Salary Cap: Penguins 2013-14 cap/roster building discussion (Contract chart in Post #1)

[wej20]

Send Joey V a 3 year offer now at around Adams money, I think that would be hard for him to turn down. Megna's caphit might come down if he's offered a deal which is 1 way (or maybe the 2nd year could be 1 way).

 

[JTG]

I would like to see Megna and Bennett get a shot with Sid. Bennett brings that real well rounded skill from the wing and he can play both equally well. Megna is Chris Kunitz minus 10 years and loads more skill and more speed. Reunite Kunitz with Malkin and Neal. Dupuis with Sutter and hopefully a really physical complimentary scoring forward on the 3rd line...I'd even be willing to trade for one. Sill, Vitale should be holding down the 4th line, I'd also like to find a Mike Rupp type guy for the other wing. Craig Adams shouldn't be an every day player anymore.

Defense is way easier. Martin-Maatta is an ideal shutdown pair. Letang and Scuderi should work well. Despres and Bortuzzo should be the bottom pair.

 

[Waffle Fries]

I would like to see Megna and Bennett get a shot with Sid. Bennett brings that real well rounded skill from the wing and he can play both equally well. Megna is Chris Kunitz minus 10 years and loads more skill and more speed. Reunite Kunitz with Malkin and Neal. Dupuis with Sutter and hopefully a really physical complimentary scoring forward on the 3rd line...I'd even be willing to trade for one. Sill, Vitale should be holding down the 4th line, I'd also like to find a Mike Rupp type guy for the other wing. Craig Adams shouldn't be an every day player anymore.

Defense is way easier. Martin-Maatta is an ideal shutdown pair. Letang and Scuderi should work well. Despres and Bortuzzo should be the bottom pair.

I don't think having both Megna and Bennett on Sid's line is the greatest idea. I don't have a problem with Kunitz-Crosby-Bennett Megna-Malkin-Neal though.

That defense makes me excited though. All three pairings are incredibly solid.

 

[JTG]

I don't think having both Megna and Bennett on Sid's line is the greatest idea. I don't have a problem with Kunitz-Crosby-Bennett Megna-Malkin-Neal though.

That defense makes me excited though. All three pairings are incredibly solid.

Why?

Megna is Kunitz like 9 years ago.

Bennett can play with anyone in the top 6. He can score as well as he can pass. I think it could work well

 

[Waffle Fries]

Why?

Megna is Kunitz like 9 years ago.

Bennett can play with anyone in the top 6. He can score as well as he can pass. I think it could work well

I just think the youth should be spread out. Not to mention that when they both inevitably get benched halfway through the game, Sid would have two different linemates from what he started with.

 

[mpp9]

I doubt DB is gonna ice two rookies in our top 6 D. But I doubt even more we'll have two rookies in the top 6.

I wish Im wrong though. Megna has been impressive. And Beau should be playing in the top 6 over Juice or Dupuis.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

By the time we have both Megna and BB back, we may have already made a trade. But I'd love to see them both in the top 6 for a month during the February timeframe. See what we've got prior to trade deadline.

 

[Ogrezilla]

By the time we have both Megna and BB back, we may have already made a trade. But I'd love to see them both in the top 6 for a month during the February timeframe. See what we've got prior to trade deadline.

Agreed. They should be our top in house options in the top 6.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Why?

Megna is Kunitz like 9 years ago.

Bennett can play with anyone in the top 6. He can score as well as he can pass. I think it could work well

Familiarity and established chemistry still hold some value, and Kunitz is just better than Megna. I wouldn't want Sid working without a net, so to speak.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

TECHNICALLY, Bennett is not a rookie...even though he's still treated as such.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Familiarity and established chemistry still hold some value, and Kunitz is just better than Megna. I wouldn't want Sid working without a net, so to speak.

They should be split up, certainly. I'd prefer BB with Sid to maximize the goal scoring of Sid and Kunitz, and Megna has the wheels and creates problems around the net, he could make Malkin and Neal unstoppable once they build some chemistry.

If those guys worked, we could have the assets to fortify out bottom six greatly, though a Duper/Sutter/Vitale 3rd line would be excellent. If we can only manage to get Z and Sill added to our 4th line, we'd be pretty well set without adding anyone, and you've got JJ left over for depth and to fill in on any line/position.

 

[Ogrezilla]

They should be split up, certainly. I'd prefer BB with Sid to maximize the goal scoring of Sid and Kunitz, and Megna has the wheels and creates problems around the net, he could make Malkin and Neal unstoppable once they build some chemistry.

If those guys worked, we could have the assets to fortify out bottom six greatly, though a Duper/Sutter/Vitale 3rd line would be excellent. If we can only manage to get Z and Sill added to our 4th line, we'd be pretty well set without adding anyone, and you've got JJ left over for depth and to fill in on any line/position.

That's what I'd try first too, but I'd be fine with trying both combinations. Its not ideal, but those guys are our best top 6 options without making a trade.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

That's what I'd try first too, but I'd be fine with trying both combinations. Its not ideal, but those guys are our best top 6 options without making a trade.

The big issue in the PO would be depth. We'd be really set if we can get, in this order:

1. A top line RW for Sid
2. A big, physical top 9 / tweener who could slide up in case of injury and be a net front guy on the 2nd PP or top PP if Kuni misses any time

Pretty much what everyone has wanted. I don't think #1 can happen this year, but would be fine with #2, and having JJ ride the bench in the PO just in case.

 

[DrDangles]

Considering his play this year, do you guys think Nisky is even retainable?

He's making a case to get 4+ on the open market. With Despres and Maatta very capable of moving up the chart I just don't see a spot for him here long term. I know he's been the obvious odd man out for a while, but as a team trying to win I'm having trouble deciding whether moving him while we can is bad asset management or not. Our blueline will be worse without him and if we can't get healthy by the playoffs we will need him badly.

He was pretty much a throw in with Neal so it's not as if he cost us anything significant to acquire, so I'm leaning towards keeping him for the sake of depth.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Considering his play this year, do you guys think Nisky is even retainable?

He's making a case to get 4+ on the open market. With Despres and Maatta very capable of moving up the chart I just don't see a spot for him here long term. I know he's been the obvious odd man out for a while, but as a team trying to win I'm having trouble deciding whether moving him while we can is bad asset management or not. Our blueline will be worse without him and if we can't get healthy by the playoffs we will need him badly.

He was pretty much a throw in with Neal so it's not as if he cost us anything significant to acquire, so I'm leaning towards keeping him for the sake of depth.

I think he's gone one way or another. And personally, I'm saying trade him for the sake of depth. Our defensive depth is much better than our forward depth.

 

[LetangInTheSO]

Assuming Shero pulled the trigger on a hypothetical Maatta for Kane swap:

CAPGEEK.COM ARMCHAIR GM ROSTER

FORWARDS
Chris Kunitz ($3.850m) / Sidney Crosby ($8.700m) / Evander Kane ($5.250m)
Beau Bennett ($0.900m) / Evgeni Malkin ($9.500m) / James Neal ($5.000m)
Jayson Megna ($1.000m) / Brandon Sutter ($2.500m) / Pascal Dupuis ($3.750m)
Craig Adams ($0.700m) / Zach Sill ($0.605m) / Joe Vitale ($0.750m)
Brian Gibbons ($0.605m) / Harry Zolnierczyk ($0.605m)

DEFENSEMEN
Kris Letang ($7.250m) / Rob Scuderi ($3.375m)
Paul Martin ($5.000m) / Simon Despres ($1.000m)
Deryk Engelland ($1.000m) / Robert Bortuzzo ($0.600m)
Brian Dumoulin ($0.832m) / Derrick Pouliot ($0.894m)

GOALTENDERS
Marc-Andre Fleury ($5.000m)
Jeff Zatkoff ($0.600m)

------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $69,465,833; AVG. BONUSES: $493,333
CAP SPACE (24-man roster): $1,634,167

 

[BrookswasHere44]

Assuming Shero pulled the trigger on a hypothetical Maatta for Kane swap:

CAPGEEK.COM ARMCHAIR GM ROSTER

FORWARDS
Chris Kunitz ($3.850m) / Sidney Crosby ($8.700m) / Evander Kane ($5.250m)
Beau Bennett ($0.900m) / Evgeni Malkin ($9.500m) / James Neal ($5.000m)
Jayson Megna ($1.000m) / Brandon Sutter ($2.500m) / Pascal Dupuis ($3.750m)
Craig Adams ($0.700m) / Zach Sill ($0.605m) / Joe Vitale ($0.750m)
Brian Gibbons ($0.605m) / Harry Zolnierczyk ($0.605m)

DEFENSEMEN
Kris Letang ($7.250m) / Rob Scuderi ($3.375m)
Paul Martin ($5.000m) / Simon Despres ($1.000m)
Deryk Engelland ($1.000m) / Robert Bortuzzo ($0.600m)
Brian Dumoulin ($0.832m) / Derrick Pouliot ($0.894m)

GOALTENDERS
Marc-Andre Fleury ($5.000m)
Jeff Zatkoff ($0.600m)

------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $69,465,833; AVG. BONUSES: $493,333
CAP SPACE (24-man roster): $1,634,167

that defense is atrocious

 

[Fogel]

Niskanen and Orpik walked the plank?

 

[Ogrezilla]

Niskanen and Orpik walked the plank?

I think that's supposed to be next year.

 

[Ogrezilla]

that defense is atrocious

its really not. The top 4 is better than our current one. Though I don't think the Engo - Bort pair would work. Ideally someone would come in and take that spot from Engo, who may or may not even be here.

 

[BrookswasHere44]

its really not. The top 4 is better than our current one. Though I don't think the Engo - Bort pair would work. Ideally someone would come in and take that spot from Engo, who may or may not even be here.

You could possibly be right. I don't like Engelland or Bort so that pair smacked me in the face. I wasn't really impressed with Doumolin at all from what little I saw of him and we'll Pouliot has never played.

It'll never happen but I think Letang absolutely needs to go even before the recently struggling right around 40 game veteran on Maatta. So much could be done with wingers and he's just not needed on this team.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Can we please stop with the trade Olli Maatta talk? K thanks bye.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Considering his play this year, do you guys think Nisky is even retainable?

He's making a case to get 4+ on the open market. With Despres and Maatta very capable of moving up the chart I just don't see a spot for him here long term. I know he's been the obvious odd man out for a while, but as a team trying to win I'm having trouble deciding whether moving him while we can is bad asset management or not. Our blueline will be worse without him and if we can't get healthy by the playoffs we will need him badly.

He was pretty much a throw in with Neal so it's not as if he cost us anything significant to acquire, so I'm leaning towards keeping him for the sake of depth.

With money we already have put back into defense come next season there is absolutely no way we hold onto Niskanen. If he is not gone by the trade deadline, he will be traded for negotiation rights in the off season.

I hope Shero is shopping him extremely hard, because Niskanen couldn't have picked a better time to play well. Going into/coming out of the Olympic roster freezes has always been considered a preemptive trade deadline for a lot of teams. And Niskanen is undoubtably playing at the level that would bring down a 4-4.5m signing... Maybe even as high as 5m on a team needing his skill set/playing type badly or are light on the backend.

His value is high at the perfect time to make a "pure hockey" trade with him being a big piece of it.

I just really hope Shero is vetting trade stragedies around him or shopping him very hard.

 

[NarcoPolo]

Would you guys be against swapping pouliot for Baertschi? You have good depth on the backend to pull it off.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Would you guys be against swapping pouliot for Baertschi? You have good depth on the backend to pull it off.

If we had a different coach, Baertschi could thrive here. But we don't, so his acquisition would be wasteful.