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!"

[Jacob]

Why did we sign gruden?

Why not?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Wonder why Nashville is opening up cap.

McDonagh requested a trade at cleanout day, Trotz confirmed. Said it's about that and not the cap space.
But yeah, this does make Nashville more interesting this summer.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Why did we sign gruden?

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Why did we sign gruden?

He's a young bottom sixer who can bounce between the Pens and WBS as needed. It's a two way deal. Maybe he still develops into a full-time PKer and bottom sixer. Why would you not?

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Why did we sign gruden?

He's cheap, young, and has been one of Wilke-Barre's best forwards the past 3 years, and one of the few players in the system that will actually go against Sullivan's Ghandi-ish like pacifism and hit someone might be a good reason.

 

[canadianguy77]

McDonagh requested a trade at cleanout day, Trotz confirmed. Said it's about that and not the cap space.
But yeah, this does make Nashville more interesting this summer.

I accept that there’s a small group of teams have perpetual unfair advantages in FA. I get that. But now it’s bleeding into contracts that have already been signed because players are pulling hissy fits. They better address this shit in the next CBA because it’s going to completely ruin the competitiveness of the league if they let it keep going like this.

 

[Ulf5]

Why did we sign gruden?

More importantly, why did Gruden sign with us? Not that I think he'll turn into anything. But he's not getting a legit, extended look here.

 

[Ulf5]

I thought you were being facetious, but holy cow, it's like the Coyotes NHL roster down there.

Actually I was just regurgitating what a poster on the main board said. Looks like Pieniniemi, Pickering and now Kral.
I suppose St. Ivany and/or Ludvig could spend time down there. Shea is ufa atm.

 

[Ryder71]

St Ivany for three years at that cap (775K)? Excellent value. Even if by chance it doesn't work out which I believe it would that's real good work!

 

[chethejet]

Dubas is simply adding in Gruden and the LD more players to the system for next year or 2. ST Ivany to me is going to be that 3rd pairing RD who gives the Pens an upgrade from Ruhwedel.

 

[Andy99]

Dubas is simply adding in Gruden and the LD more players to the system for next year or 2. ST Ivany to me is going to be that 3rd pairing RD who gives the Pens an upgrade from Ruhwedel.

Just wait until Ruh is signed July 1 with his name newly carved on the SC…Sullivan will have a boner…

 

[wej20]

More importantly, why did Gruden sign with us? Not that I think he'll turn into anything. But he's not getting a legit, extended look here.

Because he's an RFA.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Apropos of nothing but I figured yinz deserve it.

 

[HandshakeLine]

That St. Ivany deal could be great. Better version of Ruhwedel.

There are worse/more boring versions?

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

There are worse/more boring versions?

I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Jack.

Last name Johnson

 

[Gurglesons]

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The Penguins employed Chad Ruhwedel for 8 years lol

 

[HandshakeLine]

The Penguins employed Chad Ruhwedel for 8 years lol

lol

We love watching terrible positional guys do absolutely nothing and get paid seven figures because "they're safe".

We're f***ing idiots.

 

[SEALBound]

Lol..yep

https://x.com/i/web/status/1793079404404564197

I don't necessarily disagree with the sentiment about Malkin, but at the same time, I don't think people pointing out EP40's complete and utter disappearance in the playoffs are "xenophobic." This just happens to be a circumstance in which when you look at who did well and who did not, you notice that the players who did well were all gritty NA players, and the ones who did not were smaller Euros. I met with several clients from Vancouver recently and one from southern Alberta. When discussing the games, the number of times "Pettersson has GOT to get going" was said dominated the conversation. Mikheyev and Suter did themselves no favors. Hogs looked good though.

View attachment 874295

You're right, Stefan Noesen would be a good target for us this off-season.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

lol

We love watching terrible positional guys do absolutely nothing and get paid seven figures because "they're safe".

We're f***ing idiots.

I mean it's like... if you wanna pay a guy league minimum-ish to play on the farm because he's dependable and solid in the room or whatever and if you absolutely MUST you can call him up for like a dozen games then whatever. But dude played 78 games on the Penguins one season. And most years at least half the year.

WTF

 

[HandshakeLine]

I mean it's like... you wanna pay a guy league minimum-ish to play on the farm because he's dependable and solid in the room or whatever and if you absolutely MUST you can call him up for like a dozen games. But dude played 78 games on the Penguins one season. And most years at least half the year.

WTF

He's safe. He knows the system. Sure he's absolutely useless on the boards, with the puck, without the puck, and clearing crease. But he's in the right place at the right time, and anyway, someone else might make slightly different mistakes.

 

[Andy99]

I don't necessarily disagree with the sentiment about Malkin, but at the same time, I don't think people pointing out EP40's complete and utter disappearance in the playoffs are "xenophobic." This just happens to be a circumstance in which when you look at who did well and who did not, you notice that the players who did well were all gritty NA players, and the ones who did not were smaller Euros. I met with several clients from Vancouver recently and one from southern Alberta. When discussing the games, the number of times "Pettersson has GOT to get going" was said dominated the conversation. Mikheyev and Suter did themselves no favors. Hogs looked good though.

You're right, Stefan Noesen would be a good target for us this off-season.

This issue is cause and effect…when you leap to saying that because these guys are Euro, they didn’t do well or they didn’t do well because they’re Euro…we need to stop that

 

[HandshakeLine]

3rd pairing positional defenders are the "4th line pk specialists" of the blueline. They should be churned through, used and then thrown away in the offseason. They should not be here for 8 years.

 

[chethejet]

Ruhwedel was a spare RD and Sullivan played him as a regular which just exposed him as what he really is. Getting a fourth was pretty good so Sullivan with Reirden gone and changes to the roster to get younger and bigger and more grit, ST Ivany, Ludvig on the back end helps the cause. Now go get Stephenson and get Puustinen in the S&C program.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I mean it's like... if you wanna pay a guy league minimum-ish to play on the farm because he's dependable and solid in the room or whatever and if you absolutely MUST you can call him up for like a dozen games then whatever. But dude played 78 games on the Penguins one season. And most years at least half the year.

WTF

I've been on this dudes shadow since the early days of "Why is he here?"

People actually went to bat for him "calling him a good #6...."

WTF!!!!!