Confirmed with Link: Puustinen re-signed, 2 years at $775k AAV

[ChaosAgent]

He's got some good offensive instincts, but he didn't show last year he could play effectively in the top 6 when he got time there. And he's not really a 3L player.

Not really disagreeing on your point on the top 6, but he has time and talent to get better.

Vehemently disagree with your 2nd point on what a 3L player is. He's good enough to be in our top 9 and most other team's top 9s. A third liner doesn't have to check "third liner" boxes anymore.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Dig it, dig him, just needs to shoot the puck a bit more, I still have no idea how he went from shooting the ever lasting crap out of the puck in Wilkes to looking like the reincarnation of Michal Pivonka.

 

[Ryder71]

Kinda shocked here. He was a UFA and he doesn’t really have a spot guaranteed next year out our prospects in Koivunen, Poulin and Pono trying to make the NHL.

Basically guarantees Koivunen ain’t given a fair shake unless we sign no UFA forwards.

It's a real shame you lump all three along the same lines, come on. Koivunen has top six potential either next season or the year after, Pono bottom six, Poulin well should be jettisoned into the sun.

 

[Come on]

Crosby you're next.

Re-signs 3 years at 775K AAV of course.

870k

 

[KrisLetAngry]

I suppose guaranteed 2 years at league minimum with guaranteed NHL Salary is the best to do.

I think he can be that tweener chipping 15 goals and 25 assists.

Definitely solid value.

 

[Victor Z]

I suppose guaranteed 2 years at league minimum with guaranteed NHL Salary is the best to do.

I think he can be that tweener chipping 15 goals and 25 assists.

Definitely solid value.

It is solid value. Now the question is: will Sully give him an actual opportunity to achieve anything like 15 goals and 40 points?

Probably the only way it happens is if there are significant injuries to a few players above him on the totem pole.

Otherwise Puusy's usage is very likely to be just what it was towards the end of this past season: maybe 10 minutes a night playing a "defensive" third-line role (for which he is not suited though he is not bad defensively) with some talentless types like Lars Eller, and scant (if any) PP utilization.

Connor McJesus would have trouble getting to 40 points while being used like that, and if Valtteri Puustinen can even get to 25 under those conditions he's doing well.

 

[Pancakes]

I imagine Puusy gets bottom six minutes and 2nd pp time. Maybe a bit of pp1 time depending on injuries.

I doubt he'll be a fixture on pp1 even though I think he could potentially work there if they gave him a chance.