MN needs Soucy to be an expansion draft eligible d-man.

Not sure exactly why, but I just don't like what I've seen of Schmaltz.

He doesn’t play defense, and we don’t like that. As for the Soucy deal, I find him more valuable than McCann especially when considering his addition probably pushes PIT out of the lottery. You’d really have to tale JR to the cleaner for me to be ok with a Soucy deal. Even though Cole had issues with Sullivan, I find him a much more likely guy to be moved unless BG wants to force Seattle to take a forward.

This seems okay actually.

HUGE NO from Pittsburgh. Values are not even in the same ball-park.

I like Schmaltz. He scored 11 goals in the shortened season last year. I fully expect he'd be similar or better this year.

With PLD-Laine/Roslovic showing us the market, I think we're out of the running for Barkov. Schmaltz seems like a good choice in that case.

Explain

PLD/Laine are both RFAs. Barkov will be a UFA. It's not the same market.

Ok, so its always a little harder to set value on forwards to defenceman or vice-versa, but here is my reasoning.

McCann is too valuable to Pittsburgh. He is an example of what the penguins team is... or hopes to be again anyways. In 2016-17 the penguins went back 2 back cups, one of the main reasons that the team prided on was there speed and never quit talent. Since those years the penguins have went the opposite way getting slower with additions of Johnson, Marleau, Gudbranson, Brassard and more. My point being is that McCann's main talent is his shot and speed. So JR and the pens organization love to see speed and youth. That is why they got him and probably their main reason to getting Kappy back too.

Ok now onto the stats charts to break things down even more.

McCann - 7 seasons in the NHL - Had a career high last season 35 pts and he is expected to have a higher point total by this seasons end!!
Soucy - Now don't get me wrong, I think Soucy is a top 6 dman. Has played 1 full NHL season and put up 14 pts.

Summary:

So to sum it all up, I don't ever see Soucy being anything more than a top 6 dman, and potentially an overpaid one. The votes in CF poll when the signing was made show a tie of 22 votes saying that it was good and 22 saying it was bad. So time will tell how that goes.

But, my main point is that he is nothing more than a top 6 dman and McCann is a bubbling top 6 winger. He has seen time with Malkin before and this season he has again.

So yeah thats kinda my thinking towards the situation. Again, this is just my opinion, yours and others can be very different, and thats ok!

Thank you!

Basically:
Pit fans are higher on McCann than Soucy.
MN fans are higher on Soucy than McCann.
In a vacuum as players aren't far apart in value. Like if either team tossed a 3rd into the deal I don't think there would be much complaining from the fanbase getting the 3rd + player for the other player.

MN needs McCann more than PIT needs Soucy. Soucy is a UFA and McCann is a RFA when their contracts end. Their AAV and term is close. The team control of McCann tips the balance to MN having to add something more.