Comments on: Penguins fans will love James Neal as much as they will miss Goligoski

By: makoman

makoman — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 23:05:51 +0000

I am a big Goose fan…..BUT you could not pass this one up…a young power forward of Neal’s ability and a very serviceable #5 Dman both signed for reasonable numbers…..take that all day, but do wish Goose the best in big D.

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:55:21 +0000

I’ll miss the goose….good luck to you!! (Except for when we’re playing the Stars!

By: SK

SK — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:06:43 +0000

I hope that post was intended to be written in sarcasm font.

By: hollyh

hollyh — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:44:52 +0000

I would have traded Letang, dumped more salary and lost a guy with 4% scoring percentage and got most of his points on second assists when Crosby was playing. But he does get great reviews fro Pens TV game callers.

By: Jean Pronovost

Jean Pronovost — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:19:49 +0000

Don’t look for Despres to start the season here next year. He will need at least some time in WB to get used to the speed of the game at this level. With Niskanen, Strait and Bortuzzo(assuming neither of the last two get traded), I think we’ll be fine at D without Goose.

By: ryan

ryan — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 08:25:53 +0000

If we are bringing in Depres next season the loss of gogo is easier to take.

By: BRS

BRS — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:32:57 +0000

I’m still waiting to see this imaginary offensive ability that everyone claims Martin has. With all the PP time he has, what does he have, 3 goals? This Niskanen has had better goal scoring years and better overall point years and he’s only in his fourth year. I hope losing Goligoski’s ability to move the puck out of our own end doesn’t come back to bite us in the ass.

By: Jean Pronovost

Jean Pronovost — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:01:58 +0000

Exactly!!!!!

I think it’s about time to split up Sid and Geno on the Power Play. The Hell with “offending” anyone. You’re all adults now. Live with it. If they want to play nice, they can alternate which of Sid and Geno plays with the first line. I’m pretty sure Disco Dan can find a way to make them all feel good about it

By: Johnny Nez

Johnny Nez — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:59:33 +0000

Debby, you’re gonna LOVE Neal, and Niskanen should be a solid but unspectacular replacement for Goligoski on the 3rd D pairing. I wish Goose the best, but Shero couldn’t pass this deal up. He sold high… very high.

By: Johnny Nez

Johnny Nez — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:58:29 +0000

Ah, but that would mean they had to split up Sid and Geno on the 1st unit. While it might be for the best, I don’t see them doing that at risk of “offending” Geno. They have yet to do that, even when the PP was terrible for long stretches. But these are good problems!

By: Jean Pronovost

Jean Pronovost — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:53:25 +0000

I’m not that big of a proponent of Staal on the first PP unit. If they could get Martin to come around as one of the point men, how lethal would we be with Geno and Staal on the second unit with Niskanen QBing?

By: Johnny Nez

Johnny Nez — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:49:34 +0000

I obviously hope you’re right, but Sid has yet to elevate anyone. Kunitz is having a fine year, but he’s had similar years in Anaheim. A lot will also depend on Neal’s PP time next year – who do you bump off? 87/71/58 are locks. Kunitz has done a good job as traffic cop in front of the goalie, so it’d be hard to remove him. That means either 7 on the other point, or 71 plays the other point and you put Neal or Staal on the other side of Crosby.

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Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:47:54 +0000

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By: Jean Pronovost

Jean Pronovost — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:46:22 +0000

The difference between the player Crosby was for the five and half minutes that Hossa was here three years ago, and the player he is now is light years. Crosby was only 20 years old when he played with Hossa. He has matured quite a bit in the last three years and still has a few more years to go before he hits his prime. My guess is that if the Penguins re-sign Neal after next season, he could potentially be between an 80 and 90 point player, and that’s even better

By: Ebon

Ebon — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:25:04 +0000

I agree. Great move.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:11:01 +0000

Trust me, you will love it

By: Johnny Nez

Johnny Nez — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:10:26 +0000

Huge fan of Neal, huge fan of Crosby. But I wouldn’t expect Neal’s numbers to improve much, if at all, between Dallas and Pittsburgh. Crosby’s the greatest player in the world, but he does not have a Lemieux-like ability to elevate his linesmates. Hossa, a better talent than Neal and Crosby’s best winger to date, produced the same with Crosby as he did elsewhere, about a point per game. Love the trade – Niskanen to replace Goligoski was the huge key – but I think we need to temper our expectations for Neal. He should put up 25-30 goals and 65-70 points a year, and that’s pretty darned good.

By: Debby

Debby — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:06:03 +0000

Don’t know how I feel about this trade.