Salary Cap: Gary Roberts and the Incredible Shrinking Kessel

[DesertPenguin]

He might have a NMC. They'd get some cap relief depending on who replaces him, every little bit helps but really it's about getting Scuderi away from the coaches and getting a better player on the roster.

If he can be buried, I'd bury him this season and buy him out next season. The Pens would never disrespect such a veteran player, though... it's also questionable if they think he as bad as we do.

He's got a roster that fits under the cap and is ready to compete on opening night. I'm sure he would like to cut some fat, specifically Scuderi and Kunitz, but he's not under any extreme pressure to do so. If they aren't moved, they can still be useful to this team in a limited role.

 

[DegenX]

He has a NMC, no? And even if he doesn't, we woulnd't get cap relief from such a move

I was referencing the Italians, rather than the Nailers. Sorry, I forget not everyone is local or remembers old stories that were probably never true in the first place. And yes, shame on me for suggesting such a thing in the first place

 

[AjaxTelamon]

He might have a NMC. They'd get some cap relief depending on who replaces him, every little bit helps but really it's about getting Scuderi away from the coaches and getting a better player on the roster.

If he can be buried, I'd bury him this season and buy him out next season. The Pens would never disrespect such a veteran player, though... it's also questionable if they think he as bad as we do.

With the org's new found focus on analytics, it would seem far-fetched that the organization is somehow unaware of his shortcomings.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

With the org's new found focus on analytics, it would seem far-fetched that the organization is somehow unaware of his shortcomings.

Don't people say that advanced stats will never favour a defensive defenseman?

But really, there's always the chance that they ignore that or look at other areas of value. This is the same team that traded Despres for Lovejoy and concluded that Scuderi was babysitting him.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Don't people say that advanced stats will never favour a defensive defenseman?

But really, there's always the chance that they ignore that or look at other areas of value. This is the same team that traded Despres for Lovejoy and concluded that Scuderi was babysitting him.

I think the reality is that today's NHL does not favor defensive defensemen

And if Gonch is here on a PTO, and the org has said they will sign him if he can still play, then there is zero reason to keep Scuds for his veteran leadership. I would much rather have Gonch @ 800k as a #7 than Scuds in that role or any other.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I think the reality is that today's NHL does not favor defensive defensemen

And if Gonch is here on a PTO, and the org has said they will sign him if he can still play, then there is zero reason to keep Scuds for his veteran leadership. I would much rather have Gonch @ 800k as a #7 than Scuds in that role or any other.

The thing is that every time I've seen Gonchar for awhile now, he hasn't been able to play. So Gonchar getting signed wouldn't exactly be reassuring on the Scuderi front.

 

[Freeptop]

Sounds like Rutherford is planning on both Dumoulin and Pouliot starting the season in the NHL:

Our defense, we'll have three younger defensemen on the back end if you include Maatta who missed most of last season. [Brian] Dumoulin will be in his first full year. I believe he's ready to go. And [Derrick] Pouliot, who's worked really hard this summer and he's more prepared.

http://blogs.post-gazette.com/sport...rford-on-injuries-kessel-bennett-etc-09-17-15

Granted, plans sometimes change after training camp, but I figured it was worth posting this given that some people around here have convinced themselves that the team had already decided to send Pouliot down before camp has even begun.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I don't think anyone has convinced themselves of that.

It's simply a more realistic option than many seem to want to admit.

Rutherford doesn't really have much of a say in the matter in any case. I wouldn't think. That's MJ's job.

 

[Valarukar]

I don't think anyone has convinced themselves of that.

It's simply a more realistic option than many seem to want to admit.

Rutherford doesn't really have much of a say in the matter in any case. I wouldn't think. That's MJ's job.

??? Rutherford has all the say. He's the one who controls the rosters.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

That's certainly news to me.

I would hope the coach is the guy who makes the calls when it comes to who is in his opening night lineup. Obviously he and Rutherford certainly talk and bounce ideas off each other. But I doubt JR imposes himself so much as to tell his head coach that a guy is making the team, regardless of how he looks.

Not that Pouliot, in particular, needs much of a hand up with his old coach as his current coach. Hell... if anything, you'd think that JR would be pushing to hold Pouliot in the AHL as much as possible for a variety of reasons.

 

[WickedWrister]

I can't link to the pics here but the Penguins just posted some stuff on the fitness testing going on today. Beau Bennett looks shredded

 

[Fordy]

you should try because i don't know where you mean

 

[Empoleon8771]

Andersen looks like Dumoulin's long lost brother.

 

[FlightlessBird]

"Like a man."

 

[ILikeTurtles]

you should try because i don't know where you mean

http://penguins.nhl.com/club/gallery.htm?id=55616&cmpid=pit-twt-penguins

 

[Speaking Moistly]

"Like a man."

You'd never guess which one is better and more durable.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I liked these ones:

 

[Jag68Sid87]

So, would anybody else have been interested in the kind of trade the Leafs and Isles pulled off today? Substitute Grabner for Kunitz, would the Leafs still have interest? Apparently, the main motivation for this trade was to get rid of contracts in order to eventually sign Glencross, Boyes and/or Setoguchi.

So, would you have accepted Beck, Gibson, Verhaege, Nilsson and Finn for Kunitz?

 

[Fordy]

"Like a man."

bennett's arms in similar position last year:

 

[Deutschland Dangler]

So, would anybody else have been interested in the kind of trade the Leafs and Isles pulled off today? Substitute Grabner for Kunitz, would the Leafs still have interest? Apparently, the main motivation for this trade was to get rid of contracts in order to eventually sign Glencross, Boyes and/or Setoguchi.

So, would you have accepted Beck, Gibson, Verhaege, Nilsson and Finn for Kunitz?

Kunitz is not a cap dump. That return is beyond awful.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Yea, for Kunitz? No, i wouldn't want to fill up the contract quota for a player that still has some value.

Scuds on the other hand, i'd gladly do so.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Value? Chris Kunitz has no value, and if we wait too long his value will be negative.

Agree to disagree.