Salary Cap: 2016-17 Roster Building XXIII | Insert Witty Thread Title Here

[Penske]

was he not playing 20+ minutes a night for over a week?

Maybe they mean over a larger amount of games to show he can handle it long term.

Schultz will get that anyway with the Dumo injury plus if he keeps playing this well they'll want to keep his minutes up anyhow. The Pens have helped develop Schultz very well.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Maybe they mean over a larger amount of games to show he can handle it long term.

Schultz will get that anyway with the Dumo injury plus if he keeps playing this well they'll want to keep his minutes up anyhow. The Pens have helped develop Schultz very well.

There's enough positive development from Schultz that it doesn't make any sense to trade Maatta for Trouba right now though. You're creating a hole that we can't fill next year to fill a hole that we have a guy filling very well right now.

 

[Penske]

There's enough positive development from Schultz that it doesn't make any sense to trade Maatta for Trouba right now though. You're creating a hole that we can't fill next year to fill a hole that we have a guy filling very well right now.

Oh I completely agree. Schultz will be better offensively for this team by the looks of it and has been good defensively too. It'd be dumb to swap Maatta for a RHD. I don't see JR trading him at all even for a good forward.

 

[NMK11]

You can't really hide someone against 3rd and 4th lines if you're playing them 21-23 minutes a night.

Sure you can. A fourth line plays 8 minutes, a third line plays 10 minutes, and two minutes on the PP and youre at 20 minutes right there. Of course, this isnt 100% feasible, but its definitely possible he could be playing 75% of his ES minutes against lower lines.

Im not saying he is or isnt playing against weaker competition because I honestly dont know his ice time breakdown. Im just saying this is the only reservation anyone should have about his game at this point, which should be easy enough to put to rest, Im just being lazy and not searching for the stats to prove or disprove and hoping someone who knows more about it will. For the record I think hes a huge reason we dominated December, and if he keeps this up he will be a huge factor for us in the playoffs. I also think if he keeps this up the rest of the year then Im definitely protecting him as one of my 3D.

 

[Riptide]

Okay so you traded Maatta and Sundqvist for Landy. Who slots in as 3C and 4C next year?

Landeskog-Crosby-Sheary
Guentzel-Malkin-Hornqvist
Hagelin-xxx-Kessel
Kuhnhackl-Fehr-Rust

Damn solid lineup but those are 2 very big holes to fill and not a lot of money to do it.

I love Sprong and don't want to trade him, but if I got Landeskog, I'd almost rather move Sprong and keep Sundqvist with that type of winger depth and lack of center depth.

I think that (bolded) is one of the reasons why we're probably not going shopping after a winger at any point in the near future. Because even if you "load up" the top 6 (vs running a good/great top 9), you still have Sheary, Guentzel or Hagelin on the left side. And if Guentzel doesn't work out (probably one of the safer bets there is that he will), you still have Rust and Hagelin you can move in/out. But when your big splash move means you're putting someone like Rust on the 4th line who's on pace for 20g/35+pts, I think Rutherford would look at that as less of a need and much more of a want.

 

[Riptide]

Let me ask you this. Assuming they go 7-3-1 on protections for the expansion draft, which 2 defensemen are you protecting out of Maatta, Dumoulin, and Schultz? Don't you think there's a very real risk of losing one of them regardless?

Maatta and Dumoulin. And then either see about bribing LV and/or hoping that JS's lack of team control and hopeful lack of desire to sign a long term contract will prevent them from picking him.

If they do, you start looking at other RD options in FA, and can hopefully sign one of Stone, Daley or Wideman to an affordable contract.

 

[Shady Machine]

I think that (bolded) is one of the reasons why we're probably not going shopping after a winger at any point in the near future. Because even if you "load up" the top 6 (vs running a good/great top 9), you still have Sheary, Guentzel or Hagelin on the left side. And if Guentzel doesn't work out (probably one of the safer bets there is that he will), you still have Rust and Hagelin you can move in/out. But when your big splash move means you're putting someone like Rust on the 4th line who's on pace for 20g/35+pts, I think Rutherford would look at that as less of a need and much more of a want.

Yeah it's definitely more of a want, but as much as I like Rust, he's really not a top 6 quality player in the long run in my view.

I agree though that we aren't likely to go get a winger. A defender is far more likely.

 

[wgknestrick]

Such a shame that we didn't move MAF this offseason and had Condon fall into our laps for free with room for him. If this team moves Kunitz, then most of our roster issues are solved. Bonino too.

 

[Coastal Kev]

If the Pens are going to make a run at the cup this year, history says they have to make a big move to shake up the roster.

So does JR make that huge roster move and if so, who are the most likely to go?

 

[Corvidae]

Such a shame that we didn't move MAF this offseason and had Condon fall into our laps for free with room for him. If this team moves Kunitz, then most of our roster issues are solved. Bonino too.

I don't see Bonino as a problem, let alone in the same league as Fleury and Kunitz.

His playoff performance gives him more than enough leeway for me.

 

[Shady Machine]

Such a shame that we didn't move MAF this offseason and had Condon fall into our laps for free with room for him. If this team moves Kunitz, then most of our roster issues are solved. Bonino too.

How do you solve the hole at 3C if you move Bones?

 

[wgknestrick]

I don't see Bonino as a problem, let alone in the same league as Fleury and Kunitz.

His playoff performance gives him more than enough leeway for me.

Rick Springfield can only play Jesse's Girl so many times in concert though. At some point you want to hear something else. Bonino without HBK is almost valueless...and HBK collectively is only 25% GF at 5v5 this season. I thought he was better too, but it just isn't working for him this year.

 

[wgknestrick]

How do you solve the hole at 3C if you move Bones?

Sundqvist or Guentzel (preferred)....Cullen. Many options IMO. Bones just hasn't been able to put anything together this year. He will always live in our hearts like Talbot though. Sometimes you just need to move on.

 

[Shady Machine]

Sundqvist or Guentzel (preferred)....Cullen. Many options IMO. Bones just hasn't been able to put anything together this year. He will always live in our hearts like Talbot though. Sometimes you just need to move on.

Guentzel is being groomed as a winger. I'm not opposed to giving Sundqvist a look.

Anyway, there isn't a reason to trade Bones. If you want to argue he should be benched for those guys, that's fine, but Stanley Cup contenders don't intentionally trade away depth at the center ice position unless it's for an upgrade somewhere else.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Rick Springfield can only play Jesse's Girl so many times in concert though. At some point you want to hear something else. Bonino without HBK is almost valueless...and HBK collectively is only 25% GF at 5v5 this season. I thought he was better too, but it just isn't working for him this year.

I want to slap you for putting that FN song in my head. lol

 

[wgknestrick]

Guentzel is being groomed as a winger. I'm not opposed to giving Sundqvist a look.

Anyway, there isn't a reason to trade Bones. If you want to argue he should be benched for those guys, that's fine, but Stanley Cup contenders don't intentionally trade away depth at the center ice position unless it's for an upgrade somewhere else.

Benching just isn't an option with how this team operates. I also think he is Sully's pet to an extent too. He was awesome last year in so many ways, but at what point do you forget that and accept who he's been this year? Last year was "the anomaly" for Bones, not this season.

I just think he has some value to playoff teams and that PIT can effectively replace him from within. If HBK somehow comes back to last year's form, then you keep him. I have a tough time justifying his roster spot over some very hungry and consistently effective WBS players. How many years has CHI traded players before the playoffs? It happens.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'd trade Bonino if the Penguins were trading for Hanzal about 10 seconds after they ship out Bonino. Otherwise? Nah, no thanks. I definitely don't want to re-sign him at this point, but I don't see a reason to move him.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Jets are supposedly in the market for a goalie. Man I'd take Pavelec back if it means a good return on MAF to Jets.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Jets are supposedly in the market for a goalie. Man I'd take Pavelec back if it means a good return on MAF to Jets.

Chances of Fleury waiving his NTC to go to Winnipeg are about as slim as the chances of Winnipeg giving us good assets (Trouba) in return.

 

[SEALBound]

Such a shame that we didn't move MAF this offseason and had Condon fall into our laps for free with room for him. If this team moves Kunitz, then most of our roster issues are solved. Bonino too.

Kunitz, yes. Bonino, no.

I don't see Bonino as a problem, let alone in the same league as Fleury and Kunitz.

His playoff performance gives him more than enough leeway for me.

This. Everyone in Anaheim and Vancouver said he was a playoff warrior. He was. Being a UFA 3C making $1.9mil...he's hardly the issue. In fact, he's one of our better valued assets. He was garbage this time last year too then blew us away for the playoffs.

Sundqvist or Guentzel (preferred)....Cullen. Many options IMO. Bones just hasn't been able to put anything together this year. He will always live in our hearts like Talbot though. Sometimes you just need to move on.

Swing and a miss. Sundqvist could be the 4C with Cullen filling in for 3C in the event of an injury. As a permanent roster move, nay.

Guenztel is not going to be an NHL center. People need to realize this and get over it. Quick. Stop trying to make Guentzel 3C happen...it's not going to happen.

I'd trade Bonino if the Penguins were trading for Hanzal about 10 seconds after they ship out Bonino. Otherwise? Nah, no thanks. I definitely don't want to re-sign him at this point, but I don't see a reason to move him.

There are a couple guys I would be interested in making swaps for. Hanzal is one. Girgensen as a project would be another but I'd want something else coming back. Fact is, we don't have a 3C in the system anywhere nor do we have adequate depth to cover it.

Jets are supposedly in the market for a goalie. Man I'd take Pavelec back if it means a good return on MAF to Jets.

The MAF+Maatta for Pavs+Trouba+something small makes a ton of sense for both sides IMHO. Everyone screams Hollaback girl or whatever his name is, but rumor is they are less than impressed with him. Things change for teams the same way they change for us. Rosters in short term and long term are never set in stone. Helly is not Murray. They could take on MAF and pay to protect Helly.

 

[SEALBound]

Chances of Fleury waiving his NTC to go to Winnipeg are about as slim as the chances of Winnipeg giving us good assets (Trouba) in return.

Oh look, this dumb argument again.

Who is on MAF's NTC list? What are Marc's feelings towards Winnipeg exactly? While you're at it, what's his feelings towards Dallas, Calgary, and Buffalo to boot?

 

[Shady Machine]

Benching just isn't an option with how this team operates. I also think he is Sully's pet to an extent too. He was awesome last year in so many ways, but at what point do you forget that and accept who he's been this year? Last year was "the anomaly" for Bones, not this season.

I just think he has some value to playoff teams and that PIT can effectively replace him from within. If HBK somehow comes back to last year's form, then you keep him. I have a tough time justifying his roster spot over some very hungry and consistently effective WBS players. How many years has CHI traded players before the playoffs? It happens.

Bones production down the stretch and in the playoffs might be an anomaly, but let's not pretend his production came out of nowhere relative to his career norms.

He put up 22 goals and 49 points in '13-14 and 15 goals, 39 points in '14-15. This year he is on pace to finish with 37 points. Certainly below what I'd like to see but not worth dumping him.

He came to Pittsburgh and had a really slow start with MJ, then took off down the stretch with HBK. This year he started slow, but that doesn't mean he can't catch fire again. I'm not betting on it happening, but I'm certainly not writing it off.

If I were JR and Sully, I'd try this before doing anything drastic like trading Bones just to open up a spot for Sundqvist:

Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist
Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel
Guentzel-Bones-Rust

Bones needs talent and speed around him to make up for his lack of foot speed. I would prefer to see a top 9 without Kunitz for 5-10 games before I really start judging the usefulness of players like Bones.

 

[Shady Machine]

Jets are supposedly in the market for a goalie. Man I'd take Pavelec back if it means a good return on MAF to Jets.

Pavs is buried in the minors and is a UFA after this year. Plus, them trading for Fleury means they might lose Helleybuyck for free in expansion. To me he is their goalie of the future, but I suppose if management there is under pressure to make the playoffs, they could risk his future for Fleury.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Chances of Fleury waiving his NTC to go to Winnipeg are about as slim as the chances of Winnipeg giving us good assets (Trouba) in return.

And why do you say that?

For Fleury it's a team in need of a number one and he isn't in the same situation like this one which would be stupid for him. His whole situation is that he is fighting for a number one job here and most of the other teams that would be a destination is the same situation. In winnipeg it might be a while before their other guys are ready if ever.

So why would he say no? Because it's not a contender? Oh boo hoo? If that's the case then I hope he retires and just ****s off.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Oh look, this dumb argument again.

Who is on MAF's NTC list? What are Marc's feelings towards Winnipeg exactly? While you're at it, what's his feelings towards Dallas, Calgary, and Buffalo to boot?

It's such an asinine argument when it's a good situation for maf and he'd see it too. He would be the clear cut number one there and it's what he needs. To be that and get a ton of games which again is what he wants. So why wouldn't he say ok yeah let's open up to the jets. The only issue here is that his agent is an epic jackass.

Also he'd see the pens maybe a few times a year. I'm sure that's preferable too. I don't hate MAF I hate the situation the team has created with him currently.