Salary Cap: Pens Salary thread: It has been 0 days since our last injury

[The Old Master]

I can't imagine he brings back anything better than a 4th. If he plays well enough in the NHL to bring back more, the Penguins are probably looking at other ways to keep him and trade someone else.

is that a bad thing???

 

[DesertedPenguin]

As much as I have been comfortable moving on from Pettersson and just playing POJ and Smith on the left side behind Dumoulin, I have to imagine the Penguins want to give Petts at least a half season to showcase whether he's gotten over the mistakes that led to his benching last year.

I think the hope was to see if POJ was so dominant that he would force the Penguins to start Smith in WBS. If not, to find a way to slip POJ past waivers after the compliance deadline and stash him in WBS until waivers hit.

I don't think they've really wanted to trade POJ, although I'm sure they explored that option as has been reported. They weren't going to dump a 23-year-old prospect for nothing, but if there was value out there, then it might be worth exploring.

With no value available, they're now going to try to get POJ quietly past everyone on Tuesday or Wednesday, tell him to tear up the AHL and he'll be the first recall.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Pettersson is better than POJ at this point in time. Hell, there's a very real chance Petts will be better than Dumo this year. It's happened before.

Wish they'd just waive Joseph and get it over with. He may have 2nd pairing potential which he can reach a few years down the line, but odds are he doesn't get there. Even if he did, our core will be a few years older by then and the window will be closed, making his contributions largely irrelevant.

Smith seems like he has the most to offer now, so just play him now. If he sucks then just send him down and play Friedman or Ruhwedel, who may very well outperform Joseph anyway.

 

[Pens x]

Pettersson is better than POJ at this point in time. Hell, there's a very real chance Petts will be better than Dumo this year. It's happened before.

Wish they'd just waive Joseph and get it over with. He may have 2nd pairing potential which he can reach a few years down the line, but odds are he doesn't get there. Even if he did, our core will be a few years older by then and the window will be closed, making his contributions largely irrelevant.

Smith seems like he has the most to offer now, so just play him now. If he sucks then just send him down and play Friedman or Ruhwedel, who may very well outperform Joseph anyway.

I think people forget how crappy Pettersson is. We are not in a good spot heading into the season with him on the second paring, fully healthy.

I might prefer to roll the dice on POJ considering how cheaper he is than Pettersson. I’m not confident in either, but certainly not for $4+ mill for the chin-less idiot.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I think people forget how crappy Pettersson is. We are not in a good spot heading into the season with him on the second paring, fully healthy.

So you have us missing the playoffs then?

 

[The Grim Reaper]

You know hockey is just right around the corner when @Pens x is upping the moaning about the team and management.

 

[jmelm]

Maybe Zohorna just kinda sucks and we as a board care way more about him than pretty much anyone involved in actual hockey stuff.

Yup. Zohorna is no DOC, that’s for sure.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I've already pointed this out and @Peat told me not to engage with clear trolls who argue this, but I legitimately do not see an argument for this year's team being worse than last year's team that is anything beyond "they're old so they'll be bad".

You can't be making legitimate comments if you're simultaneously saying that the team and players the Penguins had last year sucked, and now they're going to suck this year because they lost those players who sucked.

 

[Pens x]

So you have us missing the playoffs then?

No, but I need see Dumo, Petry and Pettersson in the regular season before I throw Hextall a parade for “fixing” the defense. I do, however, like our third pairing.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

You know hockey is just right around the corner when @Pens x is upping the moaning about the team and management.

Upping? How can you tell?

 

[Pens x]

I wish I could convince myself our top dmen will be fine, Jarry will be great in the playoffs, Kap will rebound, and Sully will play young guys, but I live in the real world.

Our lineup is definitely better heading into this season than last year though. I think we have better depth at forward as well, even though we won’t play any of the young guys unless we are forced to instead of forfeiting.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I've already pointed this out and @Peat told me not to engage with clear trolls who argue this, but I legitimately do not see an argument for this year's team being worse than last year's team that is anything beyond "they're old so they'll be bad".

You can't be making legitimate comments if you're simultaneously saying that the team and players the Penguins had last year sucked, and now they're going to suck this year because they lost those players who sucked.

I think a couple potential avenues are:
1) no one goes on a crazy heater the way EROD did early last year. It will be missed.
2) the PK totally regresses
3) I haven't seen enough of Petry to fully form an opinion, but it is possible that the electricity Matheson brought will be tough to replace.
4) everyone is, in fact, pretty old.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think a couple potential avenues are:
1) no one goes on a crazy heater the way EROD did early last year. It will be missed.
2) the PK totally regresses
3) I haven't seen enough of Petry to fully form an opinion, but it is possible that the electricity Matheson brought will be tough to replace.
4) everyone is, in fact, pretty old.

I mean, they're replacing ERod's hot start from last year with a healthy Evgeni Malkin. I really struggle to imagine there will be any downgrade there.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think a couple potential avenues are:
1) no one goes on a crazy heater the way EROD did early last year. It will be missed.
2) the PK totally regresses
3) I haven't seen enough of Petry to fully form an opinion, but it is possible that the electricity Matheson brought will be tough to replace.
4) everyone is, in fact, pretty old.

I think us having the majority of the roster healthy should help us be fine over needing Rodrigues.

The big things I can see sinking this team is goaltending flattening out and our depth scoring looking like the last 40 games last year.

Finally Jersey turning into a true playoff team and Washington, NYR and Boston not missing a beat.

That being said Sullivan knows how to coach this team in the regular season well enough and I think our elder statesmen are hungry. That should go a long way especially if Guentzel - Crosby - Rakell goes off like it did last year.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I mean, they're replacing ERod's hot start from last year with a healthy Evgeni Malkin. I really struggle to imagine there will be any downgrade there.

On paper of course it is better. L2 looks good on paper but it has not proven to be effective yet.

Also Carter is a shell of what he was early last year, which doesn't help the depth

 

[Ryder71]

Or maybe they run with POJ/Rutta for 10 to 20 games and up his value.

It really amazes me how many people are so quick to sell low on players like Brock mcginn or p o j. We don't have to move either at this point and I sure as hell don't want to sell low on them either. Let's wait things out a bit, with Smith being sent down at least for the next couple of days we have the option to try and make a trade, or see if poj can Accord himself nicely early on in the season. Neither of those two scenarios seems extraordinary to me. But I'm certainly not for dumping players and selling low. I just never understood that philosophy. I don't see it prudent to jettison poj or Mginn at this point. We haven't even played a game yet for Pete's sake!

 

[Andy99]

I think a couple potential avenues are:
1) no one goes on a crazy heater the way EROD did early last year. It will be missed.
2) the PK totally regresses
3) I haven't seen enough of Petry to fully form an opinion, but it is possible that the electricity Matheson brought will be tough to replace.
4) everyone is, in fact, pretty old.

Uh, you forgot…
5) injuries…lol
was going to say that the PP1 gives up a gazillion shorties but that’s already a given…

 

[AuroraBorealis]

No, but I need see Dumo, Petry and Pettersson in the regular season before I throw Hextall a parade for “fixing” the defense. I do, however, like our third pairing.

Well then if we're making the playoffs with Petts then where is the problem? That's the only relevant goal until round 1.
The rest is just gravy. Seeding often doesn't matter at all. Petts was arguably our best D-man against the Rangers too.
All this talk in the summer from you about our poor playoff performers and now you're dumping on a good one?

All we need from our blue line is to get above the cut-off line and be solid for 2 weeks in April. That's it.
I think most of us would be satisfied with a series victory at this point.

 

[jmelm]

Ty Smith getting the DOC treatment.

 

[SEALBound]

I mean, he's not....and you know this. Come on now.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

On paper of course it is better. L2 looks good on paper but it has not proven to be effective yet.

Also Carter is a shell of what he was early last year, which doesn't help the depth

We should just make a Venn diagram with potential improvements/regression from last year.
I got my eye on Jarry. He was 10th in GSAx. There could be a significant fall there. I love his skill and ceiling, but goalies often go cold for no apparent reason.

On the positive side Rakell playing 40-50 more games as a Pen would be a big deal. Even when he's not scoring he's helping that line get a ton of O-zone time and HDC's. Since L1 matches up against other top lines often, this will limit a lot of damage the other way.

Our PK will almost for sure be worse, but the PP has a lot of room to be better. Malkin boosted it significantly when he returned, and we have him from game 1 this time.

 

[Gurglesons]

We should just make a Venn diagram with potential improvements/regression from last year.
I got my eye on Jarry. He was 10th in GSAx. There could be a significant fall there. I love his skill and ceiling, but goalies often go cold for no apparent reason.

On the positive side Rakell playing 40-50 more games as a Pen would be a big deal. Even when he's not scoring he's helping that line get a ton of O-zone time and HDC's. Since L1 matches up against other top lines often, this will limit a lot of damage the other way.

Our PK will almost for sure be worse, but the PP has a lot of room to be better. Malkin boosted it significantly when he returned, and we have him from game 1 this time.

I think we’ve seen enough out of Jarry to say he is in the 10-15 range in terms of goaltending.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I think we’ve seen enough out of Jarry to say he is in the 10-15 range in terms of goaltending.

Yeah, let's hope so.

Another area I forgot to mention is goals from the blue line. We were 23rd in the league with 32. I'd like us to reach 40 and be midpack at least.
Seems pretty doable with the additions of Petry and Smith.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah, let's hope so.

Another area I forgot to mention is goals from the blue line. We were 23rd in the league with 32. I'd like us to reach 40 and be midpack at least.
Seems pretty doable with the additions of Petry and Smith.

Letang’s scoring was also very low no?

Looks like it was mainly his PP that I was remembering. Usually good for about 3-5 from there.

It’s crazy how low we are given we had two double digit guys back there are you sure that’s correct?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Letang’s scoring was also very low no?

Sort of. Had 10 goals. But he's reached 15 or 16 three times in the six years prior to that.
Plus those were all accomplished during seasons where he played 71, 65 and 61 games.

Considering our PP should be better than 19th with healthy Malkin, and the improved top six, I think he has a pretty good shot at 15 if the gnome f***s off.

So yeah, we talk a lot here about squeezing a few more out from the wingers, but these kinda improvements will matter just as much.