This is going to make the Pronger/Neidermeier move a little easier to swallow for the Poultry, now isn’t it?

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 02/26/09 at 12:16 PM ET

Seem’s like a great fit for both teams.  Pens needed a legit top 6 forward and Ducks needed a defenseman under contract.  Hopefully works out well for all parties.

Posted by Russian Rocket on 02/26/09 at 12:17 PM ET

I’m surprised to see Whitney go - I know he’s looked rough since coming back from injury but this seems off to me.

Posted by HockeyJoe from Upstate New York on 02/26/09 at 12:19 PM ET

I had no idea that the Penguins were so deep on D that they could trade their second best.  Oh ya, they aren’t.  They got decent value back, but next year they will be begging for a puck moving defenceman.

Posted by penaltyshots on 02/26/09 at 12:29 PM ET

I think just in terms of the players involved, Pittsburgh wins this deal by a hair. Tangradi is going to be a top power-forward in the NHL. He’s an animal and has nice hands.

As far as team needs, Pitt is thin on D but they also have no one who can finish on the wing. Kunitz has flaws, but he fills the role that Malone filled last year. He hits and he can score, probably will get 30 beside Sid. For Anaheim, now they can move out one of their other defenders and if Beauchemin walks this is decent for them.

But, like most trades this time of year, I reserve final judgment until March 5th. Maybe Pittsburgh will be bringing in another defender. Or maybe they are selling. Won’t no for sure for another week.

Posted by Andrew Mack on 02/26/09 at 12:34 PM ET

Wow, just… wow.

Since when have the Pens had a logjam at defense?  Last check, the Pens weren’t winning anything without Whitney and Gonchar in the lineup, and defense was a big part of the problem. 

Pens needed a legit top 6 forward

Actually no, they need 3rd and 4th liners worth a crap, like some of the FA’s they let go or that they traded to the Thrashers for Hossa last season.

Crosby, Malkin, Sykora, Satan, Staal or Cooke, Fedotenko, Dupuis… how can the Pens not make 2 lines out of that mess ?

Besides… how is Kuntiz an improvement over *any* of those guys I listed?

No the Pens have guys like Bill Thomas, Jeff Taffe, Chris Minard, Max Talbot, and Eric Godard for their bottom 2 lines.  Talbot alone is a -13… Matt Cooke is a -9.. Staal a -11…

I don’t even know what else to say…  bizarre.  Has anyone seen Mike Milbury lately and are we absolutely certain he isn’t running the Penguins right now?

Posted by Primis on 02/26/09 at 12:36 PM ET

They have Gonchar, Letang, and Goligoski waiting to step in as a puck moving D, who proved he’s ready in the first half of the season, and you can add Lovejoy to the list for next season in case of emergency.

Whitney hasn’t been able to put his defensive skills together with his offensive skills in Pittsburgh, it’s a move that’s been waiting to happen, Letang has outplayed him in all areas this year.

Posted by nrbreitkreuz on 02/26/09 at 12:36 PM ET

Tangradi is going to be a top power-forward in the NHL. He’s an animal and has nice hands.

That hasn’t gone so swimmingly with Jordan Staal so far…

Posted by Primis on 02/26/09 at 12:38 PM ET

Penguins actually have some decent up-and-coming puck moving defensemen in Letang and Goligolski. Of course, Gonchar is their #1, and we hope Letang/Gogo grow into their potential. Whitney has been having an awful year coming off of injury, so I hope a change of scenery will help. Kunitz/Tangradi are no Marian Hossa, but they should be an upgrade over what they’ve got now. Anyone know whether they’ll be in uniform for the Pen’s game on Friday?

Posted by penguinsfan on 02/26/09 at 12:39 PM ET

Letang has outplayed him in all areas

* Letang has 19 Points and is a -6 in 54 games.
* Whitney has 13 Points and is a -15 in 28 games.

I don’t really see where either of them have had a very good year.  Yes Whitney’s +/- is worse in less time, but he’s also had far better per-game point production than Letang—and Letang is a notbale - as well.

If that’s what passes as “outplaying” in PIT, well…

Posted by Primis on 02/26/09 at 12:43 PM ET

How is Kunitz a Top 6 forward….? OK maybe with Crosby he will be but that is not a sure thing. Pens’ D was overrated anyway so this is probably an even deal. I got to believe Pronger or Neidermeyer is going next….

Posted by kevin from boston on 02/26/09 at 12:43 PM ET

Primis, the only top-forwards mentioned in your post are Crosby, Malkin, Sykora, and Kunitz.

Posted by NHLJeff from Pens fan in Chicago, IL on 02/26/09 at 12:44 PM ET

Actually no, they need 3rd and 4th liners worth a crap, like some of the FA’s they let go or that they traded to the Thrashers for Hossa last season.

Agreed, but how can you say they don’t need a top 6 forward? And how can you say Kunitz is not a top 6 forward?  Was that not a role he played in Anaheim?

Posted by Russian Rocket on 02/26/09 at 12:54 PM ET

Primis, the only top-forwards mentioned in your post are Crosby, Malkin, Sykora, and Kunitz.

Well hey, if you guys think Chris Kunitz is going to somehow save the Pens season… good luck to you on that—a lot of luck that will be badly needed.

I realize the Pens are hoping that playing alongside Malkin or Crosby will be the same effect as playing with Perry and Getzlaf but… no, I don’t see it.  My god, if Malkin and Crosby can’t play with guys like Satan, Fedotenko, Dupuis, or Staal and get them to score, how are they going to get Kuntiz to score?

I’m done, I’ve said my piece and stated the facts.  Pens fans will be delirious with the trade because they’d rather blame Whitney for all their trouble than the horrible mismanagement of the entire team…

Talk about giving the Ducks a Get Out of Jail Free card…  Does this mean Bobby Ryan goes up to play with Perry and Getzlaf now?

Posted by Primis on 02/26/09 at 01:04 PM ET

Do you really think that Satan, Fedotenko, and Dupuis are top-6 wingers?  Whether or not we think Kunitz is a legitimate top-6, prior to this trade, Petr Sykora was absolutely the only winger on the team that belonged on one of the top 2 lines.  The guys you mentioned, along with Kennedy, are all players that should be on teams 3rd and 4th lines, but are lucky to be playing on a team with no depth on the wings.

Posted by NHLJeff from Pens fan in Chicago, IL on 02/26/09 at 01:07 PM ET

I’m certainly not saying he is going to save the season, but he isn’t a rental, has shown he can score 20+ a year, and is under 30 years old.  I think most would consider him an upgrade over Satan or Dupuis.  Staal has also said and shown he does not like playing the wing.  No one should be looking at Chris Kunitz as a be all/end all solution to this team’s problems, but he is an upgrade at the wing position.

Posted by Russian Rocket on 02/26/09 at 01:10 PM ET

Not to mention Tangradi is the best power-forward not in the NHL.

Posted by Andrew Mack on 02/26/09 at 01:15 PM ET

Replacing Whitney on this team is easy.
If you want someone who’s better than him in the d-zone, well thats just about anyone on the team. As far as his offensive production goes, Goligoski AS A ROOKIE has put up 6 goals, 14 assists and a +5 in 44 games. Thats pretty comparable to Whitneys 2 goals 13 assists and -16 in 28 games. Well, comparable except for that awful +/- of Whits and the fact that Gogo puts up more goals but less assists.

Posted by Stewart on 02/26/09 at 01:46 PM ET

And this move signals the beginning of the end of the Ducks as a playoff-relevant franchise.

Pittsburgh absolutely fleeced Anaheim in this deal.  Kunitz is a legit 25 goal 60 point guy int he East, and Goligoski’s not appreciably worse than Whitney has been.

Even better, Pittburgh got out from under Whitney’s stupid contract and saddled Anaheim with it.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 02/26/09 at 01:55 PM ET