I think you have very valid points, but if we're not going to rebuild (which I wouldn't have been against) then I'd at least like the last couple years of the core to be fun. The roster as is I think would be even worse than last year and last year was brutal. Just can't deal with another season of that haha. With EK it's tough to say how far we'd go cause there's so many other factors, but we know it would be entertaining. I don't necessarily think we'd be a top contender, but I think Karlsson would drastically alter our D and bring us significantly more offense to the point where we'd have a punchers chance. I think 3rd in the metro could be very realistic. He's about the only player out available that I think could actually give us a shot. For me I think it would be so fun to see Karlsson on the team I'm willing to trade a 1st to make it happen.

Yeah I think you'll have to up the output to SJS a bit, Ty Smith or P.O. need to be added and add up the rumoured max of 3.5 mill. Love the ARZ idea w/Voracek - wonder how much of that deal is insured/is real money out of pocket to ARZ ownership. Can Carter be buried? If so would like to keep Rutta in the eventuality that EK & Letang miss games.

So EK played 82 games this season… but the previous 4 years he played 50,52,56, and 53 games. If we were talking about a guy who was consistently playing 65-75 games and a ppg or more Dman all that time then I’d see the point of making the trade. Instead I see him coming to us, playing maybe 60ish games while Tanger likewise is playing that many games like he normally does. Add in the fact that we aren’t getting 82 out if Sid or Geno again (hopefully 75ish) and I start to wonder why we’d trade a 1st for this? If we had a better free agency haul that what we had then I would be more excited about the possibility of this trade, but I think we wasted so much by keeping Granlund and spending too much on questionable goaltending that we squandered a chance to be that 3rd in the Metro team. Even if EK playing say 65-70 games and the others doing the same, I think that roster is at best a wildcard.

Taking on Voracek's contract to operate on LTIR all season is interesting. With the number of big-dollar players with dodgy injury histories the Pens might get a good amount of cap flexibility for the year. Dubas has navigated that kind of scenario before too.

I think even if we get Erik Karlsson we still need to improve the third line. The third line is absolutely putrid right now. I'm assuming we trad Petry in the EK trade or another one and then we buyout Granlund. That should give us enough money to also upgrade the third line a little. But I would rather take Karlsson playing 60 games over Petry playing 80. To me this is the only option that would get us in the playoff hunt. I'm fine trading a 1st because if were bad at the deadline or miss playoffs we have a ton of asset's to trade away for picks. Guentzel would get us a 1st + A prospect. Rakell probably a 2nd at least. Peterson I honestly think a 1st if he has a similar performance. I hope that doesn't happen, but worst case scenario if we're bad I think we can get the asset's back. I think it's worth a shot with him, it would take our defense from bad to one of the best in the league. The improvement to the power play and the offense he would bring could be a huge difference maker.

Hate to nitpick, but don't forget 2 of those seasons were shortened by Covid. His 56 game season was a 66 game pace, and his 52 game season was a 76 game pace.

We definitely wasted money by keeping Granlund and I don't think EK makes them a top contender - but it at least improves the team. They need to do something haha. Anything can happen once you get in the playoffs. If they can get him for what you gave up - I think they have to do it. I think you're 70 game % is probably accurate - but I'd say there's a good chance they all play 60 plus