Salary Cap: Penguins Salary Cap Thread: We suck again summer edition

[Peat]

If Bertuzzi was after the same deal as Zucker I would agree all day every day. However, I expect Bertuzzi will get offered more for longer than whatever Zucker eventually gets.

And also has injury issues. Probably more than Zucker did when he came here.

 

[Gurglesons]

When he's healthy, which has been exceptionally infrequent during his time as a Pen outside of his contract year. No thanks.

Much rather put that money towards a younger guy with a burr in his saddle like Bertuzzi.

Bertuzzi played less games over the last three seasons if we are concerned about health.

And Bertuzzi's injuries are much more consistent and significant.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Honestly this isn't even really about Zucker. I like Zucker in a vacuum.

Rust is the issue.

 

[Gurglesons]

Honestly this isn't even really about Zucker. I like Zucker in a vacuum.

Rust is the issue.

Rust is also likely immovable. So pointless to entertain the group without him.

It's kinda funny, if you move Rust, you can probably talk me into keeping Granlund for a season.

Also, it's kinda funny, I'd prefer Rust over Jake on the 1st powerplay.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Rust is also likely immovable. So pointless to entertain the group without him.

It's kinda funny, if you move Rust, you can probably talk me into keeping Granlund for a season.

Also, it's kinda funny, I'd prefer Rust over Jake on the 1st powerplay.

The roster opens up for far more possibilities with Rust out of the picture IMO.

Not least because he's a pet and is cemented into the top six no matter what.

But I mean I get it... he's the "Ultimate Penguin™" and has an airtight contract.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Grinder who became a first liner

The tantrum sully would throw if rust was ever moved.....

 

[Peat]

Honestly this isn't even really about Zucker. I like Zucker in a vacuum.

Rust is the issue.

I don't think you need me to tell you we're not getting a player who makes you feel better about Rust for around 5m.

Yeah, you can get a player who's more noticeably different from Rust... but that player will come with different fleas that will be exacerbated if Rust isn't doing that much.

Realistically the only solace there is to build a strong enough winger corps that the idea of demoting Rust isn't laughable. Which means getting in a few guys pretty cheap...

Also, it's kinda funny, I'd prefer Rust over Jake on the 1st powerplay.

One of the main reasons I entertain ideas of moving Jake is to get him off of PP1.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It would be nice if the self-styled sniper could actually... you know... snipe.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't think you need me to tell you we're not getting a player who makes you feel better about Rust for around 5m.

Yeah, you can get a player who's more noticeably different from Rust... but that player will come with different fleas that will be exacerbated if Rust isn't doing that much.

Realistically the only solace there is to build a strong enough winger corps that the idea of demoting Rust isn't laughable. Which means getting in a few guys pretty cheap...



One of the main reasons I entertain ideas of moving Jake is to get him off of PP1.

Same. One of the few reasons I entertain moving him tbh.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Interesting idea for filling Zucker’s spot: would you sign Pacioretty to a cheaper 1 year deal? I think you can probably get him to sign for about $3 million to $4 million due to his injury issues in the last 2 years.

 

[SEALBound]

Jarry is going to sign for the most he can get and the most term he can get. He has the numbers to get paid and if he has another bad season he's totally f***ed.

And so is the team that chooses to sign him. I think at most, a 2yr deal. I can see a $5mil x 2yr deal being on the table for him from a couple teams.

 

[Gurglesons]

Interesting idea for filling Zucker’s spot: would you sign Pacioretty to a cheaper 1 year deal? I think you can probably get him to sign for about $3 million to $4 million due to his injury issues in the last 2 years.

no.

And so is the team that chooses to sign him. I think at most, a 2yr deal. I can see a $5mil x 2yr deal being on the table for him from a couple teams.

Most teams regret UFA deals immediately. Doesn't stop them from consistently being signed.

 

[SEALBound]

Same. One of the few reasons I entertain moving him tbh.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall with Dubas, Spezza, and Sully when they have a frank discussion about the roster.

I can see Sullivan liking Rust for various reasons but I have to think that Dubas and Spezza would see him as a player who could be move if he's willing to waive the NMC. As I said, that would have been the 2nd phone I would have made after being named GM - "Hey Bryan, are you willing to waive and if so, to where?". At best, you get trade options. At worst, you give him a jolt that says people are f***ing looking at you. Which very well may be the slap upside the head that he needs. 21-22 Rust is what the team needs. Not 22-23 Rust.

I could see a plethora of guys as potential options to move - Rust, Carter, Petry, Rutta, one of POJ or Smith if it makes sense, and obviously Granlund.

Interesting idea for filling Zucker’s spot: would you sign Pacioretty to a cheaper 1 year deal? I think you can probably get him to sign for about $3 million to $4 million due to his injury issues in the last 2 years.

If he came back and played well with Carolina, sure, maybe. After he came back, reinjuring the Achilles without significant contact...that worries me. As a $1mil x 1yr hopeful, sure. Anything above that, no. You just can't risk that.

I think if he truly gets healed up, I could see him being the next Corey Perry meaning, a great veteran player who can play a gritty game on a contender for cheap.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Honestly this isn't even really about Zucker. I like Zucker in a vacuum.

Rust is the issue.

Trade Rust, sign Zucker. Problem solved.

Zucker is going to be the new Horny. Fans arent going to realize how much of a heart beat he was for the team until hes gone.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Trade Rust, sign Zucker. Problem solved.

Zucker is going to be the new Horny. Fans arent going to realize how much of a heart beat he was for the team until hes gone.

Rust's NMC says no to that

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Bertuzzi played less games over the last three seasons if we are concerned about health.

And Bertuzzi's injuries are much more consistent and significant.

Bertuzzi missed 70+ games in one season 3 years ago. Since then, he only missed significant time when he was hit in different hands with the puck while blocking shots last year.

Also since missing 70+ games 3 years ago, he's scored 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games - Zucker's sniffed neither total over that period - and is just coming off a playoffs where he led the Bruins (including Pastrnak and Marchand) with 5 goals and 10 points in 7 games. That's without even touching his agitation abilities.

He's not only less susceptible to chronic injury than Zucker, he's in a different league in terms of impact, and 3 years younger.

 

[SEALBound]

Trade Rust, sign Zucker. Problem solved.

Zucker is going to be the new Horny. Fans arent going to realize how much of a heart beat he was for the team until hes gone.

Fair. That said, I truly applaud JR for making the trade for who he did, when he did. That was a ballsy move that turned out to be a good move for us. At the time, it was obviously a highly suspect trade. But man, did Matheson provide something we desperately needed and Horny was a $5.85mil 4th liner that was frequently hurt for Florida. Poor guy.

As I've said, the second you let Zucker walk, he (or the player he is) instantly becomes your biggest need. And there aren't many replacements available. It's a lose-lose situation unless he signs a sweetheart deal that he has no incentive to.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If Bertuzzi was after the same deal as Zucker I would agree all day every day. However, I expect Bertuzzi will get offered more for longer than whatever Zucker eventually gets.

And it will be well deserved. Zero doubt as to which one of them has and will have bigger impacts going forward.

 

[Gurglesons]

Trade Rust, sign Zucker. Problem solved.

Zucker is going to be the new Horny. Fans arent going to realize how much of a heart beat he was for the team until hes gone.

You could also argue he is going to be the new Horny and we will immediately regret his contract the moment we sign it much like we did Horny's extension.

Bertuzzi missed 70+ games in one season 3 years ago. Since then, he only missed significant time when he was hit in different hands with the puck while blocking shots last year.

Also since missing 70+ games 3 years ago, he's scored 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games - Zucker's sniffed neither total over that period - and is just coming off a playoffs where he led the Bruins (including Pastrnak and Marchand) with 5 goals and 10 points in 7 games. That's without even touching his agitation abilities.

He's not only less susceptible to chronic injury than Zucker, he's in a different league in terms of impact, and 3 years younger.

He also scored 8 goals and 30 points in 50 last season.

And just to be clear, I'm fine with signing Bertuzzi, I'm just saying citing health reasons as the reason to sign him over Zucker is silly.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think most people here know I'm a huge Zucker fan, but I am concerned that people have seemingly forgotten about how he played in the 2 seasons before this year.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Trade Rust, sign Zucker. Problem solved.

Zucker is going to be the new Horny. Fans arent going to realize how much of a heart beat he was for the team until hes gone.

I will acquiesce to any humiliating bet you guys can cook up if this team actually trades Rust. Never gonna happen.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Also in the 2 years before last year:

-Rust: 100 points in 116 games
-Zucker: 35 points in 79 games

Even if Rust's NMC wasn't an issue, trading Rust to keep Zucker seems like an absolutely bizarre decision to make. They should get a good offensive winger that meshes with Rust's skillset to play opposite of Malkin. The issue with the 2nd line from last year was that Zucker and Rust don't offer enough offensive creativity to support Malkin.

The only spot that moving Rust to makes sense right now is if you want to move him to L3 to be the line driver for that line. But even then, I'm probably looking for 2 new wingers for Malkin over re-signing Zucker.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

You could also argue he is going to be the new Horny and we will immediately regret his contract the moment we sign it much like we did Horny's extension.



He also scored 8 goals and 30 points in 50 last season.

And just to be clear, I'm fine with signing Bertuzzi, I'm just saying citing health reasons as the reason to sign him over Zucker is silly.

While recovering from 2 broken hands on a floundering Red Wings team, yes.

His one-off health issues and Zucker's chronic health issues are quite different. He's also represents a significant upgrade in areas we need, which is a huge factor.

 

[Gurglesons]

While recovering from 2 broken hands on a floundering Red Wings team, yes.

His one-off health issues and Zucker's chronic health issues are quite different. He's also represents a significant upgrade in areas we need, which is a huge factor.

Zucker doesn't have chronic health issues?

This is the issue. I'm fine with signing Bertuzzi over Zucker. It is the smarter signing IMO.

But, Bertuzzi has chronic upper body injuries and missed a season due to a back situation.

Zucker had a core muscle issue and broke his leg. That's about all he has in his history.

 

[Pancakes]

It'd be a lot easier to let Zucker walk if this free agent class wasn't a resounding meh. Same with Jarry.

The replacements have as many questions as the guys we want to let walk.

I'm not saying don't let them walk, but that's the reality.