Salary Cap: Salary Cap & Roster Building - Locked in until July

[Gurglesons]

Both are injured...

I don’t think Sprong should play over any of our current RWers.

I mean, the obvious move is to roll this right?

Guentzel - Crosby - Sprong
HMK
Rust - Brassard - Kessel
Kuhn - Sheahan - Sheary

Using Sheary and Sprong to keep each other’s minutes down.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Yeah some chance he got.

Yep. A chance to ride shotgun with Crosby. He didn't cut it. Got sent down. Simple. If you think letting a prospect work on his game (there is a reason he is healthy scratch in WBS) is more important than trying to 3-peat so be it.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

I don’t think Sprong should play over any of our current RWers.

I mean, the obvious move is to roll this right?

Guentzel - Crosby - Sprong
HMK
Rust - Brassard - Kessel
Kuhn - Sheahan - Sheary

Using Sheary and Sprong to keep each other’s minutes down.

Who is the K in HMK?

 

[pistolpete11]

Yeah some chance he got.

It doesn't mean he's never going to get another shot (or at least shouldn't), but he got outplayed for the roster spots by ZAR and Simon.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Never. The only one to ever come back from HFBoard whipping boy status was Paul Martin. That doesn't mean it's the right decision.

I just think the Rowney hate is way overboard. Yeah, he only has 5 points in 44 games this year, but he scored at a 21 point pace last year and this season he's getting 75% d-zone starts and played most of the season with Kuhn and Reaves. I don't think that's a situation that Jooris or Bleuger would succeed in either. The grass isn't always greener.

The issue is that the standard Rowney has set is so low that we wouldn't begin to miss him unless half the roster got injured.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

It doesn't mean he's never going to get another shot (or at least shouldn't), but he got outplayed for the roster spots by ZAR and Simon.

Hes comparing him to yakupov already

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Hes comparing him to yakupov already

I am saying it's just as realistic. If people want to compare him to DeBrincat, Kessel, Neal how is that any more outrageous? He surely isn't a can't miss prospect, and is overrated on this board.

 

[pistolpete11]

The issue is that the standard Rowney has set is so low that we wouldn't begin to miss him unless half the roster got injured.

Or one center gets hurt and Jooris and Bleuger aren't really as good as you think they are.

It would have been an unnecessary risk to take. The Pens don't need Sprong right now and he'll still be there for them in the playoffs if they need him then. Obviously it doesn't matter now with Rowney's injury.

 

[PensandCaps]

Sprong had the best fancy stats when up.

 

[PensandCaps]

Or one center gets hurt and Jooris and Bleuger aren't really as good as you think they are.

It would have been an unnecessary risk to take. The Pens don't need Sprong right now and he'll still be there for them in the playoffs if they need him then. Obviously it doesn't matter now with Rowney's injury.

Well. Blueger is an actual good player. Jooris is bleh but easily better than Rowney.

Both are CLEAR upgrades on Rowney.

 

[Riptide]

Another comparison to Sprong worth considering is DeBrincat. Both are '97 born RWers drafted in the 2nd round, and they produced at nearly identical rates (goals and points per game, regular season and playoffs) in junior last year.

DeBrincat's doing pretty well for himself in Chicago.

I don't think that's a fair comparison. DeBrincat's knock was always his size, never his skill. He's probably one of - if not the smallest player in the NHL right now. And while size no longer is the requirement it was 15 years ago... GMs still gravitate towards bigger players - or at least not tiny ones, especially when in their minds those players have a greater chance at having NHL success.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Or one center gets hurt and Jooris and Bleuger aren't really as good as you think they are.

I'm not worried about them playing to Rowney's standard. I'm sure they can hit the heights of "mediocre PKer who scores on pace for 9 points".

It would have been an unnecessary risk to take. The Pens don't need Sprong right now and he'll still be there for them in the playoffs if they need him then. Obviously it doesn't matter now with Rowney's injury.

I'd waive a plug like Rowney in a heartbeat for the chance to see if a high-end sniping prospect can click with Sid. Nobody should fret about not having a dime-a-dozen bubble NHLer like Rowney.

 

[Riptide]

I'm also more interested in potential trade targets shaking free than the UFA market, at least this year. Green or Carlsson doesn't sound like a good idea to me as Letang replacements.

Carlsson is going to cost Letang money - and that's even if he makes it to FA. With the cap going up Washington is (and has said) that they going to try and sign him. Whether you agree or not that Carlsson is a comparable to Letang is another matter... but he won't be much (if any) cheaper. And I said that at the start of the season well before he was tied for 1st in points among blueliners.

Green is basically another Schultz. Not quite the same, but much more like him then Letang. We could probably make that work if our 3rd pairing was rock solid... but then you're probably talking about spending huge dollars on the blueline to make that happen. Something like this:

Dumoulin - Green (at 5m or so)
Oleksiak - Schultz
Maatta - XXXXX (another Green/Schultz or better type of player, at another 5m or so)

That's not impossible... but we'd probably be much better off keeping Letang and using Ruhwedel and spending the money saved on a forward.

 

[Riptide]

Oh my bad. Isn't EK more of the same tho? Health issues, turnovers, minus 1000000, etc...

Every D has issues there. Even guys like Pronger, Lidstrom and Neidermyer had those issues. It just happened less often then it does with Letang or Karlsson. But that doesn't change the fact that EK is one (if not the) best D in the NHL today - especially if you're talking about a PMD offensive RD.

 

[Riptide]

Yeah some chance he got.

Most would consider playing 12-14 minutes a night with Crosby as your center a pretty good chance.

Yes, but they are still on the Pens roster.

Only because you cannot send injured players back to the minors. No guarantee where they'd be if they were healthy (especially Simon who was playing terrible at the end there), but it's the CBA keeping them on the NHL roster right now, not Rutherford/Sullivan's roster decisions.

 

[pistolpete11]

I'm not worried about them playing to Rowney's standard. I'm sure they can hit the heights of "mediocre PKer who scores on pace for 9 points".



I'd waive a plug like Rowney in a heartbeat for the chance to see if a high-end sniping prospect can click with Sid. Nobody should fret about not having a dime-a-dozen bubble NHLer like Rowney.

You keep bringing up this 9 point pace, but what about last year when he was on a 21 point pace when he wasn't getting 75% d-zone starts or playing with Kuhn and Reaves?

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Most would consider playing 12-14 minutes a night with Crosby as your center a pretty good chance.



Only because you cannot send injured players back to the minors. No guarantee where they'd be if they were healthy (especially Simon who was playing terrible at the end there), but it's the CBA keeping them on the NHL roster right now, not Rutherford/Sullivan's roster decisions.

You're totally right. I just can't see ZAR getting sent back. Not really Simon either just because he seems pretty versatile. Maybe a healthy scratch at the cost of Sheary or Kuhn.

 

[Gurglesons]

Who is the K in HMK?

Kornqvist.

#freakonaleash

 

[Gurglesons]

Every D has issues there. Even guys like Pronger, Lidstrom and Neidermyer had those issues. It just happened less often then it does with Letang or Karlsson. But that doesn't change the fact that EK is one (if not the) best D in the NHL today - especially if you're talking about a PMD offensive RD.

Yeah, but Pronger like D win cups. What do primarily puck moving defenseman like Coffey, Neidermayer and Letang have to their names?!

 

[Ogrezilla]

Sprong had two major things going for him imo.

1: I love that he just shot every chance he got.
2: IMO, Sid looked more engaged during his stretch of games with Simon and Sprong than he has at any other point this season. He was in full teacher mode.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

It doesn't mean he's never going to get another shot (or at least shouldn't), but he got outplayed for the roster spots by ZAR and Simon.

Simon got 31 games.. pretty sure if Sprong got that much playing time hed have better numbers than Simon.

14 points in 31 games for Simon
3 points in 8 games for Sprong. Simon played 23 more games than Sprong yet he has 36 shots on net and Sprong has 22. Not even trying to knock Simon, but you cant say he outplayed Sprong when we have no idea what kind of numbers Sprong would have right now with 31 games played. Taking 20+ shots in every 8 games(btw we need a winger for crosby who can get the puck on net) played...would give him more than 80 shots so far if had the same amount of games as Simon. And with that shot of his...saying he could have 12-13 goals right now isnt far fetched

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Sprong had two major things going for him imo.

1: I love that he just shot every chance he got.
2: IMO, Sid looked more engaged during his stretch of games with Simon and Sprong than he has at any other point this season. He was in full teacher mode.

Yup, not only that but the other teams were aware of Sprong's shot..ability to score. And were playing him tight trying to take that away. It was opening things up for Crosby a bit. Something that cant be said for Sheary.

 

[Gurglesons]

Simon got 31 games.. pretty sure if Sprong got that much playing time hed have better numbers than Simon.

So, why was Sprong sent down? Secret 4th liner coach agenda?

Simon and ZAR have both earned their time up. Sprong needs to do the same. Nothing he has done so far in his career points to him deserving anything on the NHL squad. And I believe Simon was putting up better AHL numbers when he was brought up?

If healthy, I’d be running..

Guentzel - Crosby - Hornqvist
Hagelin - Malkin - Rust
ZAR - Brassard - Kessel
Simon - Sheahan - Sheary

Where are you putting in Sprong?

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Simon got 31 games.. pretty sure if Sprong got that much playing time hed have better numbers than Simon.

14 points in 31 games for Simon
3 points in 8 games for Sprong. Simon played 23 more games than Sprong yet he has 36 shots on net and Sprong has 22. Not even trying to knock Simon, but you cant say he outplayed Sprong when we have no idea what kind of numbers Sprong would have right now with 31 games played. Taking 20+ shots in every 8 games(btw we need a winger for crosby who can get the puck on net) played...would give him more than 80 shots so far if had the same amount of games as Simon. And with that shot of his...saying he could have 12-13 goals right now isnt far fetched

Before Sprong was sent down he was the most experienced of all the callups. 26 games.

The thing is he wasn't taking shots, and when he did he had a 9 shooting %. Simon can move up and down the lineup if need be. Sprong can't. I mean technically he can, but "He has to play with Sid to be effective."

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Before Sprong was sent down he was the most experienced of all the callups. 26 games.

The thing is he wasn't taking shots, and when he did he had a 9 shooting %. Simon can move up and down the lineup if need be. Sprong can't. I mean technically he can, but "He has to play with Sid to be effective."

Youre really counting his first stint at 18 years old, with MJ as coach?

Ha..we are done here