Salary Cap: Salary Cap & Roster Building | Praise be to Nero's Neptune, the Titanic sails at dawn

[Ugene Magic]

The Pens have been dreading water for months now. They are finally getting hit with injuries more than to 1 player at a time. They’ve dreaded water enough this season, management needs to do their damn job.

The exact scenario that I predicted, and was ridiculed for, is happening right now. There aren’t many teams that are totally out of the playoff hunt right now. This is why I had such a problem with management’s approach this summer of essentially beginning the season with a half completed roster. This is a dangerous strategy particularly when you did awful at signing players and left the bottom six in shambles. You are at the mercy of who is playing well and who isn’t.

Then be prepared to send out guys you don't want to.

Just remember one thing. JR. kept the team intact to allow what you seem to be taking for granted, and ignoring. It wasn't going to be easy, just as it wasn't when he first took over. It's a process you fail to want to wait out. Welcome to the club. It however is one we'll all have to wait on.


Trust in the process.

 

[Pete Gas]

The Pens have been dreading water for months now. They are finally getting hit with injuries more than to 1 player at a time. They’ve dreaded water enough this season, management needs to do their damn job.

The exact scenario that I predicted, and was ridiculed for, is happening right now. There aren’t many teams that are totally out of the playoff hunt right now. This is why I had such a problem with management’s approach this summer of essentially beginning the season with a half completed roster. This is a dangerous strategy particularly when you did awful at signing players and left the bottom six in shambles. You are at the mercy of who is playing well and who isn’t.

They all fear water?

 

[Shady Machine]

That goes away once #87 starts playing like the #87 we all know.

Maybe, maybe not. In case you haven’t noticed, the Metro is the tightest division top to bottom in the league. They are all winning and could be playoff teams. To make up ground, the Pens need to go on a long winning streak. It’s particularly tough to make up ground with 3 point games. Even if a team loses, they are still picking up points in OT.

Pens need to go 8-2 or so to get back into a playoff spot soon. Do you see this team flipping a switch soon without a roster shake up? I don’t

 

[Peat]

I'm probably not the first person to say this, but if I'm Rutherford, I want a few chats with Crosby before I make moves. Getting him back to form is the first bridge to cross and I'm not sure any of the other moves matter if that can't be done.

The exact scenario that I predicted, and was ridiculed for, is happening right now.

You weren't ridiculed for predicting the scenario. You were and are ridiculed for your hyperbole, refusal to shut up, or tone it down when it was pointed out you came across as a troll.

 

[Coach Travis]

I'm probably not the first person to say this, but if I'm Rutherford, I want a few chats with Crosby before I make moves. Getting him back to form is the first bridge to cross and I'm not sure any of the other moves matter if that can't be done.

I think bolstering our bottom 6 will help Crosby out immensely. Short of resting him, I think the only way Crosby works his way out of this is with fewer "heavy" shifts. We're a pretty simple team to play against: Put all your energy on the Top 6; Don't take penalties. If the Bottom 6 can take *some* of that focus away and chip in with the odd goal so that every single shift for Sid isn't him needing to win the game, I think gradually with him getting some easier assignments and PDO returning to the mean as it does, it'll work out.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I think bolstering our bottom 6 will help Crosby out immensely. Short of resting him, I think the only way Crosby works his way out of this is with fewer "heavy" shifts. We're a pretty simple team to play against: Put all your energy on the Top 6; Don't take penalties. If the Bottom 6 can take *some* of that focus away and chip in with the odd goal so that every single shift for Sid isn't him needing to win the game, I think gradually with him getting some easier assignments and PDO returning to the mean as it does, it'll work out.

Yeah it’s all connected with each other. Top 6 scoring is down only scoring 83% of what it did last year. Bottom 6 however is only scoring at 39% of what it did last year (and Brian Gibbons has 1 less goal than our bottom 6 on the season ).

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

I think bolstering our bottom 6 will help Crosby out immensely. Short of resting him, I think the only way Crosby works his way out of this is with fewer "heavy" shifts. We're a pretty simple team to play against: Put all your energy on the Top 6; Don't take penalties. If the Bottom 6 can take *some* of that focus away and chip in with the odd goal so that every single shift for Sid isn't him needing to win the game, I think gradually with him getting some easier assignments and PDO returning to the mean as it does, it'll work out.

I dont think theres a player in the game we could acquire that get Crosby less "Heavy shifts".

 

[Malkinstheman]

With Schultz and Letang returning soon, Cole is the odd man out. Something is bound to happen in the next week.

 

[Pens x]

Yeah it’s all connected with each other. Top 6 scoring is down only scoring 83% of what it did last year. Bottom 6 however is only scoring at 39% of what it did last year (and Brian Gibbons has 1 less goal than our bottom 6 on the season ).

The bottom six is unbelievably bad. I’m actually surprised they are managing to even score at 39% of what the bottom six did last year. But the refusal to make serious changes to the fourth line is frustrating and incomprehensible.

 

[ColePens]

The bottom six is unbelievably bad. I’m actually surprised they are managing to even score at 39% of what the bottom six did last year. But the refusal to make serious changes to the fourth line is frustrating and incomprehensible.

<Mod>

I'm throwing this warning out there now (to everyone). You have made your point 1 million times. This is now just trying to throw gasoline in the fire. We get it. And this warning goes for everyone. This is not a thread to bitch and bitch. This thread is for discussion. If you're going to just post this way, you will be removed from the thread and inevitably taken off the Pens board.

There is great discussion that goes on and then it's ruined when it turns into a rant fest.

 

[Shady Machine]

With Schultz and Letang returning soon, Cole is the odd man out. Something is bound to happen in the next week.

Just wait. Another D will be injured soon.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Just wait. Another D will be injured soon.

Probably Maatta and then Dumoulin and then Letang again... and then Letang again.

 

[Shaffer]

I think there could be a deal around Cole and Lindberg(VGK). It would makes sense for us, I don’t know how much it makes sense for VGK.

 

[Shaffer]

Probably Maatta and then Dumoulin and then Letang again... and then Letang again.

Lovejoy will be on the team by Letang’s second injury.

 

[ColePens]

I think there could be a deal around Cole and Lindberg(VGK). It would makes sense for us, I don’t know how much it makes sense for VGK.

My guarantee is that JR has been working the phones for a long time but teams are saying they aren't dealing right now. And he can't just call every day and hear the same thing.

 

[Shaffer]

My guarantee is that JR has been working the phones for a long time but teams are saying they aren't dealing right now. And he can't just call every day and hear the same thing.

Obviously, but with Cole likely being traded and VGK scouting us and Mackey’s report that they are interested in Cole, it makes sense.

 

[Malkinstheman]

I think there could be a deal around Cole and Lindberg(VGK). It would makes sense for us, I don’t know how much it makes sense for VGK.

I really hope not. Lindberg doesnt fix anything for us. I'd put him at or below sheahens level.

 

[Shaffer]

I really hope not. Lindberg doesnt fix anything for us. I'd put him at or below sheahens level.

He can play wing for us. Better than Kuhn. My idea is that we have Lindberg-Sheahan as our centers and then trade Sheary+Sheahan+? for a better Center .

 

[Riptide]

That goes away once #87 starts playing like the #87 we all know.

And if he doesn't get there, then it doesn't really matter either.

 

[Malkinstheman]

He can play wing for us. Better than Kuhn. My idea is that we have Lindberg-Sheahan as our centers and then trade Sheary+Sheahan+? for a better Center .

IMO it would be better to use Cole in a package for a better C and then make Sheahen the 4C.

 

[Riptide]

Do you see this team flipping a switch soon without a roster shake up? I don’t

Honestly, I'm not even sure a roster shakeup will change things. You have to try, but I'm skeptical. Which means you need to be pretty damn careful about the changeup, so that you don't screw yourself in future seasons by trying to do too much this year (aka something like Maatta for E.Kane+Scandella/Bealieau).

 

[Riptide]

I think there could be a deal around Cole and Lindberg(VGK). It would makes sense for us, I don’t know how much it makes sense for VGK.

Would really depend on what they thought of Cole and whether they could/would extend him. I think something similar could be done for Eakin as well, depending on LV's view of Cole.

 

[Riptide]

I really hope not. Lindberg doesnt fix anything for us. I'd put him at or below sheahens level.

Lindberg is more offensive then Sheahan is. Maybe not a ton, but he's a smarter player offensively - you could see a glimpses of it last year. And having both of them allows you to have several different options, while also not precluding you from picking up someone else if they're not working out due to the fact you didn't pay much and are not taking up any cap space.

Maybe you run with Crosby, Malkin, Lindberg/Sheahan, Lindberg/Sheahan. And then pick up someone like Flippula closer to the TD as a rental and shift one of OL/RS to the wing.

IMO it would be better to use Cole in a package for a better C and then make Sheahen the 4C.

You can only do that if the other team actually values him as such, and would trade a better #3C for him (or with him as a decent part of it). Yes you could move him for futures, then try to flip those futures for a 3C, but the odds of that panning out are probably not happening.

I'm fairly certain that if a move for Cole/Cole+ for a 3C had been possible, it would have already been done when he was a HS.

 

[Tom Hanks]

IMO it would be better to use Cole in a package for a better C and then make Sheahen the 4C.

3C is probably the priority but JR has been trying to get that for a while. You can’t wait anymore waiting for that to happen. One trade on its own won’t turn things around. Get what you can sorted. The 3C trade might take until the deadline then you run out of time to do anything else

 

[Ryder71]

With Schultz and Letang returning soon, Cole is the odd man out. Something is bound to happen in the next week.

We've been expecting a move for quite some time now, in other words I'll believe it when I see it.