Grabbing low-hanging fruit for Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins is straightforward. Nonetheless, if you happen to take a look at his historical past as a common supervisor within the Nationwide Hockey League, he tends to make one huge mistake in his first yr in his new place.
The primary got here in Toronto when he signed John Tavares to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $11 million. Now, Tavares has accomplished his half. Nonetheless, this season has not been perfect for Tavares. To not point out, the staff didn’t win throughout his time there. Many anticipated Tavares and the Maple Leafs to have a Stanley Cup by now.
Kyle Dubas Has Robust Resolution Relating to Jake Guentzel
The Maple Leafs have had one playoff sequence win since 2004, and it was due to John Tavares in 2023. Toronto had different possibilities, however the huge boys didn’t do their half. In 2021, within the Canadian Playoff Bracket, Tavares bought injured, and that was the most effective probability for the Leafs to make a deeper run, however we’ll by no means know what might need been.
Nonetheless, regardless of his good stats of 400 factors (175 objectives and 225 assists), the Maple Leafs wanted different areas or positions to fill, primarily between the pipes and on protection.
The Maple Leafs might have discovered their goalie in Joseph Woll, however they nonetheless want somebody to again him up, whether or not that’s Ilya Samsonov or another person. Time will inform. The massive problem is on protection. Toronto doesn’t have a stud number-one defenseman.
Morgan Rielly is an efficient participant and is enjoying on the highest pair, however they want another person to place them over the sting as a result of that has been an space of weak spot since Tavares arrived in Toronto. You construct from the again out, and the Maple Leafs are so top-heavy that cash might have been used to fill these wants as a substitute.
It has come up for the Maple Leafs since Tavares bought to Toronto, and will probably be attention-grabbing to see how they proceed when his contract is up.
Penguins Kyle Dubas to Stay Affected person As Deadline Approaches
After Kyle Dubas’s unusual departure from Toronto, he went to Pittsburgh. The Penguins’ possession group was nonetheless within the mindset of giving Sidney Crosby the most effective probability to win one other Stanley Cup.
This is the reason Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang had been prolonged in 2022 when the earlier administration was nonetheless there. Despite the fact that that administration group knew a rebuild was mandatory at the moment.
Nonetheless, with Dubas in cost, the Penguins traded for Erik Karlsson. He has been the numerous purpose the Penguins are struggling, however his level manufacturing is just not what it was in San Jose, particularly his power-play factors. Pittsburgh has one of many worst energy performs within the league.
However regardless of Karlsson’s historical past in San Jose enjoying alongside one other high man like Brent Burns earlier than he was traded to Carolina, Pittsburgh made the commerce anyway. Nonetheless, most knew there was not sufficient puck to go round with Crosby, Malkin, Letang, and Jake Guetnzel after they had been all on the facility play.
Whereas Karlsson’s $11 million cap hit is decreased because of the Sharks retaining cash, the Penguins didn’t want him. That they had different areas to handle. Depth scoring was one space. The commerce for Reilly Smith has not labored out. Rickard Rakell is what he’s now. To not point out, the re-signing of Tristan Jarry and the cash given to Ryan Graves weren’t the strikes Pittsburgh wanted to make.
NHL Rumors: The Path of Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins
However getting Karlsson harm the Penguins prospect pool, and Kyle Dubas needed to commerce Guentzel on the deadline. Possibly they’ll re-sign him, however that could be a huge IF when he will get to market. The cash used for Karlsson might have been spent on Guentzel to maintain him there, not on a long-term deal however on a mid-range settlement to quiet the Sidney Crosby rumours.
Once more, the present Penguins possession wished one other title, but it surely has not labored out. It additionally proves that Dubas didn’t must get $11 million to maintain the staff related.
The Karlsson deal by Kyle Dubas will set the Penguins again additional than the Tavares deal did in Toronto. Dubas made a troublesome resolution on Guentzel; he in all probability didn’t need to make all of it due to one transfer in the summertime.
Solely time will inform if his two pricey $11 million errors had been value it. Proper now, they aren’t.
Â
Â