Salary Cap: 2014-15 Roster-building Thread XXIII : Does Kunitz want out? Could we be so lucky?

[Riptide]

All figures are cap numbers, not salaries. The projected cap numbers below, however, haven't been updated recently because of the demise of Capgeek.

2014-2015 salary ceiling: ....69,000,000
Projected cap spending: ......68,733,167
Projected cap space: ...............175,000
Projected deadline space: ......1,547,198


PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Forward.................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2014-15​

|

2015-16​

|

2016-17​

Evgeni Malkin|

C​

|

27​

|

9,500,000​

|

9,500,000​

|

9,500,000​

Sidney Crosby|

C​

|

26​

|

8,700,000​

|

8,700,000​

|

8,700,000​

Chris Kunitz|

LW​

|

34​

|

3,850,000​

|

3,850,000​

|

3,850,000​

David Perron|

LW​

|

26​

|

3,812,500​

|

3,812,500​

|

UFA​

Brandon Sutter|

C​

|

25​

|

3,300,000​

|

3,300,000​

|

UFA​

Nick Spaling|

LW​

|

25​

|

2,200,000​

|

2,200,000​

|

UFA​

Maxim Lapierre|

C​

|

29​

|

1,100,000​

|

UFA​

Steve Downie|

RW​

|

27​

|

1,000,000​

|

UFA​

Beau Bennett|

LW​

|

22​

|

900,000​

|

RFA​

Craig Adams|

RW​

|

37​

|

700,000​

|

UFA​

Mark Arcobello|

RW​

|

26​

|

600,000​

|

RFA​

Andrew Ebbett|

C​

|

31​

|

550,000​

|

UFA​

Zach Sill|

C​

|

26​

|

550,000​

|

UFA​

Defense.................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2014-15​

|

2015-16​

|

.2016-17​

Kris Letang|

D​

|

27​

|

7,250,000​

|

7,250,000​

|

7,250,000​

Paul Martin|

D​

|

33​

|

5,000,000​

|

UFA​

Christian Ehrhoff|

D​

|

32​

|

4,000,000​

|

UFA​

Rob Scuderi|

D​

|

35​

|

3,375,000​

|

3,375,000​

|

3,375,000​

Simon Despres|

D​

|

22​

|

900,000​

|

900,000​

|

RFA​

Robert Bortuzzo|

D​

|

25​

|

600,000​

|

RFA​

Scott Harrington|

D​

|

21​

|

589,167​

|

589,167​

|

RFA​

Goalie...................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2014-15​

|

2015-16​

|

.2016-17​

Marc-Andre Fleury|

G​

|

29​

|

5,000,000​

|

5,750,000​

|

5,750,000​

Thomas Greiss|

G​

|

28​

|

1,000,000​

|

UFA​

Injured reserve......​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2014-15​

|

2015-16​

|

.2016-17​

Patric Hornqvist|

RW​

|

27​

|

4,250,000​

|

4,250,000​

|

4,250,000​

Pascal Dupuis|

RW​

|

35​

|

3,750,000​

|

3,750,000​

|

3,750,000​

Olli Maatta|

D​

|

19​

|

894,167​

|

894,167​

|

RFA​

Blake Comeau|

LW​

|

28​

|

700,000​

|

UFA​

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

Forward...............​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2014-15​

|

2015-16​

|

2016-17​

Jayson Megna|

RW​

|

24​

|

874,125​

|

RFA​

Josh Archibald|

RW​

|

21​

|

659,167​

|

659,167​

|

659,167​

Scott Wilson|

LW​

|

22​

|

655,000​

|

655,000​

|

RFA​

Bryan Rust|

RW​

|

22​

|

652,500​

|

652,500​

|

RFA​

Adam Payerl|

RW​

|

23​

|

626,667​

|

RFA​

Anton Zlobin|

LW​

|

21​

|

608,333​

|

608,333​

|

RFA​

Matia Marcantuoni|

C​

|

20​

|

608,333​

|

608,333​

|

608,333​

Dominik Uher|

C​

|

21​

|

601,667​

|

RFA​

Tom Kuhnhackl|

LW​

|

22​

|

598,333​

|

RFA​

Jean-Sebastien Dea|

C​

|

20​

|

598,333​

|

598,333​

|

598,333​

|

RFA​

Bobby Farnham|

LW​

|

25​

|

550,000​

|

RFA​

Nick Drazenovic|

C​

|

27​

|

550,000​

|

UFA​

Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond|

RW​

|

29​

|

550,000​

|

UFA​

Defense.............................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2014-15​

|

2015-16​

|

2016-17​

Derrick Pouliot|

D​

|

20​

|

863,333​

|

863,333​

|

863,333​

Brian Dumoulin|

D​

|

22​

|

831,667​

|

RFA​

Nick D'Agostino|

D​

|

23​

|

625,000​

|

RFA​

Reid McNeill|

D​

|

22​

|

575,000​

|

RFA​

Taylor Chorney|

D​

|

27​

|

550,000​

|

UFA​

Goalie................................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2014-15​

|

2015-16​

|

2016-17​

Matt Murray|

G​

|

20​

|

620,000​

|

620,000​

|

620,000​

Jeff Zatkoff|

G​

|

27​

|

600,000​

|

600,000​

|

UFA​

WHEELING NAILERS

Defense........................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2014-15​

|

2015-16​

|

2016-17​

Harrison Ruopp|

D​

|

21​

|

650,833​

|

650,833​

|

RFA​

Goalie...........................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2014-15​

|

2015-16​

|

2016-17​

Eric Hartzell|

G​

|

25​

|

550,000​

|

RFA​

SIGNED PROSPECTS

Player​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

Current Team​

|

Contract​

Kasperi Kapanen|

RW​

|

18​

|

KalPa (Liiga)​

|

3 years/925,000 per​

Oskar Sundqvist|

C​

|

20​

|

SkellefteÃ¥ (SHL)​

|

3 years/708,333 per​

Tristan Jarry|

G​

|

19​

|

Edmonton (WHL)​

|

3 years/650,833 per​

UNSIGNED PROSPECTS

Player​

​

​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

Current Team (League)​

Anthony Angello|

F​

|

18​

|Omaha (USHL)

Dane Birks|

D​

|

18​

|Michigan Tech (WCHA)

Teddy Blueger|

F​

|

19​

|Minnesota State (WCHA)

Blaine Byron|

F​

|

19​

|Maine (HEA)

Jake Guentzel|

F​

|

19​

|Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC)

Troy Josephs|

F​

|

20​

|Clarkson (ECAC)

Sam Lafferty|

F​

|

19​

|Brown (ECAC)

Jaden Lindo|

F​

|

18​

|Owen Sound (OHL)

Sean Maguire|

G​

|

21​

|Boston University (HEA)

Alexander Pechurskiy|

G​

|

24​

|Magnitogorsk (KHL)

Ryan Segalla|

D​

|

19​

|Connecticut (HEA)

Jeff Taylor|

D​

|

20​

|Union (ECAC)

I used 5v5 stats from 2010-11 through 2014-15 looking at forwards in the top 50% of goals per game (0.09 GPG), top 25% of hits per game (1.56 HpG) and top 50% in hits differential per game (0.14). Recognizing that hits are a biased stat and that hits don't include all physicality, I thought it would be sufficient considering the timeframe and application.

78 total active players fit those parameters with 9 rookies (<20 games played) and 5 AHL players (3 rookie players are also AHL players).

Of those 78:

• Pens Players (3): Megna*, Comeau, Kunitz, Arcobello
• Franchise players / captains (7): Landeskog, Getzlaf, Jamie Benn, D Brown, Ovechkin, Doan, Backes
• New Contracts (9): Kreider, Bjugstad, N Foligno, Kulemin, Dubinsky, Callahan, Komarov, Wingels, Garbutt
• Young players (Tier 1) (6): Trocheck, Jenner, Girgensons, Zibanejad, Niederreiter, E Kane
• Young players (Tier 2) (5): Paquette, Jaskin, Lowry, Colborne, Marcus Foligno
• Rookies (8): B Ritchie, Schaller, Pakarinen, Rendulic, Dano, Aliu*, Dziurzynski*, McMillan*
• Unlikely to be Available (9): Stoll, Simmonds, Clutterbuck, B Schenn*, Lucic, A Lee*, Zack Kassian*, J Persson*(R), J Staal
• Don't want (10): C Neil, B Morrow, Fisher, Clarkson, Setoguchi, T Ruutu, Greening, Jamie McGinn (I), Slater, Clowe (I)
• AHL Players (4): Colin McDonald, Chad Larose, Raffi Torres, Ryan Malone
• UFA (5): Beleskey (ANA), J Hayes (FLA), E Cole (DAL), Eaves (DAL), Klinkhammer (EDM)
• Controversial contracts (2): Bickell, Hartnell
• Otherwise not listed (9): Skille (CBJ), Helm (DET), Z Smith (OTT), Hanzal (ARI), Abdelkader (DET), Cooke (MIN), Boyle (FLA), Nystrom (NSH), Brouwer (WSH)

Now that there's no Capgeek, here's a list of the pending UFA forwards that might potentially be interested in.

Fleischmann, Tlusty, Ryder, Glenncross, Williams, Jagr, Vermette, Soderberg, Frolik, Slater, Ward, Fehr, Matthias, Santillori, Booth, Winnik, Morrow, Lindstrom, TK, Beleskey, Erat, Stafford, Stewart, Richards, Briere, Letestu, Horcroff, Cole, Cleary, Roy, Upshall, Bergenheim, Kopecky, Stoll, Fisher, Cullen, O.Jokinen, Havlet, MSL, Zuccarello Condra

Click to read more...

 

[penguins2946*]

The top-4 UFA D market is actually pretty solid, with Martin, Ehrhoff, Franson, Green, Methot, Michalek, Beauchemin, Sekera and Petry all potentially becoming available. Unless you can get Boychuk at a good price for long term, sign whichever one of those D that is willing to take the shortest deal.

 

[BobCole]

The top-4 UFA D market is actually pretty solid, with Martin, Ehrhoff, Franson, Green, Methot, Michalek, Beauchemin, Sekera and Petry all potentially becoming available. Unless you can get Boychuk at a good price for long term, sign whichever one of those D that is willing to take the shortest deal.

Wow, that is a solid group. I think the big problem is that most of those guys, maybe with the exception of Beauchemin, will want long-term deals in addition to healthy bucks. I'm anxious about adding another 5+ year contract to our books. I'd prefer those be reserved for only the likes of Crosby, Malkin and Letang.

 

[drpepper]

The top-4 UFA D market is actually pretty solid, with Martin, Ehrhoff, Franson, Green, Methot, Michalek, Beauchemin, Sekera and Petry all potentially becoming available. Unless you can get Boychuk at a good price for long term, sign whichever one of those D that is willing to take the shortest deal.

So in terms of a veteran stop-gap as I don't think Harrington/Dumoulin/Pouliot are ready for top 4 minutes, and I really don't want Scuderi playing them:

Methot - back injuries @ 5 million+
Franson - 4 million+ for max term (6-7 years)
Sekera - re-sign w/ CAR / too expensive
Boychuk - re-sign w/ NYI
Beauchemin - re-sign w/ ANA
Greene - not what the Pens need

Oduya - if he is a CHI cap casualty?
Petry
Z Michalek - would he come back to PIT?
Martin
Ehrhoff

Not a ton of options if players like Sekera, Boychuk, Beauchemin re-sign.

 

[PensPlz]

The top-4 UFA D market is actually pretty solid, with Martin, Ehrhoff, Franson, Green, Methot, Michalek, Beauchemin, Sekera and Petry all potentially becoming available. Unless you can get Boychuk at a good price for long term, sign whichever one of those D that is willing to take the shortest deal.

You forgot Phaneuf.

EDIT: Oh you said UFA, I was thinking just available

 

[Uemoda]

I have to quote the last reply to the previous thread. This is why I've been won over to a JR supporter. He understood that we needed a total overhaul. Just look at this - 50% roster turnover is a thing of beauty.

And with any luck, one or both of Kunitz/Adams will be launched into the sun. He's made some massive upgrades to our depth.

If I'm going to give JR credit for anything, it's that this team lost against the Rangers:

Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby (C) - Lee Stempniak
Jussi Jokinen - Evgeni Malkin (A) - James Neal
Tanner Glass - Brandon Sutter - Joe Vitale
Brian Gibbons - Marcel Goc -Craig Adams

Olli Maatta - Matt Niskanen
Paul Martin - Kris Letang
Rob Scuderi - Brooks Orpik

Fleury
Zatkoff

And only bold are left.

Stempniak -> Comeau
Jokinen -> Perron
Neal -> Hornqvist
Glass -> Downie
Vitale -> Spaling
Gibbons -> Sill (only real downgrade)
Goc -> Lapierre

Niskanen -> Ehrhoff
Orpik -> Oblivion

Zatkoff -> Greiss

Not bad for half a season.

 

[Waffle Fries]

You forgot Phaneuf.

He's not a UFA

 

[penguins2946*]

You forgot Phaneuf.

Phaneuf isn't a UFA D.

Wow, that is a solid group. I think the big problem is that most of those guys, maybe with the exception of Beauchemin, will want long-term deals in addition to healthy bucks. I'm anxious about adding another 5+ year contract to our books. I'd prefer those be reserved for only the likes of Crosby, Malkin and Letang.

I wouldn't sign any of them if they all want 5+ years. We can't have another D signed long term, unless it's a really good one like Boychuk. I'm guessing Beauchemin and Boychuk re-sign with their respective teams, Franson will want too long of a term and Sekera will probably be both too expensive and too long. However, I think we may be able to get Methot on a short term deal since he missed a lot of this year. I'd do $5 million easily for him, but as long as it's no longer than 2 or 3 years.

 

[Fordy]

I have to quote the last reply to the previous thread. This is why I've been won over to a JR supporter. He understood that we needed a total overhaul. Just look at this - 50% roster turnover is a thing of beauty.

And with any luck, one or both of Kunitz/Adams will be launched into the sun. He's made some massive upgrades to our depth.

trade kunitz, adams moves down the lineup, all of a sudden...

 

[drpepper]

Phaneuf isn't a UFA D.
I wouldn't sign any of them if they all want 5+ years. We can't have another D signed long term, unless it's a really good one like Boychuk. I'm guessing Beauchemin and Boychuk re-sign with their respective teams, Franson will want too long of a term and Sekera will probably be both too expensive and too long. However, I think we may be able to get Methot on a short term deal since he missed a lot of this year. I'd do $5 million easily for him, but as long as it's no longer than 2 or 3 years.

Pens will also be in competition with a few teams. Avs and Dallas need veteran top 4 d help. OTT & LA may be looking depending on Methot and Voynov. NYI and ANA have either Boychuk and Beauchemin or their replacements. DET still needs a RHD.

 

[billybudd]

In terms of puck handling or skating the puck up the ice, would you say that Maatta or Despres are equally comfortable?

No. I'd say Maatta is substantially more comfortable. This isn't a knock on Despres, Olli Maatta just has a crazy outlier amount of poise with the puck for a 20 year old.

Do you think that Maatta and Despres have the same hands or skills in terms of puck handling and skating the puck up the ice?

Other than skating--which Maatta is, like Hornqvist, usually able to work around via anticipation--all of that stuff favors Maatta to an extreme degree. And again, this isn't a knock on Despres. You're punching above his weight class on his behalf.

I would start linking videos, but this "Maatta struggles with the puck on his stick" narrative is just too crazy for me to continue to engage.

A top pairing D on an Olympic medal team (at 19!) gets cancer/hurts his shoulder the next year and all of the sudden people are remembering him as a bit better Rob Scuderi. That isn't what he is.

On the day he had his cancer surgery, Maatta was outscoring--and outplaying--freaking Letang to that point.

Unfair to compare Despres to him in service to a narrative born of forgetfulness as much as anything.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I miss Joe Vitale.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

And with any luck, one or both of Kunitz/Adams will be launched into the sun. He's made some massive upgrades to our depth.

The sun is far too close for Adams.

 

[SEALBound]

Letang - Maatta

XXXXX - Despres

Scuderi - XXXXXX

XXXXX's can be Ehrhoff, Martin if resigned. 3rd pairing XXXXX's should be Bortuzzo, Pouliot, Harrington, Dumoulin.

I wouldn't be heart broken if we made a big time acquisition in the off season at wing that took some money away from the defense. Best camp player gets the job with Despres, likely Bortuzzo. And the other get the last spot.

Letang-Maatta
Despres-Bortuzzo
Scuderi-Pouliot

Still capable with Harrington rotating in. They have to play at some point...

 

[penguins2946*]

Letang - Maatta

XXXXX - Despres

Scuderi - XXXXXX

XXXXX's can be Ehrhoff, Martin if resigned. 3rd pairing XXXXX's should be Bortuzzo, Pouliot, Harrington, Dumoulin.

I wouldn't be heart broken if we made a big time acquisition in the off season at wing that took some money away from the defense. Best camp player gets the job with Despres, likely Bortuzzo. And the other get the last spot.

Letang-Maatta
Despres-Bortuzzo
Scuderi-Pouliot

Still capable with Harrington rotating in. They have to play at some point...

Yuck Bortuzzo in the top-4.

Pens will also be in competition with a few teams. Avs and Dallas need veteran top 4 d help. OTT & LA may be looking depending on Methot and Voynov. NYI and ANA have either Boychuk and Beauchemin or their replacements. DET still needs a RHD.

I really don't see a reason why we can't sign another Ehrhoff like we did last summer. There's going to be a veteran top-4 D available that wants to go for a cup that would be willing to sign a short term deal. There are plenty of top-4 D available, it's being overly pessimistic to expect us not to be able to sign 1 to a 2 or 3 year deal. Hell, I think Michalek would be one of the best players we could get, considering what contract they would get and how they would match up with Despres. That's obviously under the assumption that Scuderi gets moved out though.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Letang - Maatta

XXXXX - Despres

Scuderi - XXXXXX

XXXXX's can be Ehrhoff, Martin if resigned. 3rd pairing XXXXX's should be Bortuzzo, Pouliot, Harrington, Dumoulin.

I wouldn't be heart broken if we made a big time acquisition in the off season at wing that took some money away from the defense. Best camp player gets the job with Despres, likely Bortuzzo. And the other get the last spot.

Letang-Maatta
Despres-Bortuzzo
Scuderi-Pouliot

Still capable with Harrington rotating in. They have to play at some point...

Do you really want Bortz playing in the top 4? He hasnt played that well on the bottom pair lately. I have zero faith or desire to see him playing MORE minutes. If he gets better by a whole lot, thats a different story. But I have my doubts.

Ideally Id give DP as much time as possible this season. Give him his stuff to work on during the offseason. Hopefully he comes back next season as our #4 dman (behind Despres). Then let Scuds, Bortz, Dumo, Harry fight it out for the bottom 2 spots. DP has played well enough in his time to show that he deserves to get more time to finish out the season.

 

[penguins2946*]

Back to winger talk, Rossi echoed what Madden said about the Pens and Kunitz likely to be parting ways. Isn't this exactly what happened with Neal last summer, where Rossi and Madden were saying that he asked for a trade?

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Back to winger talk, Rossi echoed what Madden said about the Pens and Kunitz likely to be parting ways. Isn't this exactly what happened with Neal last summer, where Rossi and Madden were saying that he asked for a trade?

Kunitz to Nashville for Neal?

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

Back to winger talk, Rossi echoed what Madden said about the Pens and Kunitz likely to be parting ways. Isn't this exactly what happened with Neal last summer, where Rossi and Madden were saying that he asked for a trade?

Yeah but i'm sure Rossi is just parroting Madden, because he's a leech like that.

 

[drpepper]

Back to winger talk, Rossi echoed what Madden said about the Pens and Kunitz likely to be parting ways. Isn't this exactly what happened with Neal last summer, where Rossi and Madden were saying that he asked for a trade?

Were Madden and Rossi reporting that Neal asked for a trade? I know there were consistent rumors about off-ice issues, but Neal clearly didn't ask for a trade and seemed genuinely surprised by the move.

 

[SprootsMasterFlex]

Kunitz to Nashville for Neal?

I wish!!! Sadly we don't even have the cap-space for that to work.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

I wish!!! Sadly we don't even have the cap-space for that to work.

It wouldnt take THAT much wiggling, would it? Isnt the difference in cap only $1mil?

EDIT: not that I was being serious OR do I think its even within the realm of possiblity. Just saying .. if the hypothetical were to happen ...

 

[billybudd]

Back to winger talk, Rossi echoed what Madden said about the Pens and Kunitz likely to be parting ways. Isn't this exactly what happened with Neal last summer, where Rossi and Madden were saying that he asked for a trade?

I don't know what Rossi was saying, but Savran was the first guy to say Neal asked for a trade, iirc.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Yeah but i'm sure Rossi is just parroting Madden, because he's a leech like that.

95% sure that's it.

Madden does get things right sometimes, though, sometimes in a suspect way (Neal if he actually knew anything) and sometimes he's just right (Letang's return date). Other times it's rambling, so who knows. Kunitz does look lazy as hell so it wouldn't surprise me but they're still the Pens so it would. They've seen a lot of turnover under JR with players like Orpik (leadership) and Neal (top 6 winger), though. If it does happen pleasegodthrowAdamsin.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Call now and we'll include this slightly used Craig Adams. Guaranteed 82 games a season or your money back.

All sales final. Not responsible for injured and/or mangled star players and/or prospects during practices or any team functions.