Salary Cap: Pittsburgh Penguins Salary Cap Thread - The disco ball's spinnin'

[Gurglesons]

Bjugstad with us is trusted at C and last year finished off well the Simon and Horny combo that could be likely again.
At Florida his brightest spell at wing came with a torrid period with Barkov and Huberdeau. Seems unlikely that he will be given any such chance with us and Sullivan requires more speed out of our wingers. McCann on the other hand has shown capable of playing with Sid, and I'd assume more so if on the left which is now possible without Guentz.
As for the various camps saying McCann is better at C or W... I don't really want to participate. I personally think he does a good job both places. Agree or not, I don't think there is anything conclusive there.

What is also really obvious irrespective of our opinions is that Sullivan plays Bjugstad at C and trust Blueger's line a lot. So, Bjugs will be a C here until potentially traded.

Bjugstad has 15 points in 46 games with the Pens at C with an overall faceoff % of around 47.

McCann has 23 points this year in 37 games at C with a faceoff % of around 47.

Why do people still have this idea Bjugstad was good at C?

 

[Riptide]

@Peat

Idle question - would people have been willing to trade Pettersson for Kapanen/Johansson if Dumo hadn't gone down?

Johansson, not really in love with him. Kapanen, potentially. But I think a big part of it would have been:
A) Who's our LD replacement for him?
B) What is he looking for for his next contract? If it's 6x4m, then yeah probably. If it's closer to 3m then probably not.

 

[Riptide]

Yeah, Granlund is probably a good target for us with Jake out if Nash falls out of the playoff picture.

He’d probably be relatively cheap too.

I'd be targeting C.Smith as well. Move Gally somewhere.

Kahun - Crosby - Smith
Granlund - Malkin - Rust
McCann - Bjugstad - Hornqvist
Reese - Bluegers - Tanev
Simon

 

[Tender Rip]

Bjugstad has 15 points in 46 games with the Pens at C with an overall faceoff % of around 47.

McCann has 23 points this year in 37 games at C with a faceoff % of around 47.

Why do people still have this idea Bjugstad was good at C?

Because his line did well at suppressing the opposition. Bjugs came into a situation where our team was bad and he frequently had Horny who was looking shot to end the season and Simon who.... is Simon.
I'm not talking Bjugstad up, I'd be very fine with trading him, but what he did last year is not a comparable situation or usage to what McCann has been in this season, and no matter what, Bjugs is certainly adequate as 3C.

My point was that it doesn't matter which of them are better in the position individually, but rather where we as a team get the most bang for the buck in totality. With Sid back, until/unless Bjugs is traded, I am convinced we are better with Bjugs at C and McCann at wing.

 

[Gurglesons]

Because his line did well at suppressing the opposition. Bjugs came into a situation where our team was bad and he frequently had Horny who was looking shot to end the season and Simon who.... is Simon.
I'm not talking Bjugstad up, I'd be very fine with trading him, but what he did last year is not a comparable situation or usage to what McCann has been in this season, and no matter what, Bjugs is certainly adequate as 3C.

My point was that it doesn't matter which of them are better in the position individually, but rather where we as a team get the most bang for the buck in totality. With Sid back, until/unless Bjugs is traded, I am convinced we are better with Bjugs at C and McCann at wing.

McCann this year has the best GF% at 5v5 aside from Malkin and Rust.

If anything McCann has proven he is a much better complete player as a C.

 

[Tender Rip]

McCann this year has the best GF% at 5v5 aside from Malkin and Rust.

If anything McCann has proven he is a much better complete player as a C.

Hey, try and relate to what I am actually writing, huh? None of the above is something I question.

 

[Gurglesons]

Hey, try and relate to what I am actually writing, huh? None of the above is something I question.

You said McCann is better at wing.

Nothing he has done at wing proves that. He was a worse player at wing last year with Sid then he has been this year at C with mediocre linemates.

 

[NMK11]

So if McCann stays at center, and can't move Bjug, where do you play him? Top 6 RW? With McCann? Fourth kind and move Tanev up?

 

[Pem]

I think there's a strong chance Murray rebounds sometime this year. And this team has played too well to not put them in a position to succeed come spring.

As our back to back showed. Having two strong goalies is pretty god damn important. It covered up for the loss of our #1 D-man one year. Likely could cover up for the loss of our 3rd best forward this year.[/QU.

 

[Pem]

I hope Murray rebounds, he has not been strong so far. He is lucky he plays for a team that regularly puts up three or four a night.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Bjugstad has 15 points in 46 games with the Pens at C with an overall faceoff % of around 47.

McCann has 23 points this year in 37 games at C with a faceoff % of around 47.

Why do people still have this idea Bjugstad was good at C?

McCann has 23 points as a C/W

Wing = 9 points in 6 games
Center = 14 points in 31 games as the 2C

 

[Tender Rip]

You said McCann is better at wing.

Nothing he has done at wing proves that. He was a worse player at wing last year with Sid then he has been this year at C with mediocre linemates.

NO. I specifically said I thought he does a good job both places. What I have said is that RELATIVELY speaking we are better with Bjugs at C and McCann at wing, because McCann is a better fit for what we need in our wingers than Bjugs is, and Bjugs is adequate as a C. McCann will not have the same wingers either once Sid is back, so if he was played as a C then, his deployment would be different than what it has been - with effects on his production and minutes being likely commensurate.

Would you not prefer having McCann play bigger minutes at W rather than being de facto 4th C with Blueger's line still being leaned on more?

Simon Bjugs Horny for instance would effectively be a 4th line and Bluegers would be a shut down 3rd.

 

[Gurglesons]

McCann has 23 points as a C/W

Wing = 9 points in 6 games
Center = 14 points in 31 games as the 2C

Name me the 9 points in six games.

 

[Gurglesons]

NO. I specifically said I thought he does a good job both places. What I have said is that RELATIVELY speaking we are better with Bjugs at C and McCann at wing, because McCann is a better fit for what we need in our wingers than Bjugs is, and Bjugs is adequate as a C. McCann will not have the same wingers either once Sid is back, so if he was played as a C then, his deployment would be different than what it has been - with effects on his production and minutes being likely commensurate.

Would you not prefer having McCann play bigger minutes at W rather than being de facto 4th C with Blueger's line still being leaned on more?

Simon Bjugs Horny for instance would effectively be a 4th line and Bluegers would be a shut down 3rd.

I’d much rather have McCann at C considering he has paced around 50 pts there this year.

 

[Andy99]

Yeah, my impression was that McCann got more points as a wing but that’s not surprising because the defensive responsibility is greater at center...he’s also not a natural play creator...I don’t think getting more points though in and of itself is a reason he should play wing over center...I think he could easily play 3C for this team and be fine and we could trade Bjug, no problem...if Bjug is here and playing though, I would be playing McCann at wing...maybe on his wing but we might be forced to play McCann higher in this lineup

 

[Gurglesons]

Oh. And for those complaining about McCann’s faceoffs is 50% since Crosby went down.

 

[Tender Rip]

Sigh. I feel we are not progressing much in reaching any kind of understanding.

But indeed if McCann can keep up his pace at C with what would certainly be lesser linemates and fewer minutes to produce after Sid returns, then you'd be right.... I just don't see that being very likely.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Name me the 9 points in six games.

Oct. 3 BUF - nothing
Oct. 5 CBJ - 2 goals 1 assist
Nov. 2 EDM - nothing
Nov. 4 BOS - 1 assist
Nov. 7 NYI- 1 goal 2 assists
Nov. 9 CHI - 1 assist

All games played as Bjugstad's LW .

Edit: I accidently added a point (looking at the game log can do that to ya) to it and is 8 points.

 

[Gurglesons]

Oct. 3 BUF - nothing
Oct. 5 CBJ - 2 goals 1 assist
Nov. 2 EDM - nothing
Nov. 4 BOS - nothing
Nov. 7 NYI- 1 goal 2 assists
Nov. 9 CHI - 1 assist

All games played as Bjugstad's LW .

Those numbers do not add up to nine points.

Also, weird considering how he replaced Malkin immediately after he went down on October 5th and combined for those three points while at C with Galchenyuk and Tanev.

 

[Gurglesons]

Sigh. I feel we are not progressing much in reaching any kind of understanding.

But indeed if McCann can keep up his pace at C with what would certainly be lesser linemates and fewer minutes to produce after Sid returns, then you'd be right.... I just don't see that being very likely.

McCann has 6 5v5 points in around 15 games while at wing with Sid. That’s worse than what he is doing right now.

 

[Tender Rip]

Sigh. I feel we are not progressing much in reaching any kind of understanding.

But indeed if McCann can keep up his pace at C with what would certainly be lesser linemates and fewer minutes to produce after Sid returns, then you'd be right.... I just don't see that being very likely.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Trying to parcel McCann's numbers to try and diminish what he has done at center is so lame. He's been legitimately awesome at center this year. Since Crosby went down, he has 5 goals and 13 points in 22 games, which is a pace of about 20 goals and 50 points per 82 games. Trying to nitpick his production based on how much he produced in his 4 games at wing this year is just lame.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Those numbers do not add up to nine points.

Also, weird considering how he replaced Malkin immediately after he went down on October 5th and combined for those three points while at C with Galchenyuk and Tanev.

I corrected myself with an edit. I was off by a point I accidently added from the game after the CHI game against the NYR.

Edit: When both Crosby and Malkin were in together, 6 games total, he was a LW for Bjugstad.

 

[Gurglesons]

I corrected myself with an edit. I was off by a point I accidently added from the game after the CHI game against the NYR.

Once again. McCann played center for three of those points. Malkin got hurt. McCann was immediately moved to C and started producing.

The narrative that McCann did more at wing than center here is one I will never understand. It’s simply factually incorrect. Most of his production came because of EN and PK situations when he came in hot.

Also, people are going to use the 2C argument? Well, I don’t really see how his linemates will change much more.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Oct. 3 BUF - nothing
Oct. 5 CBJ - 2 goals 1 assist
Nov. 2 EDM - nothing
Nov. 4 BOS - 1 assist
Nov. 7 NYI- 1 goal 2 assists
Nov. 9 CHI - 1 assist

All games played as Bjugstad's LW .

Edit: I accidently added a point (looking at the game log can do that to ya) to it and is 8 points.

McCann was not playing wing for all 3 points against Columbus. He was on wing for the first point, then Malkin got hurt and he had 2 goals while centering Galchenyuk and Tanev.

At center this year, McCann has 9 goals and 17 points in 32 full games at center (in terms of periods playing center). That's a pace essentially 25 goals and 45 points a season, and he's done even better than that since Crosby went down (albeit slightly better).