King Jemison's Penguins chat: 06.26.26
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King Jemison
12:00
Alright, hey everybody! Thanks for being here. Let's get this started. I'll chat for about an hour.
FirstTimeLongTime
12:00
Aye Yo KJ - Dubas seems to be collecting bottom 6 guys at a great rate (there's only 6 spots ya know) If you don't want to thrust Kindle into too much too early we've got BK, Elmer, Lizotte, hayes, dewar, Lapierre, brazeu, rutger (probably not top 6 at this stage), Hallander, howe, broz, Zonnon. So lots of options (too many) but how do we get top 6 improvements Sid, Rust, Chinakov locks. But we've all considered asking less of Geno at his age (was awesome last year). How do they improve these forwards at the top.
King Jemison
12:04
This is a great point, FirstTimeLongTime, and something I thought about with the Lapierre trade yesterday. From everything I've seen, he projects as a bottom-six guy — could he even be blocking prospects in your own system? Like Tristan Broz and Bill Zonnon in the middle? But Dubas has done pretty well with these reclamation projects before, so I'll reserve judgment. As for the top six ... the prices on the market right now are insane, both in free agency and trades. It will be hard for the Pens to acquire a top-six guy without giving one up. Status quo answer would be that you hope for jumps from Kindel and Chinakhov without dropoff elsewhere. But maybe Dubas can somehow snag a Robertson, Pettersson or someone of that ilk with the Pens' cap space and boatload of OK assets.
Wiscoken
12:04
Last season was a pleasant surprise for all Pens fans.  Kyle Dubas has stated that the team still has long road ahead in the rebuild... which raises the question of how close are we (and what will it take) in making a serious run at a cup.  In your opinion, what does real progress look like next year (in the rebuild, and the areas must we solve for) ... and is it realistic to believe in 2 years we can be positioned for a much deeper run?  I am worried that the overall team speed required come playoff time will remain an Achilles heel and will not be an easy to solve over the next 24 months.
King Jemison
12:08
You're asking the right questions, Wiscoken. This team is not that close to a Cup run — certainly not a piece or two away. But unless last year was a total fluke from several guys, they're not going to be one of the worst teams in the league, either. If they can make a big trade, progress next year could look like getting to the second round or even further. Without major external upgrades, progress would be seeing Chinakhov and Kindel take the next step while Brunicke, McGroarty, Hayes, and perhaps Zonnon or other prospects establish themselves as consistent NHL players. That would keep the Pens on the fringes of the playoff race and make those guys more attractive trade assets.
FirstTimeLongTime
12:08
KJ - They'd probably be wise to cash out on Karlsson now because he's not going to resign. But they do not have another Top line defender especially when you want to reduce Letang.  Anything Dubas could do out there?  Any potential top line D available that Karlsson would be a match for ?  I look at Sanderson in Ottawa if they'd consider it.
King Jemison
12:13
Karlsson's value will never be higher, although we don't know that he's not going to re-sign — particularly not if the Pens have another strong season and he continues to get to be their top D-man. The problem for the Pens is that they have no one on the blue line who can produce at remotely the same level as Karlsson, so a trade better be bringing one in. I don't see those trades available. Karlsson is 36. Ottawa ain't giving up Sanderson (23) unless the Pens make a Godfather offer along with Karlsson. But he would be awesome! I do think Darnell Nurse could help the Penguins if they can get him for free and potentially offload Ryan Graves' contract. His toughness and size would give them something they don't have, but he's not a Karlsson replacement. Nikishin in Carolina would be an awesome young add, but again, he's not exactly a point-per-game guy, either.
FirstTimeLongTime
12:13
KJ - I've read Dubas really likes Bjorck and that would be the target if moving up high enough but wouldn't a future of him and Kindle scare you due to their size. Who else could he target in the top 12 (Cullen, Belchetz?). Also does he have the firepower to move up without hurting the 26-27 roster.
King Jemison
12:18
Thank you for carrying this chat so far, FTLT! I think Bjorck would be an incredible add because he would give the Penguins a real chance at their next star. He has upside that no one in their system seems remotely close to. I wouldn't be too worried about the size with Kindel — at this stage in the team's roster-building, you add good players and figure out the specifics later. Both Bjorck and Kindel are strong defenders. BUT ... I don't see how the Penguins get that high (top 5ish) in the draft without trading away a roster player, and probably a very good one. I'm not sure they can get to the Top 12 without that. Belchetz would make sense with his size. Obviously, there are lots of Cullen connections, and he has huge offensive upside. But if they were trading up high for someone other than Bjorck, I would think they'd be targeting one of the many solid defenders at the top of the draft.
Jostling
12:19
Why was Hailey Hunter fired? Do they have her replacement lined up?
King Jemison
12:21
Good questions, Jostling. Honestly, I haven't looked into this much with all the ownership stuff. I hope she's doing alright and am confident she'll land on her feet. As for her replacement, I have no idea. There's not too much time pressure with the season months away at this point.
Wiscoken
12:21
Perhaps not a popular opinion, but in order to really move this rebuild along, it may require taking a step back. I'm not suggesting tanking, but it may require getting rid of some key assets (that command good value... eg. Karlsson, others) to continue to get younger (and faster).  This may result in next season being a bit more challenging... but the rebuild taking shape more quickly.
King Jemison
12:24
Thank you for joining FTLT on the top line of this chat, Wiscoken! This would be a reasonable path for Dubas to choose: Sell high on the veterans and keep adding to the rebuild. I don't get the sense that's the direction they're going, however. I wouldn't be surprised if they traded Rust, Rakell or Karlsson. But I don't foresee a major move toward rebuilding. It could happen organically if some players fall off from last season.
Wiscoken
12:24
Looking ahead to next season (crystal ball), what does our goalie line up look like, and how do you see the division of playing time with that group?
King Jemison
12:27
I'm pretty confident the two main goalies will be Sergei Murashov and Arturs Silovs. As for how they split time ... who knows? Until the playoffs, Dan Muse largely stuck with a straight game-by-game rotation even when one of his goalies was clearly playing better than the other. Doesn't mean he'll continue that next season, but it largely worked: the Penguins did not have an elite goalie, but they cobbled together competent play in net on the aggregate. I would guess that Murashov will start more games than Silovs because he starts to separate throughout the year. And I hope that Taylor Gauthier gets to finally make his NHL debut at some point!
Dan N
12:27
I was just in Palo Alto last month..What a beautiful campus..
King Jemison
12:28
It certainly is, Dan. I miss it. I graduated in June 2021 and have only been back once since then, and that was only for a couple of hours. I'm hoping that the Penguins' schedule will allow me to attend my five-year reunion this fall! Last year, they were in California around that time.
Dan N
12:31
Hockey related….After Carolina the mediocrity of the Metropolitan Division is causing some teams to really step up their offensive season plans !
King Jemison
12:35
That's a good point, and it's not just in the Metro. Almost every team seems to think they can compete next year, and it's driving up trade and contract costs like crazy. I wonder if the fact that Carolina won a Cup without a true superstar is also giving teams hope that they can take a leap by just adding a bunch of competent veterans. And I would say the fact that the Penguins are in the Metro gives them a chance to make the playoffs again even if they don't take a step forward. Looks like Washington will be better. But we haven't seen major upgrades from the rest of the division .... yet.
Wiscoken
12:35
What is a realistic ceiling for Kindel?  Is he a very strong second line center who can give you 70'ish point production... an occasional all star... or is it greater than this?
King Jemison
12:38
That's a huge question for the Penguins' rebuild, as he's pretty much the centerpiece of it so far. If he can be a 70+-point player and also provide the type of defense it looks like he will, he could be a 1C next to talented wingers. And I could certainly see him getting to a point-per-game at his peak. I have a hard time envisioning him becoming a superstar. But it's clear that he will maximize his potential, whatever that may be. He's so focused. Sitting next to Crosby in the locker room seems to be having the intended effect.
12:39
I'll turn the microphone around as this chat seems to be slowing down ... what type of stories do y'all like to read? Any ideas for what you'd like to see from PG Penguins coverage next season?
Jim
12:41
Hello Sir, Will Zonnon or Horkoff be given a legit chance to make the team out of camp?
King Jemison
12:44
Hey Jim! All indications point to Horcoff returning to Michigan next year. The Penguins seem to think he needs some more seasoning. If he can fill out his frame, he starts to become a scary winger. Zonnon is a different story. I'd project him to start the year in the AHL, but if he has a Kindel-like preseason and training camp, he could be in the NHL lineup on opening night. The Penguins clearly love him. It's not a bad sign if he starts in the minors, though. He's 19 and only made his pro debut last month.
SDWC
12:44
I see it very difficult to repeat last season’s performance. Stars are another year older, and no new stars to reduce their workload.
King Jemison
12:47
Definitely true. There's still plenty of time to add a new star, but it seems like the prices of those guys might prevent that. If the Penguins largely maintain the status quo — which won't mean they keep a completely identical roster, as it seems highly unlikely Mantha will return, for instance — then their main hope for growth comes from prospects taking the next step. There were some encouraging signs in the Baby Pens' playoff run, but not sure that would be enough to get the Penguins to nearly 100 points again.
Jim
12:47
Do you see the Pens making any noise at the draft or simply picking in their slots?
King Jemison
12:49
They seem to be quite interested in moving up, based on what national draft analysts are saying. A move to the teens to pick someone like defenseman Ryan Lin seems much more likely than a massive package to get to the top 10 for someone like Viggo Bjorck. I'll predict a slight move up the board to get Lin, who would instantly become the first- or second-best blue-line prospect in the system.
Wiscoken
12:49
King, you do a great job, glad the PG has you on hockey.  I'd personally like to see more personal pieces.  Hockey players are such a different breed of athlete.... anything that brings this better to light is always enjoyable and entertaining.
King Jemison
12:52
Thank you, Wiscoken. I'm glad to be on the beat, too — it's been a pretty wild journey over the past few months. And I love writing these types of profiles. When you can get hockey players to be candid, they are often such refreshingly interesting people. This is definitely something I'll try to do!
Wiscoken
12:52
Other ideas... Penguins turn 60 in 2027... you can have tons of fun with that.  60 greatest moments in 60 years.... one article on each moment.
King Jemison
12:52
Haha this one is a bit more ambitious, but I like it! Not sure I'll churn out 60 articles, but it's a good reminder to have the anniversary on my radar. The Penguins have packed a lot into their 60 years — including lots of owners.
12:53
Which, speaking of, I'm pretty surprised to not get a single question about the Hoffmanns or FSG today!
Wiscoken
12:53
... 60 greatest players...
King Jemison
12:54
Another good idea. I'd have to draw on people with a lot more institutional knowledge than me, but it would be a fun project.
Jim
12:54
Welcome Hoffman's, thank you for taking Fenway Group out of Pittsburgh, was never anything more than financial gain for them. Secretly all Bruins fans.
King Jemison
12:57
Not sure about the Bruins part joy. But it does seem to be a lot of "Good riddance" from the fanbase to FSG. I actually think they did a lot of good. Their inability to establish a good relationship with Mario and their lack of visibility in Pittsburgh understandably kept people from seeing that. I did think it was funny that Gary Bettman referenced "distance constraints" when I asked him about the FSG era.
Wiscoken
12:57
... Not to be printed, but 60 greatest players could be really cool... people would eat it up... starting at #60, ending at #1... personal piece on each!  Good luck!
King Jemison
12:58
It would be really cool. So quick, is No. 1 still clearly Mario? Would Sid have a case?
Wiscoken
12:59
Mario save the team multiple times... love Sid, but Mario is solid at #1.
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