Salary Cap: 2014-15 Roster-building Thread XXIV : Craig Adams, one year extension or two?

[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...

 

[Riptide]

What do other people think about this?

kings
Sutter
Kunitz

pens
Stoll
Williams

Flexibility or not, I wouldn't trade those two players to only get back two pending UFA's. Especially Sutter. I don't like him on this team, and think we should be replacing him. But I'm not willing to give him away either. I don't know what exactly his trade value is, but we can certainly do better than Stoll.

[Edit: Cap flexibility is fine - however you need someone to spend it on... and I'm not all that excited about what FA's are available in July]

Someone mentioned up thread they didn't understand drafting all the college kids...
USA Hockey....he felt it was his duty to advance the talent development and reputation

I don't really think it was something intentional, vs him "knowing" college hockey players better, and thus focusing his scouting there, or perhaps just giving those players the edge vs someone in the CHL if they were perceived to have equal value.

 

[Bennett Brauer]

Pens fans confuse the hell out me. So much wanting players gone, so we can bring in more players that won't produce and people will want them gone too. Trade Kunitz, Sutter, Sill, Adams, Martin, Scuderi. Do we want to just put a bunch of strangers together and say "play hockey"? This roster had a big enough overhaul to it and now people want it done again? Teams have chemistry, we overhauled the roster and we're still trying to see where the new players fit, and people want 5 more players replaced? Are you crazy? Some guys I can understand, guys like Sill and Adams and I don't even want them gone, just take one out of the lineup. If Kunitz wants out and won't give it his all, then I can understand trading him also, but Sutter?! Absolutely zero reason to do that IMO.

Question, what has Sutter done so horribly wrong that we should trade him? He's not the best by any means but when I look at a lot of teams around the league and their centers, there aren't many guys I'd want on my 3rd line more than Sutter. Unless you want your 3rd line center making 5 to 6 million dollars causing you to move something else out of your lineup, taking away depth from another area. Sutter wins faceoffs, is sound defensively, and has a good, accurate shot, he's only 25 years old making $3M a year for 2 seasons. What do people want? Again who else do we bring in? Someone who is just as good defensively but not as gifted offensively? That's likely Sutter's replacement right there.

 

[Will Hunting]

Pens fans confuse the hell out me. So much wanting players gone, so we can bring in more players that won't produce and people will want them gone too. Trade Kunitz, Sutter, Sill, Adams, Martin, Scuderi. Do we want to just put a bunch of strangers together and say "play hockey"? This roster had a big enough overhaul to it and now people want it done again? Teams have chemistry, we overhauled the roster and we're still trying to see where the new players fit, and people want 5 more players replaced? Are you crazy? Some guys I can understand, guys like Sill and Adams and I don't even want them gone, just take one out of the lineup. If Kunitz wants out and won't give it his all, then I can understand trading him also, but Sutter?! Absolutely zero reason to do that IMO.

Question, what has Sutter done so horribly wrong that we should trade him? He's not the best by any means but when I look at a lot of teams around the league and their centers, there aren't many guys I'd want on my 3rd line more than Sutter. Unless you want your 3rd line center making 5 to 6 million dollars causing you to move something else out of your lineup, taking away depth from another area. Sutter wins faceoffs, is sound defensively, and has a good, accurate shot, he's only 25 years old making $3M a year for 2 seasons. What do people want? Again who else do we bring in? Someone who is just as good defensively but not as gifted offensively? That's likely Sutter's replacement right there.

Says a guy with Sutter on his avy, so I guess it won´t be taken well here. I like Sutter more than the other posters here, but what about giving some effort for a change? What about that heart that he was talking about recently? Where´s that?

 

[Bennett Brauer]

Says a guy with Sutter on his avy, so I guess it won´t be taken well here. I like Sutter more than the other posters here, but what about giving some effort for a change? What about that heart that he was talking about recently? Where´s that?

Yeah I can see how that makes me come off as a huge Sutter fan but honestly, I haven't even paid attention to my profile, I thought the nickname Flat Stanley was hilarious and I figured I might as well put his picture there to match the name.

I see plenty of effort from Sutter, I see as much effort from him as I see from anyone else on the team. Maybe people had high expectations of Sutter being a Staal replacement and being able to score 20+ goals and step in on the 2nd line. I still think he can do that but I think people we so used to Staal, anything less is unacceptable.

I like Sutter as our 3rd line Center, I don't want us to be a team who ices 3rd line centers like Dominic Moore. I don't know who these teams have out, but according to latest lineup changes (According to the NHL Line ups app) here are every team's 3rd line center.

Anaheim - Rickard Rakell
Arizona - Kyle Chipchura (I know Hanzal must be out)
Boston - Carl Soderberg
Buffalo - Brian Flynn
Calgary - Mikael Backlund
Carolina - Riley Nash
Chicago - Andrew Shaw
Colorado - John Mitchell
Columbus - Artem Anisimov
Dallas - Cody Eakin
Detroit - Riley Sheahan
Edmonton - Boyd Gordon
Florida - Dave Bolland
Los Angeles - Jarret Stoll
Minnesota - Charlie Coyle
Montreal - Lars Eller
Nashville - Calle Jarnkrok
New Jersey - Michael Cammalleri
New York Islanders - Brock Nelson
New York Rangers - Dominic Moore
Ottawa - David Legwand
Philadelphia - Sean Couturier
Pittsburgh - Maxim Lapierre (Brandon Sutter when Geno comes back)
San Jose - James Sheppard
St. Louis - Joakim Lindstrom (looks like Berglund is out)
Tampa Bay - Cedric Paquette
Toronto - Peter Holland
Vancouver - Nick Bonino
Washington - Eric Fehr
Winnipeg - Adam Lowry

I understand some teams may have injuries and I don't know every team's lineup when healthy but those are the 3rd line centers in the NHL as of right now. There are some attractive names on that list. However, once you read the list, you have to ask, is it possible to acquire the good players on that list? I doubt Eakin is available and I HIGHLY doubt Anisimov or Couturier are available, especially to a division rival. Stoll would be a lateral move at best only he's 7 years older and more expensive.

When I put all of that into consideration, it doesn't make much sense to trade Sutter. I wouldn't have wanted Goc, Lapierre or Spaling to replace him either.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[PensPlz]

Sutter is not a gritty at all, not a defensive juggernaut but he's not quite a legit offensive threat. He's just... vanilla. He has no identity to bring to that third line, even with a full line-up.

Actually, the only unifying identity our current bottom 6 has is that we have a 4th line that doesn't belong in the NHL.... at all. So there's that I guess.

 

[Gurglesons]

Sutter is not a gritty at all, not a defensive juggernaut but he's not quite a legit offensive threat. He's just... vanilla. He has no identity to bring to that third line, even with a full line-up.

Actually, the only unifying identity our current bottom 6 has is that we have a 4th line that doesn't belong in the NHL.... at all. So there's that I guess.

If you look at Flat Stanley's list, most of the players in third line roles are exactly the same. The issue with Sutter is Johnston's overuse of him and the fact that he had Malkin flanking him earlier.

 

[PensPlz]

If you look at Flat Stanley's list, most of the players in third line roles are exactly the same. The issue with Sutter is Johnston's overuse of him and the fact that he had Malkin flanking him earlier.

I looked at the ones from EC playoff teams: Eric Fehr, Dominic Moore, Carl Soderberg, Brock Nelson, Lars Eller, Cedric Paquette, and Riley Sheahan. Just for fun, throw in Sean Couturier.

Except for maybe Cedric Paquette (right now), anyone of those would be an immediate upgrade of Sutter... a few of them a HUGE upgrade.

 

[DearDiary]

The hate on Sutter is crazy. Look back in the Sutter for Perron thread where it was speculated the Oilers wanted him. Many of you didn't want to do the trade. Now ~10 games later, he's being treated like garbage? I'd say only Malkin, Letang and Crosby were better than him in the playoffs last year and that's what matters... the playoffs

Sutter is having his linemates changed every game and it's hurting his performance. He was playing very well on a line with Bennett and Downie because they covered for his weakness and let him play his game.

I feel like I'm always the one stuck defending players. Adams, Scuderi, Letang and now Sutter. Not Kunitz though, can't defend someone who doesn't put in any effort...

 

[Will Hunting]

The hate on Sutter is crazy. Look back in the Sutter for Perron thread where it was speculated the Oilers wanted him. Many of you didn't want to do the trade. Now ~10 games later, he's being treated like garbage? I'd say only Malkin, Letang and Crosby were better than him in the playoffs last year and that's what matters... the playoffs

Sutter is having his linemates changed every game and it's hurting his performance. He was playing very well on a line with Bennett and Downie because they covered for his weakness and let him play his game.

I feel like I'm always the one stuck defending players. Adams, Scuderi, Letang and now Sutter. Not Kunitz though, can't defend someone who doesn't put in any effort...

Kunitz needs to go first, that´s without a question. Sutter has shown real class in the playoffs and at the start of the year and he´s still young. So, while the criticism is warranted as of now, there´s at least a hope that he will improve his play when we are healthy and the lines are more stabile come playoffs. With Kunitz, there´s very little hope as of now.

 

[JTG]

A new 5 year window opens after this season. We should be going into it with the cap bump, and 14-16 million lighter in payroll. We can quickly retool.

 

[Bennett Brauer]

I looked at the ones from EC playoff teams: Eric Fehr, Dominic Moore, Carl Soderberg, Brock Nelson, Lars Eller, Cedric Paquette, and Riley Sheahan. Just for fun, throw in Sean Couturier.

Except for maybe Cedric Paquette (right now), anyone of those would be an immediate upgrade of Sutter... a few of them a HUGE upgrade.

I think the only upgrade there is Sean Couturier. If Fehr or Moore were better than Sutter, teams would be knocking down their door trying to sign them in Free Agency, instead both joined their teams late in offseasons because they weren't looked at as solid players, they fit where they're at, they're not difference makers for every team. I wouldn't call Soderberg or Eller an improvement either, what do they do that Sutter doesn't? Paquette and Shehan do not entice me either.

Edit: Forgot Nelson, hasn't proved enough to me to be an upgrade over Sutter, let's see what he does over the next 2 or 3 seasons.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I'm happy with most of the moves JR & Co. have made, at least the big ticket moves. Perron and Hornqvist are fantastic, and if they can both remain healthy, Sid should run away laughing with the scoring title next season. We need to get Geno his two Perron/Hornqvist caliber wingers, or one JVR/ROR caliber guy with a third wheel like Bennett or Comeau. We're not far off, but that doesn't mean we don't have to put in the time to get the work done.

We need to get bigger, faster, tougher in the bottom six. I like the Goc for Lapierre move. Similar skill sets and upside, but Lapierre brings an added element which we need.

I like Spaling. I think he's a guy you don't really notice when he's playing well and playing his game, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I've liked his game at center--small sample size or no--more so than at wing. Sutter can **** off. For every good game he has, he is completely invisible and ineffective for the next 25. It's not the same situation as Spaling where not noticing him isn't indicative of his impact.

I think everyone knows my stance on Kunitz. He's lazy, and complacent. He's got the stink of Shero/Bylsma all over him and it ain't washing off. He's also 35. Get rid of him asap. Stat sheet white knights will proclaim he's one of the best wingers in the league, but he's not. He hasn't given a **** for years. Give me a guy busting his ass every second of every shift while putting up 50pts on Sid's wing rather than a guy scoring 70pts in the regular season while playing an unsuccessful brand of hockey come playoff time.

We've seen it for years. A fast, punishing, physical bottom six is extremely potent come playoff time. They don't need to be the biggest guys, they just need to be willing to lay it all on the line for playoff success. Obviously, I'd love to have guys like Matt Martin and a prime Mike Rupp who are huge, punishing, and can actually legitimately play hockey, but they don't grow on trees. I genuinely believe a bottom six that works their ass off, grinds the opposing defensemen into paste with dump and chase/punishing forecheck is as important to Sid and Geno's success as guys like Perron and Hornqvist.

Perron - Crosby - Hornqvist
XXXX - Malkin - XXXX

I'd say go for a big ticket guy like JVR/ROR/Kane for Geno's line. See where dangling guys like Sutter, Kunitz, and one of our defensemen gets you. I was hoping Foligno would make it to free agency and we could lure him to Pittsburgh.

As for the bottom six:

Spaling - XXXX - Bennett
Farnham - Lapierre - Downie

As for the 3C; Letestu? Stoll? McClement?

 

[SEALBound]

A new 5 year window opens after this season. We should be going into it with the cap bump, and 14-16 million lighter in payroll. We can quickly retool.

Indeed, however it will become MORE vital to NOT hang on to "family" and to focus MORE on surrounding Sid and Geno with talent. If they are declining and not as capable of carrying the team, then they need better players.

Perron-Sid-Hornqvist should be a given. Sid needs two guys who, if you made a list of qualities that would fit best with Sid sans Parise/Perry/Hossa, those two are it.

Malkin. He needs two Top 6 wings. Don't think at this point there's any real question about that.

We need a better 3C. Sutter should be trade bait to get one of the wings. Downie/Spaling/Comeau/Bennett are all capable 3rd line wings.

4th line needs to NOT have Sill and Adams. Lapierre is fine, Downie/Spaling/Comeau/Farnham filling it out would be nice. If they can pick up a big gritty 4th liner in FA, all the better.

I believe one thing they can do is bring in a Hall or Kane for Malkin. Then the other Top 6 player can be a Downie/Comeau/Bennett.

3C...I dunno man. I want a Staal...but I just feel the money to get one like him is better spent in the Top 6. Tough choice.

The money we can save on Martin by replacing him with Despres will be huge. If we can replace Scuderi with Bortuzzo, even better.

 

[Will Hunting]

Anaheim - Rickard Rakell
Arizona - Kyle Chipchura (I know Hanzal must be out)
Boston - Carl Soderberg
Buffalo - Brian Flynn
Calgary - Mikael Backlund
Carolina - Riley Nash
Chicago - Andrew Shaw
Colorado - John Mitchell
Columbus - Artem Anisimov
Dallas - Cody Eakin
Detroit - Riley Sheahan
Edmonton - Boyd Gordon
Florida - Dave Bolland
Los Angeles - Jarret Stoll
Minnesota - Charlie Coyle
Montreal - Lars Eller
Nashville - Calle Jarnkrok
New Jersey - Michael Cammalleri
New York Islanders - Brock Nelson
New York Rangers - Dominic Moore
Ottawa - David Legwand
Philadelphia - Sean Couturier
Pittsburgh - Maxim Lapierre (Brandon Sutter when Geno comes back)
San Jose - James Sheppard
St. Louis - Joakim Lindstrom (looks like Berglund is out)
Tampa Bay - Cedric Paquette
Toronto - Peter Holland
Vancouver - Nick Bonino
Washington - Eric Fehr
Winnipeg - Adam Lowry

Give me Soderberg, Anisimov, Eakin, Eller, Cammalleri, Nelson, Shaw, Couturier, Coyle, Paquette, Bonino, Fehr, Lowry from that list over Brandon Sutter. That´s like 12-13 players right there, possibly a bit more. Which means that he´s a fairly average 3C. Right now he´s underperforming but that´s what he´s in general.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Sens fans are saying that Chris Neil would warrant a 2nd or 3rd coming back, maybe, with a prospect.

He's signed through next season at a cap hit of $1.9M. I'd definitely give up a pick and lower end prospect for him.

 

[Bennett Brauer]

Give me Soderberg, Anisimov, Eakin, Eller, Cammalleri, Nelson, Shaw, Couturier, Coyle, Paquette, Bonino, Fehr, Lowry from that list over Brandon Sutter. That´s like 12-13 players right there, possibly a bit more. Which means that he´s a fairly average 3C. Right now he´s underperforming but that´s what he´s in general.

Well that's where opinions come into play. I take Sutter over Soderberg, Eller, Cammalleri, Nelson, Shaw, Coyle, Paquette, Bonino, Fehr and Lowry. The only player I 100% would take over Sutter is Couturier. I'm not sure I would take Sutter over Anisimov or Eakin, but those players wouldn't be available anyways, neither would Couturier.

Most of the guys on that list are average, there aren't many above average 3Cs or they'd be 2nd liners (like Jordan Staal). Everyone on the Penguins are underperforming. Like i said earlier, Sutter has a skillset and he uses it well. He's a tall, lanky center with a long reach, he's the best player on our team when it comes to breakaways, he's one of our most accurate shooters, he wins faceoffs, kills penalties and plays sound defensively. I can't ask for more than that from a 3rd line center. Especially someone young on a good contract.

 

[Will Hunting]

Well that's where opinions come into play. I take Sutter over Soderberg, Eller, Cammalleri, Nelson, Shaw, Coyle, Paquette, Bonino, Fehr and Lowry. The only player I 100% would take over Sutter is Couturier. I'm not sure I would take Sutter over Anisimov or Eakin, but those players wouldn't be available anyways.

Most of the guys on that list are average, there aren't many above average 3Cs or they'd be 2nd liners (like Jordan Staal). Everyone on the Penguins are underperforming. Like i said earlier, Sutter has a skillset and he uses it well. He's a tall, lanky center with a long reach, he's the best player on our team when it comes to breakaways, he's one of our most accurate shooters, he wins faceoffs, kills penalties and plays sound defensively. I can't ask for more than that from a 3rd line center. Especially someone young on a good contract.

I can see the case for some of those (like opinions vary), but especially Soderberg, Bonino and Nelson are not even close to Sutter. Eric Fehr is having an excellent season as well. Lowry is a physical freak.

 

[penguins2946*]

Well that's where opinions come into play. I take Sutter over Soderberg, Eller, Cammalleri, Nelson, Shaw, Coyle, Paquette, Bonino, Fehr and Lowry. The only player I 100% would take over Sutter is Couturier. I'm not sure I would take Sutter over Anisimov or Eakin, but those players wouldn't be available anyways, neither would Couturier.

Most of the guys on that list are average, there aren't many above average 3Cs or they'd be 2nd liners (like Jordan Staal). Everyone on the Penguins are underperforming. Like i said earlier, Sutter has a skillset and he uses it well. He's a tall, lanky center with a long reach, he's the best player on our team when it comes to breakaways, he's one of our most accurate shooters, he wins faceoffs, kills penalties and plays sound defensively. I can't ask for more than that from a 3rd line center. Especially someone young on a good contract.

What?!? You're seriously overrating Sutter.

 

[SEALBound]

Well that's where opinions come into play. I take Sutter over Soderberg, Eller, Cammalleri, Nelson, Shaw, Coyle, Paquette, Bonino, Fehr and Lowry. The only player I 100% would take over Sutter is Couturier. I'm not sure I would take Sutter over Anisimov or Eakin, but those players wouldn't be available anyways, neither would Couturier.

Most of the guys on that list are average, there aren't many above average 3Cs or they'd be 2nd liners (like Jordan Staal). Everyone on the Penguins are underperforming. Like i said earlier, Sutter has a skillset and he uses it well. He's a tall, lanky center with a long reach, he's the best player on our team when it comes to breakaways, he's one of our most accurate shooters, he wins faceoffs, kills penalties and plays sound defensively. I can't ask for more than that from a 3rd line center. Especially someone young on a good contract.

You would take Sutter over Coyle? Soderberg?

Come on now man. Sutter? Is that really you? I know your nickname indicates its you...but is it really, really you? Only Sutter would take himself Coyle or Soderberg...

 

[themethod7]

What?!? You're seriously overrating Sutter.

Agreed... god dammit Flat Stanley, you're making me agree with VM

Seriously though, Sutter over Coyle? Madness.

 

[Riptide]

Pens fans confuse the hell out me. So much wanting players gone, so we can bring in more players that won't produce and people will want them gone too. Trade Kunitz, Sutter, Sill, Adams, Martin, Scuderi. Do we want to just put a bunch of strangers together and say "play hockey"? This roster had a big enough overhaul to it and now people want it done again? Teams have chemistry, we overhauled the roster and we're still trying to see where the new players fit, and people want 5 more players replaced? Are you crazy? Some guys I can understand, guys like Sill and Adams and I don't even want them gone, just take one out of the lineup. If Kunitz wants out and won't give it his all, then I can understand trading him also, but Sutter?! Absolutely zero reason to do that IMO.

Question, what has Sutter done so horribly wrong that we should trade him? He's not the best by any means but when I look at a lot of teams around the league and their centers, there aren't many guys I'd want on my 3rd line more than Sutter. Unless you want your 3rd line center making 5 to 6 million dollars causing you to move something else out of your lineup, taking away depth from another area. Sutter wins faceoffs, is sound defensively, and has a good, accurate shot, he's only 25 years old making $3M a year for 2 seasons. What do people want? Again who else do we bring in? Someone who is just as good defensively but not as gifted offensively? That's likely Sutter's replacement right there.

He's very very far from being the best. Sure he win's faceoffs (50.4%), and has good speed and a nice shot (that he doesn't use often enough)... but he's not physical at all, and for someone we're touting as good/half decent offensively... he's on pace for 30 points - AGAIN. Which is basically the same thing he's been doing for the past 5 seasons. I would happily take a lesser offensive player who's good defensively and good on draws, but more physical and who's likely able to put up 75% of the points Sutter is. OR I'd spend 5-6m on someone who's twice the player Sutter is. In either case, while Sutter might not be the worse out there, he's far from being anything special.

 

[Riptide]

Well that's where opinions come into play. I take Sutter over Soderberg, Eller, Cammalleri, Nelson, Shaw, Coyle, Paquette, Bonino, Fehr and Lowry. The only player I 100% would take over Sutter is Couturier. I'm not sure I would take Sutter over Anisimov or Eakin, but those players wouldn't be available anyways, neither would Couturier.

Most of the guys on that list are average, there aren't many above average 3Cs or they'd be 2nd liners (like Jordan Staal). Everyone on the Penguins are underperforming. Like i said earlier, Sutter has a skillset and he uses it well. He's a tall, lanky center with a long reach, he's the best player on our team when it comes to breakaways, he's one of our most accurate shooters, he wins faceoffs, kills penalties and plays sound defensively. I can't ask for more than that from a 3rd line center. Especially someone young on a good contract.

I would take almost every one of those players over Sutter.

 

[Saints11]

Last year, Pedro hit 37 and could throw to first! Enough with the last year stuff. The main difference between Sutter and almost all of the others on that list, is that Sutter plays soft both offensively and defensively. 8, count them 8, points since December! And he is offensively gifted? FS, you need to watch some of these other guys play. Fehr may have that many points just against us! Sheppard is very good for San Jose, and you don't even have the right 3rd line center for St. Louis. It is some guy named Statsny. If the Oilers were willing to give up assets for Sutter, JR needs to get them back on the phone. You need grit from your #3 center, not a tall lanky stick checker. In fact, I'd take the Preds #4, Gaustad, over Sutter.

 

[Asuna]

Penguins should go after Hanzal. He'd really be the perfect 3rd line center for the Penguins.