Salary Cap: Salary Cap + Roster Building (Cap Details in First Post) | GM Working the Phones Edition

[KIRK]

But on a team that is bleeding goals against, Maatta is a godsend compared to most of their other defensemen.

You've just made the Cullen over Sprong type argument.

As I said, the mix up front, the mix on defense, and the system are incongruous. Absent congruity, every choice involves an unwinnable trade off. I suppose in the end this is why the Pens are in a death spiral.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Sullivan is so busy trying to play it safe that he forgot the risks he took to make it to the top 2yrs in a row.

 

[KIRK]

Sullivan is so busy trying to play it safe that he forgot the risks he took to make it to the top 2yrs in a row.

1. I agree with this.

2. I think the bigger issue lies with an unwillingness to adapt than with an unwillingness to take risk.

 

[Empoleon8771]

You've just made the Cullen over Sprong type argument.

As I said, the mix up front, the mix on defense, and the system are incongruous. Absent congruity, every choice involves an unwinnable trade off. I suppose in the end this is why the Pens are in a death spiral.

But Sprong isn't scoring and Cullen isn't helping with their team defense, plus the jobs of the forwards is more to score goals than it is to prevent them. Maatta also does have puck moving talent, he just can't skate. I agree with you that they can't have all of Johnson, Oleksiak and Maatta on the team, but I think you can get by with 2. You just need to get a strong puck moving DFD for the bottom pair, someone like Pysyk.

This isn't a "pawn all of our bad defensemen on Letang" comment, but put Maatta with Letang for a couple games and see how it looks. Maatta has had success there in the past, and maybe his gypsy magic of not getting scored on sticks with him on a pair with Letang. I'm actually not sure why they haven't tried that yet.

 

[mpp9]

True.

Are you saying Maatta for Silfverberg straight up?

Or are you saying the Ducks should love what @SEALBound suggested?

Or are you saying that Silfverberg will cost less than a 1st or 2nd/decent prospect or good prospect type of return?

Maatta straight up.

Then Rust for a 4/5 D who fits our style.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

1. I agree with this.

2. I think the bigger issue lies with an unwillingness to adapt than with an unwillingness to take risk.

2 - You know I 100% agree on that.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Just wondering who you guys think fits a “prime Kunitz” currently in the NHL?

I’d like a prime Darius Kasparaitis, Kevin Stevens, and Paul Coffey for the Pens but I’m having a hard time identifying people really with those skills and if they are in that realm they will cost an arm and leg.

 

[KIRK]

But Sprong isn't scoring and Cullen isn't helping with their team defense, plus the jobs of the forwards is more to score goals than it is to prevent them. Maatta also does have puck moving talent, he just can't skate.

This isn't a "pawn all of our bad defensemen on Letang" comment, but put Maatta with Letang for a couple games and see how it looks. Maatta has had success there in the past, and maybe his gypsy magic of not getting scored on sticks with him on a pair with Letang. I'm actually not sure why they haven't tried that yet.

To think that we've reached the point where Letang has become the team's default #1 babysitter.

Joke aside, I get what you're saying, but I look at JMFJ, Maatta, and Oleksiak and see dogs with different fleas. I mean, one could fairly argue that Maatta's GA per 60 does have something to do with his being protected.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Maatta-Letang
Dumoulin-Schultz (have Riikola play here until Schultz is healthy)
Johnson-Pysyk
Ruhwedel

Honesty, I wouldn't be concerned with this defense. It's super expensive because Pysyk makes like $2.75 million a year, but I wouldn't be worried about it. You just need to get rid of Oleksiak and bring in a guy like Pysyk, which is easier said than done.

 

[Peat]

But Sprong isn't scoring and Cullen isn't helping with their team defense, plus the jobs of the forwards is more to score goals than it is to prevent them. Maatta also does have puck moving talent, he just can't skate.

This isn't a "pawn all of our bad defensemen on Letang" comment, but put Maatta with Letang for a couple games and see how it looks. Maatta has had success there in the past, and maybe his gypsy magic of not getting scored on sticks with him on a pair with Letang. I'm actually not sure why they haven't tried that yet.

*cough* the guy who hasn't been scored on 5v5 in the last 5 games - only one to play all five of whom that is true - is probably doing something to help there by the same logic you're using for Maatta.

Just wondering who you guys think fits a “prime Kunitz” currently in the NHL?

I’d like a prime Darius Kasparaitis, Kevin Stevens, and Paul Coffey for the Pens but I’m having a hard time identifying people really with those skills and if they are in that realm they will cost an arm and leg.

We chatted about this in the Summer and I think it was broadly agreed that there wasn't really anyone... and I think Pearson was closer than most (although obviously minus the standout physicality)

To think that we've reached the point where Letang has become the team's default #1 babysitter.

Joke aside, I get what you're saying, but I look at JMFJ, Maatta, and Oleksiak and see dogs with different fleas. I mean, one could fairly argue that Maatta's GA per 60 does have something to do with his being protected.

Maatta's usually been drawing the second hardest defensive assignments. Granted, after Letang's taken all the hardest minutes its not that terrifying, but he's not all that protected.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

J-Bomb echoing the same internal options some of us want in his latest article tonight:

Call-ups are an option in this area, too. Thomas Di Pauli and Adam Johnson are in good form. Sam Lafferty and Teddy Blueger are off to strong starts. They’re all good skaters.

C’mon JR....

 

[KIRK]

Maatta straight up.

Then Rust for a 4/5 D who fits our style.

So, you're basically saying the @SEALBound deal, as he's suggesting doing both in 1 deal?

FYI, I think Maatta would be no big loss, and I'd love to have Silfverberg. I'd do it with or without the Rust move.

 

[mpp9]

JJ and Oleksiak have little value if any. Maatta has pedigree, cost certainty and a recent history of being a top 4 D on a championship team. He'll net you something worthwhile, while changing up our mix on defense.

 

[KIRK]

J-Bomb echoing the same internal options some of us want in his latest article tonight:



C’mon JR....

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Just wondering who you guys think fits a “prime Kunitz” currently in the NHL?

I’d like a prime Darius Kasparaitis, Kevin Stevens, and Paul Coffey for the Pens but I’m having a hard time identifying people really with those skills and if they are in that realm they will cost an arm and leg.

Stop thinking "prime" of anything we had and start thinking "what we need to keep moving forward" and it'll be easier.

We don't need prime of anything we had because those guys don't work in today's NHL anymore.

Kasparaitis would be suspended every other game.
Kunitz running through people would be suspended or put us in a box all the time.
Stevens - maybe.
Coffey - We wish, hell why not give Prow a chance, not even the same, but Prow handles the puck with confidence and we need that.

 

[Empoleon8771]

*cough* the guy who hasn't been scored on 5v5 in the last 5 games - only one to play all five of whom that is true - is probably doing something to help there by the same logic you're using for Maatta.

Maatta's sample size of not being scored on is over 350 games worth of him not being scored on. I'm guessing you're talking about Cullen, but Cullen was on the ice for 10 goals against in his first 13 games on the year. If you want to go that route, you should be talking about Grant, not Cullen.

To think that we've reached the point where Letang has become the team's default #1 babysitter.

Joke aside, I get what you're saying, but I look at JMFJ, Maatta, and Oleksiak and see dogs with different fleas. I mean, one could fairly argue that Maatta's GA per 60 does have something to do with his being protected.

Maatta has been playing top-4 minutes every year of his career, it's not him being sheltered. It's also such a huge sample size that I don't think you can just easily dismiss it based on something like that.

 

[KIRK]

JJ and Oleksiak have little value if any. Maatta has pedigree, cost certainty and a recent history of being a top 4 D on a championship team. He'll net you something worthwhile, while changing up our mix on defense.

I agree with Maatta is worth more than JJ or Oleksiak, but I'm not sure HOW worthwhile the return will be for him from any team that watches game tape.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

J-Bomb echoing the same internal options some of us want in his latest article tonight:



C’mon JR....

But Wilson!

 

[Honour Over Glory]

J-Bomb echoing the same internal options some of us want in his latest article tonight:



C’mon JR....

From his mouth (and ours) to the deaf ears of Michael Barry Sullivan.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Shouldn’t be a big dream. It’s logical. That’s probably what’s so frustrating.... but ZAR!

You see that sick goal he had last night? Damnnnn.

 

[mpp9]

So, you're basically saying the @SEALBound deal, as he's suggesting doing both in 1 deal?

FYI, I think Maatta would be no big loss, and I'd love to have Silfverberg. I'd do it with or without the Rust move.

Silfverberg seems like a RW to me so it'd be smart to take Rust away from Sullivan and fill a need on defense before it's doomed from the start.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

But Wilson!

 

[KIRK]

Shouldn’t be a big dream. It’s logical. That’s probably what’s so frustrating.... but ZAR!

You see that sick goal he had last night? Damnnnn.

I thought of you as I watched it.

View attachment 155901

He's hockey's Flash Gordon.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

View attachment 155901

Who'd win in a game of 2 on 2? Zar/Wilson or Adams/Glass?

 

[Empoleon8771]

JJ and Oleksiak have little value if any. Maatta has pedigree, cost certainty and a recent history of being a top 4 D on a championship team. He'll net you something worthwhile, while changing up our mix on defense.

Trading one of your more effective guys on defense because he seems more valuable seems pretty foolish to me, especially when your defense is ass at not getting scored on.

Speculation: - A Ryan Miller trade could possibly be in the works

Hm, I wonder if this may be the shake up trade that Friedman was talking about. Miller is a guy you can easily run with as a starter if Murray continues to struggle.