Long time reader, need help with picks.

[Pengwin7]

Letang.
Worst case, he doesn't regain his form. As your 6th keeper, you just replace him.
Best case, he returns to form and you can compete.
[Note! Their fill-in PP guy this year, Matt Niskanen, is RFA... and if PIT has to let him go, they may be back to Letang on PP1 sooner rather than later]

Injuries (illnesses, etc.) are things we really have to research and think about.
I don't bother with shit like bad knees or shoulders... because that stuff lingers and players just go down the shitter (Heatley).

But a stroke, do some research for yourself.
Brian Mullen had one back in the day.
You need to rest it, repair any problems... make sure you are good to go.

But like a torn ACL or MCL, that shit can get repaired and you can get exactly back to 100%.

So... with Letang, there is the possibility that he can return 100%.
That's worth the risk, IMO.
He's going to have a good summer to get back to form.
The fact that he's actually back on the ice for this season, is a really, really, REALLY good sign, IMO.

Don't play this one safe for limited upside (Kreider, Dubinsky, Holtby, Anderson).
Swing for the fences with the Letang risk.

ps. The Mullen interview/article, FYI:
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014/...-after-stroke/

[2014olympicgold]

Anderson’s stock is lowwwww. He’d be a nice pick up in the draft because if you look at his years he’s great one yr, bad the next, great one yr, bad the next. So he was bad this year, hopefully he’s good the next.

2009-10 (avs)	2.64	0.917
2010-11 (Avs)	3.28	0.897
2010-11 (SENS)	2.05	.939
2011-12 (SENS)	2.84	0.914
2012-13 (SENS)	1.69	.941
213-14 (SENS)	3.06	.909

I know 2009-10 looks bad, but that was some good numbers considering the team in front of him. I would say keep Letang (who’s name carries more weight than Anderson) and maybe redraft Anderson 2^nd round? It’s also a contract year for Anderson. I think he will step up to the plate. BUT you are more likely to draft Anderson again than to draft Letang again.

Keep Letang and draft Anderson

[filawave]

Sorry to re bump this thread, but now that Barry Trotz is the new coach in Washington would you guys considered keeping Holtby over Letang or any other players on my keeper list?

[sasquatch]

Without initially realising it was an old thread my first thought was Letang or Holtby.

If they don't sign Hiller or Miller then I really like Holtby, that being said, his stock is pretty low and you could probably redraft him with your 1st or 2nd round pick...

So I'd probably go with Letang and hope that his health holds up... Strokes are pretty serious business though!

[2014olympicgold]

This whole, “can he regain form” thing is a tad odd to me. He played very well in the playoffs and showed little signs of a medical issue. He was a bit rusty (from time missed) but he didn’t lose any confidence in his game. He was rushing the puck smoothly; he did his ‘head dekes’ to fake people out. Dude was slick. Personally I still draft him because with the 4 picks in the first 2 round you can draft the 2 players (Holtby and Anderson) a lot easier than Letang.

[Dobber]

I thought about Kreider, but you don't have PIM. The only other person I was considering was Sekera, but he's just one year into his rebirth. To me, it's
Anderson
Letang
Sekera
Kreider
Little
Semin

In that order

I would change my list to:
Anderson
Letang
Holtby
Sekera
Kreider
Little
Semin

[DaveKessel]

If I were you, I would take a chance a protect Letang. He could be easily a top 5 d-men even if he miss 15 games. Your goalers aren't stars so you could easily redraft them if not a better choice.

[Pengwin7]

I started reading this thread as if it was new and was thinking... I think I take the risk and keep Letang.
Good thing that's what I said back in April.

Still Letang for me.
Not sold on Holtby being #1 all year.

[Gentle Yeti]

A huge factor in the decision that I don't know has been brought up yet is what goalies will be available for draft, since you have four picks in the first two rounds. Or do you even know yet? If lots of teams are protecting goalies and the draft will be tumbleweeds, I would hold Holtby. If there will be Holtby-or-better options available in the draft, I'd rather draft a goalie or two better than Holtby/Anderson and hold Letang.

[pmorrow]

No clear frontrunner, but to me Letang has the most value. Anderson worries me and Semin is a guy with some trade value but not much actual value.