wild stallion. And Mike Babcock may be the best jockey in the world." If Mike Babcock gets his hands on Kris Letang, then just like that, Detroit may have another hall of famer in the stable. They've got excellent support in the affordable Nik Kronwall and the soon to be UFA Jonathan Ericsson. If Ericsson walks, the Wings, as per usual, have reinforcements ready in Brendan Smith and Jakub Kindl.

Now, what's the return? Here's where Shero and Holland eye each other warily, circling each other, each hyper-aware that his counterpart is no easy mark. Whatever. No bullshit. The Pens need to get faster and younger. Take it or leave it, Ken.

The trade, after the jump...

Kris Letang Trade Week: The scene is set for a blockbuster, so let's throw out 5 crazy hypothetical trades. Day 1, Toronto

By GTOG Staff

In our acclaimed season recap podcast, we made the case that the Pens had to at least try to sign Kris Letang to an extension.  He is maddeningly frustrating, but can also be terrifyingly good.  He gives the Pens the best chance of winning the Cup next year and even if he eats up too much of the cap 3 or 4 years from now, he will still be a tradeable asset if/when the Pens develop another guy who can play 22+ minutes a night.  (Watch for the negotiations about whether Letang gets a no-trade clause.  He may really want one.  The Pens would be nuts to give it to him).

This is exactly what Shero should do to Letang's agent if he asks for a NTC

A fair price would be 8 years for $56 million with an average annual cap hit of $7 million.  Expensive, but you have to pay for quality.  Though there is uncertainly about how much the cap will rise after its initial drop next season, most are very bullish, meaning the contract could be easier to digest over time.

Is it affordable now? Answering that, and the first of five hypothetical Kris Letang trades, after the jump...

The Psychology of Ray Shero

By Artistry

An insane person once called the Penguins one of the most arrogant organizations in the league. In recent days, many others, including fans and media, have come to share that sentiment. But the word "arrogant" suggests a sense of entitlement that really applies more to a growing legion of Penguin fans -- those who seem to believe a roster with Sid and Geno means anything less that a Stanley Cup is unacceptable, so get rid of everyone and ask questions later. Ray Shero is not arrogant. Quite the opposite. If you watched his press conference on Wednesday and think otherwise, grab a dictionary. No, the Penguins general manager is not overbearing or insolent or self-important. You may disagree with any number of his decisions: to stand by Dan Bylsma, to commit to fixing Marc-Andre Fleury, or to extend Malkin until he's 35-years-old. All fair game. Criticize away. But if you've been paying attention, you know exactly who Ray Shero is and what he will do.

How Ray Shero developed his steady hand, after the jump...

Pens re-sign Evgeni Malkin for a lot of money; It's ok to be cchhappy

By Finesse (follow me on Twitter)

[Make sure to check out our podcast recapping Pens season and detailing 10 things the Pens need to do in the offseason]

The Penguins have announced that they've signed Evgeni Malkin to an 8-year, $76 million contract extension.  He will have a salary cap hit of $9.5 million, which is the second highest cap hit in the league behind Alex Ovechkin (by a mere $38,000).  It's $800,000 more per year than Sidney Crosby, but the total value of the contract is $28.4 million less than Sid's deal.

A few quick thoughts after the jump...

Pens season recap podcast: What's next? Discussing Bylsma, Malkin, Fleury and more

Now that Ray Shero has spoken and the Pens have signed Dan Bylsma to a 2-year contract extension, the change that's coming to this team is in personnel only.  On GTOG's official season wrap-up podcast, we talk about Shero's press conference, his support of Bylsma and Fleury, what the Pens should and will do this summer with Malkin and Letang, and all the other choices -- some easy, some hard -- that the team will have to make this offseason. It's the GTOG Podcast.

Listen while you watch the Stanley Cup Finals with Pierre McGuire muted.

You can listen below or on our Spreaker page.  If you want to take the podcast mobile, either click here to subscribe on iTunes, or download the Spreaker app for iPhone or Android.

Dan Bylsma's awkward embrace of Fleury: What's going on here?

By Finesse (follow me on Twitter)

[Click here for our podcast and post recapping the end of the Pens' season]

The landscape around the Pens is a real mess right now.

It's about to get real weird.

Dan Bylsma held a press conference yesterday and talked confidently about Marc-Andre Fleury in an exchange that was either sanctioned by the Pens' top brass or was an outright act of insubordination.

Said Bylsma, per the Post-Gazette:

"Marc-Andre Fleury is our No. 1 goalie."
"He's the No. 1 goalie for this franchise, and he will be going forward."
"Marc-Andre Fleury is a guy who's going to come back to our team [next season] and he's going to be the No. 1 goalie. He's going to be our franchise goalie, this franchise's goalie.  Marc-Andre Fleury is going to go back in net. He's going to take the net. He's going to be the No. 1 goalie. He's going to play great. There's no question about that. And he's going to win a lot of hockey games for this team next season. He'll have that opportunity in the playoffs again when this team gets there."

And regarding Tomas Vokoun:

"Tomas, I don't think, is in any different boat than he was when he came in here for last season. He's a guy who makes our goaltending tandem a very good one. He's going to play games for us, big games for us. He came in and did for us exactly what we signed him for last year. Next year, he's not going to get that opportunity [to become the starter] because Marc-Andre Fleury's going to be in net winning hockey games."

What the hell?  Read on for our quick thoughts...

Pens fall to Bruins, 1-0; Season ends with a whimper

By Finesse (follow me on Twitter)

[Listen to the Game 4 recap podcast below or on our Spreaker page. You can click here to subscribe on iTunes, or download the Spreaker app for iPhone or Android]



If pucks could talk, Jarome Iginla's wrist shot at the final buzzer would have let out a feeble whimper as it landed almost apologetically in the glove of Tukka Rask.  It was a fitting and symbolic end to a series the Pens deserved to lose and the Bruins deserved to win.  Now armed with a body of work that reads like an inventory of a losing team's most-favored excuses -- a hot goalie, injuries, a bad goalie, and no good bounces -- the Pens have another long offseason of soul-searching ahead.

Read on for the burial...