Ok, here is another one that floors me to be honest, and I'd be curious as your and the others take...I know there is uncertainty within the market currently, and in the near future however... does this guy actually see what both the farm system, and the current roster is consisted of? 'In a couple years'? I thought his MO was NOW? I dunno I guess I've gotta stop listening to his musings....
https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/2084566
I obviously can't respond to your question with anything but a personal guess (and thoughts)........
But I've long been part of that faction that doesn't believe GMJR will be with the team when the teardown begins. I've also been reading some accounts recently (from Josh Yohe, maybe ??) that claim he still loves his job, which sort-of implies he may around longer than I think.
If that's the case, it would tend to support my position that everything he's doing has been with Mario's clear (if unstated publically) support. That means he wouldn't be (or isn't being) held responsible for the fact they'll have (essentially) no strong prospects to speak of in the organization when the teardown starts.
Meanwhile, while his current MO clearly
is NOW, that simply
has to change at some point.......maybe in 2 years. Which leads to the evident reality the team recognizes the incoming light at the end of the tunnel with Geno and Letang's contracts. There'll be
$16.75 million cap dollars available to chase a high profile FA or two once this team's core (more or less) finally reaches full-scale collapse mode.
The comments you mention about chasing FA's would also imply that GMJR realizes the Draft isn't the way for
this team (with so little material in the pipeline) to rebuild. Now, whether or not you think that's a good plan is entirely your decision. In fact, speaking only for myself, I think it's
terribly iffy........that is, unless he's got (or will get) some advance knowledge that specific FA's have an interest in playing for the Pens.
I also don't think Mario wants to try and fill seats three years from now......I still believe that's a major part of the team's dynamics (without anyone acknowleding it publically)......with youngsters at the top of the lineup; that only high profile guys can do it.
Which leads me to a guy like
Nathan MacKinnon (who'd be 28 years old); I think he's the kind of player who'd be right in the team's crosshairs when if/when he becomes a FA after the 22/23 season. Of course, basing a rebuild around NM would require a fair amount of that advanced knowledge I mentioned earlier.
