FSG participation; Erik Karlsson and other trade talks

With the Pittsburgh -Penguins, who in the fight for a Stanley Cup Playoff place, questions of possession, penguins trade potential, including Erik Karlsson, at the end of the design of the Stanley Cup playoff and some of the less frequently discussed players that are available, available, hang.

While the brave Finns are offered as a sacrificial lamb for Team Canada on Monday and on Thursday the second round against Canada against Canada, a television audience is eagerly awaiting. ESPN Public Relations published the reviews of Saturday, and all fears of a false tournament and the subsequent disease of the audience, when 4.4 million people watched Saturday.

It is absolutely true that the tournament means nothing, but it is also true that it means everything. Historians will neither write about this event, nor will it stay in the Bellwether in public awareness in order to be worshiped for all times. There will be no ESPN 30 for 30. However, the immediate value cannot be overestimated.

To explain that I will rewind the clock for 30 years. I was a new student in college (30 years?! I just ruined my own day), and a history professor had a trick that he played with students every year by holding up a dollar bill and asked: “What does this value do worth $ 1? “

He promised to give the dollar to anyone who could explain why. He kept his dollar for years, but he didn’t expect me to be Oddball in the high school, who wrote papers about trickle-down economy, studied political trends and was a national qualifier. Yes, the ladies couldn’t get enough, but I wander off.

Sad that nobody knew and was too shy to be “this” guy as a newcomer. I sat quietly when a few people answered silly things like the gold standard or the Federal Reserve. It was only when he said that nobody ever replied that I raised my hand and said: “Because we believe.”

He looked at me shocked. That was the right answer. And that’s why it is also the reason why the four-nation-view companies are important: Because the players believe that this is the case because we believe that this is the case. And that’s all necessary to grab the almighty dollar.

I was too shy for the recording to take the dollar. One of my class comrades quickly reported to take it, and I learned a different lesson that the NHL already knows – the money when it is available because it won’t be there for long.

To your questions …

Penguins Q&A.

Q1:

Thoughts to keep RR and EK … long -term?

What about rust?

– Bürger Dick (@bondoa6) February 17, 2025

Answer: In full transparency, it is still difficult for me to wrap my head around the end of the world. The penguins’ championship core is ready. Finito. But the dead man who goes on foot has a few more years and valuable hockey and culture to convey to the young people before banners are hung up, statues are commissioned and jerseys are retro.

I try to know the border between the competition core and to regain the asset volume to be fighted. If you act too many, you can send the team over the cliff, and all acquired assets will not be enough to rebuild the chaos. But if you do not swap a player too little, you will be in the hover.

I suspect General Manager Kyle Dubas thought the same thing on some of his flights as he crossed the continent.

First, Erik Karlsson. A summer trade makes the most sensible unless someone comes to the table with a ranging before the deadline expires.

Karlsson wants a Stanley Cup and 35 years old in May. Dubas has the choice – build around him or exchange it. The style and roster of the penguins would have to complement Karlsson, but that will not happen. His performance with team Sweden shows how dynamic he can be, but it wasn’t the case in Pittsburgh. Trainers have publicly admitted that they want to have more of this version of Karlsson, but instead received a modified, more traditional defender. He played well, but this equipment at the elite level is too visible in this tournament with four nations and places a sharp contrast to Pittsburgh.

The NHL content -Cap Spike, combined with its tournament performance, should seduce a few GMS to take this step.

Second, they keep one of Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. It would certainly be nice to keep both because it fits Sidney Crosby perfectly, but I think that’s the line. Hold one. Rust has a no-trade clause until June 30th. Rakell is a guy on a 40-goal route. It should be worth a first clear, an interested party and an NHL player. A mere rimer for Rakell, probably at first-is by no means enough and not enough to trade.

In return, I suspect that rust will withdraw less than Racell because Rust has a few miles more miles on the mileage. In addition, rust is incredibly valuable as a transitional piece for the penguins.

Q2:

Why does ned play anything but back on back? Bloom should play almost every game and half through Larson should play the rest of the year. No ratings can be made on the bench or minor

– Vicblankenship (@vic_blankenship) February 17, 2025

Answer: The simple answer is that the penguins are trying to make the playoffs, and Nedeljkovic has been playing from his skates since the team did without Tristan Jarry. You I don’t have to believe that you can do the playoffs them To believe that they can or at least try. If Blomqvist becomes the better option in the goal to win the next game, it will be on the net more often.

I think you will see a more balanced net content after the break, but not when Nedeljkovic keeps stopping everything.

Blomqvist is not a star goalkeeper, but he becomes a solid goalkeeper. It is enough time to develop it. Patience.

Q3:

1) Do you think there will be a “surprise” of a larger Penguin name / player with the term before the trading period?

2) About / below 4 penguin trade that expired before the deadline?

– Matt Meagher (@flux_cc) February 17, 2025

Answer: Nobody outside of the core three would be a surprise. Michael Bunting, Rakell, Kevin Hayes and all line would not be surprising. The biggest name would be Kris Lang, and that could be a conversation for the summer, not for the trading period. We should be exhausting that there were no Letang rumors, whisper or other implementable intelligence that go beyond the assumption.

2. Under. Dubas took his big step (probably) with Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor to Vancouver. I like two or three NHL offers.

None of the prospects of the penguins, except Owen Pickering, put down the door to the NHL, so that the penguins have time. Dubas doesn’t have to delete space for the boys immediately.

Q4:

Do the increased salary limit that FSG is loaded onto the cup for another shot? Or at least one goalkeeper number 1?

– Wildpotroast (@Wildpotroast) February 16, 2025

Answer: No. That would cost future assets, but the penguins are not going here. Why should the Penguins act against a goalkeeper No. 1 (which can be quite expensive) if they have Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov on their way?

Build the penguins. You would have to buy several parts to be a candidate, and even then you have a mountain to climb to make the playoffs.

Q5:

Where do you see Grzelcyk? With the injury to Heikanen, I was able to see him in Dallas as she was leading her power game.

– Jim Stripsky (@jimstripsky) February 16, 2025

Answer: Grzelcyk has played very well in the past few months and can lead a power game.

But where? Grzelcyk’s modest salary of $ 2.75 million means that he could have a dozen applicants, including the Penguins who find the market for the market return for lukewarm because Grzelcyk is not a defender or a physical playoff type.

Would Columbus choose to improve her left side and enable the 20-year-old future sensation Denton Mateychuk to play with lower pressure for minutes while getting used to the NHL? Calgary, Detroit, Tampa Bay and Colorado could also use it, and the list continues.

It will be interesting to see how Grzelcyk’s situation unfolds. This will be one of these surprising announcements that we did not see.

The last rose:

Answer:

The Fenway Sports Group allowed Dubas to spend over $ 7 million in the 2024 NHL design to acquire a second round (by taking over Kevin Hayes). Fenway is publicly and privately obliged to give Dubas the resources he needs. Tom Werner, chairman of FSG, was quite clear at the beginning of this season, and the talks in the course of the year repeated the initial explanations.

Of course, FSG watches his money closely. No penny is lavish or without supervision, but the most important snack is that you spend money – you only want a return on capital. A player who helps you to win is a return on capital while spending unnecessarily for the upper limit is not a clever investment.

They are the opposite of Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting.

The penguins can spend or not on the upper limit in the coming years, but this will be due to the fact that they have a handful of young prospects in the line -up (which generally cost around 950,000 US dollars against the upper limit), not because that Property no said. Don’t make a mistake, Dubas has an empty check from the owners.

In fact, it is my impression that the success of Penguinen depends almost exclusively on Dubas and the organization that he builds. There is no interference of old guys like Jerry Jones, no tantrum, the hedgefound babies or storms from the tech sector like his PlayStation. These are professional business people and the first group of professional sports team owners.

If you decide that Dubas is on the wrong track, the story suggests that you take a step, even if more methodological than expected. FSG will never have the local cache of Mario Lemieux or how the Rooneys are loved, but money will not be a problem.