Salary Cap: Pittsburgh Penguins lead up to the trade deadline - Help needed, please apply

[mpp9]

Maatta has been a #4-5 throughout his career and that is worth 3 - 4 mil in today’s NHL.

Pettersson is a net 0 on the ice. He does his job.

Ok. Just saying I wouldn't have been in a rush to sign the guy. But the cap crunch this past summer due to the idiotic signing of JJ caused JR to be put in a position to have to promise MP an extension like he just got.

Not happy about it. Not mad either I guess.

 

[Turin]

Zucker - Crosby - Hornqvist
Kahun - Malkin - Rust
Simon - McCann - Bjugstad/Rental
Aston-Reese - Blueger - Tanev

Only question in my mind is the mix on the 3rd line.

Hornqvist with Sid keeps looking worse and worse.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Just going through bottom 6'ers charts that are nicer than say a ZAR(adv. stat graphs):

Nieto
Jost
Chiasson
Vesey
Boyle
Amadio
Foligno
Hartman
Cousins
Sissons
Wood
Fast
Tierney
Namestnikov
Ennis
Marleau
Thornton
Stephenson
Nosek
Carrier
Copp
Harkins
Lowry < his chart is actually pretty bad this season. currently injured though and expected back around Feb.20th.

 

[Peat]

Fair point. So Petterson is struggling a bit with his tough assignments, and Riikola is excelling with his easier assignments. Let's experiment and flip them and see what happens.

Riikola-Schultz would be a candidate for the softest, least defensively inclined defensive pairing in the league. Really can't say I like the sound of it at all.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Let's just find a 2nd pairing guy to play with Marino this summer cuz neither Petts nor Riikola are it.

If Riikola's playing well in his role as a bottom pairing guy, and Petts is struggling with an increased role, play them both as the bottom pairing; Petts-Riikola. Donezo.

Gotta find that 2LD though, because again, we don't have one heading into next season.

 

[Gurglesons]

Ok. Just saying I wouldn't have been in a rush to sign the guy. But the cap crunch this past summer due to the idiotic signing of JJ caused JR to be put in a position to have to promise MP an extension like he just got.

Not happy about it. Not mad either I guess.

I mean Ramus Andersson literally got the same deal and is a lesser version of Petts.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Riikola-Schultz would be a candidate for the softest, least defensively inclined defensive pairing in the league. Really can't say I like the sound of it at all.

Atm they should keep MP-Schultz but Riiko easily should take a spin with Letang.
They've had success in owning possession and is almost definitely a better pairing to put behind Sid or Geno's line vs JJ-Letang.

 

[Gurglesons]

Atm they should keep MP-Schultz but Riiko easily should take a spin with Letang.
They've had success in owning possession and is almost definitely a better pairing to put behind Sid or Geno's line vs JJ-Letang.

And JJ - Ruh as your defensive pairing? Lolol

People do realize they are putting JJ with Letang because it causes us to bleed the least right?

If you put Petts with Letang (which they’re doing anyway) it results in you having to use Schultz or Ruh in a more D heavy situation.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Riikola-Schultz would be a candidate for the softest, least defensively inclined defensive pairing in the league. Really can't say I like the sound of it at all.

Maybe not the best time to try it with Marino out.

But don't agree that Riikola is soft. You could take your criticism and apply it to most pairings Schultz is a part of.

 

[WayneSid9987]

And JJ - Ruh as your defensive pairing? Lolol

People do realize they are putting JJ with Letang because it causes us to bleed the least right?

If you put Petts with Letang (which they’re doing anyway) it results in you having to use Schultz or Ruh in a more D heavy situation.

Best defense for this team is offense.
JJ-Letang behind our top 2 lines doesn't tilt the ice in any significant way.

At the very least they should get Riiko out with Tanger every on the fly, NZ/OZ starting shift.
They do get him out there with him some but it should be more.

I don't really care what the 3rd pairing is when my goal is to optimize the first 2.

 

[Gurglesons]

Best defense for this team is offense.
JJ-Letang behind our top 2 lines doesn't tilt the ice in any significant way.

At the very least they should get Riiko out with Tanger every on the fly, NZ/OZ starting shift.
They do get him out there with him some but it should be more.

I don't really care what the 3rd pairing is when my goal is to optimize the first 2.

They are literally doing that with Petts and Riikola?

 

[WayneSid9987]

They are literally doing that with Petts and Riikola?

I know but it should be more.
JJ needs to be knocked down 3-5min per game and Riiko bumped up that many.

 

[Peat]

Being Letang's partner is some of the hardest minutes in hockey - opposition best, 20 minutes a night, covering for a guy who wants to play superman and who'll put you in a bunch of hard spots. Expecting Riikola to thrive there full time is optimistic. Sending him out there for shifts here and there is a decent idea but that's about it.

And Riikola might throw hard hits, but put him on the boards and the puck is staying in the zone. Ditto Schultz.

Tbh, I'm with Pixies here. With Dumo and Marino out, the name of the game defensively is survival. We don't have the horses to impose our will and trying to do so will involve too many track meets. JJ-Letang is an abomination but it does at least take a lot of the heat and enough of it that Pettersson, our next best defensive dman, can survive the rest. Riikola? Deserves better chances, but removing the guys who can actually handle a bit of physicality from our defence kinda ruins things for him.

 

[HandshakeLine]

End of the day, the defense really needs one or both of Marino and Dumoulin back. The best you can hope for, until then, is for them to survive in an ugly way.

 

[NMK11]

Zucker - Crosby - Hornqvist
Kahun - Malkin - Rust
Simon - McCann - Bjugstad/Rental
Aston-Reese - Blueger - Tanev

Only question in my mind is the mix on the 3rd line.

Stop trying to make Sid and Horny happen. It's just not, as much as I agree that it should.

Assuming we're not going to land another top-6 forward this year, either Simon or Kahun will be there with the other on Malkin's line. Or if they really feel the need to shake things up, Rust up with Sid and Horny with Malkin.

 

[mpp9]

I don't think PH with Sid is a thing anymore. In short spurts, sure. But Sid's getting older and coming off a major injury, he's gonna need help through the NZ and getting controlled zone entries. Simon is a better fit for now.

 

[chethejet]

Dumo back and the pairings slot for PT and L/R positions. Ruhwedel and Riikola are 4th line pairings who have done a good job filling in. I still think Riikola has some decent attributes if he can get experience. Petts is a young D man who lacks some strength and maturity as a D man. Both him and Marino are growing into their respective roles and may be a very good pairing next year. No question GMJR has to address the right side next year and in my world I like Montour but his cost may be prohibitive. My next D man is Pysyk from Fla who is a physical guy who is a RH shot with modest skill.

 

[Hamurai]

I don't think PH with Sid is a thing anymore. In short spurts, sure. But Sid's getting older and coming off a major injury, he's gonna need help through the NZ and getting controlled zone entries. Simon is a better fit for now.

I never thought I’d agree with this, but I do

 

[HandshakeLine]

I don't think PH with Sid is a thing anymore. In short spurts, sure. But Sid's getting older and coming off a major injury, he's gonna need help through the NZ and getting controlled zone entries. Simon is a better fit for now.

If Sid and Hornqvist can’t be a thing even in short spurts, honestly, it’s time to think about trashing Horny.

 

[mpp9]

If Sid and Hornqvist can’t be a thing even in short spurts, honestly, it’s time to think about trashing Horny.

I think when the next cap crunch comes, you may have to.

But as long as we can afford him, I keep him. He's still valuable in the bottom six and PP. And you know as soon as we move him, well need to bring in a like player.

 

[Trade]

If Sid and Hornqvist can’t be a thing even in short spurts, honestly, it’s time to think about trashing Horny.

I don’t see a huge issue having him third line and PP1. Once he’s off PP1 AND without a top-6 spot, that’ll be the nail in the coffin IMO.

Horny-Geno-Rust with Horny on his off-wing would be a lot easier to stomach. Especially considering Horny tends to be way more dump and chase which in my mind can be done on either wing.

 

[OswaldBates]

Bjugstad still being out and not ready just really bothers me considering Crosby has been back like a month and Bjugstad should have been back a week after him and at this point will be back what, maybe 2 months after Sid? If even that? Something doesn't sit right with me about his injury and recovery.

PSSSSST not all people heal at the same rate & unless you know the differences in both surgeries you look stupid

 

[Andy99]

I think when the next cap crunch comes, you may have to.

But as long as we can afford him, I keep him. He's still valuable in the bottom six and PP. And you know as soon as we move him, well need to bring in a like player.

we can’t really afford him at $5.3 mil cap hit as a third liner as early as next season if there’s not much of a cap increase...he has a stupid NTC so I doubt he’s going anywhere but he needs to be on the exposed list for Seattle or on a plane somewhere as soon as possible...I love the guy but we need more guys who can help Sid and G lug the puck thru the NZ and make plays as they get older...we have to keep excising the non-core players over age 30 like Horny and JJ and replace them with younger players...

 

[Honour Over Glory]

PSSSSST not all people heal at the same rate & unless you know the differences in both surgeries you look stupid

At this rate, Bjugstad is about 11 weeks into an 8 week recovery and was skating around early-mid January with a late January return, this is going by official reports of him skating and this being a legit report.

It's 3-4 weeks past when he should be back at this point. That's not "everyone heals different" time line bs, mate. That's some legit tomfoolery going on either by JR that doesn't want to move Bjugstad and wants to use that LTIR for something or that tall wanker is seriously the slowest healer in recorded human history.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Dumo back and the pairings slot for PT and L/R positions. Ruhwedel and Riikola are 4th line pairings who have done a good job filling in. I still think Riikola has some decent attributes if he can get experience. Petts is a young D man who lacks some strength and maturity as a D man. Both him and Marino are growing into their respective roles and may be a very good pairing next year. No question GMJR has to address the right side next year and in my world I like Montour but his cost may be prohibitive. My next D man is Pysyk from Fla who is a physical guy who is a RH shot with modest skill.

Pysyk has actually become a bottom 6 forward this season. Not bad either he’s on pace for 29 points. He scored a hatrick playing L4 RW