If you missed today's presser, it was announced that Dupuis had a blood clot in his lung. In this post, I will get you caught up to speed on what was announced at the press conference, what his teammates had to say about the matter and where the Penguins will ultimately go from here. I wish I wasn't writing on this, but we lets get to it....
Today's Announcement
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It was also revealed today that this was not Duper's first blood clot this year. In January, prior to surgery on his ACL/MCL, Dupuis was diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg. This was likely the reason why surgery was delayed until February at the time. He was placed on blood thinners at the time, and remained on them for six months. The doctors believe that this clot didn't completely disappear and in fact, is the same clot that is now causing the pulmonary embolism.
Dupuis will once again go on blood thinners to remedy the situation. According to Dr. Vyas, the blood thinners will be injected at first and move on to oral pills down the road. Pascal cannot partake in any hockey activities, but he will be able to work out. He will go off the blood thinners in six months.
Duper is taking all the information in stride. He stated in his press conference today, "It’s not a great situation to be in, but that’s the card I’ve been dealt. Hockey is definitely second on my mind right now. My family at home are the most important point in my life right now. Just gotta be healthy for them.” His livelihood and his family should be his first priority and they are. He is a family man and what remains the most important at this time is him getting healthy.
The question on everyone's mind is what does this mean for Pascal Dupuis the hockey player. That is still unknown. It is very possible that Saturday night's game is the last time we see Pascal Dupuis on the ice. Pulmonary embolisms can be painful. They block the airways and can cause cardiac arrests and they can be lethal. If the blood thinners don't work, we may not see Dupuis on the ice again. Only time will tell, but for now, there are no answers to his future.
What His Teammates Had to Say
Captain Sidney Crosby: "He's strong. I'm sure he'll find a way to get through it. As teammates, we're here for him. It's not easy seeing that."
Evgeni Malkin: "It's tough right now. My message to him is spend time with his family. Life is still good. We all support him." [I bet you read that in Geno speak, like I did when I wrote it]
Chris Kunitz: "The locker room stuff is where you really miss him. The guy on the plane and hanging out at dinners. That's the 'friendship' part of what he brings to the team and the leadership."
Kris Letang: "He's always been there for me since the day he got here. Everybody loves him. He's one of our biggest leaders."
My Thoughts
Where Do The Penguins Go From Here?
The question the Pens are now faced with is what do they do in regards to replacing Pascal Dupuis on the roster. They will never be able to replace the impact on the locker room, but they can hope to replace the production on the ice. I personally feel that to accomplish this, the Pens are going to have to make a move from outside the organization. This, however, does not happen overnight. The Pens will need a short term arrangement to fix the lineup, make it more potent.
I think the best solution is to call up Jayson Megna. The kid is playing great hockey in Wilkes-Barre right now. In 15 games, he has 8 goals and 10 points. Good numbers, just as importantly, we know he can play in the NHL. He put up 9 points in 36 games. He deserves the chance. He is playing solid hockey and frankly, he's better than Zach Sill. He is a solid short term solution.
The other in-house solution is Andrew Ebbett. Now, I am not saying play Ebbett wtih Crosby, but slide him in the lineup. Play him on the fourth line with Goc and Adams and let Comeau continue to fill in on the top line. Ebbett is a solid defensive forward who has more scoring acumen than Zach Sill has.
These are the two in-house solutions. However, as I stated earlier, this is not the final answer. The Pens need to look outside the organization.
Outside Trade Options
1. Chris Stewart (Buffalo - RW): Chris Stewart is a solid rental option. He is really struggling so far this season, but hey, so are the rest of the Sabres. He has a goal and assist in 20 games so far, which is not very good. However, his career numbers suggest he is a top six forward and imagine how he would play alongside Chris Kunitz and Sidney Crosby.
Now, what would it take to get him. The Sabres are rebuilding and hoping that Mr. McDavid dawns the #97 for them starting next year. Stewart's contract expires after the season and he is currently a 4.15 million dollar cap hit. With Dupuis on LTIR, the Pens can afford him without moving Paul Martin. So again, what would it take to get him? The Sabres will be sellers at the deadline and many a team will come calling on Stewart. The Pens would likely need to offer a Brian Dumoulin and a pick (maybe even a 1st or 2nd rounder) for Stewart. That's a high price for a rental and I don't know if I do it for him. If he can be gotten for a Dumoulin or Samuelsson, that's great. Otherwise, the price is high.
2. Justin Williams (RW - LA Kings): This man is one of my absolute favorite players and I think he would fit well in the Penguins organization. Williams may be older, 33 years old currently, but he has experience and is phenomenal in the playoffs. His 30 goal seasons are behind him, but he could put up Dupuis numbers playing alongside Crosby and, again, he's phenomenal in the playoffs. Need proof of that, he has three Stanley Cup rings to prove it.
The problem is, he is close to ungettable. However, the Kings need a defenseman to replace Slava Voynov and the Pens impending free agents Paul Martin and Christian Ehrhoff. It could be a straight up deal that would help both sides, but I still don't consider it likely. Kings will get a defenseman, but likely not from Pittsburgh.
3. Brandon Saad (LW - Chicago): Pittsburgh native Brandon Saad should've been drafted by his hometown team in the 2nd round the year he was drafted. Instead, they don't have him and they need him. He put up 47 points last season and in the lockout year, he put up 27 in route to helping the Hawks raise Lord Stanley. He is a good, young winger, something the Pens desperately need.
This may be the only guy as "ungettable" as Justin Williams. But as Lee Corso would say, "NOT SO FAST SWEETHEART!" The Blackhawks will be paying Toews and Kane a ridiculous sum of money starting next season. The Hawks have little capspace and they will have to do a lot of moves to hold on to the Pittsburgh native. It would cost a lot to get Saad, something the Pens may not be willing to pay. However, the Pens should at least ask right?
4. James van Riemsdyk (LW - Toronto): Many discuss Joffrey Lupul becoming a Penguin, but the guy the Pens should pursue is another former Flyer on his team, James van Riemsdyk. JVR is a great fit for the Penguins. He can score goals both on the man advantage and even strength. He plays the PK, he's young (only 25) and has several years left on his contract (3 years, roughly 5 million annually).
He wouldn't come cheap, but he is playing for a Doctor Jekyl and Hyde Maple Leafs team. They may be able to move JVR to the Pens for say Scott Harrington, Brian Dumoulin and draft picks. It's a stretch, but it is another player that it's at least worth kicking the tires on.
5. Evander Kane (LW - Winnipeg): This is maybe the most likely candidate to come here right? Well, maybe. Kane has been rumored with the Pens for several years now. I've heard he wants to come here, he pleads to come here. I don't know if it's true, but if it is then great. He is a former 30 goal scorer that could put up forty with the likes of Malkin or Crosby. He is tough, will fight and can even kill penalties. I do, however, have concerns with him. They say he is a tough locker room guy, and if that's the case, that's no good. They traded Neal because he was reportedly, a "cancer" in the room. Why bring in another guy like that, regardless of talent?
The price will remain high for the likes of Kane. Olli Maatta or Kris Letang reportedly "had" to be in the deal. Obviously, the Pens aren't doing that. Derrick Pouliot is also out. The Pens would likely need to trade several picks, Dumoulin, Harrington, maybe Jarry and perhaps even another prospect. It's the only way they could make it fly and that's if the "Letang/Maatta" inclusion can be avoided.
6. Andrew Ladd (LW - Winnipeg): Like Justin Williams, this guy would be near the top of my list. Ladd is a solid two way forward. He can score, he can play the power play and he can kill penalties. He is 28 years old and has one year left on his deal. He is a 4.4 million dollar cap hit, which would fit into the Pens money range at the moment. My biggest plus with him is his playoff experience. He has won two cups already and could help the Pens in the playoffs with his two-way capabilities.
Unlike Kane, Ladd reportedly "is" available. The Jets realize they will likely be unable to keep him after next season so they want to get some pieces for him. They won't get a Letang or Maatta, but a Harrington or Dumoulin would work. A goalie prospect could even be sent in return too. The Jets need defense and goalies, the Pens have plenty of both in the system.
7. Jordan Eberle (RW - Edmonton): This will be a tough pick, but the guy certainly has talent. He is a bright spot on an otherwise dark hole of a hockey team. He can score. He is young. He is reasonably priced. He has 4 years remaining on his deal at 6 million per. He would certainly be a shiny toy for Malkin to play with.
Eberle will be expensive. They would need to give up a lot to make it happen. He is probably the closest thing to "off-limits" the Oilers have. The Pens would have to blow them out of the water with a deal. I don't think it's likely, but if things get worse in Edmonton we'll see what happens.
8. David Perron (RW - Edmonton): This guy's name has been tossed around on the trade block recently. He has one year left after this year with a four million dollar cap hit. He can score, especially with talent around him. The only concern is his health. He has been prone to injury, but has stayed relatively healthy the last few years. I think he would mesh will with Malkin, which would allow Hornqvist to return to the top line.
Perron is reportedly available and the Pens would have a good chance at him. They would need to give up picks and prospects, but not as much as they would have to for Evander Kane or James van Riemsdyk. I'd place him in the "more likely" pile.
9. Nail Yakupov (RW - Edmonton): This is a tough case to contend with. Yakupov is a former 1st overall pick who has been grossly misused by the Oilers. He is a talented player, but he definitely falls victim to the "Russian Factor." He can get lazy. He can act like he doesn't care, but hey, we already have that with Geno. The thing that intrigues me about him is that he would give Geno a solid winger and the two of them being Russian is a big factor. They could really help each other out, and Malkin could finally make Yakupov the guy that was selected #1 overall. My concern is however, that he may jump ship for the KHL after this season. He is in the last season of his entry level deal, but he could leave for Russia if he absolutely wanted to. That concerns me and it would affect the return the Oilers get.
I had heard a rumor recently that Yakupov could be had for Harrington, Megna and a pick. That seems like a lot for a guy who has been grossly misused and could jump to the KHL at seasons end. However, Yakupov could be a real talent and flourish with Malkin at his center. The pick and Megna are not the worries, it's Harrington that has me concerned. I think Harrington could play a major role on the Pens blue line in the future. I am not quick to trade him for a potential rental. Megna, Dumoulin and a pick, do the deal.