Salary Cap: Penguins future roster-building (2017-18 and beyond) | Contract/FA charts in Post #1

[shureshot66]

All figures are cap numbers, not salaries.

Estimated 2017-18 ceiling​

​

​

|

$75.5-$76M​

​

​

Projected dollars committed |

59,500,000​

Projected July 1 cap space |

~16,000,000​

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Forward.................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2017-18​

|

2018-19​

|

2019-20​

Evgeni Malkin|

C​

|

30​

|

9,500,000​

|

9,500,000​

|

9,500,000​

Sidney Crosby|

C​

|

29​

|

8,700,000​

|

8,700,000​

|

8,700,000​

Phil Kessel|

RW​

|

29​

|

6,800,000​

|

6,800,000​

|

6,800,000​

Patric Hornqvist|

RW​

|

29​

|

4,250,000​

|

UFA​

Carl Hagelin|

LW​

|

28​

|

4,000,000​

|

4,000,000​

|

UFA​

Jake Guentzel|

LW​

|

22​

|

734,167​

|

734,167​

|

RFA​

Daniel Sprong|

RW​

|

19​

|

692,500​

|

692,500​

|

RFA​

Bryan Rust|

RW​

|

24​

|

640,000​

|

RFA​

Scott Wilson|

LW​

|

24​

|

625,000​

|

RFA​

Tom Kuhnhackl|

LW​

|

24​

|

625,000​

|

RFA​

Defense.................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2017-18​

|

2018-19​

|

.2019-20​

Kris Letang|

D​

|

29​

|

7,250,000​

|

7,250,000​

|

7,250,000​

Olli Maatta|

D​

|

22​

|

4,083,333​

|

4,083,333​

|

4,083,333​

Ian Cole|

D​

|

27​

|

2,100,000​

|

UFA​

Goalie............,.......​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

2017-18​

|

.2019-20​

Marc-Andre Fleury|

G​

|

32​

|

5,750,000​

|

5,750,000​

|

UFA​

Matt Murray|

G​

|

22​

|

3,750,000​

|

3,750,000​

|

3,750,000​

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

Forward...............​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2017-18​

|

2018-19​

|

2019-20​

Zach Aston-Reese|

LW​

|

22​

|

925,000​

|

925,000​

|

RFA​

Thomas Di Pauli|

C​

|

22​

|

742,500​

|

RFA​

Teddy Blueger|

C​

|

22​

|

705,000​

|

RFA​

Dominik Simon|

C​

|

22​

|

692,500​

|

RFA​

Carter Rowney|

RW​

|

27​

|

612,500​

|

UFA​

Defense...............​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2017-18​

|

2018-19​

|

2019-20​

Ethan Prow|

D​

|

24​

|

730,000​

|

RFA​

Lukas Bengtsson|

D​

|

22​

|

705,000​

|

RFA​

Goalie..................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2017-18​

|

2018-19​

|

2019-20​

Sean Maguire|

G​

|

23​

|

705,000​

|

RFA​

Tristan Jarry|

G​

|

21​

|

589,167​

|

RFA​

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Player........................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

News and notes​

Mark Streit|

D​

|

39​

|

5,250,000​

|Served his purpose as a deadline rental

Chris Kunitz|

LW​

|

37​

|

3,850,000​

|Is the long international nightmare over?

Trevor Daley|

D​

|

33​

|

3,300,000​

|Declining, but immortalized as the anti-Scuderi

Ron Hainsey|

D​

|

35​

|

2,833,333​

|History with Rutherford could earn an extra look

Nick Bonino|

C​

|

28​

|

1,900,000​

|No way to tell which Bonino you'd be paying for

Matt Cullen|

C​

|

40​

|

1,000,000​

|Thanks for your service, Dad -- Enjoy retirement

Chad Ruhwedel|

D​

|

26​

|

575,000​

|Better than expected as an extended fill-in

David Warsofsky|

D​

|

26​

|

575,000​

|Great AHL production -- Not an NHL defender

Cameron Gaunce|

D​

|

26​

|

575,000​

|Unremarkable depth defender

Kevin Porter|

C​

|

30​

|

575,000​

|Likely to move on after not sniffing a call-up

Garrett Wilson|

LW​

|

25​

|

575,000​

|Group VI UFA was solid in WBS before injury

Tom Sestito|

LW​

|

29​

|

575,000​

|Token minor-league goon

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Player..........................​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

2016-17​

|

News and notes​

Justin Schultz|

D​

|

26​

|

1,400,000​

|Hard to imagine anyone raising his stock more

Derrick Pouliot|

D​

|

22​

|

863,333​

|*Sigh* At least his next contract will still be cheap

Brian Dumoulin|

D​

|

25​

|

800,000​

|In line for a reasonably priced mid-range deal

Oskar Sundqvist|

C​

|

22​

|

700,833​

|Will they protect him in the expansion draft?

Conor Sheary|

LW​

|

24​

|

667,500​

|Aggressive agent could make for tough negotiation

Josh Archibald|

RW​

|

24​

|

659,167​

|Decent speed will likely keep him in the organization

Frank Corrado|

D​

|

23​

|

600,000​

|Worthwhile project to keep around and develop

Jean-Sebastien Dea|

C​

|

22​

|

585,000​

|Needs to take bigger step from AHL supporting cast

Tim Erixon|

D​

|

25​

|

575,000​

|Telling that he wasn't close to a call-up this season

Stuart Percy|

D​

|

23​

|

575,000​

|Unfortunately just another Leafs' first-round bust

UNSIGNED PROSPECTS

Player​

​

​

|

Pos.​

|

Age​

|

Current Team (League)​

Niclas Almari|

D​

|

18​

|HPK (Liiga)

Anthony Angello|

F​

|

20​

|Cornell (ECAC)

Dane Birks|

D​

|

21​

|Michigan Tech (WCHA)

Kasper Bjorkqvist|

F​

|

19​

|Providence (HEA)

Blaine Byron|

F​

|

21​

|Maine (HEA)

Filip Gustavsson|

G​

|

18​

|Luleå HF (SHL)

Connor Hall|

D​

|

18​

|Kitchener (OHL)

Ryan Jones|

D​

|

20​

|Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC)

Troy Josephs|

F​

|

22​

|Clarkson (ECAC)

Sam Lafferty|

F​

|

21​

|Brown (ECAC)

Joe Masonius|

D​

|

19​

|Connecticut (HEA)

Nikita Pavlychev|

F​

|

19​

|Penn State (B1G)

Alexander Pechurskiy|

G​

|

26​

|Amur Khabarovsk (KHL)

Jeff Taylor|

D​

|

22​

|Union (ECAC)

Frederik Tiffels|

F​

|

21​

|Western Michigan (NCHC)

Dominik Uher|

C​

|

23​

|HC Sparta Praha (ELH)

Click to read more...

 

[shureshot66]

Since we're past the trade deadline, it's time to start looking toward the summer.

For starters, we have this yesterday as the latest update on the salary cap:

Given current contracts, that would give the Pens right in the neighborhood of $16 million to play with in the offseason -- hopefully nearly $22 million if Fleury's contract comes fully off the books through whatever means. Perhaps more if someone else ends up going to Vegas in the expansion draft.

Probably looking somewhere around $12 million just to re-sign Schultz, Dumoulin and Sheary, though that might be too optimistic a figure from the Pens' perspective. Just trying to ballpark things as a starting point for discussion.

In the forwards chart above, it's debatable whether Sprong will start the year in Pittsburgh or WBS, but I put him in there for the hell of it.

 

[deakka]

I feel its imoossible to work something out before we know how the expansion/MAF situation plays out.

I really wonder how much we need to pay for Schultz tho. If he demand too much, i wonder if we will just expose him in the ED or keep him and trade him since hes an RFA. Maybe he will be our get out of jail card if the MAF situation is botchered. Maybe we can till LV that If they dont pick Murray we will expose Schultz and give them a pick.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I imagine JR signs and protects Schultz 100%.
Same with Dumo.
Then it's either trade Olli or keep him and protect 4D4F1G.

On the topic broached in the previous thread about trading Letang.
Probably only one scenario for me i'd explore that option and that is if they somehow landed Trouba.
And even then, i wouldn't explore it right off the bat cuz Trouba's cap hit is $2,812,500 for 17-18.

 

[gdsmack267]

I imagine JR signs and protects Schultz 100%.
Same with Dumo.
Then it's either trade Olli or keep him and protect 4D4F1G.

On the topic broached in the previous thread about trading Letang.
Probably only one scenario for me i'd explore that option and that is if they somehow landed Trouba.
And even then, i wouldn't explore it right off the bat cuz Trouba's cap hit is $2,812,500 for 17-18.

Letang
Schultz
Dumo

Move Maatta for either a LW or a picks/D prospects

 

[chethejet]

Pens have to come to grips with protecting Letang, Schultz and Dumo. Expose or trade Oli. Maybe. But consider this. I would give consideration of actually exposing Letang Pens have 30 million of the remaining contract and I am not sure he will stay close to healthy. If the Pens think Olli simply is a defenseman that will never be what they hoped he would be. Expose him. Either way, Pens are going to protect their future. Dumo, Schultz are part of that.

 

[Crosbyfan]

Sprong since coming back from injury:

Got back January 6

Just 1 assist in his first 3 games

12 points in his first 12 games (so 11 in the next 9)

50 points, including 30 goals, in his 26 games to date (38 points, including 24 goals, in his latest/next 14 games)

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

I can't remember where I read it, but I heard the ED list of protected/available players isn't going to be made public. Is this correct?

 

[Will Hunting]

We are gonna have a lot of capspace anyway, so the free agency is gonna be interesting. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of intriguing options there...

 

[WayneSid9987]

As of right now, that's correct:

 

[WayneSid9987]

We are gonna have a lot of capspace anyway, so the free agency is gonna be interesting. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of intriguing options there...

I got a bare bones 22 man roster with Sheary(3), Dumo(3.5), Schultz(4.9), Hainsey(3), Jarry as the backup+Olli still here with only the 3C missing and it comes to 67.193333 Million.

75.5 Cap would leave 8.306667M in space.
76 Cap leaves 8.806667M.
Again with only the 3C missing.
So even if i'm 2M short on Sheary+Schultz we're still fine.

Theres some flexibility there for a potential Olli for impact player.
Retain some on MAF if needed.
Etc. Etc.

 

[DegenX]

I can't remember where I read it, but I heard the ED list of protected/available players isn't going to be made public. Is this correct?

Interestingly enough, I read something yesterday (don't remember where, though) that the NHL is planning to televise the ED as part of the awards show. Or bundle it with the awards show.

 

[Slaaapshuter]

I got a bare bones 22 man roster with Sheary(3), Dumo(3.5), Schultz(4.9), Hainsey(3), Jarry as the backup+Olli still here with only the 3C missing and it comes to 67.193333 Million.

75.5 Cap would leave 8.306667M in space.
76 Cap leaves 8.806667M.
Again with only the 3C missing.
So even if i'm 2M short on Sheary+Schultz we're still fine.

Theres some flexibility there for a potential Olli for impact player.
Retain some on MAF if needed.
Etc. Etc.

Did you account for Kunitz @ 3m?

If so that's a lot of potential cap space.

 

[Penske]

I got a bare bones 22 man roster with Sheary(3), Dumo(3.5), Schultz(4.9), Hainsey(3), Jarry as the backup+Olli still here with only the 3C missing and it comes to 67.193333 Million.

75.5 Cap would leave 8.306667M in space.
76 Cap leaves 8.806667M.
Again with only the 3C missing.
So even if i'm 2M short on Sheary+Schultz we're still fine.

Theres some flexibility there for a potential Olli for impact player.
Retain some on MAF if needed.
Etc. Etc.

I would like us to start (doesn't need to be this off season) targeting young centres with top 6 upside. If we draft them we're going to need to move up to the top 10.

 

[SEALBound]

It may just be the injury blues right now but I think JR needs to do some serious long term planning here coming up. This would be my short term and long term plan.

1. Get on the phones and try to get a deal going with MAF. Ideally with picks/prospects coming back.

2. Use those assets to protect the cheaper of the two in Maatta/Schultz.

1a. Get MAF to waive his NMC for the draft.

2a. Get LV to take MAF. Send a pick/prospect there way to help guarantee it.

3. Let Kunitz, Daley, Hainsey, and Streit walk. I'm betting Cullen retires.

4. Resign Dumoulin to a bridge. 3 years, 2.75mil. Resign Sheary to a bridge. 2/3 yr, 2.5/3mil. Resign Schultz 5yr, 3.75mil.

5. Look at the dman market. Alzner or Kulikov. 4-5yrs, $4mil.

6. Look to trade Maatta. See if you can pull off a deal with Winnipeg for Trouba. Even if you have to send something extra. Or you can send out Maatta for an impact forward. Duchene could be a possibility. I would look for the teams that are about to lose a top 4 dman and need a replacement. Couple thoughts would be: Nashville - for Colin Wilson, Minnesota - Coyle, Colorado - Duchene (package), Winnipeg - Trouba (package maybe), Buffalo - Kane.

7. Sort out wings.

Sheary, Guentzel, Hagelin, Kessel, Rust, Sprong I believe could be next years top 9 wings. Kuhnhackl and Wilson on the bottom line. You still have Hornqvist though who brings something none of those guys have nor do we have a replacement. With two concussion this year though, it's making me worry. If you send Maatta out for Duchene coming back we likely lose on the above.

Biggest plus will hopefully be Kunitz not returning. That addition by subtraction would go further than any other signing or call up or trade.

What to be done with Hagelin and Bonino too? Hagelin is expensive at $4mil but he does so many great things for us. I want to see both in the playoffs again.

We talked some about Hagelin for Bozak which could be a good base. What about something like: Hagelin+Pouliot for Bozak+Rychel? Rust replaces Hagelin. Sprong comes in.

8. Bring in backup. My ideal MAF situation is MAF+Maatta for Lack+Fleury+2nd. I think that solves so dang much for us it's sickitating...just gotta get Carolina to agree to it. But who knows.

In any case, I want playoff warriors brought in. I don't care about the regular season. Bonino and Kessel stunk 90% of the RS last year. Then they were warriors for us. Want more of that.

Here's my thought:

MAF to LV
Maatta for Colin Wilson or similar
Hagelin+Pouliot for Bozak+Rychel
Resign Sheary, Schultz, Dumoulin
Sign Alzner or Kulikov
Sign #6 like Smith,
Sign Condon to be back up or finagle a trade for Halak.

Sheary-Sid-Guentzel
C. Wilson-Malkin-Sprong
Rust-Bozak-Kessel
Kuhnhackl-Sundqvist-Hornqvist (who will spot duty everywhere)
Rychel (can replace Hornqvist eventually) and Wilson as the extras

Dumo-Letang
Alz/Kul-Schultz
Cole-B. Smith

MM
Condon/Halak/Jarry/etc

There is a lot of flexibility in that roster. Still maintains speed. Adds some physicality. I picked Wilson because he was a beast in last years playoffs. Want that. Bozak has chemistry with Kessel and is a 3C. Pouliot isn't working out, Rychel is a good LW prospect still whose in a similar boat. Alzner and Kulikov are our best possible signings for dmen. I'm going to strongly advocate signing them regardless of Maatta on or off the roster. We need another solid dman. We are losing Daley most likely and with Letang's constant injury woes, I want good depth to help close gaps. I would love to have a top 4 guy on the bottom pairing when all healthy.

Hornqvist is another concern with his 2nd concussion. He's got one more year and unless he comes cheap, we may be better off moving on as tough as that is to say. Rychel or Wilson would be good fill ins. Getting someone like Kane would be boss too if that could be done.

Moves like these keep the window open for the 2-3 yr window we still have.

 

[Cherpak]

Honestly I think any more talk of Duchene coming here in a trade is moot unless you want to lose any combination of Guentzel/Sprong/Sheary. And most knowledgable Penguins fans won't even entertain it.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Honestly I think any more talk of Duchene coming here in a trade is moot unless you want to lose any combination of Guentzel/Sprong/Sheary. And most knowledgable Penguins fans won't even entertain it.

Maatta a 1st and perhaps Jarry, that's how far I would go

If they want any of those forwards they can keep Duchene

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Honestly I think any more talk of Duchene coming here in a trade is moot unless you want to lose any combination of Guentzel/Sprong/Sheary. And most knowledgable Penguins fans won't even entertain it.

I don't see why it would have to be a combination of those players. That's beyond any report of what Colorado was asking for.

One of them involved in a package was the talk.

 

[Pick87your71Poison]

I don't see why it would have to be a combination of those players. That's beyond any report of what Colorado was asking for.

One of them involved in a package, sure.

There were some reports I think that they may have asked for 2 of those along with Maatta + 1st or something I think, but in the end it was all mostly baseless speculation and pretty meaningless.

Regardless, it is definitely getting harder to let any of those guys go since in the case of Sheary and Guentzel it is not a "what they could turn into" situation since they already look so good in top 6 roles. Sprong obviously hasn't proven it in the NHL yet, but even for the Q, what he is doing is pretty incredible. Then you take into account age, $, years of control, etc and those pieces are so valuable to the Pens both now and in the future.

 

[Cherpak]

I don't see why it would have to be a combination of those players. That's beyond any report of what Colorado was asking for.

One of them involved in a package was the talk.

From what I heard he was asking for both. That may have been internet scuttlebutt though.

 

[Cherpak]

Maatta a 1st and perhaps Jarry, that's how far I would go

If they want any of those forwards they can keep Duchene

Yep. Someone asked on here what my package would be and thats exactly what I offered. It fit the needs of Colorado IMO to a t.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Here's my thought:

MAF to LV
Maatta for Colin Wilson or similar
Hagelin+Pouliot for Bozak+Rychel
Resign Sheary, Schultz, Dumoulin
Sign Alzner or Kulikov
Sign #6 like Smith,
Sign Condon to be back up or finagle a trade for Halak.

Sheary-Sid-Guentzel
C. Wilson-Malkin-Sprong
Rust-Bozak-Kessel
Kuhnhackl-Sundqvist-Hornqvist (who will spot duty everywhere)
Rychel (can replace Hornqvist eventually) and Wilson as the extras

Dumo-Letang
Alz/Kul-Schultz
Cole-B. Smith

MM
Condon/Halak/Jarry/etc

There is a lot of flexibility in that roster. Still maintains speed. Adds some physicality. I picked Wilson because he was a beast in last years playoffs. Want that. Bozak has chemistry with Kessel and is a 3C. Pouliot isn't working out, Rychel is a good LW prospect still whose in a similar boat. Alzner and Kulikov are our best possible signings for dmen. I'm going to strongly advocate signing them regardless of Maatta on or off the roster. We need another solid dman. We are losing Daley most likely and with Letang's constant injury woes, I want good depth to help close gaps. I would love to have a top 4 guy on the bottom pairing when all healthy.

Hornqvist is another concern with his 2nd concussion. He's got one more year and unless he comes cheap, we may be better off moving on as tough as that is to say. Rychel or Wilson would be good fill ins. Getting someone like Kane would be boss too if that could be done.

Moves like these keep the window open for the 2-3 yr window we still have.

A smattering of thoughts here:

-I think any projections for next year should include a MAF buyout. That is the most likely end result to this situation, and it's not close IMO.

-I don't know if I see how Dumo gets significantly less than Maatta, at least in cap hit. I think his agent isn't walking out of there with much less than that, and I don't blame them.

-I think Kulikov is getting a little overrated around here and I've read bad things about Alzner this year, but regardless of all that I think you're on the money signing a Dman to a decent-sized contract. If Maatta leaves it's pretty much unavoidable.

-Kunitz returning can't happen I agree.. He's just toast at 37. I'm not even open to a 1 year/$1 million deal. It's just not necessary and would have zero reasoning behind it other than BS loyalty/laziness.

-I think that Toronto deal is wishful thinking but I don't deny that they might be able to use Hagelin. As someone mentioned on the trade board though, trading a halfway decent center for Hagelin is probably not a move I would make as a GM. Also I can't state enough how much I believe Pouliot has null value right now though. I don't think anyone outside of maybe AZ, NJ, or COL should have any interest in him whatsoever unless it's to even out a deal with actual relevant pieces.

-As far as replacing Bonino, we could go after Hanzal and likely overpay. I'm not in love with that idea but I wouldn't rule it out either. Also I expect Mike Fisher to take a pay cut. He's old but he's a good player. If the stars aligned in free agency he may be sitting out there after a few days and we could possibly get him for around what we pay Bonino now. He'd want a three year deal, which we can oblige him because after a year or two he and Sundqvist can simply switch roles.

 

[tbassett]

Did you account for Kunitz @ 3m?

If so that's a lot of potential cap space.

Why is the great Kunitz giving us a discount and taking less than he's making now? Pencil him for 4m!!

 

[Riptide]

I feel its imoossible to work something out before we know how the expansion/MAF situation plays out.

I really wonder how much we need to pay for Schultz tho. If he demand too much, i wonder if we will just expose him in the ED or keep him and trade him since hes an RFA. Maybe he will be our get out of jail card if the MAF situation is botchered. Maybe we can till LV that If they dont pick Murray we will expose Schultz and give them a pick.

Unless he's looking for 6m (or more) on a 7 year deal, the odds of that happening are slim to none. Besides, Pittsburgh can always take him to arbitration and get a 1-2 year deal awarded. If they go that route, he'll get between 4-5m.

I've always maintained that anything under 5m with term is a pipe dream. But I really do not think that Schultz will try and extract every dollar possible from us. He's seen what playing in a ****** environment is like vs a winning one. Him signing a 4-5 year deal at 5m would not surprise me in the least - in fact that's basically what I'm expecting him to sign. It would take him until he's 31/32, pay him well (but not absurdly) and still give him the chance to sign another quality contract afterwards. It would also give him the option to stay in Pittsburgh through the best years (remaining) of Crosby and Malkin's careers. Considering what he went through in Edmonton and then what he experienced when he came to Pittsburgh, I can easily see the appeal of staying here for another 4-6 years.

 

[Nakawick]

Pens have to come to grips with protecting Letang, Schultz and Dumo. Expose or trade Oli. Maybe. But consider this. I would give consideration of actually exposing Letang Pens have 30 million of the remaining contract and I am not sure he will stay close to healthy. If the Pens think Olli simply is a defenseman that will never be what they hoped he would be. Expose him. Either way, Pens are going to protect their future. Dumo, Schultz are part of that.

I think Letang has to be protected no?