Matt Vensel: Hello, Penguins fans. Excited to talk hockey with you all this afternoon. Stick taps to Kyle Dubas for giving us plenty to talk about here in August. Haha. I plan to get the chat going at noon today, but feel free to submit questions ahead of time. Talk to you soon.
Matt Vensel: Before we get started, want to share a little programming note. We will be doing these Penguins chats weekly during the season. They will be every Friday, my travel plans permitting. Excited that these will be a regular thing this season. Put it on your schedule!
Joe: So Dubas traded a right handed center prospect with speed and great finishing in Yager for a slower, more physical LW in McGroaty. Doesn’t this trade seem to indicate that the Pens don’t really believe Yager can be a top six center in the NHL?
Matt Vensel: Joe, not going to lie, it took me a little bit yesterday to wrap my head around Kyle Dubas trading Brayden Yager, the first draft pick he made as team president, for Rutger McGroarty. Given some time to think about it, I do not have a strong opinion on it one way or another. Truthfully, we do not know how these two will pan out. (Neither kid is legally allowed to drink in the U.S.!) Both are widely considered to be A-type prospects with similar ceilings. Perhaps one exceeds those expectations and becomes a true star. All that said, I understand the trade from Pittsburgh's perspective. They are trying to thread the needle to get back to being contenders while Sidney Crosby is still playing at a high level. McGroarty is more on that timeline. (We'll discuss his near future in a second.) He also fills an immediate need in the lineup. He's young, feisty, is said to be an effective forechecker and has a nose for the net. Good leader, too. Knock on him is his skating.
Matt Vensel: I do believe Dubas was sincere in stating that it was difficult to move on from Yager. He is a really great kid, super mature for his age. And he made major strides this year. It's not out of the question that he becomes a No. 2 center in the NHL in a few years. But the Penguins clearly coveted McGroarty more, and it took Dubas some courage to move on from a promising prospect that he picked just one year ago. It will be fascinating to see how their careers play out. But in the short term at least, this trade should pay dividends for the Penguins.
East End Joe: The obvious question: How does Rutger McGroarty fit into the NHL lineup? And will he get a chance to play immediately, or should we expect a start in the minors?
Matt Vensel: Same Joe? Different Joe? Anyway, the Penguins will give him every opportunity to play in the NHL right away. We have yet to get a chance to chat with Rutger ourselves, but the reporting around his departure from Winnipeg is that he and the Jets didn't see eye-to-eye about his NHL readiness. So one presumes that prior to the trade the Penguins and McGroarty's camp were on the same page about the opportunity in front of him this fall. It's not out of the question that he does spend time in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if there are early ups and downs. But I know the Penguins are eager to get this kid in their lineup. It's been a looooooong while since they had a player of this pedigree debut in Pittsburgh. Definitely gives the team and its fans a needed jolt of excitement after what has been a bit of a sobering summer.
Alex Rowan: With the new acquisitions do you see puustinen still having a spot on the penguins opening night roster?
Matt Vensel: Valtteri Puustinen, despite his improved play down the stretch, is no lock to be on the NHL roster. Look at his contract. He signed for a meager 775k per season. He will have to earn a spot in Pittsburgh in training camp and the preseason. And note that he is now 25. He is aging out of being a prospect. Just something to consider.
Tom: Will Crosby put on a Penguins sweater this year, or is he good as gone?
Matt Vensel: Tom, I will eat one of those foam fingers they give out at the arena is Sid isn't on the team six weeks from now. As I have stated in previous chats, I would not sweat his lack of an extension unless we get to training camp and the captain hasn't signed on the dotted line.
Matt Vensel: Random tidbit: McGroarty has the same agent as Crosby. Pat Brisson.
Rahn: With Thatcher Demco's rehabilitation becoming a concern for the Canucks and the connections to the team from their management group, is Jarry to Vancouver a possibility?
Matt Vensel: Rahn, I fully expect Tristan Jarry to start the season opener for the Penguins. From there, it's up to him and the Penguins to get him back on track and rehabilitate his value. There wasn't not much demand for Tristan this summer. But if he returns to All-Star form and the season doesn't go well for the Penguins, perhaps we will see him get moved at the trade deadline. To be honest, that is a lot of ifs.
J D: Matt, will Jarry be the #1 goalie again or should he be a #2 ? Or does it really matter who is 1 or 2? Also, who is their top talent in Wilkes-Barre and are they ready to move up? Thanks for your comments.
Matt Vensel: JD, the Penguins have hinted that they are open to more of a true competition between Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic, who re-signed this summer. I do buy that to a degree. If Jarry continues to be unreliable, the Penguins must have him on a shorter leash. That said, given his contract and his pedigree, I think Tristan will get an opportunity to run with the job early on. As for their options in the minor leagues, they have two goalies worth keeping tabs on. You probably know about Joel Blomqvist, who was an All-Star in the AHL last year. They have also signed Sergei Murashov, a 2022 fourth-round pick. He impressed everyone at their prospect camp last month. I will be curious to see where he fits into their organization depth chart this season.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo: If you were Crosby, would you resign with the Pens right now? Not a Stanley Cup contender and a borderline playoff team. This is like the Titanic going down with the "old guys" still taking up 2/3 of the pay roll.
Matt Vensel: Respectfully, I have no business telling any player, especially one of the greatest athletes in Pittsburgh sports history, what to do. I'm sure Sid is considering all factors. I know he is driven to win. But he also feels a strong loyalty to the city, the fans, the team and his longtime running mates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. That stuff matters to him.
Jesse: Hey Matt, always appreciate your time.
Do you have any information on Graves? I know he was put on IR for the last 12? ish games of the season, but health wise I feel like I have not seen any updates about him recently at all. Is he going to be 100% for camp? Does he know he needs to bounce back?
Matt Vensel: Jesse, Ryan Graves went on long-term injured reserve because of a concussion. I have not heard anything that suggests it will linger into next season. As for whether he knows he needs to bounce back, I think the last thing you should question about this guy is whether he cares. He is a bright person, he knew last season didn't go as planned, he was accountable and being around him in the dressing room, it was clear that he took his struggles and the team's losses seriously. Will he turn it around? I have no idea. Obviously, the Penguins really need him to. But Graves does not have his head in the sand here.
Rahn: In your reporting, is there any truth to the rumors of Letang wanting to escape to Montreal or Malkin wanting to call it a career and head to Russia after this season? And if so, could these be reasons Crosby has not signed an extension yet?
Matt Vensel: We have been hearing for years that Malkin wants to finish his career in Russia and that Letang would love to play in his hometown. Maybe both those things happen one day. But I don't think it's something on the radar for this upcoming season, unless Sid surprisingly tells the Penguins he doesn't plan to re-sign after the season.
Mike: I know it’s not the most urgent topic of the day but any idea who might be the new play by play announcer for the Pens?
Matt Vensel: Good question, Mike. This is in reference to the Penguins needing to replace Steve Mears on the radio. I haven't been super plugged in on that search, but I believe they are in the final stages of the process to find a new play-by-play person. Don't be surprised if it is someone who is from outside the market. I am also interested to see what they do with the color commentator role. We could see Phil Bourque do even more TV for Pittsburgh SportsNet this season, while still appearing on the radio for other games. But who helps fill the void on radio when Bourque is on TV? That could be done by committee, as well.
The horse: Matt, Where do you think the Pens will use Mcgroaty ?
Matt Vensel: It's definitely TBD when it comes to which line he will skate on should he make the NHL club. If he can hang with Sid, that's awesome. But the Penguins will probably not want to put too much on his plate early, allowing him to settle in as an NHLer. McGroarty is a left-hand shot but it's my understanding that he played a lot of right wing at Michigan. In terms of the depth chart, there is a definitely need on the left side.
Clark from Virginia: Do you see the off season any differently than I do? I see that they have traded marginal bottom six players for slightly younger marginal bottom six players minus Jake Guentzel. Will that get them to the playoffs?
Matt Vensel: Clark, last month I wrote that it sure felt like this was a gap year for the Penguins, with them not making any significant signings in free agency, instead using their cap space to acquire draft picks in exchange for taking on unwanted salary. Dubas has stayed busy since I wrote that, adding McGroarty and former top-10 pick Cody Glass. Those moves intrigued me but don't really change my outlook for the team. In a tough Metro Division, they will be challenged to make the playoffs.
Jason: If it’s true the power play was the main reason for the team not making the playoffs would it be fair to say if they were even middle of the pack this year and with a few exceptions the same team on the ice would that be enough to get them into the post season? Or do you see another move Dubas could make before the start of the season to give them the best shot of improving next year?
Matt Vensel: Jason, the power play absolutely must be much better. And it's fair to wonder if it will, with most of the PP personnel the same as last year and new assistant coach David Quinn not having much of a reputation as a power play wizard. But even if Quinn does work magic with that group, the Penguins will need much more than that to go their way to make the playoffs. They need better goaltending. They need more from Erik Karlsson and Ryan Graves. Crosby has to stay healthy. The list goes on and on. But you will get no argument from me if you have the power play atop that list.
66fan: in evaluating the Penguins which would you put more stock in: the 13 games at the end of last season or the other 69 games + the previous non-playoff season?
Matt Vensel: Easiest answer of the afternoon: Look at the much larger sample.
Joe: What are the Pens going to do with about 11 forward candidates for six spots in the NHL? You really think Sullivan is going to bench and Dubas waive Eller, Hayes, Acciari, Beauvillier, Glass or Lizotte? Puustinen deserves a spot in the lineup and none of the younger players like Poulin or Ponomarev will get a shot. Only McGroaty has a chance. How do you think this will shake out? And why is Dubas playing Moneyball with Sullivan as the coach when he needs to keep the options all younger players?
Dave: Where's the room for young guys like Ponomarev, Poulin, possibly Koivenen? Surely a few veterans like Eller and Acciari are on the tradeblock? Or Does Dubas begin the season with vets and make these trades by end of '24 or at trade deadline?
Matt Vensel: Joe and Dave asked similar questions (and very fair ones, by the way), so I will lump them together. If I were to critique one thing about Kyle Dubas' offseason, it would be that he talked a lot about the need for the Penguins to get young players in the lineup. But throughout the offseason, he continued to place obstacles in the way of players such as Vasily Ponomarev, Sam Poulin, Ville Koivunen, etc. The Penguins have a lot of veterans who will be competing with them for roster spots. Now, the Penguins don't have much of a commitment to many of them. There is nothing preventing them from sending, say, Anthony Beauvillier or Tanner Glass or Puustinen to the minors if some of these forward prospects rise up and seize NHL roles. Or maybe we see them trade Lars Eller or someone like that before Opening Night. But right now, yeah, it's a crowded group for sure.
Guest: Is the more important reason for a Crosby extension not just about competing for a Cup, but also about maintaining fan attendance, allowing Dubas and the Penguins management to rebuild while keeping the arena full and tickets sold?
Matt Vensel: All of the above? Crosby impacts the franchise in myriad ways. And if you tried to add it all up, it would be impossible to quantify his true value to the Penguins and this city and the fan base. It's a no-brainer that the Penguins and FSG want to ensure he spends his entire playing career with the Penguins — and will probably try to keep him around in some capacity whenever he decides to hang up his CCMs.
Matt Vensel: Wow, we have been going for an hour already? I didn't even realize, because you guys sent in so many great questions today. I was not able to get to all of them unfortunately. But we will chat again two weeks from today. And, as I mentioned earlier, these will become a regular weekly thing once the NHL season starts up.
Matt Vensel: Thank you to everyone for joining the chat today, and stick taps to those of you who submitted questions. Have a great weekend!
First Published: August 23, 2024, 2:00 p.m.
Updated: August 24, 2024, 1:54 a.m.
