Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins 10/25-Erik Gudbranson Trade Reaction & Injury Updates

Episode Date: October 25, 2019

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter reacts to the surprising trade of defenseman Erik Gudbranson and what it means going forward for the Penguins. He also looks at some positive injury updates for the Penguins as they're getting healthier. Finally, Hunter goes around the Metropolitan Division to give an update on how the rest of the teams in the Penguins division are doing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello and welcome to a Friday afternoon edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I am, of course, your host, Hunter Hodes. We have a big breaking news, a trade for the Penguins, some injury updates to get into. I know the team does not play until Saturday. I originally thought the game was tonight, but it is on Saturday. But first and foremost, of course, follow the show on Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins. Follow me on Twitter, Hunter Hodes. Keep listening to the show, keep giving me reviews, all that good stuff.

And yeah, so very unexpected. I was actually playing some video games with my friends where I see the Penguins tweeted out that they made a trade. And I was also like, oh, what's this? And it was Eric Good Branson. I had to double check at least five to six times to make sure that it was real. It was.

The Penguins traded defenseman Eric Good Branson to the Anaheim Ducks for a seventh round pick and Andreas Martinson. Martinson, AHS player. I guess I all he counts towards 750,000. against the cap. This season, he's going to report to Wilkespray and they get the cap. But the biggest thing is the penguins, according to Chris Johnson, they did not have to retain any salary on good ransom, which is massive because he makes $4 million per year.

So that frees up $4 million in cap off the books. That also gets them out of having nine defensemen on the roster. That goes down to eight. And with that, the penguins are also getting healthier, which we'll get two in a minute. I think that was one of the bigger reasons why they had to make a trade was because the team is getting healthier with Brian Rust and Nick Fuchs. dad. But, I mean, it's good to be happy about the trade. But also, folks, we can't give Jim Ruther for too much praise because he also went out for some reason and acquired this player. And I think he was better than I think some people gave him credit for. You know, especially coming

over last season, he had a really good strong 20-game sample this season. He started out doing all right and then kind of regressed to the player that he usually was out in Vancouver. Yeah, I mean, it's just he did not fit what the penguin. wins do. He's not a good puck moving defense. I mean, defenseman, he's not really good in his own zone either. It didn't make a lot of sense at the time. And a funny tweet that I saw from Charlie O'Connor, who covers the Flyers for Athletic, but still, basically the Carl Haglin trade is now turned into Andreas Martins and a 7th because Haggling got traded for Tanner Pearson, who got traded for Eric Good Branson, who got traded for Martinson in a 7th round pick. And that's basically

one calendar year. It's basically, I think when Haglin got traded, it was around this time. That last season, yeah, I think it was just about a year like Charlie said. So, yeah, I mean, it's almost like, it's almost like you're being a GM mode in NHL dot 20. Like that's what I kind of like reminds me of. But still, it's just like, I'm just, I'm trying to like, and like, and this is also like a big trend with Jim Rutherford. Like a lot of the players that the Penguins have traded for or acquired or signed, they traded away like a year or so later or even less. Adam Grets had the full list since the 2017-18 off-season. Ryan Reeves traded for him, dealt him.

Antini Emmy. They signed him, waved him at the start of the season. Matt Hunwick, signed, signed him, traded him. Riley Shahan, same thing, classed, I think a season and a half. Jamie Alexiott trade the same trade each time. Derek Brassar. They also dealt him. Derek Grant, he was a free agent, and traded back to the ducks,

Tanner Pearson, and now Eric Good Branson. Excuse me That's just not like a good way to run a team That's just There's way too many trades there And it's just You know Does that show that you're

You know Even though you make a mistake You're doing a good job No It really doesn't You're not Like when you have to make that many trades Get out of bad deals

Or bad signings That really does show that you're not doing a good job I'm sure Of course the PAN base is very happy I think that we've been seeing on Twitter that good bansson not trade and rightfully so he was one of the defensemen that I mean like I said he doesn't really fit

their style play and he's also not that good but you still have the other anchor there in Jack Johnson I think there's a pretty safe bet that he gets dealt by the summer I don't know why you would keep him here but also I wanted to say about the trade it was so it was not

surprising in the slightest of the ducks made this trade I think they yes they literally tried to go out and get Lucas Fisa off waivers and the Winpeg Jets claimed it before they could. That's how funny it was. They literally lost out on the Lucas Visa sleeve stakes. And when I saw that, I'm like, okay, they got to.

They got to go after one of these two guys, right? I mean, come on. And Lucas Buzza, he's actually worse, I think, than Eric Good Branson, which is kind of pretty pathetic, if you ask me. But, yeah, so the Penguins get out of that contract. They get some salary cap space for their injured players. That's really big. they don't have to ice

like my last episode I had you now you don't have now you really don't have to ice Eric Good Branson and Jack Johnson on the ice at the same time like they were against Tampa hopefully Mike Sullivan saw what happened with that maybe talk to Jim Rutherland and was like man I can't

I can't do this anymore and you know maybe that's what happened or maybe that I would like to know how quickly this trade came about if I had to guess probably in like the last few days considering the ducks lost down on Lucas Bezo, but it's not surprising. It's not really surprising that Bob Murray would go after a defense

without your good Branson. A lot of those Western Conference teams like to still be built pretty heavy, I'd say. Apparently, a Pierre LeBron actually just said, he just tweeted now while I'm recording, he said the Ducks have had interest in Good Branson for some time. And also, of course, yeah, Josh Manson is injured. So, yeah, they've been needing a defenseman. That was the one team that I thought that they would acquire Good Branson or Johnson because they were in desperate need of defensive help.

So good on the Penguins to clear that. They actually got a fine return for him even though. I mean, of course, you're not going to expect much. It's a bottom pairing defenseman at most. But yeah, still, I mean, you can be happy a little bit, but still big picture, guys. The GM has not done a good job these past couple of years with signings and trades. and then just dumping these players off after five to six months to a year. I think the Brandon Tanna signing has the potential to be not one of those.

Obviously, he signed for six years, but, I mean, he won't be here. I mean, he'll be here way past a year. He won't trade him. But, yeah, I think that's really all I have to say about that. Hopefully, you know, with the eight defensemen, it's easier to scratch Jack Johnson a little bit. I think, especially when Brian Dumlin comes back, but it looks like he's not going to playing in Dallas. He did not practice today as the Penguins are in Dallas. And so he'll be

missing his third straight game. It's so weird how he like kind of like he was on the ice for warm-ups and then just going late scratch haven't heard from him since. So not really sure what's going on there. But like I said guys, it's a good day to be a Penguins fan today. He got rid of a player who's not that good. Doesn't really fit the system. But still, if you're looking at it, you've got to hope the GM starts to like realize that, hey, I can't keep him. making these mistakes and having to deal them right after and like lose even more assets.

Like you've already lost assets to acquire and now you're going to have to trade him for even more assets. You probably are just going to trade in another train. Like it's weird. Like Jim Rutherford is like I said, he's like being the equivalent of like a B. a GM mode in NHL 20. I like that we've been so accustomed to seeing. But yeah, good big crap and especially for the cap space, it's really, really big that they

made this train. Definitely unexpected, too. I did not expect him to be traded this day, but it was good that the ducks had interest in at least one of the penguins to him on a paired defenseman. And we'll see if potentially Jack Johnson is up next. All right. So for the next segment here, so the injuries, so the penguins are finally getting good injury news. Nick Bukstad and Brian Russ practice fully today. They took contact.

Alex Gowchenyuk also took contact. And, excuse me, still getting over this cold cough, stuff. as I've had this past week. The lines were interesting today, so Russ was on the second line with Bukstad and Hornquist. Sullivan, like I said, it said after practice, have they're game time decisions. But usually I know, like I've said so many times,

usually when Sullivan says they're game time decision, they're going to play. Also, Brian Russ said that his target return date was tomorrow the first time he can come up to LTIR. So that's really big that he will be hopefully making his season debut tomorrow. They're going to need Brian Russ this season. He's such a streaky player, but when he's on, he's on. And it gives the Penguins more depth scoring.

He's fast. He can play any situation. Can he play almost any position on the team. Of course, except don't be a defenseman. But, yeah, he'll be back Nick Bukstad. It'll be good to get him back as well. Helps out the center depth. Now they can roll out Crosby, Bukstad and McCann for the time being, of course, with Teddy Blugher.

has the fourth line center. The lines look like today. Jake Gensel with Cindy Crosby and Dominic Simone. I already said, yeah, Brian was with Bukstad and Hornquist. Lafferty with Sam Laffernie with Aaron McKinn and Dominic Cahoon. And folks, Cohoon is going to have to start producing, or else he could find his way out of Pittsburgh as well. We're definitely out of the lineup.

Especially when Malcon comes back. Gow Chungiuk, according to Sullivan, he's not going to be playing tomorrow, but they wanted to bring him on the road trip to get some practice. time in. He practiced fully today. He practiced on the second prior play. Apparently he was rotating in on the second line at place of Patrick Hornquist during practice. So it's good to get him some work. If I had to guess, I think he will probably play against the Flyers on Tuesday. Gives them time. He'll probably have another couple full practices in a morning skate, get clear for contact. Remember it was that he had a, it was so penguins with that injury. He had a

spider bite that caused his setback. He got bit by a freaking spider. So, yeah, he's missed seven out of ten games. He had already missed seven out of ten games. And then there's Phil Kessel out in Arizona who hasn't missed a game yet this season. All right. I'm sorry for saying that. But you know what? It's true.

But like I said, Cahoon is going to have to make his place on the roster, you know, especially with all these forwards that are very close to coming back. Malkin is probably going to be a couple more weeks. So, I mean, he'll probably play for now. But when Malkin comes back, the Penguins are going to have some tough decisions that forward. Especially with Aston Reese, Sam Lafferby is going to try to – earn an everyday job he's looked really really good um adam johnson is still hurt though he did not practice and of course brian douglin is out i've already talked about in this episode i have

no idea what's wrong with him someone said apparently his wrist was cut during one of the games where he got hurt but i'm not sure but uh yeah this is it's so big that the penguins are finally starting to get healthy they're finally starting to get that four death bag they can roll they can finally roll another line than just the Sidney Crosby line. They can actually put Bukstad with Ross. Like I said, you can put McCann, Lafferty, that

would look like it be a real good line. And then a fourth line of Astin Rees-Bluger and Tannib is a pretty nice fourth line, honestly, if you really think about it. But anyways, you know, great to get Rust back in the lineup tomorrow night against the Stars. You know, this is actually a Star's team

now. I didn't mention this. actually they've won three in a row. They did win their game last night against the Anaheim Ducks, and low and behold, yeah, it was Corey Perry's first game against his former team. It was in Dallas, though. It was not in Anaheim. They'll play another time in Anaheim, so I'm sure Corey Perry will have a raucous standing ovation there,

even though around the league by and from a lot of fans, he's not as well liked. But for the stars, Dennis Goryanov, yeah, he was their score. He had both of their goals last season to win last night, excuse me, to win two-one. Both those goals came in the first period. And for the Ducks, Max Comptus, he had the only goal. For them of the stars who started out 1 and 7 and 1 have woken up a little bit.

They've gotten 6 straight points. They improved a 4 and 7 and 1 on the season, but still, long way to go from them. They really dug themselves a massive hole. And Ben Bishop had a great game last night, 29 saves on 30 shots, 967 save percentage. And the assist on Gariano's goals, Caligliano had one, and then Taylor Fadune also had one, and also Jamie Alexiak did as well. But it looks like Sagan had a good game.

He had five shots on goal. He scores the football percentage was pretty high up that game. Corey Perry looks like he had a good game, too. He didn't score, but he was firing the puck at the net. You know, I'm sure he'll be in the lineup tomorrow night. But still, like I said on the preview episode yesterday, this is a star's team that has a lot of talent. Their top six is very good.

and then of course their defensemen, you know, with, you know, Klingberg and, why am I blanking on his name right now? Heiskin, yeah, why am I blanking on his name? Heiskin is going to be a star in the league very soon. Klingberg, you know, they're just, they have a lot of talent, so the penguins are going to try to break their losing streak of three against the stars tomorrow. I'd expect Ben Bishop to start. It's not, I don't think, do the stars have a back-to-back on Sunday? No, they do not. So I'll expect Ben Bishop to start this game.

In the last game, Anton Huobin started. It did not work out for the stars. He gave up three goals in that game. And the star's next game is not until they play Minnesota on Tuesday. So, yeah, Ben Bishop will definitely get this start. But going back to the injuries, it'll be good to get Rust back. I've said it so many times. You know, he can play either way.

He's just a really clutch player for the Penguins, which is really, really big. He scores in all those big moments. You know, you know, players were calling him Mr. Game 7 and all that because, not Mr. Games, not Mr. Game, set. Mr. Elimination, because every time the Penguins would play an elimination game, he would score. But he's always so streaky, too. I mean, I think last season, I remember that he had, didn't he go, like, the first, like, 30 games, like, with barely scoring? And then he had this stretch of, like, 11 games where he scored, like, nine goals.

And then he went back to not scoring in. So, you know, that's what Brian Rust is a lot of the time. He's just very streaky. He scores a lot of his goals in bunches, then he kind of, like, goes down. I would prefer him at right wing since he's the right shot, but, you know, you can stick him on left wing to it. It works, because, of course, I know Patrick Hornquist plays right wing.

He does he never plays left wing. So it makes sense to put Russ there from now until they get more healthy. But, yeah, it'll be good. And especially, of course, for Bukstad, you know, more center depth, that's always big. And then Galchenyuk will be making his return and looks like on Tuesday.

So good news on the injury fight right now. Of course, Jared McCann, he did not get hurt again, so he didn't re-agravated his injury. They'll also still want Brian Duhlin back soon because I'll hear to see what they do with those eight defensemen. Of course, there'll be Duman-Latang. I think it'll be Petters Chen and Schultz. And then what do you do on that bottom pairing? You know, you put Jack Johnson with John Marino. They really like John Marino.

It looks like he's going to be a staple. He's going to stay on that bottom pairing. Like, when the first time Goodbanson got stretched, I knew right then, I'm like, yeah, he's getting down at some point. Like, the fact that he, they're putting him in this early. He's the way there, then I think at some point you're going to have to maybe put Yusolecala in there over Jack Johnson to see who you have in that guy. And he's barely played at all this past season and a half. So, I mean, you already know what you have in Jack Johnson.

He's not good. So, yeah, so I guess that's the injury report. A lot of really, really good news for the Penguins. All right. So for my last segment, there really isn't too much else to talk about, honestly, because the team is just, you know, they're six and five. I guess I wanted to just to take a stat about what's going around the Metropolitan Division right now.

And boy, is it because the penguins were in first place, of course, just about a few days ago, but the capitals have gotten red hot. They're seven and two and three. They did lose to the Oilers last night. I mean, I don't know if any of you guys saw this, but that moved by Connor McDavid, or I think that was on Nick Jensen. He blew past him, fast and lightning strucking the ground. It was wow

Conrad David, you're a freak of nature, man. It's ridiculous. The Hurricanes have coming. They're still close to the top division at 13 points, but still, they've also lost three in a row. But the hottest team right now in the division of New York Islanders. Started out one in three on the season. They've rebounded to win five in a row. They're tied with Pittsburgh and the Columbus food jackets for 12 points.

So they're playing much better hockey. They're kind of that team that I said going into the season. you really don't know what you're going to get out of them because, of course, they lost Robin Leonard to the Chicago Blackhawks, who's looked pretty decent already this season. But good for the islanders, they've kind of rebounded after that really sluggish start. The Blue Jackets have also rebounded. They've won a couple in a row.

I mean, it also helps the paintings of lost three in a row to be bumped down in the division. But, yeah, it's just a lot of this division is going to be a lot of teams just fighting to get into the playoffs. Most of the division can honestly fight, But further on down, you have the flyers. They're four and three and one. They have nine points. They won a couple of a row. They beat the Blackhawks last night.

And I don't know if you guys saw the Blackhawks' coach's statement after the game. He called out his players pretty bad last night. Basically, it was questioning their work ethic, their play. It was, you know, I think I saw it from Mark Lazarus, who covers the Blackhawks for the Athletic. I'll be curious to see how the Hawks come back from that,

considering it sounded like that he was pretty embarrassed. with the way they played. The Rangers that are off to a slow start, but, I mean, like I said, I don't really think they're going to be making the playoffs this season, folks. They're three and four and one. I know eight game sample. Panera had this sick play the other night.

Oh, it was just, it was so great. He's going to be good there for a very long time. They're about a year away, and then, of course, at the bottom of the division, you have the New Jersey Devils at 2 and 4 and 2. That's going to be a really interesting situation to keep your eye on throughout the season. um alia feeman was putting in his 31 thoughts you know what's going to happen with taylor hall

they moved tom fitzgerald uh i don't know why i just said my name oops but um they moved tom fitzgerald the assistant general manager down to the um the bench to help with john hines and of course i remember john hines's name after the episode yesterday where i couldn't remember his name um um they moved him down there just you know usually when oh when a gm does that they kind of want to see like you know what's going on on the bench like cannot provide a spark like now that one of the front office people was on the bench like is that good for the team and so far they've got a big one two in a row uh they found they got their first couple wins in the season they were started at oh and four and two now they actually started to get a couple wins and they also have the worst

they had the second worst goal differential in the conference of minus 12 that is just how bad the devils have been this season folks it is not been good and of course the big situation Taylor Hall, what's going to happen with him? I really don't think that they're going to trade him. That would be kind of foolish. But, I mean, the only way they're going to trade him is if he says, hey, I don't want to come back. Please get me out.

And then I think Bill Klein and Blanche. I saw Elefator was talking about how the oilers going to be interested in since it's a new regime. And it's like, stop. Just stop. But I just wanted to just give you guys a quick update on the Metro. There's a couple teams that are playing well. but the hurricanes, they had that really strong start. I think it was like 60 and 1 to start the season 6 and 1.

They've lost three in a row, so they've kind of cooled down just a little bit. Penguins are only, so guys, I know they've lost three in a row, but only one point at a second place, two points. I went tomorrow night basically jumps them into second place in the division, though the Washington capitals, of course, they have 17. They're going to win the Metropolitan Division, they always do. But they've also accumulated three of those 17 points or loser points. So, I mean, you know, imagine if they actually lost those three games, they'd be like seven and five right now. Well, I mean, they lost those games in regulation, I should say. Yeah.

Of course, they lost them in overtime or a shootout. They just got the extra point for it. But, yeah, I just wanted up to you guys a little bit on the Metropolitan Division of the Penguins sitting tied for third, but right now they're in fifth because of tie breaks. But they've also played their most games of the other two teams. I've only played nine games with the Blue Jackets that played 10. But, yeah, I hope you guys enjoy this episode a lot. There'll be another episode coming on Monday. We'll dissect the game against the stars,

see if the Penguins pulled off the wind, see what I liked, see what I didn't like, see how some of the performances played out. I imagine Matt Murray will get the start in that game, considering there's no back-to-back, and I'm sure he'll start on Tuesday as well, against the insane Philadelphia Flyers, who are their next opponent.

I believe that game is on NBC Sports Network, if I remember correctly as well. But yeah, follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the show on Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins. And yeah, thank you guys, much for listening.