Salary Cap: Pittsburgh Penguins Salary Cap Thread: Where every JR update, gives us all Anxiety.

[Honour Over Glory]

The irony if McCann is that he was traded to be the 3c and they got suckered into taking Bjugstad too so they could dump Brassard and Sheahan the other way as well knowing Florida was likely going to shop them off as soon as they could (they did with Brass).

But the Pens got McCann, had him at C for a whiff, then he was with Sid and Bjugstad was tried at C where he was just unremarkable like he is at everything else. I liked McCann at 3C last season, but they kept f***ing shoving him in the top 6 as winger, where literally everyone saw how much of a liability that line turned into when he was a winger, whereas he looked better at 3C. But of course, then it became a rotating list of wingers and a lot of them were a bad fit (Marleau was god awful).

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Little late to reply to the Eklund talk, lol.

I'd be down with paying Pietrangelo a bit more than Letang and moving Letang.

Pietrangelo is a better PP QB, less wear and tear on him and plays a less erratic style. If the organization believes Marino is the real deal and will continue feeding him difficult minutes, it could work. Especially if you can bring in a cheap impact player in return for Letang.

If and only if the Penguins are actually shopping Letang - they better have a rights deal for Pietro lined right the f*** up first with having a chance to talk to him knowing he won't fit in the Blues cap, basically it better be a done deal pending a Letang trade otherwise f*** no.

Edit: Also, JJ better be going with Letang in that case, but unless Pietrangelo was talked to and agreed on a contract with the Penguins because the Blues knew they couldn't sign him anymore given his demands and how much they would still have to move to make it work, then sure. Blues still need to sign Dunn and suddenly have Binnington with 1yr left and free agency and Huuso is their only other goalie. So maybe there's a Murray deal to be had there as well to land Pietrangelo's rights or rather, the ability to discuss a contract first and see if the Blues are on Letang's list and the Penguins get Pietrangelo (signed, sealed and delivered) and give up JJ, Letang, and Murray to the Blues and they also add Klim Kostin for the laughs that JR is trading back for his former firsts (Kapanen which he drafted, Kostin which he traded and Blues drafted).

 

[Honour Over Glory]

What do most of us proclaim McCann is?

Trade bait.

 

[MayorofWBS]

Sooo....waiver fodder Roland McKeown is the new infatuation. Just wait and we can pick him up on waivers for free when CAR waives him for the second year in a row to start the season. Ten NHL games in four pro years and those 10 games were back in the 17-18 season. He's been unworthy of a call-up the last 2 seasons in the eyes of the Canes even when injuries have hit they went with others. I know we are desperate to solve our defensive whoas but this is nothing but pure dumpster diving.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Sooo....waiver fodder Roland McKeown is the new infatuation. Just wait and we can pick him up on waivers for free when CAR waives him for the second year in a row to start the season. Ten NHL games in four pro years and those 10 games were back in the 17-18 season. He's been unworthy of a call-up the last 2 seasons in the eyes of the Canes even when injuries have hit they went with others. I know we are desperate to solve our defensive whoas but this is nothing but pure dumpster diving.

Did you see their depth?

Pesce
Fleury
Vatanen
Hamilton
Van Riemsdyk
Slavin
Gardiner
Edmundson - Just got moved.

So when one of those blokes gets hurt, they literally have another top 4 to just shove into that spot. Not even Jake Bean, their other stud prospect, got a game in this past season when injuries struck. THAT is how f***ing deep they are.

The Hurricanes were so deep defensively that when they lost a top 4, they never once, had to dip into their AHL pool. Let that sink in. It's not a knock on McKeown and you can understand why he would likely want to move on as well.

 

[dogthateats]

Did you see their depth?

Pesce
Fleury
Vatanen
Hamilton
Van Riemsdyk
Slavin
Gardiner
Edmundson - Just got moved.

So when one of those blokes gets hurt, they literally have another top 4 to just shove into that spot. Not even Jake Bean, their other stud prospect, got a game in this past season when injuries struck. THAT is how f***ing deep they are.

The Hurricanes were so deep defensively that when they lost a top 4, they never once, had to dip into their AHL pool. Let that sink in. It's not a knock on McKeown and you can understand why he would likely want to move on as well.

And Skej.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

And Skej.

Right, even with those names, I forget another top 4 bloke. Like, how does anyone fault any prospect in Carolina's system that hasn't had a shot?

Is Jake Bean now a washout because he last played an NHL game 2018-19 too?

Edit: McKeown isn't even some 5th or 6th round scrub that had no potential, he was a 2nd round pick by the Kings that was traded to the Canes with a 1st for Sekera, the Canes just seem to love trading for top 4 defensemen (Skjei, Vatanen, Edmunson, Hamilton, etc).

 

[chethejet]

It seems there is no real plan here except to go all in and add players who look to fit a need. With the issue of possibly no or limited fans the Pens ownership needs to grasp that selling tickets is simply not a large consideration and being all in for the Geno Sid regime is poor. No management can simply run the organization for a PR goal and continue to win. The margin of error is now so small that even one bad move is just a killer. I have to think GMJR is just in a poor position due to constant fixing the fixes and sully not far behind.

 

[Ugene Magic]

So that article, by some tosser named "G-Off"...

Basically reiterates my issue with the usage of McCann, he's often bounced as LW or C all over the place and has never had a chance to settle and has for the most part, ruined his development/progression on the Penguins because the coaching staff couldn't utilize other players in those other spots to keep him where he should have been, to develop, which was either LW or C (answer, definitely at C and not LW).

So they f***ed a young player over because of their indecision and now we're here, where most want him traded and some are still curious and me, being one that was an advocate to get him in the first place, now wants to see him gone because I can't trust Sullivan not dicking him all over the line-up again.

There's no conversation for me where Blueger isn't that 3c, which leaves McCann moved to wing permanently or if he wants to be C, off to another team. McCann isn't good enough as winger to keep there and him at 3c is still an experiment because Sullivan didn't keep him there 100% like he should have.

The Pens strength in part was starting at the C position, 4/5 strong down the middle. No maybes, bonafide guys down the middle. If you believe in TB that strong to put him as the permanent 3c we might as well just pack it in right now. Not even bother watching.

The Pens were Crosby, Malkin, Bonino, Fehr, Cullen and Rowney down the middle. Malkin was your weak link at the dot, but his points to dot ratio obviously could handle that misgiving.

But you can't have your guys below them giving pucks away haphazardly. Whether people want to admit it or not, TB was part of the problem..

The Pens flooded themselves with guys who could hold their own at the dot. In key situations and in any situation. They essentially had two bonafide 3c guys in Bonino and Cullen. Fehr in 2016, and Rowney rounded out as the last resort.

It starts there, keeping the puck. Every single faceoff is a starting point where you want to own the puck. The other team can't score without it.

I'd be fine if you slotted TB in that Rowney role, he'll hurt you less there playing wing and taking the occasional faceoff when guys get kicked out.


Take care of the key areas and fill in.

 

[PensandCaps]

Faceoffs mean nothing.

 

[PensandCaps]

Did you see their depth?

Pesce
Fleury
Vatanen
Hamilton
Van Riemsdyk
Slavin
Gardiner
Edmundson - Just got moved.

So when one of those blokes gets hurt, they literally have another top 4 to just shove into that spot. Not even Jake Bean, their other stud prospect, got a game in this past season when injuries struck. THAT is how f***ing deep they are.

The Hurricanes were so deep defensively that when they lost a top 4, they never once, had to dip into their AHL pool. Let that sink in. It's not a knock on McKeown and you can understand why he would likely want to move on as well.

They probably aren't bringing Vats back.

Why would they with the depth they have, He's Gonna get PAID. No way Carolina goes and gives him 6x6.

 

[JTG]

Faceoffs mean nothing.

Until you need to win one.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

They probably aren't bringing Vats back.

Why would they with the depth they have, He's Gonna get PAID. No way Carolina goes and gives him 6x6.

They just moved Edmundson and will lose Vatanen and you know what? They still have a deeper blueline than 99% of the league. Those 2 are top 4 d-men, Vatanen and Edmundson could be in quite a few top pairs too.

Slavin
Pesce
Hamilton
Skjei
Fleury
Gardiner

And they might walk away from TVR as well.

They lose Vatanen, Edmundson, and TVR and still somehow remain deep af. They still also have Jake Bean in the AHL.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Until you need to win one.

At some key points they'll line up two of their best together just in case.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

The Pens strength in part was starting at the C position, 4/5 strong down the middle. No maybes, bonafide guys down the middle. If you believe in TB that strong to put him as the permanent 3c we might as well just pack it in right now. Not even bother watching.

The Pens were Crosby, Malkin, Bonino, Fehr, Cullen and Rowney down the middle. Malkin was your weak link at the dot, but his points to dot ratio obviously could handle that misgiving.

But you can't have your guys below them giving pucks away haphazardly. Whether people want to admit it or not, TB was part of the problem..

The Pens flooded themselves with guys who could hold their own at the dot. In key situations and in any situation. They essentially had two bonafide 3c guys in Bonino and Cullen. Fehr in 2016, and Rowney rounded out as the last resort.

It starts there, keeping the puck. Every single faceoff is a starting point where you want to own the puck. The other team can't score without it.

I'd be fine if you slotted TB in that Rowney role, he'll hurt you less there playing wing and taking the occasional faceoff when guys get kicked out.


Take care of the key areas and fill in.

Blueger is a C.
He should never be anything but.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Blueger is a C.
He should never be anything but.

Yeah, I'm not entirely sold on the "Blueger can excel as the 3C" thing without serious upgrades to his wings, but as it stands, he's entirely capable of being that Cullen-esque 4C. We just need to give him a little more freedom in terms of offense as opposed to a purely shutdown role, imo.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah, I'm not entirely sold on the "Blueger can excel as the 3C" thing without serious upgrades to his wings, but as it stands, he's entirely capable of being that Cullen-esque 4C. We just need to give him a little more freedom in terms of offense as opposed to a purely shutdown role, imo.

Bleuger played 3C minutes last year.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Bleuger played 3C minutes last year.

So what?

 

[Gurglesons]

So what?

So in his technical rookie year he played Cullen level deployment while also playing nearly two minutes more a game then Cullen ever played here in the regular season and did fine.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

So in his technical rookie year he played Cullen level deployment while also playing nearly two minutes more a game then Cullen ever played here in the regular season and did fine.

Okay? Does that make him the solution to a team that's been missing an added layer of depth at forward since their last Cup?

I'm not saying Blueger is bad. I'm saying Blueger's best fit is at 4C, and until we have better options at wing than we have in-house, Blueger at 3C does nothing to get this team closer to winning in the playoffs.

Forcing a guy into a position he's not best suited because our GM mismanaged the roster composition aspect of his job isn't the best way to right a sinking ship, imo. If we want TB to play 3C, and that's something I've warmed to recently, we still need a significant winger addition to the 3rd line as well as a 4C.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Yeah, I'm not entirely sold on the "Blueger can excel as the 3C" thing without serious upgrades to his wings, but as it stands, he's entirely capable of being that Cullen-esque 4C. We just need to give him a little more freedom in terms of offense as opposed to a purely shutdown role, imo.

There really only needs to be 1 upgrade there, the LW. Blueger has shown he can produce when he's given even a tiny bit more offensive deployment. He was putting up very good numbers getting almost 70% DZ starts.

With two of our worst offensive wingers, no less.


Serious question, how many other 4C's put up 22pts (26pt pace in 82 with Tanev and ZAR) in 60 games while getting 70% DZ starts?

Chances are, you won't find many, maybe 1 or 2 at best.

 

[PensandCaps]

Blueger can produce like a 3C if you get a 4C.

only reason he didn't put up more points was because he got KILLED with Dzone starts, Hard defensive minutes and ZAR.

Give him Rust or Kap and more Ozone starts, more 5v5 mins, and he'll get you 35 - 40 points.

pretty much Just give him the Bonino role.

 

[PensandCaps]

There really only needs to be 1 upgrade there, the LW. Blueger has shown he can produce when he's given even a tiny bit more offensive deployment. He was putting up very good numbers getting almost 70% DZ starts.

With two of our worst offensive wingers, no less.




Serious question, how many other 4C's put up 22pts (26pt pace in 82 with Tanev and ZAR) in 60 games while getting 70% DZ starts?

Chances are, you won't find many, maybe 1 or 2 at best.

While playing little 5v5 minutes. PKed a ton.

The fact that he finished with a positive CF% is crazy, considering he got 70% Dzone starts

 

[Honour Over Glory]

While playing little 5v5 minutes. PKed a ton.

The fact that I even have to f***ing argue why Blueger should be a 3c is ridiculous, every single f***ing metric and stat shows why he should be a 3c and why he's one of the better bottom 6 c's in the game and yet, people have a hard time believing it.

 

[Gurglesons]

Okay? Does that make him the solution to a team that's been missing an added layer of depth at forward since their last Cup?

I'm not saying Blueger is bad. I'm saying Blueger's best fit is at 4C, and until we have better options at wing than we have in-house, Blueger at 3C does nothing to get this team closer to winning in the playoffs.

Forcing a guy into a position he's not best suited because our GM mismanaged the roster composition aspect of his job isn't the best way to right a sinking ship, imo. If we want TB to play 3C, and that's something I've warmed to recently, we still need a significant winger addition to the 3rd line as well as a 4C.

Blueger was the 3C on the 7th best team in the league last year. With Sid and Malkin and Jake missing major time. So, it ain't like he was carried by our depth.

He is already a 3C. His best fit is at 3C.