Salary Cap: Pens 2024 Summer Thread: "Thus, knocking us out of these superior numbers when we emerge! Mr. President, we must not allow a non-playoff bound gap!"

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Granlund had 60 points in 69 games (71 point pace). Seems like a potential target to replace Guentzals production

f*** Granlund and the Hextall he rode in on.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Remember when we thought that adding Karlsson would make this past season exciting? And he was for like 10 games? Then he learned to play the right way?

The first couple weeks of Karlsson were people going "how did we ever think Letang was as good as this guy lmao" and then Sullivan and Reirden did their thing and this place hated EK's guts by like November.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

The first couple weeks of Karlsson were people going "how did we ever think Letang was as good as this guy lmao" and then Sullivan and Reirden did their thing and this place hated EK's guts by like November.

How ironic I've hated Reirden's guts since he was hired back here.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Ehlers
Necas
Buchnevich

Depends on who comes available if you go through trade.

Ufa id go after Stephenson or Marchessault. Maybe one of them helps smith bounce back. Marchessault on a short term

DOC - Sid - Rust
Bunting - Geno - rakell
Smith - Pono/Poulin - Marchessault

Keep trade pieces and upgrade in season.

Ehlers would help in transition. He'd also cost assets to acquire, he's typically off the ice as often as Nichushkin, and he's a certified playoff dud.

Necas would cost assets to acquire, and he plays for a division rival.

Buchnevich costs assets to acquire, and he's an impending UFA.

Stephenson's gonna want term, and he has exactly one good playoff run and one 20 goal season on his resume.

Marchessault is 33, and an RW. The oldest team in the league is paying a 33 year old good money to play on the 3rd line?

All of these guys have warts. None of them would have Nuke's impact.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

In spite of how much of a roller coaster this season was, we did only miss by a hair.

But again, people looking at it as lost cap space until November are kind of missing thd big picture, I think. Nobody else we could add would have close to his impact at 6 mil per. Nuke for 60 games would do this team a lot more good than any 6 mil addition we'd add in FA who played 80 games. If anyone doubts that, I'd like to know who they have in mind.


He'll either have value or he'll be suspended for life. It's not like he'd be dead cap space.

As distasteful as taking this risk is (it is too much of a PR hit and ticking time bomb that Dubas would have to answer for), this is exactly the type of longshot they would need to take to have a chance of actually accomplishing something in the post season again next year.

That being said, the org would never do it. Heck, you'd need several such long shots to pan out to actually have a chance again, which is probably why the org would never do it. Why deal with the embarrassment when Nuke by himself isn't winning anything for us?

Dubas is planning for life after this core of players is gone at this point, and hoping to catch lightning in a bottle when Sid is 40 and hopefully Geno has retired a year early or something.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

And if he’s suspended again you have make a desperation trade in December or waste another one of Sid’s final seasons.

First of all, unlikely any suspension happens a month after he's reinstated.

Second, no desperation trade necessary. They would gave spent zero assets acquiring a scoring winger in the offseason, so they'd have assets and cap space to play with whenever they need to.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

The first couple weeks of Karlsson were people going "how did we ever think Letang was as good as this guy lmao" and then Sullivan and Reirden did their thing and this place hated EK's guts by like November.

I might get crucified for this, but what if David Quinn could be the answer to this as an assistant coach? I hate that he's from the Sully school, but he has the potential to squeeze almost twice the production out of Karlsson.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

As distasteful as taking this risk is (it is too much of a PR hit and ticking time bomb that Dubas would have to answer for), this is exactly the type of longshot they would need to take to have a chance of actually accomplishing something in the post season again next year.

That being said, the org would never do it. Heck, you'd need several such long shots to pan out to actually have a chance again, which is probably why the org would never do it. Why deal with the embarrassment when Nuke by himself isn't winning anything for us?

Dubas is planning for life after this core of players is gone at this point, and hoping to catch lightning in a bottle when Sid is 40 and hopefully Geno has retired a year early or something.

Sad but very likely true.

Nichushkin would add a dream combo of size, speed, defense, and goal scoring to Sid's line. About as perfect a complement to that line as you could ask for. Add a guy like that, wriggle out of the Graves contract, and add another good bottom 6 center and the Pens would be capable of a serious run.

But the PR hit would be too much.

 

[Gurglesons]

Glad Warm Cookies is going on tirades with you all so I can quietly fall back into everyone's good graces.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Glad Warm Cookies is going on tirades with you all so I can quietly fall back into everyone's good graces.

I haven't ruffled any feathers in awhile.

Felt wrong.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I bet Nuke would suck here, anyway.

Also why are we wishing Malkin retires early? Shouldn't we wish that he simply plays at a respectable level until the end of his deal?

 

[Darren McCord]

First of all, unlikely any suspension happens a month after he's reinstated.

Second, no desperation trade necessary. They would gave spent zero assets acquiring a scoring winger in the offseason, so they'd have assets and cap space to play with whenever they need to.

Right but it’s much harder to get a winger in season and more expensive. They would be desperate because they would be out of the playoffs without help by December. Again wasting another season of Crosby.

 

[Gurglesons]

I bet Nuke would suck here, anyway.

Any why are we wishing Malkin retires early? Shouldn't we wish that he simply plays at a respectable level until the end of his deal?

Because everything is Malkin's fault.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Because everything is Malkin's fault.

Oh right I nearly forgot.

"I know why Riley Smith stunk last year and it has nothing to do with him."

-Dubas doing his best JR impression

 

[Malkinstheman]

All I know is that this team could really use some attitude right now. Everyone is too comfortable. JT would have been great here. Someone that actually cares and shows emotion.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

All I know is that this team could really use some attitude right now. Everyone is too comfortable. JT would have been great here. Someone that actually cares and shows emotion.

I wanted Boeser more at the time and admit that I didn't think Miller would be worth his salary, here.

I was sorta right and sorta wrong I guess.

 

[Gurglesons]

I wanted Boeser more at the time and admit that I didn't think Miller would be worth his salary, here.

I was sorta right and sorta wrong I guess.

I wanted Boeser for Marino and JT Miller intrigued me simply because he seems like the type of dude that would've screamed f*** you at Mike Sullivan on the bench.

 

[Ulf5]

I wanted Boeser more at the time and admit that I didn't think Miller would be worth his salary, here.

I was sorta right and sorta wrong I guess.

Opposite. Didn't want Boeser. Thought he was way too slow of a skater. Boy was I wrong. 40 goals, 16 on the power play is exactly what this team needs.
Definitely wanted JT Miller. Doesn't seem to take shit from anyone and will do whatever it takes to win. Even if he is an ass, think the team could've used some of his attitude.

 

[Malkinstheman]

I wanted Boeser for Marino and JT Miller intrigued me simply because he seems like the type of dude that would've screamed f*** you at Mike Sullivan on the bench.

I thought that EK would bring some of that but it seems like he was just trying to fit in this season. Hopefully hes more comfortable calling out stupidity next season

 

[Gurglesons]

I thought that EK would bring some of that but it seems like he was just trying to fit in this season. Hopefully hes more comfortable calling out stupidity next season

Same. Instead he looks just as comfortable losing as the rest of our stars under Sullivan.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Opposite. Didn't want Boeser. Thought he was way too slow of a skater. Boy was I wrong. 40 goals, 16 on the power play is exactly what this team needs.

Same.

The guy even has a blood clotting issue now. Did we switch over to an alternate timeline or something, because that's almost a Pens trademark. He should already be here.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Right but it’s much harder to get a winger in season and more expensive. They would be desperate because they would be out of the playoffs without help by December. Again wasting another season of Crosby.

Calculated risks that represent significant upgrades are needed to avoid wasting more of the core's few remaining years.

Adding a Marchessault or Stephenson as the big addition isn't moving the needle. That's sinking the season before it even starts by aiming too low.

 

[Darren McCord]

Calculated risks that represent significant upgrades are needed to avoid wasting more of the core's few remaining years.

Adding a Marchessault or Stephenson as the big addition isn't moving the needle. That's sinking the season before it even starts by aiming too low.

Calculated risk are PLD or Kotkamemi if he’s bought out. Buy low guys who will actually start the season with the team. Nuke isn’t. He’s mostly risk.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I wish the Penguins would have sprung at Marino for Hoglander. I'm not super sold on Hoglander as being anything super special, but he's another young guy that would at minimum be a difference maker on L3.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Calculated risk are PLD or Kotkamemi if he’s bought out. Buy low guys who will actually start the season with the team. Nuke isn’t. He’s mostly risk.

Nuke represents as little risk as one can take for a player with his impact if you're giving up zero assets. The only way he'd ever be available to a team in our position is under a circumstance like this.

He's a considerably better bet to improve the Pens than PLD or JK. Their most recent play when it mattered most were at opposite ends of the spectrum. He was unstoppable. They were negligible.