Salary Cap: Off Summer News Vol 2

[Penguinzilla*]

working on my photoshop "skills"

 

[Russian Factor]

When healthy, it's hard to see Bonino playing at center for us. Fehr may be better or more comfortable at wing, but it's very hard to resist the physical and two way play of Fehr at center. Much harder to play against. And Cullen is our best FO guy, and another very solid 2 way guy. Bonino's skillset looks a heck of a lot like another Jussi Jokinen to me, though perhaps a bit less defensively responsible. But his usage as a wing with spot duty at C as needed seems like it fits best on our team when healthy, especially since we have so many question marks at LW.

Yeah this is where I'm at. Fehr at 3C just makes me more comfortable than Bonino. Put Fehr in a position to use his defensive acumen and take Bonino out of a position that requires such a thing, considering he isn't inclined to it. Additionally, it really just sounds like (to me at least. I could be wrong here) Bonino *prefers* center to wing. That doesn't mean he'd be a lesser player at wing, necessarily. Even if he is? The other factors still apply and a slight decline in Bonino's play might be a slight blip that gets ignored/is inconsequential when our lineup is rolling like it can with every other player slotted perfectly.

 

[mikethelegacy]

Yeah this is where I'm at. Fehr at 3C just makes me more comfortable than Bonino. Put Fehr in a position to use his defensive acumen and take Bonino out of a position that requires such a thing, considering he isn't inclined to it. Additionally, it really just sounds like (to me at least. I could be wrong here) Bonino *prefers* center to wing. That doesn't mean he'd be a lesser player at wing, necessarily. Even if he is? The other factors still apply and a slight decline in Bonino's play might be a slight blip that gets ignored/is inconsequential when our lineup is rolling like it can with every other player slotted perfectly.

Luckily we have 82 games to find out. It's looking like Fehr will only miss 10-15 so that's nice.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Luckily we have 82 games to find out. It's looking like Fehr will only miss 10-15 so that's nice.

It's actually looking like Fehr won't even miss that much.

I like the Bonino to Jokinen comparison, although I don't think Bonino is as much of a finesse player as Jokinen was and we don't know if Bonino would work well on the wing. If he could work well on the wing, a Bonino-Malkin-Hornqvist line would work very well in my opinion. We just don't know yet if he can do that.

There are a lot of options for the top-6 right now. For Sid and Phil's LW, the most logical fits are Dupuis (assuming he still has his legs) and Perron (I've grown on him as an option for that line, despite his bad D play). Dupuis and Perron would both be the grinders on that line, it would just depend on whether you'd want a safe defensive player or a dynamic offensive player as the 3rd member of that line.

My only concern with Perron on that line is that a PCK line would be dreadful defensively (and I'm not sure if Perron could keep up with Sid and Phil, but I'm not too concerned about that), but Perron as the gritty guy on that line would work extremely well offensively. Perron is more than willing to go into the dirty areas on the boards or around the net and he's very skilled offensively. Perron's a very unique player, not many players as skilled as him are as willing to go to the dirty areas and play gritty as he does. I could really see Perron as the gritty guy on that line working well, but that gives Sid both skilled wingers and leaves Malkin with no skilled wingers. If Bonino can shift to the wing well, that's not a problem anymore, just run with Perron-Crosby-Kessel and Bonino-Malkin-Hornqvist. That's a big if though.

It's great to have all of these options. I'd be just as happy with a top-9 of:

Dupuis-Crosby-Kessel
Perron-Malkin-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Bonino-Fehr

as I would be with:

Perron-Crosby-Kessel
Bonino-Malkin-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Fehr-Dupuis (that'd be a great shutdown line)

 

[Zirakzigil]

I am not convinced Dupuis will have even close to the same speed as he did presurgery. And if he takes a big step back in that department I don't want him anywhere close to the top line.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

I am not convinced Dupuis will have even close to the same speed as he did presurgery. And if he takes a big step back in that department I don't want him anywhere close to the top line.

We saw him play last year after the surgery and he still seemed to have the speed.

 

[billybudd]

Pre surgery? Dupuis played since then and did have the same speed. Universal word out of the Penguins minicamp is that he's "absolutely flying."

At some point, Pascal's already meagre hand-eye coordination will go to **** like Kunitz' has started to, but concerns about his legs (concerns that I personally shared) have already proven to be unfounded.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

We saw him play last year after the surgery and he still seemed to have the speed.

He also seemed to be slowing down in multiple ways before he went out again so who knows what he's going to look like over the course of a full season, if he even plays one. So all we know is that his speed will be fine at the beginning of the season. He's an older player who hasn't played anywhere near a full season in two years, and they already have the wilting Kunitz who we know can't handle a full season in the top 6.

 

[Jacob]

His speed was about 85-90% what it was pre-surgery, IMO.

 

[Shady Machine]

I wonder if the centers shouldn't be Crosby, Malkin, Bonino, Fehr with Cullen shifted out to LW (on Bonino's line to take FOs?) or in the press box if a young player impresses. It essentially gives the Pens a 1a, 1b, 3a, 3b lines at least from center.

Yes that's what I'd do with what we know now.

 

[mpp9]

Yes that's what I'd do with what we know now.

Yep. Cullen is equally good on wing. Id roll Bonino and Fehr separately and have 87 and 71 under 20 minutes/game. Save them for the playoffs. Those two fresh and gelling with quality linemates will be huge. Hasnt happened for years.

 

[Mike Lange Version 2]

His speed was about 85-90% what it was pre-surgery, IMO.

Agreed, it looks close but not entirely what it was.

As for Bonino, I don't know. If he works well on the left side of Malkin, by all means do it. Otherwise let him and Fehr both play on the 3rd line.

 

[Saints11]

It's actually looking like Fehr won't even miss that much.

I like the Bonino to Jokinen comparison, although I don't think Bonino is as much of a finesse player as Jokinen was and we don't know if Bonino would work well on the wing. If he could work well on the wing, a Bonino-Malkin-Hornqvist line would work very well in my opinion. We just don't know yet if he can do that.

There are a lot of options for the top-6 right now. For Sid and Phil's LW, the most logical fits are Dupuis (assuming he still has his legs) and Perron (I've grown on him as an option for that line, despite his bad D play). Dupuis and Perron would both be the grinders on that line, it would just depend on whether you'd want a safe defensive player or a dynamic offensive player as the 3rd member of that line.

My only concern with Perron on that line is that a PCK line would be dreadful defensively (and I'm not sure if Perron could keep up with Sid and Phil, but I'm not too concerned about that), but Perron as the gritty guy on that line would work extremely well offensively. Perron is more than willing to go into the dirty areas on the boards or around the net and he's very skilled offensively. Perron's a very unique player, not many players as skilled as him are as willing to go to the dirty areas and play gritty as he does. I could really see Perron as the gritty guy on that line working well, but that gives Sid both skilled wingers and leaves Malkin with no skilled wingers. If Bonino can shift to the wing well, that's not a problem anymore, just run with Perron-Crosby-Kessel and Bonino-Malkin-Hornqvist. That's a big if though.

It's great to have all of these options. I'd be just as happy with a top-9 of:

Dupuis-Crosby-Kessel
Perron-Malkin-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Bonino-Fehr

as I would be with:

Perron-Crosby-Kessel
Bonino-Malkin-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Fehr-Dupuis (that'd be a great shutdown line)

Although I see little fault with these lines, I don't think Plots was brought over to be on the fourth line. If so Cullen would be getting our two "best" youngsters in Plots and Bennett. Which seems to be a waste.
Also, does anybody think we might bring in any other PTOs? It was stated on the Insider that guys like Boyes and Tlusty are still out there.

 

[Valarukar]

A lot of fans of Bonino's previous teams have said he thrives most in the bottom 6 taking advantage of the easier matchups, so I don't know about him on Geno's wing.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Although I see little fault with these lines, I don't think Plots was brought over to be on the fourth line. If so Cullen would be getting our two "best" youngsters in Plots and Bennett. Which seems to be a waste.
Also, does anybody think we might bring in any other PTOs? It was stated on the Insider that guys like Boyes and Tlusty are still out there.

It's possible i guess? But theres really no point unless we have enough cap to pay one of em.
Theres guys like them who would demand 1.5-2M or just a little over and guys like
Sestito or Gonchar who would demand barely over 500k.

 

[Mike Lange Version 2]

It's possible i guess? But theres really no point unless we have enough cap to pay one of em.
Theres guys like them who would demand 1.5-2M or just a little over and guys like
Sestito or Gonchar who would demand barely over 500k.

Or just trade Scuds with minimal (10%) retention, sign boyes (1.6 mil), and have a tiny bit more space than before. We couldl even add an extra PTO, and we'd still have more cap space

 

[Saints11]

Was thinking more like Tlusty, who is only 27, or Glencross, who is little more rugged than what we have. Many seem to be worried about Duper's hands and Kunitz losing his touch around the net; Tlusty has proven he can find the back of the net, as has Glencross. I guess they might become options if Kunitz is moved.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Or just trade Scuds with minimal (10%) retention, sign boyes (1.6 mil), and have a tiny bit more space than before. We couldl even add an extra PTO, and we'd still have more cap space

Well Scuds ain't movin' unless another team is decimated on the back end imo but moving Kunitz for a nice cheap return is certainly doable.

Kunitz for Tinordi?
Pick up Tlusty.

https://hockeyscap.com/armchair-gm/team/32031

 

[OnMyOwn]

Yep. Cullen is equally good on wing. Id roll Bonino and Fehr separately and have 87 and 71 under 20 minutes/game. Save them for the playoffs. Those two fresh and gelling with quality linemates will be huge. Hasnt happened for years.

I dunno about the under 20 mins thing. Unless you're talking 19 or so. Most of the top players in the league average that much and I think they like it. Gives them more time to get into the game and PP time is a big chunk.

I'm just not sure where in the game I would sacrifice their time. Hopefully we are blowing people out more frequently and can sit them late in games.

 

[Son Goku]

Was thinking more like Tlusty, who is only 27, or Glencross, who is little more rugged than what we have. Many seem to be worried about Duper's hands and Kunitz losing his touch around the net; Tlusty has proven he can find the back of the net, as has Glencross. I guess they might become options if Kunitz is moved.

Glencross is terrible now

 

[Empoleon8771]

Although I see little fault with these lines, I don't think Plots was brought over to be on the fourth line. If so Cullen would be getting our two "best" youngsters in Plots and Bennett. Which seems to be a waste.
Also, does anybody think we might bring in any other PTOs? It was stated on the Insider that guys like Boyes and Tlusty are still out there.

I remembered JR said Plotnikov will be a top-9 forward for the Pens after I posted that, but who gets bumped down? The more I think about it, the more I think Kunitz or Perron gets moved out. Let's look at it realistically. They're not moving out any of Crosby, Malkin, Kessel or Hornqvist obviously. The coaching staff and players seem to love Dupuis. They're not going to move out Bonino, Fehr or Plotnikov after the Pens just signed them. That's 8 of 9 top-9 spots taken up already (and I'm positive those 8 will be in the top-9). That leaves one of Perron or Kunitz as the odd man out. I think there's arguments for both which one the organization seems to like less, but I really hope it's Kunitz they move out. MJ has also been talking up Bennett this summer, so it's possible he's in a top-9 spot as well.

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised for the Pens to move Perron for D help later in the season. I wouldn't like it if they did it, but I wouldn't even remotely be surprised if they did.

 

[Saints11]

Well Scuds ain't movin' unless another team is decimated on the back end imo but moving Kunitz for a nice cheap return is certainly doable.

Kunitz for Tinordi?
Pick up Tlusty.

https://hockeyscap.com/armchair-gm/team/32031

Not sure you could get Tinordi for Kunitz at this point, but I'd make that deal.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Fehr as a RW can still do the F3 defensive duties. It doesn't require him to be the center. Things will get mixed around with in game play and Bonino getting kicked out of face-offs.

Just having Fehr on the line should be enough.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I remembered JR said Plotnikov will be a top-9 forward for the Pens after I posted that, but who gets bumped down? The more I think about it, the more I think Kunitz or Perron gets moved out. Let's look at it realistically. They're not moving out any of Crosby, Malkin, Kessel or Hornqvist obviously. The coaching staff and players seem to love Dupuis. They're not going to move out Bonino, Fehr or Plotnikov after the Pens just signed them. That's 8 of 9 top-9 spots taken up already (and I'm positive those 8 will be in the top-9). That leaves one of Perron or Kunitz as the odd man out. I think there's arguments for both which one the organization seems to like less, but I really hope it's Kunitz they move out. MJ has also been talking up Bennett this summer, so it's possible he's in a top-9 spot as well.

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised for the Pens to move Perron for D help later in the season. I wouldn't like it if they did it, but I wouldn't even remotely be surprised if they did.

Perron is not getting moved. They have stated the RW position for him, and to make a point on the LW position. They have plenty of bodies to cover both wings.

RW: Kessel, Hornqvist, Dupuis, Bennett and so they say, Perron.
LW: Kunitz, Dupuis, Plotnikov, Perron

That's 7 top nine wingers when you need only 6.

Then there is Fehr, Cullen and Sundqvist.

I don't think the Pens are in dire need of any given position at forward.

 

[WayneSid9987]