Salary Cap: Salary Cap + Roster Building | Preseason Edition (Cap Details + Links in First Post)

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Go get a friggin goalie - someone better than Niemi, please.

Theres always that one goalie who surprises for a year or two before falling off again. JR needs to workout a trade..we have the assets. Plenty of forwards ..logjam

 

[Riptide]

Do people have any specific prime Kunitz-like players in mind?

It's cool to want a player like that, but he has to be out there, he has to be available, he has to play LW, and he has to fit into our cap scheme. I don't see too many who fit the bill.

Palat and Pearson are two that immediately come to mind. Jenner, TJ Miller, Killorn, Gallagher, Z.Smith, Dzingel, Hyman, Ferland, Comeau, Panik, Kassian are others who to varying degree's might be able to fulfill that role to one extent or another. The first few guys are likely better options if you're looking for a PP netfront guy, but all could likely fulfill at least part of the role Kunitz did back in the day.

That said, there's very few on that list who are as good as Kunitz was around 09/10.

 

[Peat]

Palat and Pearson are two that immediately come to mind. Jenner, TJ Miller, Killorn, Gallagher, Z.Smith, Dzingel, Hyman, Ferland, Comeau, Panik, Kassian are others who to varying degree's might be able to fulfill that role to one extent or another. The first few guys are likely better options if you're looking for a PP netfront guy, but all could likely fulfill at least part of the role Kunitz did back in the day.

I'm personally less fussed about the net front stuff as I am being defensively very solid and opening up space for the stars.


One potential budget option (if his skating is good enough, dunno on that) is Nick Ritchie, who still hasn't signed a new contract with Anaheim. Depending on how that goes they might be more willing to trade.

 

[Empoleon8771]

#SaadWatch

Chicago has a lot of young forwards and are kinda weak on defense, let's do it. Maatta and Hagelin for Saad.

 

[Tom Hanks]

#SaadWatch

Chicago has a lot of young forwards and are kinda weak on defense, let's do it. Maatta and Hagelin for Saad.

I wouldn’t include Hagelin to get Saad.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I wouldn’t include Hagelin to get Saad.

I would because you have to include him for the cap to work, and Hagelin becomes extremely redundant if you have Saad on Malkin's LW.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I'd f***ing love Saad on this team. Would be an ideal fit with our style, system and centers.

I'm 100% down with using Maatta, Hagelin and Sprong to try and land either Saad or Duchene.

As for the "moving Maatta makes our blueline demonstratively weaker" thing, I don't know. If Riikola comes in and continues his play from the pre-season, I think you're kinda forced to move Maatta, y'know? Brassard's gonna be tough to keep and Hags is gonna price himself outta town--even though both of those guys are as close to must-sign players as anyone can be outside of the franchise core, foundation types. Sheahan and Cullen are also likely gone. That's a significant portion of our forward corps up in the air, some of whom are extremely important (Brassard, Hags). Maatta kinda plays like he's got broken legs, and the fact that he's even able to stay in the lineup as a regular is a testament to his IQ and decision making. If we can find a similar player who can skate, even at an average level, we're infinitely better off. If Riikola's that guy, I want Olli gone asap.

 

[Andy99]

I wouldn’t include Hagelin to get Saad.

Does anyone realize that Saad is slow? He does not fit the Pens,..

 

[Tom Hanks]

I would because you have to include him for the cap to work, and Hagelin becomes extremely redundant if you have Saad on Malkin's LW.

Hagelin is never redundant on this team.

For cap I’d rather include Sheahan if that was the deal (I’d want something small back too pick etc). Cullen can go back to his better position and we still have Grant.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Does anyone realize that Saad is slow? He does not fit the Pens,..

Maybe I'm way off base, but I always thought Saad was a great skater. Perhaps not Hagelin-fast, but he can certainly play with speed.

 

[Andy99]

Maybe I'm way off base, but I always thought Saad was a great skater. Perhaps not Hagelin-fast, but he can certainly play with speed.

There were quite a few scouting reports about his play with Chicago last year, a fairly fast team...his poor play on offense had a lot to do with his lack of speed and keeping up with the play...most scouts thought his skating was pretty bad...his skating has never been a strength but looked particularly bad last year apparently

 

[Turin]

Last thing the team needs is less Hagelin.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Some decent potential G rentals for the deadline.
Browse - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Also, I slowly find myself moving into the "extend Hags" camp. He's too valuable to this team.

 

[Ryder71]

#SaadWatch

Chicago has a lot of young forwards and are kinda weak on defense, let's do it. Maatta and Hagelin for Saad.

I'm not sure currently just what Maattas value is to other teams. His skating is so abysmal. I can't imagine his stock being too high.

 

[Andy99]

Some decent potential G rentals for the deadline.
Browse - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Also, I slowly find myself moving into the "extend Hags" camp. He's too valuable to this team.

Assuming no one in the Metro will deal with us, I like looking into Varlamov or Howard....I think those are the best UFA goalies...just don’t know if they’ll be available...

 

[Peat]

Assuming no one in the Metro will deal with us, I like looking into Varlamov or Howard....I think those are the best UFA goalies...just don’t know if they’ll be available...

Said Howard on the other thread. Would prefer Varlamov, but Colorado have legit play off hopes. Detroit, not so much.

Talbot's in an ironic position where either he's playing well enough to be interesting and therefore Edmonton are going to the play-offs, or he's not and therefore Edmonton aren't and he'd actually be available.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Palat and Pearson are two that immediately come to mind. Jenner, TJ Miller, Killorn, Gallagher, Z.Smith, Dzingel, Hyman, Ferland, Comeau, Panik, Kassian are others who to varying degree's might be able to fulfill that role to one extent or another. The first few guys are likely better options if you're looking for a PP netfront guy, but all could likely fulfill at least part of the role Kunitz did back in the day.

That said, there's very few on that list who are as good as Kunitz was around 09/10.

That's the key. Prime Kunitz was a torpedo on the forecheck and could score 50 points a year. I's a rare combo of skills, and the teams that have them aren't likely to give them up.

I'd love if we could somehow land Gallagher though, RW surplus be damned.

#SaadWatch

Chicago has a lot of young forwards and are kinda weak on defense, let's do it. Maatta and Hagelin for Saad.

I was just thinking about Saad today. The problem would be finding a way to keep him past this year. It'd pretty much be Kessel's death knell, and the last team that gave up an elite skilled winger to land Saad regretted it almost immediately. Sprong would have to have a huge breakout.

Does anyone realize that Saad is slow? He does not fit the Pens,..

What makes you say that?

Take me off ignore!

Never!

 

[Andy99]

There was just some scouting reports on Saad from last year in Chicago that said he wasn’t playing fast...it wasn’t just that he couldn’t finish...he was considered a strong skater at the draft but there was some concern about his ability to play fast on the hawks last year...that’s all I know...I didn’t watch many Hawks games

 

[JackFr]

We literally have not seen Riikola play a non-preseason game. Slow your rolls.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Some decent potential G rentals for the deadline.
Browse - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Also, I slowly find myself moving into the "extend Hags" camp. He's too valuable to this team.

Depending on his year I’d like to keep Hags if we can. Maybe Murray’s next contract won’t be as expensive.

 

[Peat]

I was just thinking about Saad today. The problem would be finding a way to keep him past this year. It'd pretty much be Kessel's death knell, and the last team that gave up an elite skilled winger to land Saad regretted it almost immediately. Sprong would have to have a huge breakout.

Ironically the open roster space you'd get from trading Kessel would make said breakout more likely.

I am a foul heretic when it comes to trading Kessel, but doing so to fit in a guy who can't drive the 3rd line strikes me as kinda iffy. He'd supercharge the top 6 like mad but I'd rather have a guy like Brassard as a 1 for 1 use of cap.

 

[Gurglesons]

That's the key. Prime Kunitz was a torpedo on the forecheck and could score 50 points a year. I's a rare combo of skills, and the teams that have them aren't likely to give them up.

I'd love if we could somehow land Gallagher though, RW surplus be damned.



I was just thinking about Saad today. The problem would be finding a way to keep him past this year. It'd pretty much be Kessel's death knell, and the last team that gave up an elite skilled winger to land Saad regretted it almost immediately. Sprong would have to have a huge breakout.



What makes you say that?



Never!

If you moved out Maatta for Saad and went cheap on a # 5 you could afford it.

Johnson is in our top four then which is gross.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If you moved out Maatta for Saad and went cheap on a # 5 you could afford it.

Johnson is in our top four then which is gross.

Still gotta give Guentzel a new deal too though, and who knows what he's gonna be making.

 

[Gurglesons]

Still gotta give Guentzel a new deal too though, and who knows what he's gonna be making.

Hags and Brassard pay for that tbh.

Saad also gives you a long term LW solution.

Honestly, you could wait two more years and sign Saad as a UFA.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I'd really love to keep Brassard. I think he's phenomenal, and we're not going to find another 3C of his caliber without another substantial trade. Make it work, get him re-signed.

If we're going to make a trade, Maatta makes the most sense. Bad fit, has a decent value. If Riikola's a fit and acquits himself in real NHL hockey as opposed to just pre-season, I think Maatta's as good as gone. We also really need Schultz to wake up. He hasn't been a travesty like Maatta or Oleksiak, but he needs to be dramatically better at transition and offensive factors.

I also really think Phil's gone this summer. The media's turned on him, and that doesn't happen in Pittsburgh unless a guy is very much a legit candidate to leave town soon. Phil and Sully just don't get along, and this team's gotta start getting younger. I love Phil, think he's an absolutely fantastic player, but the writing's on the wall imo. If we can land a guy like Duchene or Saad, that makes the potential (inevitable, imo) departure of Kessel this coming summer much more palatable.