Perhaps GMJR is out to undo every trade hes ever done. Were getting James Neal back!
— Jey Bag f Dnuts (@joeybagovdonuts) August 25, 2020
Sorry, Olli. I had to.
Bethel Parks Joe Bartnick joins me on the podcast Wednesday. Hes a lot more bullish on the trade than me.
Included in the deal were forward Evan Rodrigues, prospect Filip Hallander and emergency defenseman David Warsofsky. Concerning Pittsburgh along with Kapanen are right-shot defenseman Jesper Lindgren and journeyman forward Pontus Aberg.
SWEET GOAL ALERT
Pontus Aberg provides the Preds a 1-0 lead https://t.co/qFRhwbYdRF pic.twitter.com/6SLA6RrHF3
— SI NHL (@SI_NHL) June 1, 2017
On Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to reacquire Kasperi Kapanen from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Is Kapanen simply another version of Dominik Kahun? If so, look what occurred to Kahun. To put it simply, look what occurred to Olli Maatta.
Plus, we talk about the life of a comic throughout a pandemic.
The expense was this years first-round draft choice (No. 15 overall).
Thats a quite fair representation of the response I saw in general. Not a lot of love or advantage of the doubt on the trade for general manager Jim Rutherford.
Unfortunately, Aberg has actually had a grand total of just 16 objectives ever since, spread among 4 different teams.
When hes not taking his national comedy act on the roadway, Bartnick hosts the “Puck Off” podcast. He likewise composes for Pro Hockey News. And he appears regularly during the hockey season on WDVE.
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If Bryan Rust is traded, possibly Kapanen buffers that departure on Evgeni Malkins line provided his skating and penalty-killing capability. Or possibly Rust remains. And, provided his speed, Kapanen supplies a Carl Hagelin aspect to a third line that requires to be entirely rebuilded anyhow.
Some Penguins fans werent exactly thrilled with the offer. I typed the letters “GMJR” into a Twitter search at 4 p.m. Tuesday, and this is what I got.
When he hears they are trading a 1st round choice … pic.twitter.com/JnlakGMgdY, me hoping this is Mario at GMJRS door
— Stone Cold Sid (@StoneColdSid) August 25, 2020
After we go over the trade, Bartnick and I enter the pain of watching the Pens get eliminated so early in the 2020 playoffs, our hope for an eventual Philadelphia Flyers defeat, and Joes newly found affinity for the Colorado Avalanche.
This will now be the 6th time in the last 8 years when the Penguins dont make a first-round pick. When their prospect ranks are thin, at a time. When developing for a post Crosby-Malkin period is looming, at a time.
When it comes to the remainder of the plan with Kapanen? Lindgren may have the potential to be a second- or third-pair NHL defenseman. Once did this to Maatta in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final while he was with the Nashville Predators, and Aberg.
Its not the obtained player that has actually Penguins fans upset. And Kapanens return to the franchise definitely is not whats uncomfortable me either. Its a lot of other things around the deal itself that make you scratch your head.
Possibly, however, Kapanen can rediscover some of that point production if he has fun with Sidney Crosby. He might be a much better partner for Crosby and Jake Guentzel than Conor Sheary or Dominik Simon.
I know GMJR is attempting to keep the team packed for the last few elite Sid, Geno, and Tanger years.
But such a typical possibility swimming pool will absolutely overtake us in a couple of years.
— The Penguin Brain (@PenguinBrain) August 25, 2020
So, in spite of a self-described “sophomore slump” in 2020, theres factor to hope Kapanen can become the player the Penguins thought they had when they drafted him 22nd overall in 2014.
Consider me lukewarm at finest on this one. Ill simply hope Kapanen is so excellent, none of the other things matters.
In a supposedly deep draft year. In a year where the club chose to keep the No. 15 choice rather of giving it to the Minnesota Wild as repayment for the Jason Zucker offer.
Not to point out, Rodrigues was presumed to be a prospect for a minimum of fourth-line minutes this year. And Hallander was one of the few power forward prospects in the system that couldve been groomed as a replacement for Patric Hornqvist.
So now they will not have a first-rounder in 2021 either.
GMJR is single handily making sure we never ever contend for a cup once again.
— John (@JGor492) August 25, 2020
Kahun was traded to Pittsburgh from Chicago for Maatta last year. They got 27 points in 50 games from him, never ever determining precisely his best role or fit. He was dealt for Sheary and Rodrigues. The internet of that trade has actually successfully been eliminated.
I didnt see much backlash at Kapanen, though. Hes a player many Penguins fans disliked to see leave because trade which brought Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh prior to the 2015-16 season. In 69 regular-season games this year, Kapanen had 36 points (13 objectives, 23 helps). That was below the 44 points and 20 goals he had the previous season.
every move gmjr used to make appeared like a computed chess move
For the last couple of years, every relocation he makes has everybody like pic.twitter.com/cM8FD549Qn
— Penguins Jesus (@PenguinsJesus) August 25, 2020
Listen: Tim Benz and Joe Bartnick talk about the Penguins trade for Kasperi Kapanen and how that impacts the group
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Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
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I didnt see much backlash at Kapanen. In 69 regular-season games this year, Kapanen had 36 points (13 objectives, 23 helps). If Bryan Rust is traded, perhaps Kapanen buffers that departure on Evgeni Malkins line offered his skating and penalty-killing ability. And, offered his speed, Kapanen provides a Carl Hagelin element to a 3rd line that requires to be totally rebuilded anyway.
Is Kapanen just another variation of Dominik Kahun?
