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Matt Vensel's Penguins chat: 04.23.20
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Matt Vensel
1:07
Good afternoon, Pens fans. Sorry for the delay. I didn't know my dog was planning on trying to set a world record for bathroom breaks on a three-block walk. (He came up just short.) Anyway, fire away.
1:08
Oh, and I hope you guys are all staying safe and sane.
Guest
1:08
Hi Matt,  thanks to you and mike for keeping the good new content coming in these crazy times ?  What is the process for getting access to players during this pause ?
Matt Vensel
1:11
Thank you. Glad you've been enjoying the stories. The access has been pretty good, all things considered. The NHL has been pushing teams to make their players available to ensure that hockey doesn't disappear from the spotlight. I think that's a great idea, and I'm not just saying that because it's my job to talk to hockey players. Anyway, we secure interviews in different ways. Pens PR was really great about getting me in touch with a few Penguins dads for the story that published yesterday about them adjusting to their new day-to-day. For Mike's recent story about parallels between this and the 2012 lockout, he tracked down phone numbers for a few old players and reached out that way. A lot of players are happy to chat.
Ln
1:13
Do you think the pens would have won another cup if they parted with bylsma a few seasons earlier ?  He became too predictable and stubborn
Matt Vensel
1:18
Interesting question. I'm sure there is a non-zero chance that the Penguins would have won a Cup sooner than 2016 had they made the switch sooner. But I think that playoff drought had to do with a lot more than just coaching. The roster lacked a clear direction. Some of those teams lacked the focus and mental toughness required to survive four playoff series. And, let's be honest, GMJR made some excellent moves in his two years on the job. Those were all significant factors, too. And I'll throw this back at you... If the Penguins switched coaches earlier, that creates a butterfly effect that probably means that Mike Sullivan and Jim Rutherford don't wind up in Pittsburgh and maybe miss out on the two recent Cups. Anyway, all this stuff is fun to think about. But I hope fans realize how hard it is to win that freaking thing and appreciate that the Pens got three in a decade.
Guest
1:19
You think the league would really lower the salary cap next year ?  That doesn’t seem fair given these unusual circumstances . That could really do a lot of harm to the league and cause some players to loose jobs
Matt Vensel
1:21
The cap figures are tied to revenues as bargained in the most recent CBA. So them's the rules. But the NHL and the NHLPA are going to have to sit down and negotiate a lot of things to avoid financial calamity for both sides whenever we get out of this. There's no way they're just going to let things be and move forward with the cap ceiling at, say, 80% of what it was this season. The solution won't be perfect and it's going to take sacrifices from both sides.
Rick Hays
1:21
Just like players do with the Steelers, can superstars like Crosby and Malkin rework their contractual arrangements so the Pens can sign needed players to contracts?  That way, they wouldn't be so close to their salary cap.
Matt Vensel
1:25
Rick, they cannot. Besides, I'm not sure how much more they'd be willing to give up. Based on average annual salary, Sidney Crosby ranks 23rd in the league at $8.7 million, per CapFriendly. Evgeni Malkin, at $9.1 million, is 17th. Kris Letang, at $7.3 million, is 18th among all NHL defensemen. These guys have already sacrificed to help the Pens put a good supporting cast around them.
Mo Nongahela
1:26
What do you think is the Pens'  window of opportunity to win another cup with 87 and 71, and maybe 58?  3 years?
Matt Vensel
1:29
I think three years is a realistic expectation. From a performance standpoint, Crosby, Malkin and Letang are still very good players in the league. Crosby was the MVP runner-up last season. Malkin was a top-10 center again this year. And, despite his warts, Letang remains quite good. So, no significant decline from any of them. The worry with these three is injury. Malkin and Letang both missed a chunk of time in each of the last two seasons and Crosby was sidelined three months this season after sports hernia surgery in November. If those three can find a way to stay relatively healthy going forward, the Penguins can be contenders through 2023 for sure.
Guest
1:30
With a possible flat cap , which of the pens pending free agents might be most affected by that ?  I was thinking this could really hurt Schultz
Matt Vensel
1:33
The two players it should affect most are Justin Schultz and Matt Murray. Schultz will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, Murray restricted. A few months ago, after the emergence of John Marino, it looked like this would be it for Schultz here because it wouldn't make sense for the Penguins to pay to keep him around. But Schultz had another down, injury-riddled season and there might not be many dollars available in free agency. So I'm not ruling out Schultz signing a short-term deal with the Penguins in the hopes of raising his value and scoring bigger bucks in the 2021 offseason.
Guest
1:33
Enjoyed your goalie story. Chances that Rutherford re-signs both Murray and Jarry to one or two-year deals in your opinion?
Matt Vensel
1:34
Thank you. In case anyone missed it, here's that story... https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2020/04/13/pittsburgh-pen...
1:36
Anyway, in that deep dive into the goalie situation, I talked to three NHL analysts about Matt Murray's value and the Penguins' options with Murray and Tristan Jarry both set to become restricted free agent this offseason. I don't know that it makes sense for Murray to sign a two-year deal this offseason. But I could see him accepting a one-year deal in the $6 million range and betting on himself next season. I think Tristan will be back on an affordable bridge deal, something similar to the two-year, $5.6 million deal that the Blue Jackets just gave Joonas Korpisalo. Similar seasons for those two.
Mo Nongahela
1:40
If you could add one defenceman to the Pens that is currently playing somewhere in the league, no restriction on salary, who would it be?  It's not always about the highest scorer, is it?
Matt Vensel
1:45
Hmmm. Good question. And I agree that they wouldn't need an offense-first player, not with Kris Letang here and Justin Schultz also capable of quarterbacking a power play. So I'm looking for a blue-liner who can skate, make quick decisions and accurate passes on the breakout and defend his position well. Plus, he'd preferably be a lefty, bumping Jack Johnson to the press box. I was tempted to go with a younger player who'd be here for years to come. But with the Pens in win-now mode, give me a few years of Victor Hedman please.
Guest
1:46
What do you think McCann is worth as a RFA and is/should he be compensated as a third line center or a wing?
Matt Vensel
1:49
I can't say that I've thought too much yet about how much money McCann is worth nor have I searched for any comparables. But I'm guessing he's looking at a shorter-team deal between $2 million and $3 million per season. It's not going to help him that he has gone 22 games without a goal. But I think the Penguins value him and I also think that he is happy here in Pittsburgh. So I'm guessing they will be able to figure something out this offseason with little strife.
Ln
1:49
So how excited are your kids that you are home with them so much !  And good shows you watching ?
Matt Vensel
1:51
We are having a blast, though I just had to run upstairs and tell them to zip it because it's nap time. If you're asking me for kids shows, can't go wrong with Curious George. They are also into Paw Patrol and the Trolls TV show. As for grown-up stuff, my wife and I just finished Schitt's Creek and couldn't recommend that enough. We're trying to get through Shameless. Good show. Just going to take a while. I'm also forced to watch shows about housewives and waitresses on boats. We are all making sacrifices right now.
Wicky
1:51
Who are putting between the pipes for game 1 of the playoffs....Murray or Jarry?
Matt Vensel
1:53
Matt Murray. If he has a rocky first two playoff games, I consider giving Tristan Jarry a chance. A lot has been made about Jarry's stickhandling and obviously that is a nice bonus. But give me Murray's playoff experience, rebound control and one of those alcoholic slushies as I watch Murray through my fingers early on.
1:55
Oh, and I asked that to Brian Boucher, Corey Hirsch and Brian Lawton while interviewing them for the goalie story I referenced earlier. All three said the same. Well, except for the part about the slushies.
Mo Nongahela
1:56
Bryan Rust is an easy player to love.  Reminds me a little of Pascal Dupuis in the way he plays the game, always 100%.  Do you think the scoring touch is here to stay, or might he go back to 15 goals next year?
Matt Vensel
1:59
I agree that there is a lot to like about Bryan Rust. His full value isn't going to show up on the stat sheet. While he's made strides in the offensive end over the past year, particularly with his poise with the puck and his ability to hang onto pucks below the dots, I do expect regression from him next season. His shooting percentage was 10.7 in his first five seasons and it spiked to 17.9% in 2019-20. I bet he'll be right around 20 goals next season. Maybe he'll prove me wrong.
Bwent
2:00
Assuming everyone is healthy (Guentz), what are your lines for the playoffs if they happen this summer?
Matt Vensel
2:01
Mike Sullivan will certainly have options. The toughest questions he'll be asking himself is whom Jake Guentzel skates with, who will be the team's third-line center and who sits up in the press box.
2:03
The defense is pretty straightforward to me.
Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Marino
Johnson-Schultz
2:07
I suppose my forward lines would be...
Guentzel-Crosby-Sheary
Zucker-Malkin-Rust
Marleau-McCann-Hornqvist
ZAR-Blueger-Tanev
2:09
Man, that was hard. I initially wanted to put Guentzel with Geno and Rust because those three were so good before Jake got hurt. But getting Crosby going is paramount. So we'll try Zucker with Geno and see how that goes. If not, maybe you put Zucker down on the third line to really balance the lineup. It was hard to put Nick Bjugstad in the press box but he's a real question mark after missing so much time this season. Evan Rodrigues and Dominik Simon provide nice depth and Sam Lafferty and Anthony Angello finish the season with the AHL club. OK, go ahead and tell me where I screwed up.
2:10
OK, we're going to go rapid-fire here to finish out the chat.
Ram
2:10
If you’re watching a pens game at home, what are your snacks and drinks of choice?  Give me a big Mountain Dew, a chocolate milkshake and anything fried!
Matt Vensel
2:11
If I'm watching a game at home, I'm still in work mode. So I might have an IPA and munch on chips or something. Nothing too crazy.
Guest
2:11
Matt, I’ve challenged my beer league hockey buddies to a creepy Auston Matthews mustache challenge... how are you passing the time these days? ;)
Matt Vensel
2:11
Chasing toddlers, hanging out in the backyard and I just started a franchise on NHL 20. Oh, and we bought an exercise bike for the basement. Got to keep my legs ready for when I start skating again.
Mighty ‘Guin
2:12
Do you know if most players have access to ice right now, or is their work almost entirely on dry land.  If the latter, do you think this lengthens the training time once the teams come together?
Matt Vensel
2:13
Players don't have access right now, barring a few exceptions around the league. They can't use team facilities and all the public rinks are closed. So it's going to take time for them to get into game shape, though they will all be on a level playing field. Gary Bettman said yesterday that he hopes, when the NHL gets the green light, to give players time to skate before a three-week training camp. We'll see.
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