Salary Cap: Salary Cap & Roster Building - Locked in until July

[Turin]

Do people so quickly forget how much of a disaster Hainsey was at moving the puck out of our zone last year?

Schultz isn't producing as much as I would have hoped, but I'm not going to start wishing we'd kept a guy who handled the puck like a hot potato and contributed more than any other defenseman last year at stifling our transition game with Letang out.

Please don’t assume I am wishing for Hainsey over Schultz. That’s just Pixie.

I’m not in a hurry to ditch Schultz but my point is that he needs to be better to justify his cap hit going forward. Overall I’m not overly concerned about him, I’m concerned with Ruh, Oleksiak and Hunwick.

 

[Turin]

This goes back to the part about Dumoulin... and how people only look at their points as an indicator of their production. Schultz's abilities with the puck (passing, shot, skating) are what allows our forwards to do what they do best.

If you want any sort of reminder as to what our blueline looks like without that, simply go look at some playoff games from 2017 vs 2016. Yes I get that he's no Letang in terms of his ability to transition the puck... but that's an element that this team NEEDS. And like it or not, Schultz is one of the best guys we have on the team that can do that after Letang.

Preaching to the choir here. I don’t want to ditch Schultz, because frankly nobody else can step in an move the puck. I simply want him to play to his contract and if he can’t and last year was an abberation then there are cheaper alternatives around the league. I’m willing to wait and see, just as I’m willing to give Letang more time to find his game too. The only thing that deeply concerns me is the fact that two defensemen who probably shouldn’t be regular NHLers are playing every night right now.

 

[Peat]

Schultz's production is roughly middle of the pack for played making 4.5m to 6.5m as is - it would be exactly middle sans injury. I'd like him to play better, he can play better, but I'm not sure he has to justify his salary. Not sure how easy it would be to get the cheaper alternative in either.

And if Ruhwedel and Oleksiak shouldn't be regular NHLers, then most teams only have four guys who should be regular NHLers.

 

[NMK11]

Do people so quickly forget how much of a disaster Hainsey was at moving the puck out of our zone last year?

Schultz isn't producing as much as I would have hoped, but I'm not going to start wishing we'd kept a guy who handled the puck like a hot potato and contributed more than any other defenseman last year at stifling our transition game with Letang out.

Yes, everyone has. Its really weird, I almost want to start linking to PGTs from last year for the people who are pining for him.

And for Schultz, Ive honestly liked his defensive game a lot more this year. There was a stretch of a month or two where I thought he was playing the best defense on the team. And his offensive production is down...on a team playing like garbage most of the year and riding out a concussion. Maybe hes not helping as much as we want, but hes definitely not the biggest problem on the back end.

Last summer I thought the Hunwick signing was worthless and after a brief moment where he made me take that back, I feel a little justified in being pissed this was our D acquisition. This team needed, even with Cole on the team before some of you bring him up, someone more around a solid #4 vs what we got (a career bottom pair player who had one good playoff run). Signing Hunwick to that contract made it impossible to bring in more salary on the back during the season, and he definitely wasnt playing like the all around middle pairing guy I think we need.

I was really hoping Maatta would get back on track but at this point Im having doubts. Ill go on the record and say this summer we either need to move Letang or Maatta.

 

[Turin]

And if Ruhwedel and Oleksiak shouldn't be regular NHLers, then most teams only have four guys who should be regular NHLers.

Uh huh.

The Penguins defense lineup has not been their strength the last two years, despite that neither Ruh or Oleksiak would have been every day players on a healthy Penguins team in 16 especially and 17. Are we comparing the Penguins to Buffalo or standards fitting of their caliber of team? Boston, Nashville, Winnipeg, Tampa, hell even Toronto likely aren’t playing those guys night in, night out.

 

[Peat]

Uh huh.

The Penguins defense lineup has not been their strength the last two years, despite that neither Ruh or Oleksiak would have been every day players on a healthy Penguins team in 16 especially and 17. Are we comparing the Penguins to Buffalo or standards fitting of their caliber of team? Boston, Nashville, Winnipeg, Tampa, hell even Toronto likely aren’t playing those guys night in, night out.

Nashville went to the SCF with a pairing of Matt Irwin and Yannick Weber, both of whom are playing regularly this season and one of whom has to be at least #6. I'll happily put Ruhwedel and Oleksiak equal to them.

I'll also put them at least equal to Grzelcyk and Kevan Miller, Chiarot and Kulikov, Girardi and Coburn, and Roman Polak and whoever.

I'd also put one of them ahead of heavily sheltered Schultz in 2016 and thought Ruhwedel frequently looked better than some of the guys he was playing with through 2017.

 

[Turin]

Nashville went to the SCF with a pairing of Matt Irwin and Yannick Weber, both of whom are playing regularly this season and one of whom has to be at least #6. I'll happily put Ruhwedel and Oleksiak equal to them.

I'll also put them at least equal to Grzelcyk and Kevan Miller, Chiarot and Kulikov, Girardi and Coburn, and Roman Polak and whoever.

I'd also put one of them ahead of heavily sheltered Schultz in 2016 and thought Ruhwedel frequently looked better than some of the guys he was playing with through 2017.

I don’t think any name you mentioned is sitting for Olek and Ruh. Some of them aren’t even close to be honest...

 

[AverageJoeFan]

Uh huh.

The Penguins defense lineup has not been their strength the last two years, despite that neither Ruh or Oleksiak would have been every day players on a healthy Penguins team in 16 especially and 17. Are we comparing the Penguins to Buffalo or standards fitting of their caliber of team? Boston, Nashville, Winnipeg, Tampa, hell even Toronto likely aren’t playing those guys night in, night out.

My question to you is who would you have in there right now? Would you blow it up this summer? Just curious not being cynical.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

You can move sheary and still have an absolutely loaded top 9 at right wing. Sprong needs to offer more than "not bad sheary and he needs to have chemistry his centre.

Sprong needs to offer more than "not bad Sheary" to justify moving Sheary, or to justify his place in the line-up?

I'd say no to the 1st idea and yes to the 2nd.

As a rookie I'm sure he'll have a few growing pains, and I'm willing to let him play through them. But if he doesn't offer anything better than "not bad Sheary" on balance then we obviously have other options we can sub in for him.

 

[Peat]

Sprong needs to offer more than "not bad Sheary" to justify moving Sheary, or to justify his place in the line-up?

I'd say no to the 1st idea and yes to the 2nd.

As a rookie I'm sure he'll have a few growing pains, and I'm willing to let him play through them. But if he doesn't offer anything better than "not bad Sheary" on balance then we obviously have other options we can sub in for him.

The latter.

I'm sure he will be better than bad Sheary mind. But whether he's good enough to absolutely nail a place ahead of a potential Rust/Horny/Kessel triumvirate? I think he can be (and its not like we can't push Rust to the left), but I have enough doubt that I don't think he's a guaranteed fit with the team.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

I wouldn't mind taking a look at a UFA guy like Calvin de Hann as a Cole replacement. Can play 18-19 minutes a game. Kills penalties. Puts up Cole type numbers, and 2 years younger.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I wouldn't mind taking a look at a UFA guy like Calvin de Hann as a Cole replacement. Can play 18-19 minutes a game. Kills penalties. Puts up Cole type numbers, and 2 years younger.

de Hann is going to get dump trucks of money, someone is going to offer him a Jeff Petry contract. He's not a Cole replacement, he's closer to a Dumoulin replacement.

 

[Shady Machine]

Nashville went to the SCF with a pairing of Matt Irwin and Yannick Weber, both of whom are playing regularly this season and one of whom has to be at least #6. I'll happily put Ruhwedel and Oleksiak equal to them.

I'll also put them at least equal to Grzelcyk and Kevan Miller, Chiarot and Kulikov, Girardi and Coburn, and Roman Polak and whoever.

I'd also put one of them ahead of heavily sheltered Schultz in 2016 and thought Ruhwedel frequently looked better than some of the guys he was playing with through 2017.

Even if I agreed with you, it's not quite that simple. Nashville, as one example, has a killer top and Pens are currently playing Oleksiak with Letang and Maatta with Ruh because the fit in the top 4 has been funky.

 

[justafan22]

Hainsey's been kinda bad for the leafs in the 2nd half of this season so far.

 

[Peat]

Even if I agreed with you, it's not quite that simple. Nashville, as one example, has a killer top and Pens are currently playing Oleksiak with Letang and Maatta with Ruh because the fit in the top 4 has been funky.

If I was talking about overall fit and strength, maybe.

As a reply to a statement that they're not up to regular NHL standard dmen, it is that simple.

 

[Gurglesons]

Please don’t assume I am wishing for Hainsey over Schultz. That’s just Pixie.

I’m not in a hurry to ditch Schultz but my point is that he needs to be better to justify his cap hit going forward. Overall I’m not overly concerned about him, I’m concerned with Ruh, Oleksiak and Hunwick.

I feel like Hainsey and Letang would’ve made a good pairing, allowing a Dumoulin and Schultz second pairing, with a third pairing of Maatta and Ruh.

I have to agree with the Schultz has been solid defensively, I’d argue you could say our most consistent defensive player this year on the back end, but I think it is greatly effecting his offensive game.

I don’t really care about his assist totals, but with who he is typically having in front of him, he should be flirting with double digits in terms of goals. I guess he’s close to being on pace for that.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

I feel like Hainsey and Letang would’ve made a good pairing, allowing a Dumoulin and Schultz second pairing, with a third pairing of Maatta and Ruh.

I have to agree with the Schultz has been solid defensively, I’d argue you could say our most consistent defensive player this year on the back end, but I think it is greatly effecting his offensive game.

I don’t really care about his assist totals, but with who he is typically having in front of him, he should be flirting with double digits in terms of goals. I guess he’s close to being on pace for that.

Uh there is no way we'd want Hainsey getting anything more than 18 mins/ night

I said during FA I'd take Hainsey back if it was a 1 yr thing at a decent number. Well the market gave him something beyond his worth (good for him). Same thing with Hunwick. Unfortunately we gave him that deal

 

[Shady Machine]

If I was talking about overall fit and strength, maybe.

As a reply to a statement that they're not up to regular NHL standard dmen, it is that simple.

I guess I should have read in context. Sorry, I've had a habit of doing that lately!

 

[Gurglesons]

Uh there is no way we'd want Hainsey getting anything more than 18 mins/ night

I said during FA I'd take Hainsey back if it was a 1 yr thing at a decent number. Well the market gave him something beyond his worth (good for him). Same thing with Hunwick. Unfortunately we gave him that deal

Hainsey has averaged literally 21 minutes every year of his career. He’s been fine in Toronto who play almost as undisciplined as us and been great.

Honestly, he was real solid for us last year.

The Hainsey deal was solid the minute it was signed versus the Hunwick deal which was terrible the moment the ink dried.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hunwick was fine, if not good, at the start of the season. That's what makes his play for the past few months that much worse. Since his concussion, he's been abhorrent, but he really was pretty solid for us right out of the gate. I think that concussion really f***ed with him.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

Hainsey has averaged literally 21 minutes every year of his career. He’s been fine in Toronto who play almost as undisciplined as us and been great.

Honestly, he was real solid for us last year.

The Hainsey deal was solid the minute it was signed versus the Hunwick deal which was terrible the moment the ink dried.

I liked him as well but there's a few here who really feel he wasn't that good.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

Hunwick was fine, if not good, at the start of the season. That's what makes his play for the past few months that much worse. Since his concussion, he's been abhorrent, but he really was pretty solid for us right out of the gate. I think that concussion really ****ed with him.

His track hasn't been good for the past 3 years that I can see minus here before the concussion.

 

[NMK11]

I liked him as well but there's a few here who really feel he wasn't that good.

Ive been responding to a lot of the hainsey comments and have been critical, but not because I think he's bad. I see him as a middle pairing guy, and yeah I think he would have been much better for this team than hunwick although he might not be my ideal candidate. I think most of what you're labelling as people not thinking he's good is in response to the few people who keep saying they'd rather have him over letang

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Hunwick was fine, if not good, at the start of the season. That's what makes his play for the past few months that much worse. Since his concussion, he's been abhorrent, but he really was pretty solid for us right out of the gate. I think that concussion really ****ed with him.

This
I was very pleased with the Hunwick signing and supported Sully's benching of Cole. Because frankly Hunwick earned it
But after his concussion...everything he did was slower and his hockey IQ went downhill

 

[Shady Machine]

This
I was very pleased with the Hunwick signing and supported Sully's benching of Cole. Because frankly Hunwick earned it
But after his concussion...everything he did was slower and his hockey IQ went downhill

Was it the concussion or a career 6/7 playing like a career 6/7?