Salary Cap: 2015 offseason roster-building thread I | Charts in post #1 | Cap projection: $71.5M

[DegenX]

The first step toward sculpting the 2015-16 Penguins was taken when management informed right winger Craig Adams, whose contract is expiring, that he will not be brought back.

Rest of the article is here

 

[mpp9]

He was a goner. Now to get rid of Scuderi and trade Kunitz.

 

[Asuna]

Thank god....I never have to see that waste of space Adams again.

 

[Sutter16]

Per Friedman (30 thoughts) PIT made a strong push for Panarin

 

[SEALBound]

The writing was on the wall for Adams. You just can't be that old, that unproductive, and have that little overall skill in the game. I bet he could get a 2 way AHL contract or play in Europe if he wanted though.

Right now, the Pens need to make the decision on where they want to spend the money. Either way, there is risk.

In years past, Shero dedicated a lot of money to the defense which means they lacked the wings as they believed "Crosby and Malkin have to make due with less" and "free agents have to take a pay cut to come to Pittsburgh". That hasn't worked out and we are worse off for it.

Now, with a lot of defensive salary being able to be shed and a plethora of young defensive talent, they can finally take the "front heavy" approach and spend the money on offense. But that comes at the price of relying on your very young defense to contribute reliably at the NHL level. All offense never works, all defense never works. You need that happy medium...will be able to accomplish that with the young kids?

Realistically we could run:

Letang-Maatta
Pouliot-Cole
Dumoulin-Chorney
Lovejoy

Next season. That would leave us some serious cash for free agents. You could finally make the offers to the UFAs that would entice them to come here. One thing that could be explore is a Kunitz or Scuderi swap for Semin. Kunitz and Scuderi can both still contribute in the right roles. Carolina gets rid of Semin. Pair him with Geno...things could happen.

I would LOVE for us to go after Backes. I would like to see a line of Backes-Geno-Perron. Yes, Backes may not be the best wing, but he is excellent 2-way and can take faceoffs. Not only that but he is the gritty corner battler we need.

That leaves Kapanen to possibly go with Sid.

Kapanen-Sid-Hornqvist
Backes-Geno-Perron

Not terrible. With that, I believe we really look to get one SOLID 3rd line wing. Perhaps one that should in all respects be a top 6 wing. So when injuries happen we have options. Perhaps the solution is the swap for Semin or if you send Kunitz+ to Chicago for Sharp.

Perron-Sid-Horny
Backes-Geno-Semin

Sharp-Sid-Horny
Backes-Geno-Semin

Or Scuds for Semin, Kunitz for Sharp

Sharp-Sid-Horny
Perron-Malkin-Semin (meh...)

Lots of options out there. My thought for Backes would be Sutter+Harrington. Wouldn't mind if they threw in Rattie and we send Bennett. If we look to the Blues, we could also take our chances with Oshie. I think Oshie-Sid-Horny would be a great line.

Either way, a move of Sutter+ for a Top 6 wing leaves the spot open for Sundqvist to be the 3C. Stick him with Spaling/Comeau/Dupuis and another really good wing and I think he'd be just fine. Lapierre for 4C please

 

[cassius]

If you thought the first 2 years of the Scuderi contract was brutal, just wait until you see the next 2 years.

 

[billybudd]

Expect KHL free-agent Artem Panarin to sign with Chicago as soon as Wednesday. Panarin, who led league champion St. Petersburg in scoring, chose the Blackhawks because he’s seen similar players thrive there.

Calgary, Montreal, Pittsburgh and Toronto all made strong pitches. Sounds like the Flames — who heavily pursued him — were closest, but with so many small, talented forwards already in position (Sam Bennett, Johnny Gaudreau, Markus Granlund, Jiri Hudler), Panarin thought that might be too many.

Tom Lynn, the agent here, also represents Viktor Tikhonov, who is getting ready for an NHL return.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-how-playoffs-affect-draft-selection/

I got a laugh out of the bolded. Of course Brian Burke is going to tell you he was "the closest."

I'll try to make this my last word on the subject, but I understand Panarin's rationale for, supposedly, being about to sign with Chicago even less than before I read this. He came to the exact opposite conclusion that Chicago's own draft picks (Pirri, Hayes, Morin, etc) have been coming to the last little while: that there was no chance of developing in Chicago due to presumptive lack of ice time. To me, it seems like Pittsburgh and Toronto would have been the best choices of these four (and Chicago, a distant fourth). Pittsburgh due to job openings and, potentially, "freebie points" from the centers of the sort that look good in arbitration/fa and Toronto due to their willingness to open up the wallet on second contracts, which should have been on Panarin's radar because of Komarov.

 

[Houston Penguin]

If we made a big push for Panarin, per Friedman, and he chose Chicago over playing next to Malkin, the problem ain't the Penguins.

 

[mpp9]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-how-playoffs-affect-draft-selection/

I got a laugh out of the bolded. Of course Brian Burke is going to tell you he was "the closest."

I'll try to make this my last word on the subject, but I understand Panarin's rationale for, supposedly, being about to sign with Chicago even less than before I read this. He came to the exact opposite conclusion that Chicago's own draft picks (Pirri, Hayes, etc) have been coming to the last little while: that there was no chance of developing in Chicago due to presumptive lack of ice time. To me, it seems like Pittsburgh and Toronto would have been the best choices of these four. Pittsburgh due to job openings and, potentially, "freebie points" of the sort that look good in arbitration/fa and Toronto due to their willingness to open up the wallet on second contracts, which should have been on Panarin's radar because of Komarov.

I agree with those saying we need to stop expecting just b/c we have Sid and Geno, that we should be favorites to land these types of players.

I still say whoever is talking to these kids' agents are terrible salesmen.

 

[Jacob]

Is anyone confident real significant change will happen? I'm not so I'm just hoping for this:

Kunitz - Sid - Horny
Perron - Geno - Kappy
Duper - Sutter - Bennett
Spaling - Lappy - Sundqvist/Megna/Rust/Uher/Wilson

Maatta - Letang
Dumo - Cole
DePo - Hatejoy
(Chorney/Harrington)

Flower
(Whatever)

Other than Kunitz, who I think will be moved, and Scuderi, who I think we're stuck with as the #7, I think that's pretty close to what we'll expect come October.

 

[billybudd]

I agree with those saying we need to stop expecting just b/c we have Sid and Geno, that we should be favorites to land these types of players.

I still say whoever is talking to these kids' agents are terrible salesmen.

Favorites? Maybe not. If St Louis bid, I'd have expected them to be favorites. Steen can always play center when they start moving pieces out. All Panarin has to do is beat out Rattie, which wouldn't, to my thinking, be all that hard.

But Chicago? Doesn't compute. Guys like him have been demanding trades or refusing to sign for 2 or 3 years now.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-how-playoffs-affect-draft-selection/

I got a laugh out of the bolded. Of course Brian Burke is going to tell you he was "the closest."

I'll try to make this my last word on the subject, but I understand Panarin's rationale for, supposedly, being about to sign with Chicago even less than before I read this. He came to the exact opposite conclusion that Chicago's own draft picks (Pirri, Hayes, Morin, etc) have been coming to the last little while: that there was no chance of developing in Chicago due to presumptive lack of ice time. To me, it seems like Pittsburgh and Toronto would have been the best choices of these four (and Chicago, a distant fourth). Pittsburgh due to job openings and, potentially, "freebie points" from the centers of the sort that look good in arbitration/fa and Toronto due to their willingness to open up the wallet on second contracts, which should have been on Panarin's radar because of Komarov.

I don't know man. I think he sees himself as a Patrick Kane/Teuvo Teravainen type. Guys recognize themselves in others sometimes. He probably thinks he can thrive in a winning organization with a great system and a bunch of winners all around him. He gets none of that by signing with us, sadly.

If we made a big push for Panarin, per Friedman, and he chose Chicago over playing next to Malkin, the problem ain't the Penguins.

How is it not the Penguins? You can't just snap your fingers, dangle a cardboard cutout of #71 and say: "want some of this"?

That's probably the way we recruit players.

To an outside observer, we look like a total mess of a franchise right now. Of course it's the Penguins' fault.

 

[Human]

Rest of the article is here

JR is full of it here. he's lying himself if he really believes the team was ready even before the injuries... I was expecting them to use those injuries as an excuse, and it still is BS...

 

[mpp9]

Other than Kunitz, who I think will be moved, and Scuderi, who I think we're stuck with as the #7, I think that's pretty close to what we'll expect come October.

I'd sooner keep Kunitz here than not buy out Scuds if it comes to that.

The problem with Kunitz is that he always finds his way back to Sid's line, and he just can't play at that level anymore. He could be serviceable on the 3rd line. Management just needs to create more depth to keep him there.

Scuds is a bad hockey player. All he can do is play within a few feet of MAF on the PK. I don't care if he's the greatest leader who ever lived, he isn't worth over 3 mil to this team.

 

[penguins2946*]

I'm just hoping we get rid of Kunitz and Scuderi before next year. Unless we want to just piss away the assets we moved, we can't afford to keep Winnik, Lapierre and Comeau and play the young guys without moving Kunitz/Spaling. Retaining those 3 (which they should do IMO) would give them 11 forwards under contract (including Dupuis) with Bennett as a RFA, which totally eliminates the idea of playing young guys. I don't see a way we give Kapanen, Wilson, Rust, Megna and Sundqvist a fair shot next year unless we get rid of Kunitz, Spaling and/or Dupuis. If the idea isn't to play Bennett in the top-6, I'd like him to be moved for a top-6 winger. He's being wasted here with Sutter. My ideal forward lineup for next year is something like:

Perron-Crosby-Hornqvist
Trade-Malkin-Bennett/Kapanen
Winnik-Sutter-Dupuis
Sundqvist-Lapierre-Comeau

This includes moving Spaling and Kunitz, and if Dupuis can't play, Megna and Rust should battle for the 3rd line spot.

 

[Shaftception]

I agree with those saying we need to stop expecting just b/c we have Sid and Geno, that we should be favorites to land these types of players.

In other words stop being raging homers. Chicago has more recent success, an actual promising future still, has better players, an actual nhl level coach with an nhl level system, a playstyle that benefits skilled players, I could go on. Why would any skilled ufa forward want to come here? Who gives a **** if they'd get to play with crosby or malkin, almost every single forward's stats decreased this year under this junior coach compared to abylsmal, including the two centers that are apparently such amazing draws.

 

[Houston Penguin]

I don't know man. I think he sees himself as a Patrick Kane/Teuvo Teravainen type. Guys recognize themselves in others sometimes. He probably thinks he can thrive in a winning organization with a great system and a bunch of winners all around him. He gets none of that by signing with us, sadly.




How is it not the Penguins? You can't just snap your fingers, dangle a cardboard cutout of #71 and say: "want some of this"?

That's probably the way we recruit players.

To an outside observer, we look like a total mess of a franchise right now. Of course it's the Penguins' fault.

Over the Hawks, who will have to strip themselves down after the year is over? We had the top six spot he wanted and could have easily fit Tikhonov onto a third line. He would have a better chance of getting a bigger second contract here than in Chicago too. It didn't work for Ehrhoff, but it could have definitely worked for him.

 

[billybudd]

I don't know man. I think he sees himself as a Patrick Kane/Teuvo Teravainen type. Guys recognize themselves in others sometimes. He probably thinks he can thrive in a winning organization with a great system and a bunch of winners all around him. He gets none of that by signing with us, sadly.

That guy's exhibit A in why it would make more sense to sign practically anywhere but Chicago (Minnesota would also be a bad choice, imo). TT's getting somewhat limited minutes and often gets bounced to the fourth.

Maybe he could learn a lot from Kane in practice, but when his contract expires, I don't see how he's going to have the numbers for the big raise he'd be angling towards. There's a lack of opportunity, even without TT to jump over.

In other words stop being raging homers. Chicago has more recent success, an actual promising future still, has better players, an actual nhl level coach with an nhl level system, a playstyle that benefits skilled players, I could go on. Why would any skilled ufa forward want to come here? Who gives a **** if they'd get to play with crosby or malkin, almost every single forward's stats decreased this year under this junior coach compared to abylsmal, including the two centers that are apparently such amazing draws.

Strange, if what you say is true, that 4 young Chicago forwards trying to break into the NHL have demanded trades or refused to sign in the last two seasons (5, if Jimmy Hayes was a trade request as has been rumored). In your boundless wisdom, is that something you can explain? I'm guessing it's more likely you didn't even know that.

 

[Tumty]

Yes, because JR is hip to all the social media. He's used to assimilating new inventions. Think of how many he's seen in his lifetime. The automobile, electricity, written language, fire . . .

That was joke? But yeah lets only cry in here.

 

[SEALBound]

Over the Hawks, who will have to strip themselves down after the year is over? We had the top six spot he wanted and could have easily fit Tikhonov onto a third line. He would have a better chance of getting a bigger second contract here than in Chicago too. It didn't work for Ehrhoff, but it could have definitely worked for him.

Thought it was also interesting that he had to be an out clause in it in case he didn't make the team. If I was the Pens that would be a selling point to pitch to him. Top 6 spot to start the season. Piss off whoever else had their sights set on it but oh well.

 

[Houston Penguin]

That guy's exhibit A in why it would make more sense to sign practically anywhere but Chicago (Minnesota would also be a bad choice, imo). TT's getting somewhat limited minutes and often gets bounced to the fourth.

Maybe he could learn a lot from Kane in practice, but when his contract expires, I don't see how he's going to have the numbers for the big raise he'd be angling towards. There's a lack of opportunity, even without TT to jump over.

EXACTLY.

You have Malkin.
You have a top six spot.
You have a good chance of cashing in on your second contract.

That is not happening in Chicago. Development is the ONLY thing they had over the Pens, which I can understand that being the deal breaker.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I think you guys are fooling yourselves if you think it's actually 'close' in terms of trying to decide a young player's future between signing with Chicago or Pittsburgh.

We are a clown show. Panarin probably used the Pens to get more interested suitors or more guaranteed bonuses.

We are nobody's number one choice right now. Not for young ELC players. Not for prospective President of hockey ops, not for GM's, not for coaches.

From the penthouse to the outhouse.

 

[cassius]

I think you guys are fooling yourselves if you think it's actually 'close' in terms of trying to decide a young player's future between signing with Chicago or Pittsburgh.

We are a clown show. Panarin probably used the Pens to get more interested suitors or more guaranteed bonuses.

We are nobody's number one choice right now. Not for young ELC players. Not for prospective President of hockey ops, not for GM's, not for coaches.

From the penthouse to the outhouse.

Bingo.

Pittsburgh is NOT a desirable location for UFA's. Plain and simple.

 

[Shady Machine]

You would, but at this point there's pretty much nothing to support that idea.

There's also not much evidence to support we were even pursuing a lot of the guys this board pushes for. It's tough to figure out what the problem is.

edit: NVM I guess we went after Panarin.

 

[billybudd]

As a "young wing" with an eye having a long, productive, lucrative career, Chicago would be my second or third to last choice among NHL franchises, which is the same conclusion Morin, Pirri and, allegedly, Jimmy Hayes came to when they asked out without any control over where they'd be going.

So, yes. Pittsburgh would be preferable. As would Phoenix, San Jose, Boston, Vancouver and twenty other clubs.

Not choosing Pittsburgh isn't nearly as weird as choosing Chicago, fourth line minutes and, on the next contract, fourth line pay. Better to take a VP track job with Jed's Flowers than a data entry clerk position at Google that has slim to zero possibility of advancement.