Latest news with #Dubas
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Marywood helps Garden of Cedar grow new features in Scranton
SCRANTON — Frank Dubas' invitation to Marywood University for its students to help design features at his nonprofit Garden of Cedar community lot in South Side came with a condition. 'I said you can do what you want, but I just have one challenge. The challenge is to design things that have form and function, because we are a garden, and that offer some sort of reverence or respect to the neighborhood that we're in. I think they've accomplished that,' Dubas said Thursday during a ribbon-cutting event unveiling the new features. The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic wall planter system (shown in photo), and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) Those features at the garden at 715 Cedar Ave. include native plants, vertical planters, bee nesting 'hotels,' and a hydroponic wall planting system and sculpture that pay homage to the city's history as a cradle of the industrial revolution. The collaboration broadly engaged hundreds of students over a few years, including in competitions and across several majors — architecture, interior architecture, business, graphic design, environmental science and math, said Michelle Pannone, associate professor of interior architecture. 'These projects don't just happen, they really do take a village,' Pannone said. 'They take the creativity, the passion of the students, the support and mentorship of the faculty, the various departments on campus and collaborators that supported us along the way — and of course the trust and vision of a client that believes in the next generation of students.' The largest new feature is a T-rail sculpture that represents a key part of the city's history dating to the mid-19th century, when the historic Scranton Iron Furnaces helped forge the industrial revolution. Still standing from a bygone era, the furnaces at 159 Cedar Ave. originally were operated by the Lackawanna Iron and Coal Co. between 1840 and 1902. It was the site of the first mass production in the United States of iron T-rails for railroads. Dubas explained how the sculpture represents the four main rails that were produced at the Iron Furnaces. The large, permanent artwork also has a grid representing a map of the South Side Iron District neighborhood, perforations representing rail lines that run through Scranton, wavy lines for the Lackawanna River and Roaring Brook, and a compass pointing to the Iron Furnaces, the Garden of Cedar and the railyard roundhouse at what is now the Steamtown National Historic Site. The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a T-rail sculpture homage to the city's iron furnace history of manufacturing rails for railroads (shown in photo behind a planting bed), native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a 'living T-rail' sculpture (shown in photo, an homage to the city's historic Iron Furnaces that made rails for railroads during the Industrial Revolution), native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) 'They really, really did a remarkable job,' Dubas said of the sculpture. With the garden having planters also representing the arches of the Iron Furnaces, Dubas said, 'There's a lot of representation, there's a lot of history here.' Iain Kerrigan, a 2023 Marywood graduate in architecture, and who was born in Scranton, lives in Old Forge and works in Wilkes-Barre, said he is very grateful to have been involved in the design of the sculpture. The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Recent graduate Iain Kerrigan, at left, speaks during the event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) 'It's great to have a positive impact on my local community,' Kerrigan said. 'It was a great opportunity for professional development while I was a student studying, which helped me in my career.' Sara Melick, a Marywood instructor of environmental science, said the collaboration between the university and the garden gave students the opportunity to go beyond the classroom and 'really to connect their education with real-world impact.' The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters (shown in photo), a hydroponic wall planter system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) Dubas founded the Garden of Cedar in 2018, began construction of it in 2022 and opened it in 2023. The garden features winding, raised planting beds and a planting wall that local residents can use to grow their own vegetables and plants. Dubas also has used the garden for various holiday displays, including having set out for past Valentine's Days a sea of thousands of large red hearts inscribed with individualized personal messages. The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Photo shows Yamileth Palafox, 1, of South Scranton, whose family uses the community garden to grow vegetables and attended the event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) Marywood's former president, Sister Mary Persico, I.H.M., recalled how Dubas had spoken of seeing a vacant lot at 715 Cedar Ave. and dreaming of putting 'something beautiful and wonderful' for the community there. 'You have to understand that things don't happen in life unless somebody has a dream to make them happen,' Persico said. 'And so, if he didn't have that dream when he walked by this lot, this would not be here today.' * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas, at left, leaning on a bee hotel podium next to a T-Rail Sculpture, and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic wall planter system (shown in photo), and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas, at right, and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic wall planter system (shown in photo) and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters (shown in photo), a hydroponic wall planter system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 16, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Recent graduate Iain Kerrigan, at left, speaks during the event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Photo shows Yamileth Palafox, 1, of South Scranton, whose family uses the community garden to grow vegetables and attended the event. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas, at left, and Marywood students and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a 'living T-rail' sculpture (shown in photo, an homage to the city's historic Iron Furnaces that made rails for railroads during the Industrial Revolution), native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a T-rail sculpture homage to the city's iron furnace history of manufacturing rails for railroads (shown in photo behind a planting bed), native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) Show Caption 1 of 13 The nonprofit Garden of Cedar in South Scranton collaborated with Marywood University to bring a sculpture, native plants, vertical planters, a hydroponic system and bee hotels to the community lot at 715 Cedar Ave. Garden founder Frank Dubas, at left, leaning on a bee hotel podium next to a T-Rail Sculpture, and Marywood students, recent graduates and professors held a ribbon-cutting unveiling event at the site on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) Expand
New York Times
15-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What I'm hearing about the Penguins' coaching search, offseason plans
STOCKHOLM — Kyle Dubas is a busy man these days. The Pittsburgh Penguins president and general manager is also Canada's GM at the ongoing World Championship in Sweden. Dubas is pulling double duty, guiding Canada in the tournament while conducting Penguins coaching interviews from Stockholm. I sense that the Penguins probably won't have a new coach until late this month for two reasons: the logistics of Dubas being in Sweden, and Dubas not entering the process with one coach in mind. He wants to take his time getting to know candidates before he makes up his mind. Advertisement One candidate to watch is Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love. Penguins team sources have told me that Love, who was a very successful junior and AHL coach, was impressive during his interview. He seems to be on the short list of favorites for the job. Love was a tough player in his minor-league playing days, and Dubas has concerns about the Penguins' lack of size and toughness. Drew Bannister, the former coach of the St. Louis Blues, is another coach who has drawn interest from the Penguins. Rick Tocchet is one of the few people with mutual affection for the Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers. He was named the Flyers' new coach on Wednesday, which did not come as a surprise. Tocchet knew all along during this offseason that the Flyers opening was his if he wanted it. That doesn't mean Tocchet didn't consider the Penguins job, but the timing and circumstances didn't work out. Dubas and Tocchet have mutual respect, but nothing more than a casual conversation took place between the two. Tocchet's concern about the job echoed Mike Sullivan's departure. Tocchet wants to win, and he wants to win now. You can argue about how close the Flyers are to winning, of course. But the Flyers are further along in their rebuild than the Penguins are. Tocchet didn't want to find himself in a situation where struggling in the first couple of seasons was OK because the franchise is building. He wants to win now and wasn't certain that the Penguins are ready for that. Dubas considers getting the Penguins back to championship contention to be urgent. However, it's clear Dubas thinks the proper plan is to build through the draft and by acquiring young players. While those might be the recipes for long-term success, they require time. That just wasn't the job Tocchet was looking for. So, he made up his mind. Advertisement Other teams were interested in Tocchet, including the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken. The Kraken, in fact, were hot after Tocchet, and it made some sense. Seattle's president is Ron Francis, one of Tocchet's teammates during the Penguins' 1992 Stanley Cup run. Tocchet's son lives in the Seattle area, too, and Tocchet had already familiarized himself with the Pacific Northwest, having spent parts of the past three seasons as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. Tocchet, however, is a former Flyers captain and retains a soft spot for Philadelphia. He is close friends with Keith Jones, the Flyers' president. And mny people, including Canucks president Jim Rutherford, have stated that Tocchet prefers to coach in the Eastern Conference. I think Tocchet was sincere about talking with other teams and gauging his situation. In the back of his mind, though, I think the Flyers were always the favorite. Speaking of teams in the Metropolitan Division, the Penguins will be waiting to hear from the New York Rangers at some point in the next six weeks regarding the 12th selection in the NHL Draft. The Rangers have the right to retain that pick. Doing so would mean the Penguins would instead receive the Rangers' first-round pick in the loaded 2026 NHL Draft. No one I've spoken to in the Penguins organization has even an inkling of what the Rangers will do. The Penguins essentially have two different plans, depending on what New York president and GM Chris Drury decides. Drury has until 48 hours before the June 27 draft to let the Penguins know. The Penguins' draft strategy obviously will change depending on New York's decision. Some have suggested that, if they have picks 11 and 12, the Penguins could make a splash by trading up. Anything is possible. This draft is pretty top-heavy. However, it's unlikely that Dubas would pair those two picks to move up into the top five. Possible, sure. Unlikely, yes. Advertisement Dubas would be more likely to keep both picks and add two blue-chip prospects to the Penguins' system. If indeed he did trade one of those picks, it would more than likely be for a very good, young player already in the NHL. The problem is that those players aren't often available. It remains most likely that Dubas simply would hold onto both picks if the Rangers indeed give the Penguins the 12th choice. Much like moving way up the draft, some people have suggested the Penguins will use offer sheets to their advantage this summer. Dubas has acknowledged it's a possibility. Yes, it's conceivable, but it's not likely. Giving a player an offer sheet comes at a price, and I don't know that the Penguins deem anyone out there to be worth the price it would take. Sidney Crosby was totally polite, as usual, when I asked him about having a role in the current coaching search. But there was an edge to his tone. He doesn't seem to love that people think he would flex his muscles to bring in a specific coach. Crosby is not a diva and doesn't like people thinking he is. More than anything, I sense Crosby is getting very tired of losing. He wants things to turn around for the Penguins, and sooner rather than later. (Photo of Mitch Love: Jess Rapfogel / NHLI via Getty Images)
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kingerski: Dubas Mistakes Cost Crosby; Time Running Out
Sidney Crosby is too diplomatic or loyal to think it, much less say it. As the second season of general manager Kyle Dubas closes Thursday when the Penguins slide through Game 82 against the Washington Capitals in a game that will feature at least one all-time great who broke a long-standing Wayne Gretzky record, so too will the initial promises and goals set forth at the beginning of Dubas's tenure officially end in failure. Advertisement The Penguins have turned the page toward the future, at least higher up. Coach Mike Sullivan rebuffed this writer last week when asked if the emergence of rookies Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen added optimism to the current situation. Sullivan dismissively said, 'No, that's for you guys. You guys love to talk about that stuff.' The coach sang a slightly different tune on Wednesday. At least this time, Sullivan admitted that he is involved in the conversations about the future direction. 'We've certainly had discussions about where we're at and strategizing on where we want to go and how to get there. There are different ways to do that, and some teams want to strip the team right down to the studs; that's one strategy. There are others that have reshaped their teams on the fly. Washington is an example of that,' said Sullivan on Wednesday. There are a number of those examples. I know Kyle's done a deep dive on all of those different examples, and then (we're) looking at our team and trying to strategize as a group on what makes the most sense for this organization, where we're at right now and how to return this group to a Stanley Cup contender and competitive organization.' But the focus is now on Dubas. Mistakes and Misses The decisions not only on direction but also the personnel to fill those spots rest on him. Two years ago, Dubas sought to build a competitive team around the Penguins' core without compromising their future. That motivation was the impetus for acquiring Erik Karlsson, giving Ryan Graves a six-year deal, and signing Tristan Jarry to a five-year contract. Advertisement While it seems Jarry might rebound, the first two years of his deal were not adequate. Graves has been a square peg. Karlsson has defended with disinterest, and his 38 even-strength points this season are offset by a minus-27 rating, the worst of his career. The defense was less than adequate last season, and Dubas's solution was Matt Grzelcyk. Later, he added P.O Joseph, whose contributions were cut short by injury. Joseph would be a fine third-pair defenseman, but necessity has pressed him into much greater service. The reclamation projects added this season have yielded tepid results. Philip Tomasino is a one-dimensional player trying to add layers to his game, but asking a player to remodel his game has gone about as well as it sounds. Tomasino has just 21 points (10-11-21) in 49 games, and 38% of his points have been on the power play. Other additions denote a team not trying to win. Conor Timmins has been tough around the net but inconsistent elsewhere, while Matt Grzelcyk has been OK, and Kevin Hayes has been below average. Advertisement Dubas raked in a second and third-round pick for Hayes, but the Penguins have another year of Hayes and his $3.5 million salary cap hit. Setting the Scene Last season, the Penguins were a little bit of help away from being a competitive team. That help never arrived. This season, the Penguins needed help at the beginning, as the situation was clearly teetering on the edge of a hard and fast decline. The mix was obviously wrong from the beginning, but the only move was for Tomasino. Crosby and his linemates played with heart and carried the team. Without Crosby, the Penguins could very well be a bottom-three team. Yet, toward the end of December, they made a playoff push before the problems became too great. Advertisement January and February were abysmal. Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor fetched a nice haul via trade with Vancouver, but lineup replacements or help in other areas were not found. The decline hastened. The Penguins drafted 14th overall in 2023. They would have drafted 14th overall in 2024 had they not traded their first-rounder for Karlsson. And in 2025, they'll finish between 7th and 9th worst. The high pick is despite another unbelievable season by Crosby. If history is any indication, he'll get at least a point Thursday night in the season finale to finish with his third-straight 90-point season. He broke Gretzky's record of consecutive point-per-game seasons (19) and has earned his fourth straight season with at least 30 goals. Advertisement Crosby has held up his end of the bargain. For that matter, so has Evgeni Malkin. While he's obviously in decline, 50 points in 67 games is a fine output for a $6.1 million second-line center. Dubas has necessarily changed his tune from retooling on the fly to revamping. Quite frankly, it's a rebuild while holding onto three or four players. Crosby, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell had spectacular seasons. The latter two had career years in goal scoring and points. But no one else did. Until the recent rookie callups, Malkin was playing with a hodgepodge of wingers more suited for AHL or fourth-line duty. What could another scoring winger have done for the team? Dubas painted himself into a corner with his early misses. There's been no coming back from it. The rebuild at this time is not because Crosby is 37, but the direct result of those big plays that didn't pan out. So, his efforts quickly shifted from trying to win to a managed decline, although he never admitted to the latter. Advertisement However, Dubas has a lot to prove. The 'mode of being impatient' that Fenway Sports Group principal Tom Werner termed the ownership's expectations means that Dubas must turn the team around quickly. However, after McGroarty and Koivunen, there isn't yet much on the way. Owen Pickering will be a nice defenseman next season. Tristan Broz may break through next season or by mid-season, but otherwise, acquisitions of Tommy Novak, Timmins, Dewar, and a cavalcade of draft picks are what the Penguins have to show for their efforts. The draft picks Dubas stockpiled are second and third-round picks, which generally carry about a 9% chance of finding an impact player. That number shrinks dramatically if you're looking for a top-six center or top-four defenseman. Dubas missed his first chance to support one last run for Crosby. If there's any hope to give Crosby another chance at the playoffs before he hangs up his skates and the hockey world is infinitely poorer for it, Dubas must come through this offseason. Advertisement He doesn't have time to punt or wait. He must aggressively work to turn the corner now if Crosby is to take part. Crosby signed a two-year extension that kicks in for next season, but after that, there is no guarantee to see No. 87 on the ice. This will be summer No. 3 for Dubas, and if the conversation hasn't turned by next summer, he, too, will be working against time, just like Crosby. The offseason begins tomorrow. Start the clock. The post Kingerski: Dubas Mistakes Cost Crosby; Time Running Out appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Penguins Trade Talk; New Potential Target, More Center Options
Centers and defensemen. If Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas were to make a shopping list and head to the local player distribution center, those would be the primary trade targets on his list. The Penguins need centers and defensemen for all levels of the organization. If there was a weakness on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, it was that natural wingers filled the middle, somewhat limiting the team's offense when games tightened later in the season. Advertisement Fortunately for the Penguins, another young player is falling out of favor with his team that Dubas could (should?) swoop in to claim. Reports out of Minnesota, including by The Athletic's Michael Russo, say that Minnesota GM Bill Guerin is likely to trade Marco Rossi. A Rossi trade fits the Penguins very well. The Penguins already have a foundation for a competitive top-six attack in place with Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Ville Koivunen, and Rutger McGroarty. However, Malkin is likely to retire after next season, meaning the Penguins will have a Russia-sized hole in the middle of their lineup. Advertisement Dubas has all but shut down the idea of signing free agents to long-term deals, and acquiring more salary dumps would seem to hinder the progress of some young players on their way up. So, trades for younger players who can help in the immediate and stick around for more than a handful of years is the goal. Read More: 5 Penguins RFA Targets & Projected Contracts In his year-end press conference, Dubas admitted that trades for restricted free agents, rather than trying to offer-sheet them away, was the more likely path forward. Bear in mind, signing RFAs for more than $5 million would cost the Penguins at least a first and third-round pick, so that's absolutely out of the question as the team faces a season that could put them near the bottom of the league, which also means near the top of the 2026 NHL Draft lottery with a double-digit chance to select phenom Gavin McKenna. Advertisement (The NHL has not yet released the 2025 compensation levels, but around $5 million will be the line between giving up a second-rounder and parting with a first and third.) For example, for every fan who has responded that Bo Byram is a great offer sheet target, AFP Analytics estimates his next contract to carry a $7.7 million cap hit. Any GM who would trade a high first-round pick and a third-rounder for Byram should immediately be shown the door and fired for cause. But a trade for a player like Rossi? That makes much more sense in the swirling world of uncertainty that has become the Penguins' offseason. Preliminary Penguins RFA Trade Targets, Forwards Marco Rossi The Minnesota Wild have seemed unsure about Rossi's long-term future with the team for a couple of seasons. Guerin took him off the NHL trade block this season, but it seems Guerin is now moving toward a trade. Advertisement Rossi is just 23 years old, and this season, he had 60 points in 82 games. Yet, he was shuffled down the lineup late in the season and was the team's fourth-line center in their Round One loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Rossi was the Wild's 2020 first-round pick, selected ninth overall. The drawback is that he is only 5-foot-9, 173 pounds. 'He did everything they asked him to do (last) offseason to become the player they wanted him to become,' Russo told the SOTA podcast. 'If the Wild organization is thinking that he's not someone who they're eventually going to pay seven, eight, or $9 million, now is probably the good time to move him for somebody they think is bigger, faster, more dynamic.' Advertisement Minnesota has been close to taking the next step, but it has limited options to remake its roster. Rossi is the likely trade bait, and despite his size, he seems to fit the Penguins' style, at least as it was under former coach Mike Sullivan. He's got a high hockey IQ, on which Dubas seems to place importance, a good first step, and he knows how to play down low–the Penguins' style of offense. In terms of the trade cost, the Penguins don't have a better player to deal away than Rossi, and certainly not one that's bigger, faster, or more dynamic. However, if any team has that–they're not giving it up, either. Rossi is a quite plausible Penguins trade target, but it would cost the Penguins a healthy return, perhaps the Rangers' first-round pick with a 2026 lottery protection, or one of their top-line veteran wingers. Advertisement Of course, Minnesota wants to get faster and more dynamic. Perhaps Dubas could interest them in a defenseman? Buffalo Options Once again, the Buffalo Sabres are the team that has the candy Dubas craves. RFA Defensemen. Check. RFA centers, both established options and prospects on the way up? Check. A GM who seemingly buckles after passing up offers. Check that box, too. Buffalo has young players ready to ascend, and young players on the roster. Pending the players' contract asks and the internal scouting, one or two could be on their way out. Center Ryan McLeod, 25, is due a nice raise from his $2.1 million salary. The tall, skinny center (6-foot-3, 188 pounds) had something of a breakout season for Buffalo, posting 53 points (20-33-53) in 82 games after just 30 with Edmonton the season before. Is he Edmonton's fading prospect or Buffalo's diamond in the rough? J.J. Peterka, 23, also padded his offensive totals, though with some irresponsible play. He posted 68 points, 18 more than last season, but also had 60 more turnovers (87) than the year before. That's an astounding increase. Center Jiri Kulich is only 21 and made his NHL debut this season. Late in the year, he played high in the lineup, centering Buffalo's top line. Kulich posted 24 points (15-9-24) in 62 games. Advertisement Konsta Helenius could debut at some point next season. With Tage Thompson leading the roster, this is a prime opportunity for Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams to deal a surplus for badly needed pieces elsewhere in the lineup. The question is, who? Mavrik Bourque He's made every one of our lists so far, and will continue to be on our lists. The forward plays the game the right way, but hasn't found his niche with the Dallas Stars. There's little question he's an NHL player, either in the middle or the right wing, but perhaps the Penguins can help Dallas repeat or get closer to the Cup (pending how this playoff run ends). Bourque has been scratched in the playoffs, further casting doubt on his role with the team. This season was his first full NHL campaign, and he had only 25 points (11-14-25) in 73 games, but nine of Bourque's goals came after Jan. 9. Advertisement Coach Pete DeBoer shuffled him around the lineup, but maybe the former AHL star needs a different situation. Dallas has only $5.33 million for next season, with pending UFAs Jamie Benn, Mikael Granlund, and Matt Duchene to re-sign. Bourque could be the perfect low-cost acquisition with high upside. If Dallas doesn't trade him, they might lose him for a second, or only a third-round pick, as another team with available opportunities submits an offer sheet. It would seem the Penguins have plenty of draft picks to get this one done. The post Penguins Trade Talk; New Potential Target, More Center Options appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kingerski: What a Perfect Penguins Offseason Would Look Like
Between now and then, between the decompression of another disappointing Pittsburgh Penguins season that forced early travel plans instead of team charters for Round One and the dog days of August, when even general managers take a day off, the Penguins organization will undergo a wrecking ball's worth of changes. Exactly how much change Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas can effect and who will be involved is still somewhat of a mystery, perhaps even to those on the inside. After all, every trade needs a partner, and every step forward must be in keeping with the plan to return the Penguins to contender status. Advertisement Dubas has already decided there will be a new voice behind the bench, but that was just the beginning of the offseason reformation. Perhaps it's fool's gold to think the great change can be done in a couple of years so that Sidney Crosby can be a part of the turnaround. It might be sillier still to imagine the playoffs coming back to Pittsburgh within the next three years. After all, Ottawa and Detroit suffered similar droughts, and Detroit's playoff absence is ongoing. Chicago is also in the midst of it` desert wandering after three Stanley Cups in five years from 2010-2015 and the eventual dissolution of its championship core over the past few years that included Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, both of whom are several years younger than the Penguins' core, including Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins' age at the top of their lineup should serve as a reminder of just how close the hockey world is to a few goodbyes. Advertisement There is some belief among reporters that Dubas and former coach Mike Sullivan differed on the timeline of a team revamp, with Dubas projecting several years and Sullivan believing it could be done quickly (Dubas deferred to Sullivan to discuss his termination, and Sullivan steadfastly refused to answer any questions about it, so we may never truly know). However, the move was an important first step, taking the team into the next era. 'I think what I've learned in two years is that there's a reason why it is essentially impossible and has not been done where a coach has led a team to winning and through a transition and all the way back,' Dubas said on April 28. As the Fenway Sports Group ownership has expressed that they are in 'the mode of being impatient,' Dubas needs a summer with forward momentum. No longer will nibbling at the edges suffice. Advertisement So, it's go time. Perfect Penguins Offseason Perfection does not exist, especially when the cooperation of others is required. So, Dubas is very unlikely to achieve his ideal goals, but there are some big boxes to check as quickly as possible. To check several would indeed constitute a best-case scenario. Defense, HELP! First, Dubas must chart the future of his defense corps. It would seem he is beginning that task near rock bottom, so anything he does in that regard will be an improvement. Probably. Good defense units have not been hallmarks of Dubas' teams throughout his career. The organization currently has three NHL defenders 25 and under, starting with Owen Pickering. Harrison Brunicke and P.O Joseph are the other two. The team's 2024-25 blue line was short on defending but made up for it by being long on turnovers and mistakes, so there should be plenty of room to add. Advertisement In addition to Pickering, Dubas would do well to acquire at least one more top-four left-side defenseman who is 25 and under with talent worthy of keeping around for the next 10 years. High-End Center The second item on any wishlist would be a center with top-of-the-lineup potential. Evgeni Malkin has one more year remaining, though age is catching up with him quickly. The 11th overall pick in the 2025 Draft might be the place Dubas can find his future treasure, but the GM shouldn't stop at just one top-six pivot, especially because it might be a year or three before a draft pick is ready. If other opportunities are available via trade, immediate help would be welcome. The Buffalo Sabres' trove of young centers, as well as the Anaheim Ducks' cadre, are good starting points. Advertisement Read More: Penguins Trade Talk; New Potential Target, More Center Options Planting the seed for a first or second-line center now would be a big win. Brady Martin or Roger McQueen in the draft or a pivot such as J.J. Peterka or Ryan McLeod from Buffalo would scratch that itch. TRADE! The ability to untether from Erik Karlsson without sacrificing assets would be a win for both Karlsson and Dubas. Trading other veterans, such as Noel Acciari and Kevin Hayes, to free space for the newbies would be a solid proposition, too. Trading Ryan Graves would also help the team and player, but we're talking about the perfect offseason, not fantasyland. 2 More Youngsters Lastly, a couple more under-25 types to replace or eventually replace what the Penguins will lose over the next few years, players like Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, would be the final stroke. Advertisement Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen figure to be locks for the 2025-26 lineup, as does Pickering. Tristan Broz could crack the lineup in the fall or by mid-season, and goalie Sergei Murashov has a fighting chance to be here by January. However, the group still doesn't resemble a championship core. Those are very good complements and perhaps some foundational pieces, but the cornerstones are not yet in place. A perfect offseason for Dubas would be to find one of those cornerstones, adding left side defensive help that is both for the now and the future, a very good center capable of carrying the lineup, divesting of some veterans, and adding more youth that is eventually (or immediately) capable of carrying the heavy responsibilities that the veterans seem to effortlessly wear. Easy, right? The post Kingerski: What a Perfect Penguins Offseason Would Look Like appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now.
