As of this writing, Bill Guerin is still unsigned and available on the free-agent market. Guerin, in case you forgot, scored 21 goals in 78 games for the Pens last season, skating mostly alongside Sidney Crosby. The Pens have not yet signed anyone to replace Guerin and may instead opt to give a youngster from Wilkes-Barre a shot on the top line. With all that in mind, should the team consider bringing Guerin back for one more year? Let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons.
Re-Sign Him
Why not? If Guerin can be had for the right price, and by that I mean cheap, what do the Pens have to lose? Let me repeat myself: he scored 21 goals last season, which was third on the team (tied with Jordan Staal). He’s familiar with Crosby and vice versa. He’s a great locker-room presence, and he can still contribute on the power play. Guerin also performed admirably in the playoffs, to the tune of 9 points and a +3 rating in 11 games. His leadership qualities and physical presence can’t be underestimated.
Just Say No
Guerin slowed noticeably after the Olympic break, scoring only 4 goals in the regular season’s final 17 games. He was also a horrid -11 over that stretch. His age is a major concern (he’ll turn 40 Nov. 9), and he battled back problems the second half of the season. Even if you can sign him for a discounted rate, the Pens might be better off saving any cash they have left under the cap for a midseason acquisition. And it isn’t it about time the team gives someone like Eric Tangradi a shot? He might fail (let’s hope not), but the Pens have to test their youngsters at some point.
My Opinion
I like Bill Guerin, and there’s no doubt in my mind he was a vital part of the Pens’ Stanley Cup-winning effort in 2009. Nonetheless, I think his best days are behind him and it would be in the team’s best interests to move on to other options. window.dctile = Number(window.dctile) + 1 || 1; window.dc_ord = Number(window.dc_ord) || Math.floor(Math.random() * 1E10); if (dctile==1) {var vdcopt = 'ist';} else {vdcopt = '';} if (17>dctile) document.write('\n');
Original Story:
http://penslabyrinth.com/2010/08/04/s...
