Salary Cap: Pittsburgh Penguins Salary Cap: Lets do a better Reload than Hetfield

[Empoleon8771]

Would you trade Murray to Ottawa for Colin White and play him on Crosby's RW?

 

[Jules Winnfield]

So what are you going to do with Bjugstad and the 3C spot then? It's easy to shit on Bjugstad, but if you're trading McCann, you don't exactly have a lot of options available for the 3C spot.

The goal of keeping Bjugstad is to see if he can get back to the level he was at in 2018-2019 for the Penguins. If he can't, he's an expensive extra forward for 1 year. I don't see a problem with going into camp next year with him, Rodrigues, Blueger and Lafferty battling it out for the 3C spot.

There isn't much available for 3Cs in free agency and I don't see why you'd trade a lot for a more sure thing 3C when you have 2 or 3 players that I think can be a 3C already.

I see you want to keep this team in mediocrity.

 

[OswaldBates]

Why would you do that to 87? Simon has to have the worst shot on the team or is a close second to ZAR. We need a guy who can put the puck in the net if he gets to play on the top line.

Because after Sheary, Sid Loves Simon the most

 

[Empoleon8771]

I see you want to keep this team in mediocrity.

So what are you going to do with Bjugstad and the 3C spot then? It's easy to shit on Bjugstad, but if you're trading McCann, you don't exactly have a lot of options available for the 3C spot.

I'll just copy and paste this part from the first post. It's easy to say "you want to keep this team in mediocrity", give an actual realistic solution that is better than doing that.

 

[Peat]

I see you want to keep this team in mediocrity.

Who's your 3C target?

Would you trade Murray to Ottawa for Colin White and play him on Crosby's RW?

Hmm. I don't know him that well so I went digging at his stats and profile and the take seems to be -

Pacy skater with a responsible game; a playmaker who needs to get stronger to play more effectively in dirty areas, and who doesn't shoot enough to be a major goalscorer ever, and there's a major doubt/knock on his ability to produce to be a player without a guy like Mark Stone around.

And I feel like that I've written a profile for Dominik Simon, with a little change on the pace and strength. Only Simon doesn't cost 4.5m and wouldn't take Murray to acquire. I know White is younger and has more ceiling, but...

 

[Turin]

So what are you going to do with Bjugstad and the 3C spot then? It's easy to shit on Bjugstad, but if you're trading McCann, you don't exactly have a lot of options available for the 3C spot.

I'll just copy and paste this part from the first post. It's easy to say "you want to keep this team in mediocrity", give an actual realistic solution that is better than doing that.

Hopefully get a 3C that plays hockey unlike Bjugstad or doesn’t disappear offensively completely while being soft on the third line like McCann.

It really is too bad they let Bonino and Sundqvist go in the same summer.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Hopefully get a 3C that plays hockey unlike Bjugstad or doesn’t disappear offensively completely while being soft on the third line like McCann.

So are you going to give an actual name or just talk about this guy in theory?

 

[Turin]

Or what if they do nothing with the forwards, but emulate Boston as close as possible.

Guentzel-Crosby-Malkin
Zucker-McCann-Rust
Simon-Blueger-Hornqvist
Poulin-Lafferty-Tanev

JK that’d never happen in a million years. Even for one game. Would be fun though.

 

[xlm34]

The thing about a 3C is that if a team has a good one, they’re not likely to trade him or would require a king’s ransom to move him. It just seems like at that position you either have to develop one internally, go for a reclamation project, or pay a ton to acquire one.

 

[Peat]

Re 3C -

We know Ottawa fans think White might be available. 4.5m for a question mark without Stone.

I think I've seen NJ fans suggesting Zacha might be available, and I like he's a variant on Blueger.

Seen Lowry's name muttered a little, only one great offensive season in his life.

Jost seems to be gently bumping into minor bust territory and nobody's said we'd be able to turn him around.

I'm not sure who else is getting floated other than Sutter, but full of quality 3C trade options this world isn't. And if I'm missing obvious names getting bandied around, let me know.

 

[Turin]

So are you going to give an actual name or just talk about this guy in theory?

Literally any decent 3C. I don’t know who’s actually available for what price, I just want off the Bjugstad injury carousel. I might see if Nashville wants to make changes and ask about Bonino or Jarnkrok but they have to deal with Turris first probably.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

TLDR for the below: I think I'm content with running Blueger as the 3C and Rodrigues/Lafferty/Bjugstad as the 4C.


The bottom six and the current DNA of the defense are my main concerns. This post'll only talk about the bottom six centers.

As already stated, there's not too many 3Cs available in free agency. The names that do interest me though are Erik Haula, Cody Eakin, and Johan Larsson. And all three of them have differing concerns.

Perhaps a different way to acquire a third line center is via a Matt Murray trade.

• Colorado has JT Compher, but their fans are content with their current goalie situation.
• Ottawa has Chris Tierney, but his next contract may be too expensive for the Penguins.
• Calgary has a number of interesting two-way fowards that can play center, but I don't know if they'd have interest in Murray.
• Toronto has ... Alex Kerfoot?
• Edmonton has ... oh dear...
• Chicago has David Kampf who is still coming into his own.
• Buffalo and Detroit have no one that interests me.
• San Jose has options that are young and would still be question marks.

Perhaps Blueger is ready to make the jump to the third line center full time. There was many times throughout the season that he had the minutes of a second line center. He could stand to improve his faceoffs, though.

Acquiring a 4th line center is looking way easier, but likely isn't needed because of the combo of Lafferty and Rodrigues.

The main concern with this center depth is who jumps in to play top line center when one of (or both) of Crosby or Malkin are injured. McCann could, but I really like that McCann for Montour swap. Perhaps this would be Bjugstad but I've got no clue if he'll be healthy or on the team.

Basically, I've talked myself into thinking the Pens will be fine with running a center depth of: Crosby, Malkin, Blueger, Rodrigues, and Lafferty.

 

[Turin]

The thing about a 3C is that if a team has a good one, they’re not likely to trade him or would require a king’s ransom to move him. It just seems like at that position you either have to develop one internally, go for a reclamation project, or pay a ton to acquire one.

Unless you’re Jim Benning. I wonder if McCann could bring a better fit back, like Sutter.

 

[Peat]

Literally any decent 3C. I don’t know who’s actually available for what price, I just want off the Bjugstad injury carousel. I might see if Nashville wants to make changes and ask about Bonino or Jarnkrok but they have to deal with Turris first probably.

Neither does anyone else really, because it looks like it's a whole lot of nothing. It's like the first summer after Bonino - the list of decent 3Cs available for decent prices was tiny.

That said, Nashville were using Janrkrok as a depth W this year, so maybe their price would be reasonable.

 

[SEALBound]

Or what if they do nothing with the forwards, but emulate Boston as close as possible.

Guentzel-Crosby-Malkin
Zucker-McCann-Rust
Simon-Blueger-Hornqvist
Poulin-Lafferty-Tanev

JK that’d never happen in a million years. Even for one game. Would be fun though.

Except, our roster isn't really like Boston's roster. I get it though, use your top 3 forwards on the top line. March-Bergs-Pasta. That's a LW, a center, and a RW and their styles of play within in the positions they play all mesh together. Crosby and Malkin's games are similar - they both want to be a controlling, playmaking center but they "go about it a little different". About the only time Malkin and Crosby have been good together is when they are sparingly put together for a single shift where they can both temporarily work towards a common goal of a...goal. Long term though, one of them is going to be forced out of their "style" and that's not what you want with two generational centers.

With that, every single person should know extremely well by now that Crosby needs a specific type of winger. Everyone repeatedly, for the last 15 years, has fallen into the trap that any ol winger can play with Sid and it's repeatedly shown to not work. Sid needs a winger who is going to mold into his style. Who has the ability to see the play, know what Sid is thinking, and then put themselves in that position, and have the skill set to execute. Not all players are willing to completely give up themselves for Sid. Look at his most successful linemates - Kunitz and Dupuis. 2nd rate top 6 wingers who were willing to do what Sid wanted. Didn't always make sense, didn't always work, but they did what Sid wanted them to do. I think that is why it's tough to find a wing for Sid because he is so picky. All these guys that would "score 50 with Sid!"...just not out there. I do believe this is why they did the Kahun-Sheary/Rod trade. I don't think Kahun was gonna gel with Malkin and Sid decided no. So they went out and got a player that they knew would work with Sid - Sheary. And for the most part, he did. Just didn't manifest into production enough.

Long story short, I don't think Malkin works on the top line with Sid in the same sense that Pasta and Marchy do with Bergs.

My worry now comes with - you're top 6 centers right now are set - Sid and Geno. Then you have your top 6 wings in Jake, Rust, Zucker, and then a TBD wing, worst case Simon (who had good stats), medium case Poulin makes the jump, best case a trade or UFA that clicks. We have three 30+ goal capable top 6 wings and two 90+point capable top 6 centers. If you can't make that "work", we have issues. Perhaps unsolvable issues. Maybe similar issues when you look at the Ducks and Wings - aged out franchise players who...ya know. We're old and we're not getting the major young talent coming in to help. Teams run in cycles.

 

[Rakell67]

So are you going to give an actual name or just talk about this guy in theory?

Tim the Enchanter.

 

[Gurglesons]

TLDR for the below: I think I'm content with running Blueger as the 3C and Rodrigues/Lafferty/Bjugstad as the 4C.


The bottom six and the current DNA of the defense are my main concerns. This post'll only talk about the bottom six centers.

As already stated, there's not too many 3Cs available in free agency. The names that do interest me though are Erik Haula, Cody Eakin, and Johan Larsson. And all three of them have differing concerns.

Perhaps a different way to acquire a third line center is via a Matt Murray trade.

• Colorado has JT Compher, but their fans are content with their current goalie situation.
• Ottawa has Chris Tierney, but his next contract may be too expensive for the Penguins.
• Calgary has a number of interesting two-way fowards that can play center, but I don't know if they'd have interest in Murray.
• Toronto has ... Alex Kerfoot?
• Edmonton has ... oh dear...
• Chicago has David Kampf who is still coming into his own.
• Buffalo and Detroit have no one that interests me.
• San Jose has options that are young and would still be question marks.

Perhaps Blueger is ready to make the jump to the third line center full time. There was many times throughout the season that he had the minutes of a second line center. He could stand to improve his faceoffs, though.

Acquiring a 4th line center is looking way easier, but likely isn't needed because of the combo of Lafferty and Rodrigues.

The main concern with this center depth is who jumps in to play top line center when one of (or both) of Crosby or Malkin are injured. McCann could, but I really like that McCann for Montour swap. Perhaps this would be Bjugstad but I've got no clue if he'll be healthy or on the team.

Basically, I've talked myself into thinking the Pens will be fine with running a center depth of: Crosby, Malkin, Blueger, Rodrigues, and Lafferty.

Eh. Like I said if we retain JR, I guarantee we see a decently large contract thrown at Eakin or Soderberg.

 

[Gurglesons]

What about Jared McCann and Jack Johnson for Derek Stepan and Jordan Oesterle?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

 

[Dominance]

Trade Murray to Ottawa for Tierney, NYI 1st

Sell Johnson with no retention with NYI 1st

Trade Hornqvist and ZAR for picks to move Bjugstad with. Let Sheary, Rodrigue, Simon, Marleau, and Schultz walk.

Resign Lafferty ($1.5M x 2?), McCann ($3M x 5?), and Jarry ($4M x 4?).

Sign Dadanov, Hoffman, or Toffoli for a shorter term, higher money deal ($6M x 3?).

Sign Tanev or Hamonic for a shorter term, higher money deal ($4M x 3?).

Zucker-Crosby-Dadanov/Poulin
Guentzel-Malkin-Rust
McCann-Tierney-Poulin/Dadanov
Lafferty-Blueger-Tanev
Johnson

Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Marino
POJ-Tanev
Ruhwedel

Jarry
DeSmith

That lineup puts us in a really comfortable place cap-wise, too.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

So... what DK is saying there is that it's GONCHAR'S fault that JJ never improved.

I knew it. Fire Gonchar. This is clearly all his fault.

 

[Gurglesons]

Looks and sounds like a high school project.

 

[Peat]

Eh. Like I said if we retain JR, I guarantee we see a decently large contract thrown at Eakin or Soderberg.

What about Jared McCann and Jack Johnson for Derek Stepan and Jordan Oesterle?

Christ, those are depressing ideas. Although the latter one is one I probably do.

So... what DK is saying there is that it's GONCHAR'S fault that JJ never improved.

I knew it. Fire Gonchar. This is clearly all his fault.

Say what now?

 

[Turin]

So... what DK is saying there is that it's GONCHAR'S fault that JJ never improved.

I knew it. Fire Gonchar. This is clearly all his fault.

If firing Gonchar stops the delusion that he can turn shit into gold, I am on board.

 

[Andy99]

I want the Pens to only sign or trade for players under age 25...it’s an abject failure on JR’s part, if he stays, to start signing/trading for more 28 year old players. Just stop it...we know what we need...YOUNG players...no to anyone else