Salary Cap: 2015 Off-season Roster Building VI - Because We Can't All Be Mods

[Ogrezilla]

I don't believe Sid disobeys the coaches. I do believe that the coaches don't have the balls to stick to their guns when they want Sid to do something that may not be his first preference. What I have no idea about is whether Sid is telling them he doesn't want to play more behind the net, or if they just never even brought it up. Same with things like Dupuis and Kunitz on his line.

 

[drpepper]

When Sid won the Richard, he scored a lot from that position. Deflections around the side the net, popping up into the crease to tap in, passes through the blue paint. All things we have been lacking on the powerplay. He has ridiculous deflecting skills, can drive to the net with the best of them, is unparalleled along the boards and has the hands to get the puck up from any position. It's a harder position to play than the half wall, and there's less glory there, but he and the Pens will score more if he's there.

So who is controlling the puck and getting the puck to the net?

PP and PK have changed since Crosby's Rocket year, and the Pens have struggled with entering the OZ and puck control.

Crosby at the goal line isn't very effective if the puck never gets there.

 

[Ogrezilla]

So who is controlling the puck and getting the puck to the net?

PP and PK have changed since Crosby's Rocket year, and the Pens have struggled with entering the OZ and puck control.

Crosby at the goal line isn't very effective if the puck never gets there.

Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Derrick Pouliot. And Sid isn't right at the net, Hornqvist is. Sid is able to move down low on whichever side the puck is on to get open for passes. He can be involved in controlling the puck. If they want to cover him tight over there, they have to pull a guy away from the net to do it. If they don't, then you can just wrap it around the boards to Sid from either side of the ice.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

As of right now, I hope our base going into the offseason is:

Perron-Crosby-Hornqvist
XXXXX-Malkin-XXXXX
XXXXX-XXXXX-Bennett
XXXXX-Spaling-Sundqvist

Maatta-Letang
XXXXX-Cole
Pouliot/Dumoulin/Lovejoy

Fleury-Zatkoff

That leaves Sutter, Kunitz, Dupuis and Scuderi as under contract players who should be moved, bought out or should just retire. I'd retain both Comeau and Winnik, both bring grit and aren't incapable offensively. All the other UFAs can walk. I'd move Kunitz for the highest pick we can get, LTIRetire Dupuis and buyout Scuderi. I'd use Sutter as the prime trade chip to bring in a winger.

...
Perron-Crosby-Hornqvist
Lupul-Malkin-Stafford
Winnik-Sobotka-Bennett
Comeau-Spaling-Sundqvist

Maatta-Letang
Cole-Green
Dumoulin/Pouliot-Lovejoy

Fleury-Zatkoff

...

I agree with a lot of what you wrote. I think Mike Green is an intriguing target. I thought he was all offense, but his "advanced' stats are really good. I don't know enough about Sobotka, but I think I would prefer Fehr or Soderberg. Lupul and Stafford have too many warts. And I think we want a better back-up goalie. But, I agree with who you want gone and keeping Winnik and Comeau.

 

[BustaKapanen]

Sobotka is staying in khl so we can scratch him off too.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...khl-for-2015-16-season--report-130339265.html

 

[WayneSid9987]

I find the main problem with the PP is Letang is not a one timer threat so teams can cheat to Sid on the half wall or tighten up the box. Sid knows Tanger won't one time it either so he tries to thread through the tighter box.

That was probably the thinking behind putting Geno at the point. He was atleast a threat and would open things up more.

Look at the Worlds. Sid was setting up the one timer to Burns over and over cuz he knew that Burns would one time it and it would probably end up on goal. If odds are Letang won't get it on goal, Sid won't pass it there and look elsewhere.

It would be really nice to get a righty who can one time pucks on goal in Tanger's position.

ETA: We're veering off-topic.
C'mon Team-9, charm the pants off of Mike Reilly this weekend!

 

[The Greatest 101]

Tocchet´s responsible for an awful powerplay and yeah, Johnston´s system definitely had something to do with that inept offense. Very sloppy entries and taking low-percentage shots.. terrible & boring to watch.

Johnston's zone entry is exactly what killed our offense.His system may work in juniors,but imo his zone entries rely on individual's ability too much.

 

[SprootsMasterFlex]

http://blog.triblive.com/chipped-ice/2015/06/04/column-expect-pens-to-go-young-on-d/#axzz3c9EgmieE

Well, I’m told that buyouts aren’t seriously being considered at this point, so scratch that off the list.

Trades are much more likely, specifically deals that help the Penguins shed salary for picks or players you’ve never heard of. You know, cheap ones that come low-risk.

Essentially, we’re talking salary dump.

Rob Scuderi*is a candidate. A strong one, actually, provided the Penguins find a dance partner.*Chris Kunitz, too, but to a lesser extent from what I understand.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I find the main problem with the PP is Letang is not a one timer threat so teams can cheat to Sid on the half wall or tighten up the box. Sid knows Tanger won't one time it either so he tries to thread through the tighter box.

That was probably the thinking behind putting Geno at the point. He was atleast a threat and would open things up more.

Look at the Worlds. Sid was setting up the one timer to Burns over and over cuz he knew that Burns would one time it and it would probably end up on goal. If odds are Letang won't get it on goal, Sid won't pass it there and look elsewhere.

It would be really nice to get a righty who can one time pucks on goal in Tanger's position.

ETA: We're veering off-topic.
C'mon Team-9, charm the pants off of Mike Reilly this weekend!

We had great powerplays without a right handed one timer though. We had two great left handed one timers in Geno and Gonchar though. Not to mention Gonchar's slapshot was a legitimate threat when he had the puck too, not just on the one timer. That's what I think we are missing. Everybody can overplay pass against us because nobody has a great shot once they have possession of the puck. We rely entirely too much on going around the goalie with difficult passes instead of beating him outright.

I hate to say it because I still like the trade, but James Neal was probably the most important player on our powerplay while he was here. If not most important, he was definitely more important than the 2nd of either Geno or Sid. Either one of Sid or Geno with Neal is more dangerous than Sid and Geno together. The way Hornqvist can help is to turn mediocre scoring chances into good scoring chances by being in the goalies face. Neal could turn a mediocre scoring chance into a great one on his own, but Hornqvist can turn 4 other guy's chances into good ones. But if nobody can or will shoot the puck in that situation, he's largely wasted in that role.

That's not to say a right handed one timer wouldn't be great. I just don't think its at the top of the list of what is wrong with the powerplay.

 

[BustaKapanen]

http://blog.triblive.com/chipped-ice/2015/06/04/column-expect-pens-to-go-young-on-d/#axzz3c9EgmieE

Dear god why, we are going to suffer through another year of scuderi aren't we?

 

[Ogrezilla]

Dear god why, we are going to suffer through another year of scuderi aren't we?

I still think someone can be fooled into taking him thanks to our PK stats and because a lot of GMs in this league value experience to a fault. Not for any sort of decent return, but I think someone would take him.

 

[SEALBound]

Dear god why, we are going to suffer through another year of scuderi aren't we?

We won't find dance partners for Kunitz or Scuderi

Prepare for:

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Comeau-Malkin-Hornqvist
Perron-Sutter-Spaling
Bennett-Lapierre-Sundqvist

Letang-Maatta
Scuderi-Lovejoy
Pouliot-Dumoulin
Harrington

 

[Zen Arcade]

I really don't see Kunitz being that hard to move.

His contract isn't that huge, he's got cup winning pedigree with two teams and he's not far removed from being very productive.

 

[Ogrezilla]

It depends what we are asking for them. There is absolutely no doubt that there are teams who would take Kunitz, its just a question of what they will give up for him and if that's enough for us. Scuderi will be a bit trickier, but I think someone would take him.

 

[Penguinator]

We won't find dance partners for Kunitz or Scuderi

Prepare for:

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Comeau-Malkin-Hornqvist
Perron-Sutter-Spaling
Bennett-Lapierre-Sundqvist

Letang-Maatta
Scuderi-Lovejoy
Pouliot-Dumoulin
Harrington

Perron ain't a 3rd liner, he could if we had the depth but we don't (hell, hardly anyone has!). 1rst or 2nd liner, preferably 1rst 'cause he had good chemistry when he first played with Sid & not nearly as much with Malkin.

 

[The Greatest 101]

Perron was a second line winger on one of the worst team(EDM).Third liner on cup contenders imo.

 

[StroShow]

We won't find dance partners for Kunitz or Scuderi

Prepare for:

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Comeau-Malkin-Hornqvist
Perron-Sutter-Spaling
Bennett-Lapierre-Sundqvist

Letang-Maatta
Scuderi-Lovejoy
Pouliot-Dumoulin
Harrington

noooooooooooooooooooo

 

[Speaking Moistly]

It depends what we are asking for them. There is absolutely no doubt that there are teams who would take Kunitz, its just a question of what they will give up for him and if that's enough for us. Scuderi will be a bit trickier, but I think someone would take him.

The big problem with Scuderi is his list of teams that they can't trade him to, someone might take him but he might be able to back the trade. Unless I missed some joyous news about that.

Maybe the Pens could encourage him to waive it but I doubt that would ever happen. Kunitz remains a problem of how the Pens view him...

 

[kbuck8851]

The big problem with Scuderi is his list of teams that they can't trade him to, someone might take him but he might be able to back the trade. Unless I missed some joyous news about that.

Maybe the Pens could encourage him to waive it but I doubt that would ever happen. Kunitz remains a problem of how the Pens view him...

To Buff
Sutter
Scuderi
Dumoulin/Harrington
3rd Round 2016 (Bylsma Pick)

To Pitt
M. Foligno
Weber
2015 1st Rnd 21st overall

 

[WayneSid9987]

I certainly hope they buyout Scuds if they can't find a dance partner. You say you wanna go young on D? Well, he's the big, fat, shining example of where you need to get younger.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Are we there yet?

 

[penzweiser]

We won't find dance partners for Kunitz or Scuderi

Prepare for:

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Comeau-Malkin-Hornqvist
Perron-Sutter-Spaling
Bennett-Lapierre-Sundqvist

Letang-Maatta
Scuderi-Lovejoy
Pouliot-Dumoulin
Harrington

Yeah there is almost no way this happens. GMJR knows that he needs to make changes, you literally are not adding anybody new (save for the fourth line) . At the very least they will trade someone to mixup the lines, even if Kunitz and Scuderi are not the guys they trade. If they can't offload Kunitz (which I would find VERY hard to believe), they will trade Sutter or Spaling to free to room to aquire aa top 6 forward.

Also keep in mind Dupuis may not return at alI do not think you end up with both Kunitz and Dupuis on the same team next year. If Dupuis isis done i wouldn'tbe surprised to see the below :

Stafford-Crosby-Horny
Perron-Malkin-Bennett
Kunitz-FA-Spaling
Wilson-Lapierre-Rust

Letang-Maatta
Cole-Pouliot
Lovejoy-Dumoulin
Scuderi

I wouldn't completely rule this out but I highly highly doubt Scuderi will be back.

 

[billybudd]

Nobody was thrilled with how Pouliot finished the year. To the point where coach Mike Johnston has been given the offseason task of figuring out Pouliot’s game, how to best motivate him and keep him playing responsible defensively while not sacrificing offense.

Er....motivate?

Newsflash, "idiot who gave Johnston that assignment," I don't know what player you've been watching, but Deryk Pouliot has yet to play responsible defensively on any level that I've seen. He was confused in his own zone in the WJCs all the time. Caused goals both directions.

It's not a matter of motivation, his D game simply needs work. Serviceable defense is something he needs to learn and he won't be learning it over the summer through emails from Mike Johnston. It took Mike Green about 8 years in the NHL before he didn't look totally confused.

 

[drpepper]

Like usual, Mackey seems to be talking slightly out of his ass.

The Pens aren't going to be able to trade Scuderi. It's a buyout or he's on the opening day roster. Unless Johnston has a complete personality transplant or the team signs a UFA defender Lovejoy will be getting top 4 minutes, and Harrington will be in the AHL. Also Dumoulin isn't going to make it through waivers and won't be in the AHL; it's playing in the NHL or on another team. And Pouliot doesn't need motivation. He needs time to learn how to play defense in the NHL and a partner that doesn't completely suck positionally.

 

[Waffle Fries]

noooooooooooooooooooo

The chances of that being our first line are close to zero.