Salary Cap: Pittsburgh Penguins Salary Cap Thread - JJ is still here!!

[ColePens]

The one thing I want to start this thread off with is how many times i've heard "Oh man he'd be a perfect 3rd wheel for Geno!" We cannot have 5 3rd wheel players for Geno. We have a lot of 3rd wheelers. We need some people to step up to #2s. So with Tanev, he showed for 1 season only that he can be effective w/o a star player. So he can't be flanked with G. We need someone dependent on that star and that to me is Galchenyuk.

We seem to be back at that phase before Kessel where we have a lot of 3rd wheelers and no elite game changers outside of our stars. We are going to need the system and team to work well together and right now the defense is not up to snuff. The system and reliance on speed, tenacity, etc. is going to be key. We need to play as a unit and we need some of these youngins to play above their pay grade.

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[mpp9]

The one thing I want to start this thread off with is how many times i've heard "Oh man he'd be a perfect 3rd wheel for Geno!" We cannot have 5 3rd wheel players for Geno. We have a lot of 3rd wheelers. We need some people to step up to #2s. So with Tanev, he showed for 1 season only that he can be effective w/o a star player. So he can't be flanked with G. We need someone dependent on that star and that to me is Galchenyuk.

We seem to be back at that phase before Kessel where we have a lot of 3rd wheelers and no elite game changers outside of our stars. We are going to need the system and team to work well together and right now the defense is not up to snuff. The system and reliance on speed, tenacity, etc. is going to be key. We need to play as a unit and we need some of these youngins to play above their pay grade.

We won in 16 with three elite forwards and some complementary pieces. We won in 09 with the best 1C, 2C and 3C in the game with complementary pieces.

This year, we have an elite winger with Sid. A potential triggerman for Malkin and a ton of versatile pieces to move around the lineup. Get the LW right for Malkin, and this team's problem ain't gonna be offense. It'll be the same it's been since 17. No high end D beyond Letang to help with the transition game.

 

[ColePens]

New thread... new mention that we need a defender who can skate the puck to pressure!!! This is going to annoy people by November. Or much sooner....

 

[Trade]

So since Chucky decided on jersey number 18 I think we can all safely say he’s a lock for 40 goals next year.

 

[iFishyHD]

Even the thought of Gusev makes me tingle a little.

 

[froods]

The one thing I want to start this thread off with is how many times i've heard "Oh man he'd be a perfect 3rd wheel for Geno!" We cannot have 5 3rd wheel players for Geno. We have a lot of 3rd wheelers. We need some people to step up to #2s. So with Tanev, he showed for 1 season only that he can be effective w/o a star player. So he can't be flanked with G. We need someone dependent on that star and that to me is Galchenyuk.

We seem to be back at that phase before Kessel where we have a lot of 3rd wheelers and no elite game changers outside of our stars. We are going to need the system and team to work well together and right now the defense is not up to snuff. The system and reliance on speed, tenacity, etc. is going to be key. We need to play as a unit and we need some of these youngins to play above their pay grade.

I would be shocked if Tanev played in the top 6. I think he is a key cog to a very important energy line (L3). I have a bold prediction: the “third wheel” to Geno and Chucky is not currently on the team.

 

[Turin]

This team with a Gardiner instead of JJ could be as fast as 2016. McCann, Kahun, Tanev, Gardiner would be JR win streak.

 

[CallArnoldSlick]

I'm here for the hot takes

 

[Pens x]

Why aren’t they buying out Johnson? Is this all about JR’s ego?

 

[Kristopher Letang]

I'm here for the hot takes

Letang is trash

 

[Gurglesons]

New York Rangers; Add - Trouba, KK, Panarin
Islanders; Status Quo. Varly in: Lehner our.
Columbus; Down grade. Lose Bob, Duchene, and Panarin.
Flyers; Add Niskanen, Hayes, Braun. Lose Mac, Gudas.
Caps; Lose Bura, Nisky, Orpik. Add a bunch of lateral nonsense.
Carolina: lose goaltending add Haula.
Devils: Hughes and Subban.

Nice.

 

[Gurglesons]

New York Rangers; Add - Trouba, KK, Panarin
Islanders; Status Quo. Varly in: Lehner our.
Columbus; Down grade. Lose Bob, Duchene, and Panarin.
Flyers; Add Niskanen, Hayes, Braun. Lose Mac, Gudas.
Caps; Lose Bura, Nisky, Orpik. Add a bunch of lateral nonsense.
Carolina: lose goaltending add Haula.

Nice.

Oh. We lost Kessel and added Tanev and Gally LOL f***ing LOL.

 

[Gurglesons]

This team with a Gardiner instead of JJ could be as fast as 2016. McCann, Kahun, Tanev, Gardiner would be JR win streak.

I can agree with that.

 

[Gurglesons]

I'm here for the hot takes

Tanev has the potential to be a Kunitz /
Hagelin.

 

[Tom Hanks]

The one thing I want to start this thread off with is how many times i've heard "Oh man he'd be a perfect 3rd wheel for Geno!" We cannot have 5 3rd wheel players for Geno. We have a lot of 3rd wheelers. We need some people to step up to #2s. So with Tanev, he showed for 1 season only that he can be effective w/o a star player. So he can't be flanked with G. We need someone dependent on that star and that to me is Galchenyuk.

We seem to be back at that phase before Kessel where we have a lot of 3rd wheelers and no elite game changers outside of our stars. We are going to need the system and team to work well together and right now the defense is not up to snuff. The system and reliance on speed, tenacity, etc. is going to be key. We need to play as a unit and we need some of these youngins to play above their pay grade.

I think it’ll be set where the top 6 will do the bulk of the scoring and the bottom 6 to become real high possession lines. Just outscore their opposing line and keep it in the O zone as much as possible. Now if they can score at better than just a pass rate then our chances go way up. The potential for it to all work out awesome is there.

That leaves part 2 and the real mixed bag. So many questions (some more concerning in real terms than others).

• Will Letang stay healthy?
• Dumo should be pretty stable. He has up and down regular season but usually pretty legit in playoffs.
• Will Schultz stay healthy? If he does, does the broken leg still affect him? Can he be better than when he was healthy in the last little while? Does the contract year really light a fire under him?
• Can Pettersson handle top 4 minutes from the get go? Will he continue his progression (pretty safe bet in my eyes but maybe not at much higher minutes straight away).
• Does Gudbranson regress? Was the small sample size here last season an anomaly? If he doesn’t play with Pettersson will his game suffer (if he does, does Schultz suffer with his new partner?)
• Can Riikola improve enough where he can play most games and have a positive effect on the team? Who does he play with? If it’s Gudbranson is it a good match otherwise it’s Schultz and will he get exposed playing against better competition?
• How much will Johnson need to play with injuries and other guys not in form? The best partner we had for him was Pettersson but that throws the current pairings way out of whack. Don’t play him if you have to accommodate that much. If he plays with Schultz what does that do to Schultz’s game and if he’s on the bottom pair with Gudbranson I cant imagine things going well there. Will Sully be willing to scratch him for extended periods and will a guy like Riikola play well enough to make sure it happens.

 

[EXTRAS]

Any chance blandisi gets a spot in the bottom 6?

 

[Tom Hanks]

Why aren’t they buying out Johnson? Is this all about JR’s ego?

Buyout period is over. Well there is one more but we don’t qualify for it.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Why aren’t they buying out Johnson? Is this all about JR’s ego?

Because they wouldn’t have saved much with the buyout. He needs to be dealt to Ottawa or someone like them.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

I'm here for the hot takes

Tanev was a great signing

 

[Gurglesons]

Any chance blandisi gets a spot in the bottom 6?

I hope not.

 

[Turin]

Tanev was a great signing

He was. Extra term is minimal risk for this team.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

If by some sort of Jedi Magic JR can get rid of JJ and add Gardiner (who I’m not super high on, but he is a hell of a lot better than JJ and can skate) and maybe Gusev I’ll be very excited about this team’s potential

 

[mpp9]

I think it was Jiggy who said it, but I kind of agree that a D upgrade needs to have some legit skating ability but also someone to take some of the load off of Letang. Not sure Gardiner is that guy.

But then again, if you're signing Gardiner, that means you have Petts and Gudbranson able to take on some defensive responsibility. So maybe it'd work.

Beyond the ninja math and cap magic it'd take to fit in another 7 mil contract here.

 

[JTG]

The guys out there right now I'm really curious as to the contracts they are going to get. They are all guys I thought would be gone the first day of free agency.

 

[JTG]

I think it was Jiggy who said it, but I kind of agree that a D upgrade needs to have some legit skating ability but also someone to take some of the load off of Letang. Not sure Gardiner is that guy.

But then again, if you're signing Gardiner, that means you have Petts and Gudbranson able to take on some defensive responsibility. So maybe it'd work.

Beyond the ninja math and cap magic it'd take to fit in another 7 mil contract here.

I'd rather get rid of Johnson and use Bjugstad and Schultz to find an upgrade in the top 4. Right there is a 13m dollar swing. Could also use Hornqvist, but I wouldn't.