Salary Cap: Salary Cap + Roster Building | Longest Off-Season Evahhh (Cap Details + Links in First Post)

[DegenX]

From CapFriendly
AHL thread is here. Links to 2018 draft pick threads and QO information are in the first post.
Jack Johnson signing thread is here.
Cullen signing thread is here.
Additional July 1st signing info via pens.com
Rust re-signing thread is here.
Sheahan re-signing thread is here.
Thread for Sprong, Simon and Czuczman re-signing is here.
Brassard trade rumor thread is here.
Sheary + Hunwick trade thread is here.
Oleksiak re-signing thread is here.
Grant signing thread is here.
Jarry re-signing thread is here. He's listed on the AHL roster, thread is here.

Click to read more...

 

[EightyOne]

HCMS concerns me because he made terrible lineup choices. He obviously got scared of taking risks.

You don't force a falling HBK again unless you are scared. You dying don't field the same useless bottom line. You don't put your bad defenders in over their low ceilings.

I don't know why he was so risk averse to changes last year, but it resulted in bad players on the ice AND not even trying new players.

Outside of year one, I don't like what he's done. It looked like he really understood the farm team and how to put players in positions to succeed.

Then...to me it became apparent that he liked his four players and that was that. The rest was luck.

I saw zero innovation last year in terms of usage or strategy. Basically didn't get the right players put into situations for them to succeed.

If you want to say, well, the roster was weak. Okay. Why didn't he change something up to where the guys could win despite not being the best roster? Why were breakaway attacks so prevalent? Why could no one find their assignment? Why were they so weak through the neutral zone?

For all the right answers he had early, he seemed lost and afraid of making decisions last year. To me. An armchair jerk.

I hope HCMS makes me look stupid. But if this year is as bad of a struggle and player mismanagement with bad strategy matchups, then he'll get no more Christmas cards from me.

 

[Andy99]

I’ve soured some on Sully too after last year’s bench management decisions, and JB in his latest article already has Simon penciled in as Sid’s RW for next year, which will be a terrible decision if he doesn’t improve tremendously on his goal-scoring and forecheck/backcheck....

But still, Sully is lower down on my list of concerns for the season....Murray is number one...if he can’t stay healthy and improve greatly on his .907 save %, another Cup chance will be doomed....The Hockey News has just ranked MM as a middling goalie somewhere between Mike Smith and Luongo....every other young goalie, except Martin Jones, is ranked higher...ouch

The Great Goalie Debate: Ranking the NHL's 31 starting netminders in 2018-19

 

[Peat]

I’ve soured some on Sully too after last year’s bench management decisions, and JB in his latest article already has Simon penciled in as Sid’s RW for next year, which will be a terrible decision if he doesn’t improve tremendously on his goal-scoring and forecheck/backcheck....

But still, Sully is lower down on my list of concerns for the season....Murray is number one...if he can’t stay healthy and improve greatly on his .907 save %, another Cup chance will be doomed....The Hockey News has just ranked MM as a middling goalie somewhere between Mike Smith and Luongo....every other young goalie, except Martin Jones, is ranked higher...ouch

The Great Goalie Debate: Ranking the NHL's 31 starting netminders in 2018-19

They also think Brian Elliot is better than 10 other NHL goaltenders, so I'll be taking a pinch of salt with that one. I agree that we need Murray to step back up but I'll leave off worrying about that one until he starts showing that was his norm rather than a blip in a perfect storm.


As for Sully... I don't even know where to start with EightyOne's post, other than point out I (and others) asked about his criticism of 2016-17 and that post contains barely any answers to that.

But last year... tbh, I no longer really believe in trying to take worries about people from last year into this. The whole season was about managing fatigue with the hope of doing just enough through the season to qualify, with the intent of peaking at the end and taking that surge into the play-offs. At which point a perfect storm of injuries hit and our key defensive pieces' games crashed. Sometimes stuff happens. We'll see what comes out of the wash next season.

I'm not sure Sully played his hand as well as he could have, but I didn't see these big changes in his effectiveness that swing an opinion.

 

[Andy99]

They also think Brian Elliot is better than 10 other NHL goaltenders, so I'll be taking a pinch of salt with that one. I agree that we need Murray to step back up but I'll leave off worrying about that one until he starts showing that was his norm rather than a blip in a perfect storm.


As for Sully... I don't even know where to start with EightyOne's post, other than point out I (and others) asked about his criticism of 2016-17 and that post contains barely any answers to that.

But last year... tbh, I no longer really believe in trying to take worries about people from last year into this. The whole season was about managing fatigue with the hope of doing just enough through the season to qualify, with the intent of peaking at the end and taking that surge into the play-offs. At which point a perfect storm of injuries hit and our key defensive pieces' games crashed. Sometimes stuff happens. We'll see what comes out of the wash next season.

I'm not sure Sully played his hand as well as he could have, but I didn't see these big changes in his effectiveness that swing an opinion.

Yeah, it's all speculation at this point...have to see how the first few months play out...but I already give Sully less rope than he used to have....many personnel decisions last year were head-scratching and he was outcoached IMO in the POs for the first time, but it's hard to know what effect any of that had on the second-round loss...I tend to think not a lot....

 

[Tom Hanks]

Yeah, it's all speculation at this point...have to see how the first few months play out...but I already give Sully less rope than he used to have....many personnel decisions last year were head-scratching and he was outcoached IMO in the POs for the first time, but it's hard to know what effect any of that had on the second-round loss...I tend to think not a lot....

What were the many personnel decisions you didn’t like?

 

[The Old Master]

It looked like he really understood the farm team and how to put players in positions to succeed.

he had coached the farm team and knew what players were capable of. and it wasn't based on one or two shifts in a game....... he didn't have that advantage last yr. and the established players were unknowns and weren't given the benefit of doubt. imo
edit; probably not the best choice of words but i'm sure you know what i mean.

 

[Andy99]

What were the many personnel decisions you didn’t like?

Well my first issue had to do with Sprong....I had no problem sending him back to the A but there were several times at the end of the year and into the POs when we should have tried him again...Simon was ineffective, as was ZAR, as was Sheary, and as was Phil in the POs...if he had given him another chance, we might be in a position where we know more about Sprong now and can smartly plan what to do with him this upcoming year...from a personnel standpoint, that was bad management....overall, I think he was too apt to trust and play pluggers and grinders, like Kuhn, and other ineffective players, rather than strive for a better fourth line....he gives lip service to rolling 4 lines and catering to the offensive skill/speed of the players on the team but often doesn't follow thru with that plan...

He was too quick to move around line combos at the drop of a hat, even more so than the last two years, with no-so-good results, and no one ever got a chance after the TDL to get comfortable playing with Brass (of course his injury was the biggest issue).....I also had issues with the way he handled Phil...he was very inconsistent and played him way too often with Geno when the analytics told him he should do otherwise....

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

One gripe i have with Sullivan is that he didn't give Brassard a single shift in OT in game 6. But instead went with Kuhn...absolutely terrible bench management there. Idc how hurt Brassard is, play him over Kuhn.

Brassard was the 4C that game...he should've stacked the top 9 in OT. Line 4 didn't get a shift.

Are you going to play a guy who is skating with a ripped groin in an OT game with other options at your disposal?

 

[Riptide]

he had coached the farm team and knew what players were capable of. and it wasn't based on one or two shifts in a game....... he didn't have that advantage last yr. and the established players were unknowns and weren't given the benefit of doubt. imo
edit; probably not the best choice of words but i'm sure you know what i mean.

We also were freakishly healthy (for us) last season. Honestly we would have benefited a lot by having multiple guys miss some time, if only for Sullivan to get a chance to call up different guys to get looks.

My only complaint with regards to Sprong wasn't in fact the POs, but later in the season when both Hornqvist and Sheary went down. Hornqvist was when we called up ZAR - which was fine given the type of game each play, but when Sheary went down and Simon wasn't filling the void, Sprong should have gotten another chance, even if only for a few games.

 

[PensandCaps]

Are you going to play a guy who is skating with a ripped groin in an OT game with other options at your disposal?

Uhh...yes. Especially when the other option is Kuhnackel.

Not sitting Kessel when he was clearly hurt in the Reg season is another poor bench management decision.

Breaking up Rust-Brass-Kessel is another awful lineup decision. And you know...continuing of Rowney in the lineup...

 

[Tom Hanks]

Uhh...yes. Especially when the other option is Kuhnackel.

Not sitting Kessel when he was clearly hurt in the Reg season is another poor bench management decision.

Breaking up Rust-Brass-Kessel is another awful lineup decision. And you know...continuing of Rowney in the lineup...

Everyone plays in OT in the playoffs. Kuhnhackl ironically got closer to scoring than anyone on our team in OT. He was half an inch from winning us the game.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think Joe Dziedzic has a good shot this year, left side depth being what it is and all.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

With regards to Sullivan, I'll leave it up to the X's and O's folks to break down who is more at fault. But whoever is at fault -- Sullivan, the players, or a combination -- the one thing I did NOT like about last year's club is just how bad they looked in their own zone. Men constantly left wide open in prime scoring areas, a lot of running around, etc.

Whether that's on Sullivan, on the players, or on both, just fix it. It was irritating as hell to watch game in, game out.

 

[billybudd]

HCMS concerns me because he made terrible lineup choices. He obviously got scared of taking risks.

You don't force a falling HBK again unless you are scared. You dying don't field the same useless bottom line. You don't put your bad defenders in over their low ceilings.

I don't know why he was so risk averse to changes last year, but it resulted in bad players on the ice AND not even trying new players.

Outside of year one, I don't like what he's done. It looked like he really understood the farm team and how to put players in positions to succeed.

Then...to me it became apparent that he liked his four players and that was that. The rest was luck.

I saw zero innovation last year in terms of usage or strategy. Basically didn't get the right players put into situations for them to succeed.

If you want to say, well, the roster was weak. Okay. Why didn't he change something up to where the guys could win despite not being the best roster? Why were breakaway attacks so prevalent? Why could no one find their assignment? Why were they so weak through the neutral zone?

For all the right answers he had early, he seemed lost and afraid of making decisions last year. To me. An armchair jerk.

I hope HCMS makes me look stupid. But if this year is as bad of a struggle and player mismanagement with bad strategy matchups, then he'll get no more Christmas cards from me.

Dude, come on with this. Seriously?

 

[billybudd]

I think Joe Dziedzic has a good shot this year, left side depth being what it is and all.

Diesel was on fire for 2 whole weeks one time. Had like 14 goals in 12 days.

 

[Peat]

Not sitting Kessel when he was clearly hurt in the Reg season is another poor bench management decision.

I didn't like that one either, but I know a lot of people want Sully to butt heads with Kessel less and that's what he did there. I also wonder how we'd have reacted if we'd missed out on home advantage in the opening PO series - Kessel was still productive down the stretch and we needed that. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

I didn't like that one either, but I know a lot of people want Sully to butt heads with Kessel less and that's what he did there. I also wonder how we'd have reacted if we'd missed out on home advantage in the opening PO series - Kessel was still productive down the stretch and we needed that. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

Not going to say that a healthy Kessel means we beat the Caps, but you're trading home ice(just as unknown as the first part of my sentence) for having (better, I think) a chance at a cup. This goes to @EightyOne 's post to some degree. If your goal is to "win now", I think that translates to cups not home ice. And if Kessel just wanted to keep the iron man thing going and screw the team...that's just awful. Either way, when you have key components of a team that are willing to fritter away chances because of personal gain you are more than likely going to fail as a team. There's no doubt in my head Kessel should have sat the last week or so.

The only caveat I will add, if the injury would require months to heal, then I get it. It certainly wasn't what HCMS said, but I'll leave that door open....

 

[Peat]

Not going to say that a healthy Kessel means we beat the Caps, but you're trading home ice(just as unknown as the first part of my sentence) for having (better, I think) a chance at a cup. This goes to @EightyOne 's post to some degree. If your goal is to "win now", I think that translates to cups not home ice. And if Kessel just wanted to keep the iron man thing going and screw the team...that's just awful. Either way, when you have key components of a team that are willing to fritter away chances because of personal gain you are more than likely going to fail as a team. There's no doubt in my head Kessel should have sat the last week or so.

The only caveat I will add, if the injury would require months to heal, then I get it. It certainly wasn't what HCMS said, but I'll leave that door open....

It's possible - probable - that Kessel wanted to keep the iron man thing going *and* thought it helped the team. And, in fairness, he was still helping the team through the end of the regular season/Philly (although also not at his peak). It was only vs Washington that everything caught up with him all at once.

But regardless of his internal logic - I'd say its pretty clear Kessel wanted to keep playing and that Sullivan overruling him would have potentially had complications.

As might have not gaining home ice. Probably not but not impossible.

I'll say it again - I didn't like him continuing to play. But it's not like sitting him was a straight forwards uncontroversial winner of a decision that Sullivan inexplicably walked straight past. And sure, Sully's getting paid to get the controversial decisions right... but even the best will get a few (lot?) wrong from time to time, and his record still says to me that he's about as good as it gets.

 

[EightyOne]

Dude, come on with this. Seriously?

A riveting and succinct reply.

I have thoroughly delved deep upon my prior postings. Many hours have been spent, huddled in a corner, questioning my very existence-and that of professional sports and the distraction from everyday events that fandom provides.

Seeing as how this is, in fact, a forum for opinions, and that yours was highly influential, I surely must reverse my belief that HCMS was a one liner spouting, risk averse, and irritatingly prone to doing the same thing over and over again despite no results coach last year.



Except I won't. Because he was.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

My issue with Sully this past season was his misuse of bad players. We don't have a bad forward on this roster anymore. I expect line juggling, I expect many combinations, I expect some struggles--but the over-usage of guys like Kuhn, Rowney, Sheary, etc. won't be an issue anymore. Simon and ZAR are the question marks, but I think both are much better players than they showed in the playoffs. Even if they struggle, we have plenty of guys to fill out an incredible group of 12 forwards.

 

[Andy99]

With regards to Sullivan, I'll leave it up to the X's and O's folks to break down who is more at fault. But whoever is at fault -- Sullivan, the players, or a combination -- the one thing I did NOT like about last year's club is just how bad they looked in their own zone. Men constantly left wide open in prime scoring areas, a lot of running around, etc.

Whether that's on Sullivan, on the players, or on both, just fix it. It was irritating as hell to watch game in, game out.

Gotta say this one was on the players, specifically the forwards not backchecking and get back on D hard enough during the season....maybe Sullivan could have helped them out, but I’m not sure....put this one on the forwards....

 

[Riptide]

Even if they struggle, we have plenty of guys to fill out an incredible group of 12 forwards.

The downside to that is there's not going to be much tolerance for someone struggling. There's just too many different options if player A can't work it out.

 

[AverageJoeFan]

It's possible - probable - that Kessel wanted to keep the iron man thing going *and* thought it helped the team. And, in fairness, he was still helping the team through the end of the regular season/Philly (although also not at his peak). It was only vs Washington that everything caught up with him all at once.

But regardless of his internal logic - I'd say its pretty clear Kessel wanted to keep playing and that Sullivan overruling him would have potentially had complications.

As might have not gaining home ice. Probably not but not impossible.

I'll say it again - I didn't like him continuing to play. But it's not like sitting him was a straight forwards uncontroversial winner of a decision that Sullivan inexplicably walked straight past. And sure, Sully's getting paid to get the controversial decisions right... but even the best will get a few (lot?) wrong from time to time, and his record still says to me that he's about as good as it gets.

I agree, but really wish he would have made a stand with Phil. I do get why he did not.

Do you think Rick T not being there hurt the Pens this last year? I'm not sure how to quantify it, but it felt like his prescience was missed to some degree....

 

[AverageJoeFan]

The downside to that is there's not going to be much tolerance for someone struggling. There's just too many different options if player A can't work it out.

Perhaps knee-jerk reactions? I could be wrong in thinking this, but it seems to me players would like having known linemates instead of mix and match..but I can see why the line meshing comes into the fold.