Confirmed with Link: Pens sign F Nick Spaling to 2-year, $4.4M contract (2.2AAV)
- Thread starter IcedCapp
- Start date
I feel like anyone who is calling Spaling a 4th liner has never seen him play. I watched 2 or 3 Predators games last year, and he looked like a solid stereotypical defensive 3rd liner. That's what Preds fans say, so I'll take their words over what Pens fans who have never seen him before say.
Vujtek
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- Oct 7, 2007
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We now have a chance to use a regular buyout on a contract worth over $2.75 million if the team so wants. If I read this right "within the forty-eight (48) hour period beginning on the third day following the later of" the period runs on Sunday and Monday? So the chance to buy out Fleury, Scuderi or Duper would be there. The chances of using that buyout though is likely 0%. Just wanted to mention this.
I'm not sure with what I would do here. Is the buyout penalty for Scuderi anything significant?
Vujtek
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Rob Scuderi buyout from CapGeek.com
2014-15: $430,556
2015-16: $1,430,556
2016-17: $1,930,556
2017-18: $1,055,556
2018-19: $1,055,556
2019-20: $1,055,556
bottom 6 likely won't be particularly good? I don't know why you feel that way. I think that was the biggest upgrade this offseason. Back up goalie is a big upgrade also and so was Ehrhoff for Nisky so maybe I should not say biggest upgrade. All three spots are big upgrades.
Keeping Goc who we thought was a rental is a big upgrade. He was playing hurt for most of his time with the Pens but is highly regarded as a good shut down center. Also the addition of Spaling who no person can deny is another quality 3rd line option to go with Sutter gives us 3 players that can play 3rd line center at a quality level. One of them will be playing 4th line center which makes this team very strong at center down the middle. Spaling will most likely play wing on the 3rd line. Add in a guy like Downie which gives us that Cooke type winger we sorely missed. Downie has plenty of skill for 3rd line work and certainly does let other teams idiots know he will go after their stars if someone messes with Crosby or Malkin. Comeau will also be a nice addition to the 4th line.
I don't see how you can say the bottom likely won't be very good. What are you basing that on?
We'll save $3 million this year, which would be absolutely fantastic (translates into $12 million or so at the deadline). The cap should be around $75 million by 15-16 and $80 million by 16-17, so the cap penalties in those years wouldn't be bad, and the $1 million penalty for the last 3 years is nothing. I would have to strongly consider that. I would bring in a cheap veteran on a 1 year deal for close to league minimum after buying him out.
Cardboard Orpik
Out 4-6 Weeks
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Two thoughts:
1. Management really doesn't want to commit to anyone right now, it seems. Every contract this offseason has been short term and it makes me wonder how they're approaching Sutter.
2. I would have expected arbitration to give Spaling a contract exactly like this one.
1. Management really doesn't want to commit to anyone right now, it seems. Every contract this offseason has been short term and it makes me wonder how they're approaching Sutter.
2. I would have expected arbitration to give Spaling a contract exactly like this one.
I have no problems with this deal. He's a third liner, and this is what the going rate is for a third liner. It's not ideal that he'll be an UFA but if the deal were for 4 years I'd expect closer to the 2.85 he was asking for. And I can't imagine what this board would have been like if that were the case.
BlindWillyMcHurt
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- May 31, 2004
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Excellent post.
That's exactly where I am, too. I'll give the guy a chance, of course. What choice do I really have. On the surface it seems like kind of a half-crap deal, though.
Vujtek
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Nope. There's another buyout period for teams with a player taken to arbitration (doesn't have to go to arbitration; just filing for is enough).
See CBA article 11.18 and Paragraph 13(c)(ii) of the SPC for more info if interested.
maybe he does get bought out then?! oh god i'd be so happy. i still think the chances are very low, but man that would be a godsend.
Jaded-Fan
Registered User
I don't get the angst.
The amount and term was expected as the most likely.
He is highly unlikely to turn into the next Crosby or even the next Kunitz. So resigning him if we choose to, or one of a dozen like him, in two years shouldn't be an issue.
Montreal not signing Subban long term was an error.
Spalding? This board makes me laugh times.
The amount and term was expected as the most likely.
He is highly unlikely to turn into the next Crosby or even the next Kunitz. So resigning him if we choose to, or one of a dozen like him, in two years shouldn't be an issue.
Montreal not signing Subban long term was an error.
Spalding? This board makes me laugh times.
BlindWillyMcHurt
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Dipsy Doodle
Rent A Barn
- May 28, 2006
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Yeah, we didn't get price or term. The King deal as a comparable raises a few questions.
Especially since it's likely to average out to about 3+ mil per 3rd liner.
Pretty much it. We were sort of over a barrel given the deal we just made for him.
Randy Butternubs
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ObsessedCreative*
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Ditto, and the Pens management have said as much. The team we put on the ice in October is not the team the Pens will be going into the playoffs with. We will add the skilled winger at the deadline when we can take the cap hit easier.
People like to talk about some spots that could have someone better but any team has some positions that are not perfect. When you have the 2 best Centers in the NHL and some could argue the best 2 players in the NHL, you will have holes at other positions in a cap league. When you are paying players $9.5 and $8.7 million a year it means you will have to pay less in other areas. A team that is paying their top 2 centers 6 and 4.2 million a year has $10 million more to spend on top 2 line wingers. That is $2.5 million more per winger. That is the trade off you make for having the best centers in the game.
Instead of looking at what we don't have realize what we do have. This team has two of the top lines in hockey just by having them centered by Crosby and Malkin. They also now have a legit bottom 6 which has been a problem since the Cup Finals years. The D at this time has 3 defenseman that are legit top pairing defenseman with Letang, Martin, and Ehrhoff. Add to that a future top pairing defenseman like Maatta who played like a top 4 defenseman as a 19 year old rookie. A bottom pairing that has many options including Despres, Bortuzzo, Scuderi, Dumoilin, Harrington, etc. and you see this D is one of the better units in the NHL. Not a Fleury fan but atleast we brought in a guy that can give decent play if and when Fleury nosedives in the playoffs.
Realize it is a cap league and you have a trade off when you have two elite players with a cap hit of $18.2 million a year. I am fine going into the season with what we have. Would love to dump Scuderi just so we could give that spot to one of the younger defenseman. I would also would not mind trading Sutter, prospect, and a pick for a top 6 winger sometime this season because I am fine with Spaling and Goc as our 3rd and 4th centers. Rome was not built in a day though and I like what has happened so far this offseason. Give it time.
Playoff team
Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist
top 6 winger-Malkin-Bennett
Dupuis-Spaling-Downie
Comeau-Goc-Payerl (takes Adams spot by them)
Martin, Letang, Ehrhoff, and Maatta top 4 defenseman
Despres, Bortuzzo, Dumoulin, and Harrington get bottom pairing work of less than 12 minutes a game. Martin and Letang 25 plus minutes each Ehrhoff about 24 minutes and Matta about 20 minutes a game.
We have the tools to compete and I believe Sutter is the piece used to get that winger at the deadline. By then we will know which D prospect we would be willing to add with him.
Sidney the Kidney
One last time
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Good signing, Shero.
Err, wait, I thought we fired the guy who likes dishing out expensive contracts to bottom six players?
Err, wait, I thought we fired the guy who likes dishing out expensive contracts to bottom six players?
Shady Machine
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