Salary Cap: Salary Cap & Roster Building: The Calm Before the Storm?

[Scandale du Jour]

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Last few posts:

Letang and especially Malkin aren’t getting traded. Nobody knows or is saying anything substantive beyond that though.

Ar least by not having cap space, we can't waste it.

They made some picks and stuff, people are mad because they are all power fwd types, JJ is still a Pen and going to ruin everything, KIRK is in a panic, people still believe Kessel is coming back, I had a dreamsicle cone at DQ and my P30 Trigger 2 stick came today.

I imagine MS gets half the season to try and make a dent. If not he'll be gone. It's not entirely fair, but it's the easiest way to shake up a roster full of elite talent that you can't effectively trade. Combine that with a good/lucky mid-season trade, and that's probably your best shot.

I mean, he probably can't move him right now. At this point, the Penguins just have to deal with it. With the cap somewhat stagnating, dumping Johnson wasn't a feasible thing to do right now. If it was, they would have traded him instead of Maatta.

JR talks in circles to protect himself either way but giving himself an out Incase he can’t make a trade because the salary cap situation for so many teams and the lack of a major cap increase at this time has ****ed him with any flexibility in making a move.

Lots of GMs are in this position though. Ottawa and others with cap space hold all the cards right now for allowing moves to take place quicker but they want a ransom to give you the space you need.

Do we have an idea who might push from WBS? Like maybe Miletic pushing out Simon or more likely ZAR, as LW depth, but is there anyone else to look at?

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[Mr Jiggyfly]

I mean, he probably can't move him right now. At this point, the Penguins just have to deal with it. With the cap somewhat stagnating, dumping Johnson wasn't a feasible thing to do right now. If it was, they would have traded him instead of Maatta.

I’ve already said it’s a very difficult contract to move. It’s just mind blowing JR put himself in this situation again a year later, but upped the ante with two pretty bad contracts on his blue line.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Do we have an idea who might push from WBS? Like maybe Miletic pushing out Simon or more likely ZAR, as LW depth, but is there anyone else to look at?

I don't think the Penguins have anyone in WBS that is going to be "pushing" for ice time with the Penguins. I don't consider guys like Miletic, Lafferty or Angello NHL ready beyond spot duty right now, and I think Johnson is NHL ready, but not yet good enough to push guys like ZAR for ice time.

I’ve already said it’s a very difficult contract to move. It’s just mind blowing JR put himself in this situation again a year later, but upped the ante with two pretty bad contracts on his blue line.

I don't think Gudbranson falls into this category (he'll always be movable because GMs love toughness), but I agree entirely on Johnson. However, I just don't see a point in continuing the hand-wringing when it comes to Johnson. They're just stuck with him, they just have to deal with it and hope he's more movable next off-season (when he'll only have 3 years left and $8.25 million owed).

Yeah, it was stupid JR gave him a 5 year deal when even a 3 year deal was pushing it, but that's just where they're at. They just have to deal with it.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I don't think the Penguins have anyone in WBS that is going to be "pushing" for ice time with the Penguins. I don't consider guys like Miletic, Lafferty or Angello NHL ready beyond spot duty right now, and I think Johnson is NHL ready, but not yet good enough to push guys like ZAR for ice time.

I don't think Gudbranson falls into this category (he'll always be movable because GMs love toughness), but I agree entirely on Johnson. However, I just don't see a point in continuing the hand-wringing when it comes to Johnson. They're just stuck with him, they just have to deal with it and hope he's more movable next off-season (when he'll only have 3 years left and $8.25 million owed).

Yeah, it was stupid JR gave him a 5 year deal when even a 3 year deal was pushing it, but that's just where they're at. They just have to deal with it.

It’s not JJ as much as it’s the fact he didn’t learn his lesson and literally did the same thing twice with JJ and Gubs.

It’s not like both guys were on an upswing or had a career year and fell back to earth and your signed/traded for them...

Both guys were struggling and doing poorly and he locked himself into their deals anyway.

We can say it’s done with, but that doesn’t make it any less incredible how he just ignored all common sense and lessons learned.

 

[Hamurai]

I don't think the Penguins have anyone in WBS that is going to be "pushing" for ice time with the Penguins. I don't consider guys like Miletic, Lafferty or Angello NHL ready beyond spot duty right now, and I think Johnson is NHL ready, but not yet good enough to push guys like ZAR for ice time.

That’s what I assumed as well. I was thinking maybe someone like Bellerive or Addison could do well in WBS next year and get some time later in the season, but that’s about it.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

That’s what I assumed as well. I was thinking maybe someone like Bellerive or Addison could do well in WBS next year and get some time later in the season, but that’s about it.

At best, I expect those guys to have a Guentzel-like experience. They start off well at WBS, come up because of an injury or other need, get a really hot start but fade. Then they go back down, adjust a little bit, and come back around the deadline.

 

[Peat]

That’s what I assumed as well. I was thinking maybe someone like Bellerive or Addison could do well in WBS next year and get some time later in the season, but that’s about it.

Addison's not in WBS next year. I think Bjorkqvist is the only new guy who might graduate WBS within the year without it being a bit of a surprise.

Lafferty is my guess for next man up after Johnson, I knew a few of the guys here who watch WBS are very high on him and the org loved his progress this year. I can see him taking 4C by the end of the year if Blueger gets promoted. Militec could be an addition, still seems hard to judge, and I think if Angello puts everything together his promotion will be very swift as there's nobody in the entire organisation who better reflects Rutherford's desire to be fast and furious.

 

[TimmyD]

San Jose is looking to move Dillon according to Garrioch as well as the Sharks beat writer. Any interest? Would something around Rust for Dillon work?

 

[SEALBound]

Im so glad Ive been in Alaska for a week and have to put up with reading everyones bullshit. nice break.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

San Jose is looking to move Dillon according to Garrioch as well as the Sharks beat writer. Any interest? Would something around Rust for Dillon work?

It would probably work for the Sharks, no idea why the Penguins need another overpaid 3rd paring guy.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Im so glad Ive been in Alaska for a week and have to put up with reading everyones bull****. nice break.

You have to put up with it?

 

[Empoleon8771]

So let's say the Penguins don't make any further moves and that somehow ends up with them being cap compliant. What is your lineup going into next year? Personally, I'd go with:

Guentzel-Crosby-Kahun
Rust-Malkin-Kessel
McCann-Bjugstad-Hornqvist
ZAR-Blueger-Simon
Johnson

Dumoulin-Letang
Johnson-Schultz, with limiting Johnson's minutes to #6 levels
Pettersson-Gudbranson
Riikola-Ruhwedel

Murray-DeSmith

 

[Jules Winnfield]

San Jose is looking to move Dillon according to Garrioch as well as the Sharks beat writer. Any interest? Would something around Rust for Dillon work?

We want all the 3rd pairing defensemen...

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

So let's say the Penguins don't make any further moves and that somehow ends up with them being cap compliant. What is your lineup going into next year? Personally, I'd go with:

Guentzel-Crosby-Kahun
Rust-Malkin-Kessel
McCann-Bjugstad-Hornqvist
ZAR-Blueger-Simon
Johnson

Dumoulin-Letang
Johnson-Schultz, with limiting Johnson's minutes to #6 levels
Pettersson-Gudbranson
Riikola-Ruhwedel

Murray-DeSmith

Johnson delenda est

I love the idea of Rust on Malkin's LW but who are we kidding here.

 

[Hamurai]

Addison's not in WBS next year. I think Bjorkqvist is the only new guy who might graduate WBS within the year without it being a bit of a surprise.

Lafferty is my guess for next man up after Johnson, I knew a few of the guys here who watch WBS are very high on him and the org loved his progress this year. I can see him taking 4C by the end of the year if Blueger gets promoted. Militec could be an addition, still seems hard to judge, and I think if Angello puts everything together his promotion will be very swift as there's nobody in the entire organisation who better reflects Rutherford's desire to be fast and furious.

Ah, you’re right about Addison. I knew he got some games in last year and thought he might be 20.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Johnson delenda est

I love the idea of Rust on Malkin's LW but who are we kidding here.

I struggle to see where he fits if not on Malkin's LW, tbh. It's why I've been throwing him out as a trade option, he really doesn't have a spot here if Kahun locks down a spot as Crosby's RW.

 

[T1K]

I like the idea of trading Rust if we could dump Johnson with him.

 

[ColePens]

Rusty has been starting to turn a bit into Tyler Kennedy. He had back to back piss f***ing poor playoffs. He had a hell of a run after a terrible start last year in the regular season. But I think people are selling him quite short as of late, eh? I don't think he's TK but he's getting that vibe around here.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I struggle to see where he fits if not on Malkin's LW, tbh. It's why I've been throwing him out as a trade option, he really doesn't have a spot here if Kahun locks down a spot as Crosby's RW.

True, but our RW overload's been a boondoggle for awhile and Sully still hasn't seen fit to use Rust on LW with any regularity. I wouldn't be putting Kahun's name down anywhere in ink though.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Rusty has been starting to turn a bit into Tyler Kennedy. He had back to back piss ****ing poor playoffs. He had a hell of a run after a terrible start last year in the regular season. But I think people are selling him quite short as of late, eh? I don't think he's TK but he's getting that vibe around here.

Love Rust but something gotta give on RW here.

 

[LOGiK]

I'm interested in what return the penguins would get for moving Malkin.
I imagine he could bring in at least 2 high level players. Malkin being a teams #1C has got to have some gm's motivated to move people to land him.
A motivated Malkin with new incentive to perform, especially finally being #1C and him having a good 3-4 years solid yet.

Malkin could bring in some primo lands.

 

[Jacob]

I’d separate Kessel & Malkin. We don’t have a LW that can make up for how dog shit they are together defensively. Putting Rust there and telling him he needs to be the first guy into the corner AND the first guy back is a tall order.

Guentzel - Crosby - Rust
McCann - Malkin - Hornqvist
Kahun - Bjugstad - Kessel
Aston-Reese - Blueger - Simon
Johnson

Dumoulin - Letang
Pettersson - Schultz
Johnson - Gudbranson
Ruhwedel

There’s a few ways we can save money if the cap is tight.. alternate between carrying 7 D OR 13 forwards but not both and trading DeSmith and keeping Jarry.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

I'm interested in what return the penguins would get for moving Malkin.
I imagine he could bring in at least 2 high level players. Malkin being a teams #1C has got to have some gm's motivated to move people to land him.
A motivated Malkin with new incentive to perform, especially finally being #1C and him having a good 3-4 years solid yet.

Malkin could bring in some primo lands.

I'm not about it

 

[Andy99]

Love Rust but something gotta give on RW here.

It’d be hard to play him at his salary on L4, but he would kill it there...way better than Wilson...

 

[Andy99]

I’d separate Kessel & Malkin. We don’t have a LW that can make up for how dog **** they are together defensively. Putting Rust there and telling him he needs to be the first guy into the corner AND the first guy back is a tall order.

Guentzel - Crosby - Rust
McCann - Malkin - Hornqvist
Kahun - Bjugstad - Kessel
Aston-Reese - Blueger - Simon
Johnson

Dumoulin - Letang
Pettersson - Schultz
Johnson - Gudbranson
Ruhwedel

There’s a few ways we can save money if the cap is tight.. alternate between carrying 7 D OR 13 forwards but not both and trading DeSmith and keeping Jarry.

I hate Rust with Sid but you know the new speedy guy is going to get a look there...