TSN: Kuhnhackl rejects two-year deal from Penguins

Dr Quincy

Registered User
Jun 19, 2005
28,685
10,518
I always liked him in PIT. Would love him in FLA where we play the slower, cycle game and he can take some PK duty away from Trocheck and our other more skilled forwards who shouldn't be playing there. Also think he would be a good fit for an intense, grinding 4th line that Boughner/Tallon would love and provide defensive support for our young offensive guys. Too bad that would require letting MacKenzie go and demoting Haley to 13F, which will never happen.

Hoffman - Borgstrom - Sceviour
Mamin - McCann - Kuhnhackl

would be a pretty kickass bottom 6 considering the top 6 would be a mix of Barkov, Huberdeau, Trocheck, Dadonov, Malgin, and Bjugstad/Tippett.
I'd rather just give the job to someone like Hunt at 1/2 the $.
 

Harvey Birdman

…Need some law books, with pictures this time…
Oct 21, 2008
9,145
2,234
Penguins Legal Office
I have always liked Kuhnhackl, I was cheering for him to make the leap to big team ever since he joined the WBS Penguins. But he had an absolutely brutal year last year. Unsure what the salary was, but a 4th liner coming off a very bad year offered a multiyear deal should take it and run. I will be very curious where he ends up after this.

On a side note, the worst part of these events with Kuhnhackl is not the loss of Kuhnhackl himself, its that this increases the possibility of Pittsburgh re-signing Carter Rowney... :thumbd:
 
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Big McLargehuge

Fragile Traveler
May 9, 2002
72,188
7,741
S. Pasadena, CA
I like Kühnhackl more than most, but he is the very embodiment of a 12th forward. He does what is asked of him and is absolutely fearless when it comes to blocking shots, but he can't play higher than the bottom of the line-up and to a team like the Penguins that's not going to be worth more than ~$1-1.2 million or so a season, with the team always against the cap.

He'll land on his feet and make more elsewhere than he would have in Pittsburgh. I would have liked him back, but I have little doubt he can make a decent chunk more elsewhere than with Pittsburgh (having two rings will do that). Guys like Kühnhackl don't get big paydays, so the difference between 2 years x $1 million and 2 years x $1.5 million is notable.

Paying him a cent over $1.5M a year would be a mistake, though. He's a solid 12th forward; nothing more, nothing less.
 

Jacob

as seen on TV
Feb 27, 2002
49,342
24,740
I like Kuhnhackl and I find his whole reinvention from scoring forward to defensive PK specialist to be unique and admirable, but I won't miss him. He's a solid 4th line winger but probably needs a change of scenery.

Being a household name in Germany (or at least in hockey households) he's probably got a few lucrative jobs lined up over there too. And he's already won 2 Cups, so why not go back home for more money and get to play a funner, less taxing style of game?
 

PensandCaps

Beddy Tlueger
May 22, 2015
27,612
17,954
He's a fine player. But not worth a million in cap hit to the pens. We can easily replace him with Di Pauli, Bleuger or ZAR. Guys making nothing.
 

Harvey Birdman

…Need some law books, with pictures this time…
Oct 21, 2008
9,145
2,234
Penguins Legal Office
Not true at all. PKs, good defensivly, has playoff pedigree and isn't awful with the puck. He's a solid 4th liner that will have no problem staying in the league.
I neither disagree with you, or the poster you were quoting. But any 4th liner that plays a lot of PK and blocks a lot of shots can not have any assumptions about the length of his shelf life. I am a Kuhnhackl fan, even with his rough year last year, I always wanted him to get a shot on Pittsburgh ever since he was in the AHL. But any 4th liner, especially one that just came off of a rough year, should take a multiyear deal and run with it. All the best of luck to Kuhn and where ever he ends up... As long as he doesn't since within the Metro division. The main thing I hope from this is that GMJR doesn't white out Kuhnhackls name on that contract and now offer it to Rowney.
 

Luigi Lemieux

Registered User
Sep 26, 2003
21,440
9,062
I liked him quite a bit in 2016 when he played with Cullen for a while. He hasn't really improved like i had hoped and is still a borderline 4th liner.
 
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Lomez

Too Awesome for Top 100
Mar 29, 2009
7,386
1,058
PGH, PA
I respect the Kuhn tremendously, the guy is a warrior. Hope he finds a good spot to land.
 

Rodgerwilco

Entertainment boards w/ some Hockey mixed in.
Feb 6, 2014
7,232
6,514
Not to insult Kuhnhackl, but I would not have really imagined him to be in a position where he has the opportunity to turn down any offers.
 

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