Salary Cap: Pittsburgh Penguins Salary Cap Thread - Please go full Redden on JJ's...

[domaug]

I'm going in with the belief that Johnson won't be traded. JR will make up some excuse as to why he won't be traded.

So, either I will not be disappointed with the outcome based on my prediction, or I will be wrong (like I usually am) and the Pens will cut off their figurative hand to rid themselves of a disease.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

The whole "I know why he was REALLY benched" fiasco should go down in history as one of the dumbest things any GM has ever said about a player. It takes a lot to make Tortorella look levelheaded and reasonable.

To this day I want to know where that came from. Did JJ and/or his agent lie? Did JR make it up? Did Guerin or someone else in JR's ear make it up? Was it because they loved what they saw in game tape they were looking at and they jumped to a conclusion?

 

[ColePens]

I'm going in with the belief that Johnson won't be traded. JR will make up some excuse as to why he won't be traded.

So, either I will not be disappointed with the outcome based on my prediction, or I will be wrong (like I usually am) and the Pens will cut off their figurative hand to rid themselves of a disease.

Just follow the actions, not the words. Dreger + Yohe. If you can find one time they smashed a rumor and it came all the way through to happening, then believe it. Until some more traction takes place, it's not happening.

Maybe i'm just trying to will this to happening. But I'm just looking at the 2 people saying stuff and not buying it.

 

[Peat]

Glad the article came out, because maybe it could happen... but I’ll believe it when I see it. I still doubt anything goes through right now.

On the one hand, I agree because I don't want to get too hopeful.

On the other... we've seen how Rutherford does trades here. There's not a lot of smoke and media as a rule until its pretty much done and he's making final calls on the item up for sale. Any other player, I'd be planning their "Thanks for the memories" thread.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Idk, the actions of the Penguins so far in the pre-season has been pretty clear in my eyes: Johnson is on the fringe at this point and the team thinks Riikola has surpassed him, both in terms of effectiveness and need on the roster. The team isn't playing Johnson a ton a night on Schultz's pair while saying this, they're playing him with a guy super likely to play in the AHL this year for clearly bottom pair minutes.

I get being cautious, but the Penguins are treating Johnson like someone on the verge of being moved right now. This isn't just Dreger and Yohe saying it. The Penguins have made it super clear that Riikola-Gudbranson is their bottom pair at this point, and Johnson is the odd man out to clear cap space. The question should be whether they'll be able to pull it off, not whether they want to do it. They very obviously want to do it.

 

[Peat]

Just follow the actions, not the words. Dreger + Yohe. If you can find one time they smashed a rumor and it came all the way through to happening, then believe it. Until some more traction takes place, it's not happening.

Maybe i'm just trying to will this to happening. But I'm just looking at the 2 people saying stuff and not buying it.

I can't think of the last time Yohe broke a trade but at the same time, I can't think of the last time Yohe spewed a bunch of straight up wrong stuff either. He's not particularly a clickbait guy either, just a straight up conduit from the org most of the time. Do you think he'd write this if Rutherford was against it being written?

 

[ColePens]

I can't think of the last time Yohe broke a trade but at the same time, I can't think of the last time Yohe spewed a bunch of straight up wrong stuff either. He's not particularly a clickbait guy either, just a straight up conduit from the org most of the time. Do you think he'd write this if Rutherford was against it being written?

It's weird w/ JJ. I'm just struck with fear because we all knew this contract would be f***ing stupid from day 1. So I cannot imagine how some team out there can take on his contract. I just can't. Mix that with the unknown injury issues. Mix that with pretty much everything. When I rationally try to find a way he's moved, I cannot.

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

It's weird w/ JJ. I'm just struck with fear because we all knew this contract would be ****ing stupid from day 1. So I cannot imagine how some team out there can take on his contract. I just can't. Mix that with the unknown injury issues. Mix that with pretty much everything. When I rationally try to find a way he's moved, I cannot.

The reason im hopeful is that Love him or hate him Yohe isnt a guy to make up trade rumors.

If it was Rossi i wouldnt give it second thought but if Yohe is saying im of the assumption that he actually heard it from somewhere.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

I can't think of the last time Yohe broke a trade but at the same time, I can't think of the last time Yohe spewed a bunch of straight up wrong stuff either. He's not particularly a clickbait guy either, just a straight up conduit from the org most of the time. Do you think he'd write this if Rutherford was against it being written?

It’s not a secret that GMJR has been trying to trade Johnson all summer. Whether there is something to it or not is another question. Yohe could be throwing shit on the wall at this point and it wouldn’t really matter because GMJR has been trying to deal Johnson.

GMJR came into the offseason with plans to offload 3 players and fix the locker room. Two of the 3 players are gone: Kessel and Maatta. I wouldn’t put it past GMJR to deal Johnson either. When he makes his mind up he’s as stubborn as they get. The only question is what is he going to attach to Johnson to get rid of him.

 

[Empoleon8771]

It's weird w/ JJ. I'm just struck with fear because we all knew this contract would be ****ing stupid from day 1. So I cannot imagine how some team out there can take on his contract. I just can't. Mix that with the unknown injury issues. Mix that with pretty much everything. When I rationally try to find a way he's moved, I cannot.

It's because you need to realize your opinion on Johnson isn't everyone's opinion on Johnson. I really think this is something fans struggle with, they project their opinions on players onto what GMs think. If GMs opinions lined up with what fans thought, Johnson wouldn't have been signed last year, let alone had 3 teams offering semi-long term deals for him (Pittsburgh, Detroit and Anaheim).

That's not a criticism of you, that's a comment on how a lot of fans operate. There was someone on the main boards who said "everyone knows Johnson has been terrible for a decade". If that's the case, why the hell did Johnson make an Olympic team, get signed to 2 big long term deals (7 years in Columbus, 5 years in Pittsburgh), play 25 minutes a night and get top PP and PK minutes for the last decade? He was analytically bad for the last decade, but you looking at a HERO chart that says Johnson sucks doesn't mean GMs think Johnson sucks.

 

[ColePens]

It's because you need to realize your opinion on Johnson isn't everyone's opinion on Johnson. I really think this is something fans struggle with, they project their opinions on players onto what GMs think. If GMs opinions lined up with what fans thought, Johnson wouldn't have been signed last year, let alone had 3 teams offering semi-long term deals for him (Pittsburgh, Detroit and Anaheim).

I mean he was benched in the playoffs by 2 teams. Does he need benched by every team to realize the dude can't play?>

 

[Andy99]

 

[Empoleon8771]

I mean he was benched in the playoffs by 2 teams. Does he need benched by every team to realize the dude can't play?>

He has also been analytically terrible for his entire career, but has made an Olympic team, got signed to 2 big long term deals and was used as an all situations #1D for like 5 years.

That wasn't me criticizing you, that was just something fans do. The reason that there are rumored to be 2 teams willing to take on JJ is because GMs don't think JJ is as bad as fans do.

 

[66-30-33]

That sucks, he would have been really good with us.

 

[Empoleon8771]

If Johnson is getting sent down, that just tells me that Rust isn't as injured as I expected him to be. I think he'd be staying up if Rust was seriously injured.

 

[Andy99]

That sucks, he would have been really good with us.

It might just be a paper transaction pending Rust going on LTIR...once that happens for cap purposes, they can recall him...

 

[Andy99]

If Johnson is getting sent down, that just tells me that Rust isn't as injured as I expected him to be. I think he'd be staying up if Rust was seriously injured.

Or, as I said, it’s a transaction they need to make for cap purposes until Rust can be placed on LTIR...once that happens, they can recall AJ if they want...hopefully we’ll soon find out

 

[66-30-33]

It might just be a paper transaction pending Rust going on LTIR...once that happens for cap purposes, they can recall him...

Putting AJ in the minors because they asked for Johnson in the trade, but now we only got 1.

 

[Riptide]

I've said all along I don't personally believe JJ is tradeable. So if it does happen, I don't even want to think of the **** we have to give up just to give him away.

I think it'll end up being a LOT less then what many have suggested (1st, etc).

 

[Peat]

It's weird w/ JJ. I'm just struck with fear because we all knew this contract would be ****ing stupid from day 1. So I cannot imagine how some team out there can take on his contract. I just can't. Mix that with the unknown injury issues. Mix that with pretty much everything. When I rationally try to find a way he's moved, I cannot.

Empo's right. There's a huge difference at times between what we the fans value and what them the GMs value. I share the fear because it seems impossible that they can't see it this time, but it probably isn't.

Fingers crossed that in a few days we're laughing at another example of this.

The only question is what is he going to attach to Johnson to get rid of him.

I'm very curious about this too, because I got the feeling he's also pretty stubborn about the idea he shouldn't have to pay big to get rid of him.

It might just be a paper transaction pending Rust going on LTIR...once that happens for cap purposes, they can recall him...

AJ wouldn't be taking his sticks away if it was just a paper transaction though, right?

 

[Andy99]

AJ wouldn't be taking his sticks away if it was just a paper transaction though, right?

AJ might have to practice there for a couple days...paper transaction was the wrong term...the Pens have until Tuesday afternoon to decide what to do with Rust...in the meantime, AJ goes down to WBS so he doesn’t count against the cap and the team is also deciding what to do with JJ...after the smoke clears with JJ and Rust, the team sees what they have with available cap space...if they have enough from the JJ trade, maybe they don’t put Rust on LTIR (even though he’s out for weeks) and recall AJ...maybe they put him on LTIR and recall AJ anyway...It still means AJ being sent down is temporary until the Pens see what the available cap space looks like on Oct 2

 

[ColePens]

AJ and Laff should be the first 2 guys up.

 

[Peat]

AJ might have to practice there for a couple days...paper transaction was the wrong term...the Pens have until Tuesday afternoon to decide what to do with Rust...in the meantime, AJ goes down to WBS so he doesn’t count against the cap and the team is also deciding what to do with JJ...after the smoke clears with JJ and Rust, the team sees what they have with available cap space...if they have enough from the JJ trade, maybe they don’t put Rust on LTIR (even though he’s out for weeks) and recall AJ...maybe they put him on LTIR and recall AJ anyway...It still means AJ being sent down is temporary until the Pens see what the available cap space looks like on Oct 2

Good points. Although I reckon that if they're certain it's paper, they'd tell him not to bother going down to WBS and just hang in Pittsburgh (might be wrong though).

 

[Andy99]

Good points. Although I reckon that if they're certain it's paper, they'd tell him not to bother going down to WBS and just hang in Pittsburgh (might be wrong though).

Yeah, but he should get in some practice too than just sit around...I think AJ being back might depend on whether JJ is traded or not...they might not want to put Rust on LTIR if they think it could be less than a three week injury, so we’ll see..it also could be that they’d prefer to call up Lafferty than AJ..

 

[Empoleon8771]

Interesting player on waivers today:



Connauton going to the AHL opens up a spot for Johnson in the NHL. They'd have Barberio as their extra D in that case.