Salary Cap: Pens Salary Cap Thread: Dr Strangedubas "Tankination" is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face."

[molon labe]

I'd rather move Letang also, but (a) THE CORE and (b) I'd guess Karlsson would be a lot more marketable. I don't see Toronto having the cap space for him and I'd guess he wouldn't approve a trade to Calgary - we at least know he'd go to Ottawa. But hey, maybe Montreal wants to bring Kris home to end his career. That would be fine.

Where did you hear he wouldn't approve to Calgary?

Toronto also has like 20M of space this Summer. Additionally - I would want to work something bigger with them with salary coming back - like the last year of Marner. Not that they'd readily do that but they could use a righty on the blueline that can score.

 

[Zbynek]

Where are the firings?

 

[chethejet]

I think Dubas moves on a couple issues this year. smith has to go for a pick. Sid extension. Sullivan changes are made for the staff as to PP and defensive play. Get a different set of eyes on the defense. Sullivan has to know missing the playoffs 2 years in a row with no wins in the playoffs for the last 7 years is unacceptable. Once that is addressed, then personal changes to get bigger younger and faster is now the priority. I do think Dubas will have more contractual control to move players after next year. Rust, Karlsson moved after next year. Jarry is a Dubas signing and probably back. Graves can play better and will need to. Malkin picked up his game but he is sliding now and has maybe one more year.
DOC Sid Rust
Bunting Geno Rakell
? Eller Puustinen?
Gruden Poulin Acciari.

Players like Ponomarev can compete for roster spots and but can't have a small third line that lacks a physical presence.

 

[Andy99]

Why hasnt Sullivan been fired yet?

 

[Zbynek]

Rakell has a much higher chance of a bounceback than Smith. I wanted Reilly Smith to work out in Pittsburgh but he's just not a fit. Ship him and as much of his salary off as possible and find a new LW for Cros.

Bunting-Geno-Rakell is a solid L2 provided Bunting continues to play at that level.

 

[molon labe]

Today is as good of a day as any other for him to be canned.

A) Is Dubas seriously waiting until Keefe becomes available? If so that would look weak as hell. He can fire Sully and not be in any rush to hire new until the playoffs are over anyway.

B) ....say it ain't so with regard to next season, lmao.

Rakell has a much higher chance of a bounceback than Smith. I wanted Reilly Smith to work out in Pittsburgh but he's just not a fit. Ship him and as much of his salary off as possible and find a new LW for Cros.

Bunting-Geno-Rakell is a solid L2 provided Bunting continues to play at that level.

Bunting - Kadri - Geno would be even more awesome with Rakell as a fallback to move from L1-L3.

But yes, Smith should be super easy to move with just 1 year left on his deal. Keeping him to the TDL would be insanity. So, par for the course maybe.

 

[SEALBound]

Honestly, I think before we get too far into the discussion with Top 6 wings, they need to determine their plans for 3C. Eller was surprisingly great for us but he's hardly an offensive powerhouse. A major component of improving this team involves creating a bottom 6 that is not offensively incompetent. The best solution is to merely bring in a new 3C and shift Eller to 4C on a pure defensive line. Then build the 3rd line for scoring. From there, you can determine who you want for the wings.

DOC-Sid-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Rakell
Trade-3C-XXXX
XXXX-Eller-XXXX

If the goal is to have a defensive fourth line, put Puljujarvi and Gruden there. The trade comes from the Smith trade that I believe takes place. Then you have two slots for scoring wings - Pono, Koivunen, Puustinen, Yager, trade, or a FA signing.

Or you can look for a big FA signing:

Bertuzzi-Sid-Rust
Bunt-Geno-Raks
DOC-Pono-Yager
Poulin-Eller-Puljujarvi

Tons of youth, speed, physicality...very good mix. Don't know why Bertuzzi would come here but...who knows.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Where are the firings?

They're smoking Cuban cigars and laughing it up..........shirtless in an overly hot room.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Bunting 19 points in 21 games. Only took 2 pims. Not to mention the goals off his screens he didn't get on the scoresheet for.
At 4.5M and playing with a 37-year-old Center, you gotta be happy with that.
It's nice to see someone do better here than with his previous team, for a change.

 

[MayorofWBS]

The legend of Ned. Where okay goaltender gets sunshine pumped like he's totally reborn NHL starter....

Why hasnt Sullivan been fired yet?

The real question is, "Why hasn't the entire Penguins coaching staff been left go yet?"

Nine years of Mike Sullivan and no one can definitely say what his defense scheme is....well other than a cluster *****. Penguins, where defenseman go to die under Coach Dumb and Dumber.

 

[molon labe]

Bunting 19 points in 21 games. Only took 2 pims. Not to mention the goals off his screens he didn't get on the scoresheet for.
At 4.5M and playing with a 37-year-old Center, you gotta be happy with that.
It's nice to see someone do better here than with his previous team, for a change.

Pretty sure most folks here saw that mold as a need for the past few years. Especially after Hornqvist left.

For whatever reason [lol, we know the reason] the org kept going a different route.

Now bring MORE of that. I don't know how the org doesn't see how much our goal scoring relies on deflections, point shots, and 'permiter' stuff. Unless we can land a couple bonafide offensive killers, we're going to have a heavy need to muck up some goals going forward. Again, nothing new.

 

[SEALBound]

Bunting 19 points in 21 games. Only took 2 pims. Not to mention the goals off his screens he didn't get on the scoresheet for.
At 4.5M and playing with a 37-year-old Center, you gotta be happy with that.
It's nice to see someone do better here than with his previous team, for a change.

I can't believe Dubas valued him in a trade.

 

[Zbynek]

Bunting 19 points in 21 games. Only took 2 pims. Not to mention the goals off his screens he didn't get on the scoresheet for.
At 4.5M and playing with a 37-year-old Center, you gotta be happy with that.
It's nice to see someone do better here than with his previous team, for a change.

I absolutely hated this guy before the trade so Michael really blew me away with that statline. What's more is all the energy he injected into this team off the scoresheet.

 

[MrBrightside]

Where did you hear he wouldn't approve to Calgary?

Toronto also has like 20M of space this Summer. Additionally - I would want to work something bigger with them with salary coming back - like the last year of Marner. Not that they'd readily do that but they could use a righty on the blueline that can score.

I haven’t heard it. Just assuming he wouldn’t as he was purportedly very limiting in the places he would accept a trade to when he was in SJ and going to a rebuilding team in Western Canada without his buddy Alfie seems it would be a hard sell.

 

[Andy99]

Oh great, more meaningless quotes about how certain players would love to come back, that not making the playoffs was on them, not the coach and how they have what it takes to to be a SC contender in that lockerroom lol

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Bunting 19 points in 21 games. Only took 2 pims. Not to mention the goals off his screens he didn't get on the scoresheet for.
At 4.5M and playing with a 37-year-old Center, you gotta be happy with that.
It's nice to see someone do better here than with his previous team, for a change.

I don't expect a 74 point pace. But if he could keep it at a 25 goal 50 to 60 point pace that would be great.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Oh great, more meaningless quotes about how certain players would love to come back, that not making the playoffs was on them, not the coach and how they have what it takes to to be a SC contender in that lockerroom lol

Inject worthless Sullivan platitudes straight into my veins. Genuinely want to hear what word vomit comes out of his mouth.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Why in the great asshole of the cosmos is Todd Reiden still employed here? Fire the goofy looking mother f***er already DO IT!

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't expect a 74 point pace. But if he could keep it at a 25 goal 50 to 60 point pace that would be great.

15-20 goals and 15-20 assists with lots of people being angry Ala Zucker and Rakell.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Where are the firings?

Note that the 2 Asst coaches have expiring contracts. So they won't be "fired"

 

[Epic Neal Time]

Crazy trade idea (add picks prospects to balance):

To PIT
Jakub Chychrun (1 x 4.4M)
Joonas Korpisalo (4 x 4M)
Mathieu Joseph (2.95 x 2M)
Total cap: 10.4M

To OTT
Tristain Jarry (4 x 5.4M)
Ryan Graves (5 x 4.5M)
Owen Pickering
Total cap: 9.9M

The thought is (from a value standpoint, not immediate on-ice impacts):

Pickering < Chychrun
Jarry >> Korpisalo
Graves << Joseph

Tell me I'm crazy.

 

[MayorofWBS]

Crazy trade idea (add picks prospects to balance):

To PIT
Jakub Chychrun (1 x 4.4M)
Joonas Korpisalo (4 x 4M)
Mathieu Joseph (2.95 x 2M)
Total cap: 10.4M

To OTT
Tristain Jarry (4 x 5.4M)
Ryan Graves (5 x 4.5M)
Owen Pickering
Total cap: 9.9M

The thought is (from a value standpoint, not immediate on-ice impacts):

Pickering < Chychrun
Jarry >> Korpisalo
Graves << Joseph

Tell me I'm crazy.

Zero reason for Ottawa to do that

If they are moving Chychrun, they don't need a replacement on the left side. They want to improve the right side of their defense. Graves and Pickering are nothing burgers to Ottawa. They have better internal options than those two.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Why hasnt Sullivan been fired yet?

I wonder if there's a correlation between giving up way too many odd-man breaks and the Pens goalies being shit for years?

 

[molon labe]

15-20 goals and 15-20 assists with lots of people being angry Ala Zucker and Rakell.

Not all points are created equal. That's just a fact.

Zucker was a spaz that did nothing but -> Spastic shot on net, big hit 80 ft away from the play -> Talk shit to opposition. Rinse, repeat. Like that Tom Cruise movie. I'd have loved if he was a net front guy or created a lick of offense, but that wasn't him.

Rakell has a shot and some legs and a little size. Otherwise he doesn't particularly win a lot of puck battles and certainly does NOT create offense.

At least Bunting sets plays up and wins pucks along the boards and squats at the front of the net. I'll take those poitns all day versus the sidecar shit we've seen from Rakell/Smith/Zucker.

In other words, would you rather this team have had a second Bryan Rust scoring 50-55 points or a Patric Hornqvist scoring 45-50 points on this team? That's pushing the conversation further left/right as far as pure offense versus offense + other intangible skills. Zucker, Rakell - that entire mold is what has put this team where it's at currently in combination with Sullivan.

We went from a bunch of unique players playing roles to Sid, Geno, then an entire forward group with the exact same upside and some of them with significantly lower downsides. PKer, grinder, possible offensive skill (of which only Bryan Rust really broke out with).

 

[Gurglesons]

I wonder if there's a correlation between giving up way too many odd-man breaks and the Pens goalies being shit for years?

Nah that’s just Jarry on his own.

Not all points are created equal. That's just a fact.

Zucker was a spaz that did nothing but -> Spastic shot on net, big hit 80 ft away from the play -> Talk shit to opposition. Rinse, repeat. Like that Tom Cruise movie. I'd have loved if he was a net front guy or created a lick of offense, but that wasn't him.

Rakell has a shot and some legs and a little size. Otherwise he doesn't particularly win a lot of puck battles and certainly does NOT create offense.

At least Bunting sets plays up and wins pucks along the boards and squats at the front of the net. I'll take those poitns all day versus the sidecar shit we've seen from Rakell/Smith/Zucker.

In other words, would you rather this team have had a second Bryan Rust scoring 50-55 points or a Patric Hornqvist scoring 45-50 points on this team? That's pushing the conversation further left/right as far as pure offense versus offense + other intangible skills. Zucker, Rakell - that entire mold is what has put this team where it's at currently in combination with Sullivan.

We went from a bunch of unique players playing roles to Sid, Geno, then an entire forward group with the exact same upside and some of them with significantly lower downsides. PKer, grinder, possible offensive skill (of which only Bryan Rust really broke out with).

When Bunting is on the 3rd line and everyone is saying Malkin sucks in December I’ll be here