Salary Cap: 2016-17 Roster-Building Part XIX | Yakety Yak (Contract + Cap Info in 1st Post)

[DegenX]

All figures are cap numbers, not salaries.

2016-17 salary ceiling​

​

​

|

73,000,000​

​

​

Pens' projected spending |

76,174,166​

Approx. LTIR cushion |

3,750,000​

Approx. cap space |

575,834​

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Forward.................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

2017-18​

|

2018-19​

Evgeni Malkin|

C​

|

30​

|

9,500,000​

|

9,500,000​

|

9,500,000​

Sidney Crosby|

C​

|

28​

|

8,700,000​

|

8,700,000​

|

8,700,000​

Phil Kessel|

RW​

|

28​

|

6,800,000​

|

6,800,000​

|

6,800,000​

Patric Hornqvist|

RW​

|

29​

|

4,250,000​

|

4,250,000​

|

UFA​

Carl Hagelin|

LW​

|

27​

|

4,000,000​

|

4,000,000​

|

4,000,000​

Chris Kunitz|

LW​

|

36​

|

3,850,000​

|

UFA​

Eric Fehr|

RW​

|

30​

|

2,000,000​

|

2,000,000​

|

UFA​

Nick Bonino|

C​

|

28​

|

1,900,000​

|

UFA​

Matt Cullen|

C​

|

39​

|

1,000,000​

|

UFA​

Conor Sheary|

LW​

|

24​

|

667,500​

|

RFA​

Bryan Rust|

RW​

|

24​

|

640,000​

|

640,000​

|

RFA​

Scott Wilson|

LW​

|

24​

|

625,000​

|

625,000​

|

RFA​

Tom Kuhnhackl|

LW​

|

24​

|

625,000​

|

625,000​

|

RFA​

Tom Sestito|

LW​

|

28​

|

575,000​

|

UFA​

Defense.................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

2017-18​

|

.2018-19​

Kris Letang|

D​

|

29​

|

7,250,000​

|

7,250,000​

|

7,250,000​

Olli Maatta|

D​

|

21​

|

4,083,333​

|

4,083,333​

|

4,083,333​

Trevor Daley|

D​

|

32​

|

3,300,000​

|

UFA​

Ian Cole|

D​

|

27​

|

2,100,000​

|

2,100,000​

|

UFA​

Justin Schultz|

D​

|

26​

|

1,400,000​

|

RFA​

Brian Dumoulin|

D​

|

24​

|

800,000​

|

RFA​

David Warsofsky|

D​

|

26​

|

575,000​

|

UFA​

Goalie............,.......​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

2017-18​

|

.2018-19​

Marc-Andre Fleury|

G​

|

31​

|

5,750,000​

|

5,750,000​

|

5,750,000​

Mike Condon|

G​

|

26​

|

575,000​

|

UFA​

Injured reserve.....​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

2017-18​

|

.2018-19​

Pascal Dupuis|

RW​

|

37​

|

3,750,000​

|

UFA​

Derrick Pouliot|

D​

|

22​

|

863,333​

|

RFA​

Matt Murray|

G​

|

22​

|

620,000​

|

3,750,000​

|

3,750,000​

|

RFA​

Retained salary.....​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

2017-18​

|

.2018-19​

Rob Scuderi|

D​

|

37​

|

1,125,000​

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

Forward...............​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

2017-18​

|

2018-19​

Thomas Di Pauli|

C​

|

22​

|

742,500​

|

742,500​

|

RFA​

Jake Guentzel|

LW​

|

21​

|

734,167​

|

734,167​

|

734,167​

Teddy Blueger|

C​

|

21​

|

705,000​

|

705,000​

|

RFA​

Oskar Sundqvist|

C​

|

22​

|

700,833​

|

RFA​

Dominik Simon|

C​

|

21​

|

692,500​

|

692,500​

|

RFA​

Josh Archibald|

RW​

|

23​

|

659,167​

|

RFA​

Carter Rowney|

RW​

|

26​

|

612,500​

|

612,500​

|

UFA​

Jean-Sebastien Dea|

C​

|

22​

|

585,000​

|

RFA​

Kevin Porter|

C​

|

30​

|

575,000​

|

UFA​

Garrett Wilson|

LW​

|

25​

|

575,000​

|

UFA​

Defense...............​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

2017-18​

|

2018-19​

Ethan Prow|

D​

|

23​

|

730,000​

|

730,000​

|

RFA​

Lukas Bengtsson|

D​

|

22​

|

705,000​

|

705,000​

|

RFA​

Steve Oleksy|

D​

|

30​

|

575,000​

|

UFA​

Chad Ruhwedel|

D​

|

26​

|

575,000​

|

UFA​

Cameron Gaunce|

D​

|

26​

|

575,000​

|

UFA​

Stuart Percy|

D​

|

23​

|

575,000​

|

RFA​

Tim Erixon|

D​

|

25​

|

575,000​

|

RFA​

Reid McNeill|

D​

|

24​

|

575,000​

|

RFA​

Goalie..................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

2017-18​

|

2018-19​

Sean Maguire|

G​

|

23​

|

705,000​

|

705,000​

|

RFA​

Tristan Jarry|

G​

|

21​

|

589,167​

|

589,167​

|

RFA​

SIGNED PROSPECTS

Player​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

Current Team​

|

Contract​

Daniel Sprong|

F​

|

19​

|

Charlottetown (QMJHL)​

|

2 years, $692,500 per​

UNSIGNED PROSPECTS

Player​

​

​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

Current Team (League)​

Niclas Almari|

D​

|

18​

|HPK (Liiga)

Anthony Angello|

F​

|

20​

|Cornell (ECAC)

Dane Birks|

D​

|

20​

|Michigan Tech (WCHA)

Kasper Bjorkqvist|

F​

|

18​

|Providence (HEA)

Blaine Byron|

F​

|

21​

|Maine (HEA)

Filip Gustavsson|

G​

|

18​

|Luleå HF (SHL)

Connor Hall|

D​

|

18​

|Kitchener (OHL)

Ryan Jones|

D​

|

20​

|Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC)

Troy Josephs|

F​

|

22​

|Clarkson (ECAC)

Sam Lafferty|

F​

|

21​

|Brown (ECAC)

Joe Masonius|

D​

|

19​

|Connecticut (HEA)

Nikita Pavlychev|

F​

|

19​

|Penn State (B1G)

Alexander Pechurskiy|

G​

|

26​

|Amur Khabarovsk (KHL)

Jeff Taylor|

D​

|

22​

|Union (ECAC)

Frederik Tiffels|

F​

|

21​

|Western Michigan (NCHC)

Dominik Uher|

C​

|

23​

|HC Sparta Praha (ELH)

**Note: Recently signed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins RW Ryan Haggerty is not included as I couldn't find his actual cap hit. Once this is available, the chart will be updated**

Click to read more...

 

[DegenX]

Regarding Yakupov:

Per CapFriendly, Yakupov is listed as a RW/LW with a cap hit of $2.5M and he will still have RFA status when his current contract expires at the end of this season.


Dreger was on Edmonton’s TSN 1260 yesterday morning, transcript via Chris Nichols/Today's Slapshot

Pete Chiarelli tried to move Nail Yakupov leading up to the trade deadline,” recounted Dreger. “And I’m sure that he kicked a few tires at the draft in trying to move him again. There just isn’t – and hasn’t been to date, anyway – a market for him.

“Now, the Oilers would tell you that it’s not like they’re asking for an exorbitant or unrealistic return. It’s a draft pick. And it’s not a first, second – and at one point they were asking for a third, but it’s probably not even that anymore.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

I mean .. if Kunitz waived and he and Yak could be swaped straight up .. how do you NOT make that trade? If for nothing more than the cap savings alone.

 

[billybudd]

Turris was a malcontent who would tell anyone who would listen that he didn't want anything to do with Phoenix because of franchise instability. Obviously that's not a feather in his character cap, but it did lend credence to the idea that a change of scenery could help him. Furthermore, Turris was scoring at a higher clip, especially 5 on 5 while being decent to good defensively vs Yakupov's probable "league worst." This all makes him a really bad parallel for Yakupov. He was a better offensive player who was a worlds better defensive player and nobody ever (correctly) questioned Turris' intelligence, only his attitude and commitment.

A better one would be Stan Chistov, another smallish "skilled," high draft pedigree Russian who had a promising rookie season before regressing into something similar, though not quite as awful, as what Yakupov is now.


Far as trading Fehr for Yakupov, idek what to do with that. You lose 5 on 5 offense, defense, versatility, size and add salary for the privilege making your team worse in all of these areas while improving in no areas. This suggestion is inexplicable to me. It's like buying a cavity with a $5 bill.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Far as trading Fehr for Yakupov, idek what to do with that. You lose 5 on 5 offense, defense, versatility, size and add salary for the privilege making your team worse in all of these areas while improving in no areas. This suggestion is inexplicable to me. It's like buying a cavity with a $5 bill.

Yeah I wouldnt move Fehr for Yak. I have GOT to think that Fehr will be a bit better this year. Perhaps not to the level we all may want to see but a bit better than last year. Which is, already, better than Yak.

But Kunitz? Yeah Id make that trade.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I mean .. if Kunitz waived and he and Yak could be swaped straight up .. how do you NOT make that trade? If for nothing more than the cap savings alone.

Right. And that's what makes it all so unrealistic to begin with.

They aren't trading Kunitz. He's already skating in prominent roles in preseason and camp. And he, as always, was there. And they aren't trading Fehr. Coaches love players like Fehr. And in a lot of ways I can see why.

It all sounds tempting because I think this team could use a little bit more top end talent and finishing ability. But in the end it just doesn't make much sense, especially at the top of the season after just winning a Cup with pretty much exactly this same group. You have to at least give that a long look before you tinker too much. If tinkering was going to happen... it should have already happened.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah, Chistov is a pretty good comparable for Yakupov. I've used this one in the past too, but I'd even throw out Fata as a Yakupov comparable, although Yakupov had a lot more early success than Fata had. Basically any fast forward who was drafted too high due to their speed fits Yakupov pretty well.

I also wouldn't trade Kunitz for Yakupov because Kunitz is a significantly better player than Yakupov. Like it's not even a debate, we wouldn't be getting any cap space (we're already over the cap, so the Pens need to get a player as close to Kunitz's salary possible to maximize the LTIR space) and we'd be getting a drastically worse player.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Right. And that's what makes it all so unrealistic to begin with.

They aren't trading Kunitz. He's already skating in prominent roles in preseason and camp. And he, as always, was there. And they aren't trading Fehr. Coaches love players like Fehr. And in a lot of ways I can see why.

It all sounds tempting because I think this team could use a little bit more top end talent and finishing ability. But in the end it just doesn't make much sense, especially at the top of the season after just winning a Cup with pretty much exactly this same group. You have to at least give that a long look before you tinker too much. If tinkering was going to happen... it should have already happened.

I agree which is mostly why I hadnt chimed in until now. The reasoning behind obtaining Yak is odd to me. This team is finally in an enviable position .. lets not muss with it TOO much. Again, to move out Kunitz? Sure, I do that trade every day. If we werent a cap team, meh, sure, maybe take a flier. For a team like NJ, 2.5 in cap space is nothing. But for us, its huge so its not even worth the discussion.

I agree on Fehr as well. He brings a lot to the table. He isnt "amazing" at any one thing. But he is pretty decent at a LOT of things. I suspect he will be better this year.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Agreed with the timing.

If they were going to bring in a guy like Yak, it should have been long ago before camp or later near the deadline if the team looks to be missing something. Right now just doesn't seem to be a great time to bring in a reclamation project like Yak.

 

[Tender Rip]

Your ignoring the fact that a significant amount of that production was on the PP, a spot he will get very little time at in Pittsburgh.
At ES he put up 11 goals or a 19 goal pace. Still a very solid clip, but one he hasn't come close to repeating.

I am not ignoring it.
I am just using those numbers to say that once he came into the league, he did pretty well and showed talent.

The next season he was used entirely differently by a new coach, got consistently hung out to dry by same, and gradually came apart.
For a player of pedigree, he should never have been as useless as he has been, and no matter the circumstances, a lot is on him. But there is also a lot of reason to think that there is another player under that which we have seen in the last couple of years. As for the PP, the good version of Yakupov at least could be a boon for the second unit.

Also, I'm not sure why you want to dump Fehr. Fehr is a guy that put up 8 goals in 55 games last year (4 ES and 4 SH) in a down season (he averages 14 ES goals a year over his full career), doesn't hurt you defensively, can play all 3 forward positions and still costs 500K less. I'm not opposed to moving him, but I wouldn't do it to open up cap space to bring in Yak.

I have nothing against Fehr, but I think he is slowing down, that his injury history over the last few years seems troublesome, and I largely think he is a redundant asset for us going forward. To me he is the first player you move off of this roster to get flexibility - and unlike Kunitz his salary shouldn't make that a problem either. But to be sure, I don't think Fehr is a problem at all.

The important thing in this hypothetical scenario is that Fehr is never going to be more for us than a utility bottom 6 player and while having a two year deal on 2 million dollars, at some point he is rather going to block the road for someone else. I'd risk losing him for nothing for a 20% shot at getting a meaningful version of what Yakupov should have been - any day. Again, if Yakupov were to flame out with us... sayonara. Nothing real is lost. Fehr, yes. And then effectively we'd have gained 2 million in cap-space. Aight. I can easily live with that.


And COLE.... There is no better time to try and make a turnaround on a talented, out of favor kid than the start of the season. As if any of us would ever contemplate such a move late in the season when teams are settling in on what should be their playoff rosters. You do it at a time when you can adjust later if it turns out to be a bad idea.
And seriously..... what's that "room" stuff? He is a 22 year old with no confidence who has never been a troublemaker. If he didn't look like a solution he'd be benched and then waived. What's the trouble?
Btw. are you telling me you would not have made the necessary changes if Vesey had been wanting to sign for the Pens? Or if Versteeg had gotten a try out and rocked camp? Of course you would.

NB: I don't about Yakupov and all this will 99% certain never be close to concrete. But to me it is just nonsense to intimate that there'd be any risk in giving it a go if the price/assets involved was anything like what is being discussed.

 

[Corvidae]

Yeah, Chistov is a pretty good comparable for Yakupov. I've used this one in the past too, but I'd even throw out Fata as a Yakupov comparable, although Yakupov had a lot more early success than Fata had. Basically any fast forward who was drafted too high due to their speed fits Yakupov pretty well.

I also wouldn't trade Kunitz for Yakupov because Kunitz is a significantly better player than Yakupov. Like it's not even a debate, we wouldn't be getting any cap space (we're already over the cap, so the Pens need to get a player as close to Kunitz's salary possible to maximize the LTIR space) and we'd be getting a drastically worse player.

I would trade Kunitz for Yakupov because that would guarantee that Kunitz wouldn't be shoehorned into rolls he no longer fits and given ice time he no longer deserves (on the Penguins, at least). Of course they'd probably just re-sign him in the offseason...

This team just loves to beat a dead horse until you can't stand to look at it anymore.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/ranking-top-20-left-wingers-nhl-numbers/

Sportsnet is really trying to trigger us...

 

[billybudd]

So progression for young players is your litmus test.

Can you clarify for me what progression Justin Schultz showed over his Oilers tenure that suggests he would have success here?

Over the years in Edmonton, Schultz confidence was eroded and he wasn't able to perform to his potential. That situation sounds familiar..

Considering I was beating the "take a flier on Schultz" drum all of last year, I can clarify that, yes.

Schultz's problem was that he was put in situations that he wasn't good enough to handle. A young Niskanen sort, Edmonton used him like he was Lidstrom. Over time, he just broke. By the end, he was either overcommitting on every play due to fear that nobody else would do their job (a well-founded fear) or just checked out. All of that is fixable, and he's still working on fixing the first thing.

Yakupov's situation is that he "doesn't know any of the duties or practices of the easiest position in the NHL to play." It's rare to see that in any NHLer (though it does happen from time to time, usually with guys like Rinaldo or Artyukin, though), but in a 5th year pro who's supposed to be a scorer? There's no fixing that. If he wasn't a top 3 draft pick, he'd never have even made the league.

Are we just going to ignore Yakupov's success with the only elite center he played with, and the fact that his most frequent center was Letestu?

Andy Hilbert had similar success with Sidney Crosby on a limited basis. Bad players sometimes get runoff when paired with good ones. In your specific example, Yakupov spent two weeks picking up mostly second assists in plays he was scarcely involved in.

Letestu is better than Yakupov. The implication that a bad player like Yakupov is being held back by a better player not being better-er enough is not logical to me.

I don't understand why you present your argument as though if we traded for Yakupov he would be guaranteed a roster spot for the duration of his contract, when it's clear that if he underperformed we have several other promising, viable young options available.

If we were stupid enough to claim this player and if he were to fail (which he would), he's not getting claimed again when we would have to waive him again (which we would). The only thing Yakupov has going for him is the perception the Oilers are toxic. The next team to decide he doesn't belong is stuck with him and his $2.5 million cap hit.

 

[SEALBound]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/ranking-top-20-left-wingers-nhl-numbers/

Sportsnet is really trying to trigger us...

What a garbage list.

But hey, if the Avs want to do a Kunitz for Landy swap, I'd take them up on it.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/ranking-top-20-left-wingers-nhl-numbers/

Sportsnet is really trying to trigger us...

*twitch twitch* it worked ...

 

[Internet Explorer]

I disagree with many of you. If there was a way to acquire Yak such as waivers, you take that chance. I understand that he's had a poor showing the past few years but, has any player thrived in Edmonton recently? If he doesn't work out with us, you didn't lose anything really. It's stupid to pass up an opportunity because of poor IQ or execution when EDM team for that past few years have lacked execution and IQ.

Having said that, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if we passed him over as well.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I disagree with many of you. If there was a way to acquire Yak such as waivers, you take that chance. I understand that he's had a poor showing the past few years but, has any player thrived in Edmonton recently? If he doesn't work out with us, you didn't lose anything really. It's stupid to pass up an opportunity because of poor IQ or execution when EDM team for that past few years have lacked execution and IQ.

Having said that, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if we passed him over as well.

Fairly sure that Yak would be claimed before we get a chance. We would also need to free up some space (Kunitz please).

 

[Winger for Hire]

Has any player thrived with Edmonton lately? Hall, McDavid, Eberle, Nuge, Perron have all put up pretty good seasons with Edmonton, with Yak on the team.

Edmonton is a bad organization, but good to decent player have been able to put up numbers there in the past 4-5 years.

 

[Riptide]

The thing is, though, we have a few guys already in our system that should be being given longer looks before we go looking to acquire anyone. And if they are ready, then we should be moving out higher priced vets and letting them play. Unless it's a sure fire can't miss helps us now and later on kind of deal, my mindset is that we should be looking to move guys out rather than bring them in ... provided, of course that the 'kids' are ready.

There is absolutely no chance of that happening this season. I mean lets be honest here. When talking about "vets" we're talking about Fehr and Kunitz. Perhaps Cole or MAF, but that's extremely unlikely (and in the context of this discussion irrelevant). And the odds of Kunitz or Fehr being benched when healthy for Wilson or any other kid is so remote it doesn't really even warrant a discussion. It's just not going to happen. Not to those players and not on this team.

So this idea that Yakupov would be taking a spot from Wilson or anyone else is false. Simply because if it wasn't Yak taking that spot, that spot still wouldn't be available anyway because Kunitz/Fehr would be in it. The same thing applies to "play the kids first". We can and we will, but acquiring Yak would not change (at least in a negative way) when or how they get their chances and icetime. And if he's really as bad as some on here are suggesting (which I doubt), then if anything, that's increasing the opportunity for our kids to play because Yak will not have that tenure here that Kunitz/Fehr have to the point that he's safe from being benched.

 

[Fordy]

i don't think this year being the end of kunitz is unrealistic at all

i mean as far as we know kunitz has been almost moved or in heavy consideration for being moved on 3 occasions in the last two years

wilson is being put in a prime spot where he will visibly outplay kunitz every night. sully is speaking highly of kuhn and his upside, and obviously really believes in all the kids he coached in wbs. regardless of the effusive praise everyone in the org is contractually required to give him, kunitz is still trending down and this will be his worst season yet. especially considering they'll be playing sully's system which demands a higher tempo and takes away the everyone sucked under johnston excuses

something has to give at some point. maybe, just maybe, when kunitz starts putting in effort right around the tdl again, jr doesn't blink this time

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Sounds like the Devils might grab him. So Shero is now Mr. winger it seems. Nice.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Sounds like the Devils might grab him. So Shero is now Mr. winger it seems. Nice.

According to Mr. Credible himself. Has Eklund ever been right?

 

[Riptide]

You have to ask yourself why 29 GM's are unwilling to pay a 2nd or 3rd round pick for Yakupov. Yeah, yeah hockey GM's are dinosaurs but I mean, you're telling me every GM is moron and won't pay a 2nd or 3rd for a highly talented top 6 reclamation project? It's a weird situation to be honest.

I don't think "a weird situation" really covers it properly. Honestly, this is more of a red flag then anything else people are saying here (much of which I disagree with). You can't really even say it's salary/cap related (which is what we saw with Jokinen in 2012), as 2.5m, while not "cheap" certainly isn't expensive - especially as there's no term there.

Also, I'm not sure why you want to dump Fehr. Fehr is a guy that put up 8 goals in 55 games last year (4 ES and 4 SH) in a down season (he averages 14 ES goals a year over his full career), doesn't hurt you defensively, can play all 3 forward positions and still costs 500K less. I'm not opposed to moving him, but I wouldn't do it to open up cap space to bring in Yak.

I'd rather dump Kunitz, but that's just not going to happen and we all know it. As for Fehr... yes he brings a lot of different things to the table. And while his contract is expensive for a 4th liner, it's fairly cheap overall so that doesn't really bother me. But as for why... I honestly, question his fit on this team. If we run HBK, Fehr is either on Malkin's wing or on the 4th line - and I'm not a fan of him being on Malkin's line. IF we're not running HBK, then he's on Bonino's wing or on the 4th line. Depending on who the other winger is, perhaps that's okay... but really, I just don't like how he fits on this team. He's not a bad player, but I think someone like Yak would be a better fit offensively. And if he's not, unlike with Fehr, we could sit him and play someone who is a better fit (whether that's for the top 6/9 or on the 4th line).

 

[Al Smith]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/ranking-top-20-left-wingers-nhl-numbers/

Sportsnet is really trying to trigger us...

I vote Kunitz for anyone at 16-20 (even Sharp), even if we have to retain some salary.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Sounds like the Devils might grab him. So Shero is now Mr. winger it seems. Nice.

While it almost seems like he is trolling knowledgeable Pens fans, it could also be that he learned a big lesson from his rise and fall during his time in the Burgh.

Either way, I hate NJ, always have since I find them boring. But who knows, maybe Shero does the impossible and makes them actually fun to watch.