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

[ZeroPucksGiven]

I like the Hjalmarsson suggestion a lot, but I'm not sure how reasonable that idea is. Put Hjalmarsson with Letang, Dumoulin with Schultz and Maatta with Oleksiak. Your D pairs are instantly good with that, because you definitely have a guy who can anchor each of those pairs. Dumoulin continues to remind me more and more of Paul Martin, especially with how his offensive game has seemingly progressed this year. I know Dumoulin's point totals aren't any better, but I feel like he's been better offensively this year than in recent years. He won't reach Martin's best, but I think he can reach what Martin was most of the time.

Wait trade bait would AZ want? Doubt we have enough to acquire

 

[Empoleon8771]

Wait trade bait would AZ want? Doubt we have enough to acquire

He shouldn't be that hard to acquire, to be honest. He's a pending UFA after next year and hasn't done particularly great with Arizona. Probably a 1st and a prospect? His value isn't that crazy high, you can get guys similar to him for not that much if the situation is right (Petry was traded for only a 2nd round pick as a rental IIRC).

I could see the Penguins trying to sign Enstrom this summer, to be honest. I do remember his name has been linked to the Penguins in the past. I don't know if that's someone you'd gamble on being a top-4 D, but Enstrom-Oleksiak as a bottom pair looks pretty damn good to me. He's not playing that many minutes with Winnipeg this year because Winnipeg's defense is insane.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

He shouldn't be that hard to acquire, to be honest. He's a pending UFA after next year and hasn't done particularly great with Arizona. Probably a 1st and a prospect? His value isn't that crazy high, you can get guys similar to him for not that much if the situation is right (Petry was traded for only a 2nd round pick as a rental IIRC).

Is Hjalmarsson still good? I haven't watched Arizona this year, so I can't comment personally. But posts I've read on here (obviously taken with a grain of salt) suggest he's not the player he was in Chicago any longer.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Is Hjalmarsson still good? I haven't watched Arizona this year, so I can't comment personally. But posts I've read on here (obviously taken with a grain of salt) suggest he's not the player he was in Chicago any longer.

He's also on Arizona, you have to remember that. I haven't watched him, but he doesn't look much different statistically. It's not reasonable to think he's still at the level he was at age 25, but I do think he'd be the Penguins 3rd best defensemen if they got him. Hjalmarsson at this point probably isn't much worse than Dumoulin, if at all.

Now that I mentioned Enstrom's name, I'm really, really sure that JR is going to go after him. I could also see Hamhuis being a target. I'd like de Hann, but I think he'll be out of our price range. Some team will offer him a 6 year, $5 million deal to anchor their 2nd pair.

 

[Turin]

Is Hjalmarsson still good? I haven't watched Arizona this year, so I can't comment personally. But posts I've read on here (obviously taken with a grain of salt) suggest he's not the player he was in Chicago any longer.

He was again a shot suppression machine last year. He’s been injured and on the Coyotes this year so he probably looks terrible.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Agree with @Empoleon8771 about how Dumo has looked on the offensive side of things. It stands out a lot more this year and actually looks like a threat sometimes. His shot look better and harder which I guess he could only go up lol

 

[Peat]

Whatever our defense is now, is not working. What is going to change if we don’t change anything? Who leaves the lineup then?

Me questioning the name you put forwards =/= me questioning the idea of upgrading defence.

What makes you think Scandella is more complete than Maatta when Maatta has been the better attacking player to date? I'm curious as to what you see that I don't see.


Although, for what its worth, I'd point out that the team runs a very aggressive game plan that requires total buy in from all five players on defence. When the team executes that, the defence changes dramatically. So, it's pretty reasonable to think there could be big changes in performance without any personnel change at all. Which is not to say don't change the defence.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Although, for what its worth, I'd point out that the team runs a very aggressive game plan that requires total buy in from all five players on defence. When the team executes that, the defence changes dramatically. So, it's pretty reasonable to think there could be big changes in performance without any personnel change at all. Which is not to say don't change the defence.

Yup that’s the key and when it happens we look awesome and almost unstoppable.

It’s been less executed and that is affected by guys taking a night off. It can throw everyone else off.

Playoffs should change that motivation though........should.

 

[Peat]

Yup that’s the key and when it happens we look awesome and almost unstoppable.

It’s been less executed and that is affected by guys taking a night off. It can throw everyone else off.

Playoffs should change that motivation though........should.

Testify. Those two months in Jan/Feb where we ran hot? 2.54 GA/G.

And then the fear of missing the play-offs wore off.

No guarantees they'll return to that state of affairs but its possible.

Would be nicer to have a stronger d-corps for these moments of course.


Incidentally, and semi related, but I feel a bit for Sully. Its hard to coach a team dreaming about April. Some will say he should be going at them hard about that, but I think he's right to be patient and let the locker room have its lead. Doesn't make these days any more fun though.

 

[Gurglesons]

What could we move for TJ Brodie?

 

[RizzleMcRib]

What could we move for TJ Brodie?

You'd probably have to start with Maatta and a high prospect /2nd. Even that probably won't get it done. He plays Letang type minutes and puts up nice numbers.

 

[High Flying Birds]

What could we move for TJ Brodie?

Flames are very weak at RW. Phil obviously isn't going anywhere and Horny just resigned to play in Pittsburgh. I could see them being interested in Rust or Sprong along with Maatta though.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Flames are very weak at RW. Phil obviously isn't going anywhere and Horny just resigned to play in Pittsburgh. I could see them being interested in Rust or Sprong along with Maatta though.

I'd do Maatta and Sprong 7 days a week and twice on Sunday.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Flames are very weak at RW. Phil obviously isn't going anywhere and Horny just resigned to play in Pittsburgh. I could see them being interested in Rust or Sprong along with Maatta though.

I don’t think the Pens would really want to move Rust

 

[Empoleon8771]

Maatta and Sprong for Brodie would be pretty swell, but I remember reading Brodie is a lot better on RD than LD and I feel like Calgary could do better than Maatta and Sprong for Brodie.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I've brought this up in the past, but I have to say, I really hope JR doesn't trade Sheahan this summer. I could see JR getting a good return on investment for him at the draft, but I'd rather retain Sheahan and have him as the 3C once Brassard leaves. Hell, even if Brassard stays, I want to retain Sheahan. I think Brassard has the position flexibility to either be a C or winger, I'd be completely fine with Sheahan being the long term 3C and Brassard being a winger that has spot duty at center.

You have a lot of flexibility if you keep Brassard long term as a winger who still gets regular center minutes. You can have Brassard-Malkin-Hornqvist as your 2nd line. You can have Guentzel-Crosby-Brassard as your top line. You can have Brassard-Sheahan-Kessel as your 3rd line. I'm comfortable with all of those combinations, Brassard is well rounded enough that you can use him in a lot of roles.

 

[Peat]

Maatta and Sprong for Brodie would be pretty swell, but I remember reading Brodie is a lot better on RD than LD and I feel like Calgary could do better than Maatta and Sprong for Brodie.

Maybe I'm too high on our guys, but I feel like that's a strong offer, unless Calgary want to just do a one for one trade, Brodie for someone's elite right winger. But I'm not sure who's got a spare of those who desperately needs defensive help.

 

[tom_servo]

I won't let myself complain about losing Cole because I have to assume he was necessary to get Brassard, and I much prefer having Brassard on the roster. That said, I'm still a bit surprised that they didn't even do a token trade for defensive depth.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

When it comes to our defense, is it the players that are the problem or our system?

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

I've brought this up in the past, but I have to say, I really hope JR doesn't trade Sheahan this summer. I could see JR getting a good return on investment for him at the draft, but I'd rather retain Sheahan and have him as the 3C once Brassard leaves. Hell, even if Brassard stays, I want to retain Sheahan. I think Brassard has the position flexibility to either be a C or winger, I'd be completely fine with Sheahan being the long term 3C and Brassard being a winger that has spot duty at center.

You have a lot of flexibility if you keep Brassard long term as a winger who still gets regular center minutes. You can have Brassard-Malkin-Hornqvist as your 2nd line. You can have Guentzel-Crosby-Brassard as your top line. You can have Brassard-Sheahan-Kessel as your 3rd line. I'm comfortable with all of those combinations, Brassard is well rounded enough that you can use him in a lot of roles.

We will find alot more in the playoffs. If Sheahan plays like Bonino did a few years ago for example, theyre not trading him. We have a lot of new players who we havent seen in the playoffs yet.

Just like two years ago we didnt know what we really had in Bonino and Cullen yet.

 

[KIRK]

Basically we have a legit top pairing, then a handful of other guys who are better suited for a 3rd pairing role.

Losing Cole hurt more than I thought it would.

And the quality of our legit top pairing depends upon how much of a moron Letang plays like on any given day . . .

As for Cole, I think the issue with him is the impact on the mix. He played tough, he was solid on the PK, and he was a really solid partner for Oleksiak who helped to mitigate the impact of Oleksiak's some time lack of on ice awareness.

For me, the problem is the mix on defense. I'm keeping Dumo, Schultz, and Oleksiask.

As for Letang, you're not going to replace him per se, but can you replace him and Ruh/Hunwick in the aggregate for a 8M cap hit and in a way that augments the mix? Perhaps two skating defensemen, at least one of whom plays with some physicality?

Maatta does nothing for me . . .

This isn't ZOMG get rid of half the defense, but the mix is wrong, the unit is soft, and we need smarter.

 

[KIRK]

When it comes to our defense, is it the players that are the problem or our system?

I think it's a combination of the mix of defense personnel, individual defensive personnel playing below their pay grades, the forwards (outside of 4-5 guys) showing little to no interest in playing responsible transition defense, and general soft play in the defensive zone.