Salary Cap: Free Agency IX | All Pens FA News, Legit FA Rumors, Trade Ideas Here

[mpp9]

Lemieux and Burkle both specifically mentioned the lack of opportunities for young players to get a shot in their various interviews since firing Shero. I'd say that was a pretty heavy sticking point.

His handling of Beau Bennett and Despres are the most egregious examples.

Megna isn't in that tier of talent.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I'm not all that high on Megna. I wanted him playing over Gladams, but that's not saying much. I think Booth at his worst is better than Megna. And if he can find his form from 11-12, he'll likely beat out Dupuis as well. Dupuis is going to be heading downhill from here on out. Booth is still young.

See, there's my problem with the reasoning at work here. Dupuis has been better, more recently, than Booth was in '11-'12.

Booth hasn't been as good as Dupuis was in '12-'13 since Richards scrambled his eggs in the fall of '09, and that really isn't debatable. Yet you're giving Booth the benefit of the doubt and assuming that Dupuis is all downhill from here.

I don't want Dupuis in the top 6 either, but I don't see much merit in the idea that we need a guy like Booth to come in just to make sure he never sees spot duty there if we get multiple injuries. Truth be told, I think Dupuis is going to be in the top 6 anyway if we don't get another legit scoring wing before fall.

 

[BumFortyOne]

See, there's my problem with the reasoning at work here. Dupuis has been better, more recently, than Booth was in '11-'12.

Booth hasn't been as good as Dupuis was in '12-'13 since Richards scrambled his eggs in the fall of '09, and that really isn't debatable. Yet you're giving Booth the benefit of the doubt and assuming that Dupuis is all downhill from here.

I don't want Dupuis in the top 6 either, but I don't see much merit in the idea that we need a guy like Booth to come in just to make sure he never sees spot duty there if we get multiple injuries. Truth be told, I think Dupuis is going to be in the top 6 anyway if we don't get another legit scoring wing before fall.

At this point, if JR is unable to make a trade for legit top six winger this offseason then I wouldn't mind picking up Booth if he comes in at around $1 mil just to provide competition with guys like Dupuis and Spaling for a spot in the top six. It at least gives Johnston some options to move guys up and down the lineup depending on how they're playing. And worst case Booth ends up on the fourth line at a salary that isn't prohibitive.

The goal would then be to dump Scuderi at some point before Maatta comes back to free up cap space to make a move at the deadline potentially to bring in a real top six winger.

 

[mpp9]

See, there's my problem with the reasoning at work here. Dupuis has been better, more recently, than Booth was in '11-'12.

Booth hasn't been as good as Dupuis was in '12-'13 since Richards scrambled his eggs in the fall of '09, and that really isn't debatable. Yet you're giving Booth the benefit of the doubt and assuming that Dupuis is all downhill from here.

I don't want Dupuis in the top 6 either, but I don't see much merit in the idea that we need a guy like Booth to come in just to make sure he never sees spot duty there if we get multiple injuries. Truth be told, I think Dupuis is going to be in the top 6 anyway if we don't get another legit scoring wing before fall.

I'm not disputing that signing Booth is a gamble. I'm saying the upside is higher with him than with Dupuis. If he doesn't get back to where he was before all the injuries, he's still on Dupes' level for the third line. And if he flops, he's still a better 4th liner than Craig Adams for 200k more.

He put up 23 in 10-11. Was on pace for 23 again in Vancouver the next year. Then had injuries the next year. And had an awful season last year with Torts' dumpster fire team.

Like you said, Dupuis is going to produce whatever he's going to produce wherever he plays. But I do think Booth has the type of game where a playmaker can pump up his totals. He's a one trick pony, but when he's on, he's very good at it. Just as Hornqvist is good at his trick. And Neal is at his.

If we can't land a premiere winger for Sid to start the season, I want more than one backup option to Dupuis if an injury occurs.

 

[mpp9]

At this point, if JR is unable to make a trade for legit top six winger this offseason then I wouldn't mind picking up Booth if he comes in at around $1 mil just to provide competition with guys like Dupuis and Spaling for a spot in the top six. It at least gives Johnston some options to move guys up and down the lineup depending on how they're playing. And worst case Booth ends up on the fourth line at a salary that isn't prohibitive.

The goal would then be to dump Scuderi at some point before Maatta comes back to free up cap space to make a move at the deadline potentially to bring in a real top six winger.

Yep. This guy gets it.

 

[BumFortyOne]

Yep. This guy gets it.

Actually, even if JR manages to trade for a true top-six winger this offseason I would bring in Booth at $1 mil now just to add to the bottom six depth, assuming that there was enough cap space and he would take that deal. Sign him now and you could still make a deal later in the offseason since probably two of Sutter/Dupuis/Scuderi would need to be shipped out in any deal that brought back a top six winger, just to make the salary work.

It would also be nice if JR would waive Adams during training camp and somebody picked him up and then Sill serves as the 13th forward.

 

[mpp9]

Actually, even if JR manages to trade for a true top-six winger this offseason I would bring in Booth at $1 mil now just to add to the bottom six depth, assuming that there was enough cap space and he would take that deal. Sign him now and you could still make a deal later in the offseason since probably two of Sutter/Dupuis/Scuderi would need to be shipped out in any deal that brought back a top six winger, just to make the salary work.

It would also be nice if JR would waive Adams during training camp and somebody picked him up and then Sill serves as the 13th forward.

Yeah I agree. I don't see a team out there promising him a top 6 spot or even a top 9 spot without some competition given how he played last year, so I think we'd have a good shot at landing him.

I think it's a signing that can pan out no matter where he plays. Plus as crazy as it sounds, I think we could use some more speed on the wing.

Adams, Hornqvist, Beau and Downie aren't speedsters. Megna obviously would be nice if we don't sign anyone.

 

[BumFortyOne]

Yeah I agree. I don't see a team out there promising him a top 6 spot or even a top 9 spot without some competition given how he played last year, so I think we'd have a good shot at landing him.

I think it's a signing that can pan out no matter where he plays. Plus as crazy as it sounds, I think we could use some more speed on the wing.

Adams, Hornqvist, Beau and Downie aren't speedsters.

Agreed. And if no trade to bring in a top-six type guy gets done this offseason, at least this team should have superior depth than in recent memory (at least to start the season). Bring in Booth and there are a ton of ways to configure the lineup. Kunitz and Hornqvist should be the only surefire top six guys while Dupuis, Bennett, Downie, Spaling and Booth all compete for two spots and get swapped out as necessary if one guy isn't getting it done.

Also, all of the extra depth would allow Crosby and Malkin to play together more frequently and still have three decent lines to throw out after them:

Malkin-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Sutter-Bennett
Dupuis-Spaling-Downie
Booth-Goc-Comeau

 

[Son Goku]

If Adams is in the opening day lineup I'll have a stroke.

 

[mpp9]

Agreed. And if no trade to bring in a top-six type guy gets done this offseason, at least this team should have superior depth than in recent memory (at least to start the season). Bring in Booth and there are a ton of ways to configure the lineup. Kunitz and Hornqvist should be the only surefire top six guys while Dupuis, Bennett, Downie, Spaling and Booth all compete for two spots and get swapped out as necessary if one guy isn't getting it done.

Also, all of the extra depth would allow Crosby and Malkin to play together more frequently and still have three decent lines to throw out after them:

Malkin-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Sutter-Bennett
Dupuis-Spaling-Downie
Booth-Goc-Comeau

Hope it happens. Then make a trade when Maatta returns. Get it done JR.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

If Adams is in the opening day lineup I'll have a stroke.

Death by Adams, what a humiliating way to go.

 

[radapex]

If Adams is in the opening day lineup I'll have a stroke.

Death by Adams, what a humiliating way to go.

Unless Bennett's recovery is going exceedingly well, Adams will have to be in the opening day lineup.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Unless Bennett's recovery is going exceedingly well, Adams will have to be in the opening day lineup.

Bennett's time line was only 4 months (exactly 4 months from his surgery would be September 22 and the first game isn't until October 9) and he said he was going to be ready for the start of the season.

 

[Zen Arcade]

I think Megna still has room to grow, and he'll be better served playing on the first line and logging lots of PK and PP time in WBS than he would be playing a small role with the big club.

He's not an especially young prospect, but he's a late starter and his game is still really raw and unrefined. He can do some pretty crazy things with the puck, but either wasn't confident enough to try or couldn't do it in the NHL yet.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Adams is going to get cut by training camp. Pretty sure with JR singling him out in his speech and cutting Adams 5 years before, he's not going to let that sorry sack of **** make this team. Lemieux/Burkle mentioned about the young guys not getting a chance, well with Grandpa Adams standing around like a pilon out there, you can't give a shot to one of the young guys.

 

[Jacob]

I think the 4th line will be Comeau - Goc - Megna or, if Tocchet really doesn't want guys on their off wings, Goc - Megna - Comeau.

Sill & Adams in the press box (hopefully some other team's press box in Adams' case.)

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Yeah, I don't know what they're going to do with Adams but I doubt he plays. Ownership talked about youth and speed, JR singled Adams out at the first chance he got and got rid of him once before, and the coaching staff has talked about possession. Adams does not possess the puck, Adams does not skate, Adams is not gritty. If he plays something has gone seriously wrong somewhere.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the injuries Bylsma bragged about him paying through were too serious for him to continue. Permanent damage and all that, very official.

 

[888 98 twins]

I don't understand some people's obsession with Dupuis and Crosby not playing together. I get that Dupuis does not belong on the wing with the best player in the world. What I do not get is why people think that putting another 3rd liner in there (Downie, Booth, etc.) would be a better option. Dupuis has been more productive more recently than the other non-ideal options that we have available to us at the moment, and Sid plays very well with him on his line.

Ideally, to start the season, I'm hoping Kapanen is ready for the NHL. He'd be a Godsend for Sid. Otherwise, I'd say stand pat. Trade Scuds and waive Adams. Bank the cap space for the trade deadline when you could have guys like Bobby Ryan available. We don't need to have a perfect team going into the season. Giving young guys like Bennett, Despres, Dumoulin, Kapanen (hopefully), Megna, etc. the minutes early in the season will make us a better team in the playoffs and into the future.

 

[DearDiary]

Ideally, to start the season, I'm hoping Kapanen is ready for the NHL. He'd be a Godsend for Sid.

Ideally? Kapanan belongs nowhere near that 1st line. If he got a few games in, it would be on the 4th line. Right now, Dupuis is a much better player at the NHL level.

 

[PensPlz]

I don't see Kapanan anywhere near NHL ready for at least 2 years. He can have all the skill in the world, but if he doesn't have the strength yet to be strong on the puck against top pairing d-men then he's useless with Sid.

 

[cygnus47]

I don't see Kapanan anywhere near NHL ready for at least 2 years. He can have all the skill in the world, but if he doesn't have the strength yet to be strong on the puck against top pairing d-men then he's useless with Sid.

In a year he'll be ready and the year after he'll make an impact I think.

 

[Giskard]

If Adams is in the opening day lineup I'll have a stroke.

That's what Kris said
I mean, I hope there is the same chance of 0.01 percent ...

 

[Waffle Fries]

Ideally? Kapanan belongs nowhere near that 1st line. If he got a few games in, it would be on the 4th line. Right now, Dupuis is a much better player at the NHL level.

If Kapanen proves himself NHL ready in camp (which to be honest, I think is very unlikely), then he would be somewhere in the top 9, not on the 4th line. That sounds like something Bylsma would do - scratch that - something Bylsma did do.

How in the world would anyone be able to gauge how a skilled player was performing from the 4th line? It would be pointless to even play him at that point as he would be growing much more by taking on a more important role either in Finland or WBS.

 

[billybudd]

I'm not all that high on Megna. I wanted him playing over Gladams, but that's not saying much. I think Booth at his worst is better than Megna. And if he can find his form from 11-12, he'll likely beat out Dupuis as well.

Er, I don't know about that. The last season I saw Booth put up any significant numbers it was because he was doing the sort of stuff that Yakupov does. Leaving the zone on faceoffs, cherry picking instead of covering the point man, that kind of thing.

That Tasmanian devil of a player who was a lot better than Pascal Dupuis has been MIA for closer to six years than three. The modern Booth is probably more in line with Comeau than anyone else on this roster.

I'm no fan of Megna, but I've never seen him play as irresponsible as I've seen Booth 2.0 play.

 

[billybudd]

I don't understand some people's obsession with Dupuis and Crosby not playing together. I get that Dupuis does not belong on the wing with the best player in the world. What I do not get is why people think that putting another 3rd liner in there (Downie, Booth, etc.) would be a better option. Dupuis has been more productive more recently than the other non-ideal options that we have available to us at the moment, and Sid plays very well with him on his line.

Ideally, to start the season, I'm hoping Kapanen is ready for the NHL. He'd be a Godsend for Sid. Otherwise, I'd say stand pat. Trade Scuds and waive Adams. Bank the cap space for the trade deadline when you could have guys like Bobby Ryan available. We don't need to have a perfect team going into the season. Giving young guys like Bennett, Despres, Dumoulin, Kapanen (hopefully), Megna, etc. the minutes early in the season will make us a better team in the playoffs and into the future.

Normally I'd agree with this but Dupuis' entire game revolves around leg strength. Not speed, leg strength. Guess what you don't have when recovering from blowing both tendons.

I really don't think he's going to be able to pick the players he needs to pick to play on that line and be effective to any degree at all.