Salary Cap: Salary Cap & Roster Building Thread

[Empoleon8771]

I'm surprised I haven't seen this mentioned yet:

 

[Spoonman32]

Buy low on Nichushkin?

 

[TimmyD]

FWIW TIOPS is making it seem like Ferland is close to being a Penguin. I don’t subscribe so I can’t see more than the little previews they put on the site but it seems like they are saying the feeling among the league is that the Penguins are the favorites for him

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Guentzel-Crosby-Ferland
Rust-Malkin-Kessel
Pearson-Staal-Hornqvist
Simon-Cullen-ZAR

That’s a living hell to play against and it gives you a lot of options when a line goes cold.

Ferland is a left handed LW. Put Rust back to his natural spot with Crosby, and Ferland on Malkin’s wing to add the grit and toughness for that line. He had the hands to play with Johnny H, so I’d imagine he could handle being with Kessel and Malkin.

 

[BlackAndGold87]

I can see Ferland being a Pen. At this point it's likely they land him, but where did the Staal talk come from? Just wishing?

 

[Peat]

Buy low on Nichushkin?

Where would he play here?

FWIW TIOPS is making it seem like Ferland is close to being a Penguin. I don’t subscribe so I can’t see more than the little previews they put on the site but it seems like they are saying the feeling among the league is that the Penguins are the favorites for him

A conclusion that anyone who reads the rumour round-ups could have made tbf.

 

[pistolpete11]

I can see Ferland being a Pen. At this point it's likely they land him, but where did the Staal talk come from? Just wishing?

Yes, I would also like to know where the Staal thing came from.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Ferland is a left handed LW. Put Rust back to his natural spot with Crosby, and Ferland on Malkin’s wing to add the grit and toughness for that line. He had the hands to play with Johnny H, so I’d imagine he could handle being with Kessel and Malkin.

Ferland can play either wing (he was a RW with Gaudreau), but I definitely agree with you on where they should put him. He 10000% should be the LWer for Kessel, it's not even a question in my eyes. Ferland is the closest thing to a modern day Kunitz in the NHL right now, which is exactly what that line needs on LW.

 

[TimmyD]

Ferland can play either wing (he was a RW with Gaudreau), but I definitely agree with you on where they should put him. He 10000% should be the LWer for Kessel, it's not even a question in my eyes. Ferland is the closest thing to a modern day Kunitz in the NHL right now, which is exactly what that line needs on LW.

So what would your top 6 look like?

 

[Empoleon8771]

So what would your top 6 look like?

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Ferland-Malkin-Kessel
Pearson-Brassard-Rust
Sheahan-Cullen-Simon

To me, this is the super obvious way the lineup should be set up assuming they don't find a Brassard trade they like.

Edit: to be honest, the only thing I'm scared about with acquiring Ferland is the Penguins getting him and then giving him an obscene contract they couldn't afford in the long run. I would be queasy if they'd give Ferland 5 years at $5 million, and he's almost definitely getting more than that.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

A conclusion that anyone who reads the rumour round-ups could have made tbf.

Pens have been chasing toughness for two years now. It’s pretty well known by anyone with even loose connections to the org.

And with many of the legit insiders saying they are pursuing Ferland, ya, it’s not a hard conclusion to guess.

 

[Turin]

Ferland is a left handed LW. Put Rust back to his natural spot with Crosby, and Ferland on Malkin’s wing to add the grit and toughness for that line. He had the hands to play with Johnny H, so I’d imagine he could handle being with Kessel and Malkin.

He played RW in Calgary and that Rust-Malkin-Kessel line is stayin until they suck.

 

[TimmyD]

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Ferland-Malkin-Kessel
Pearson-Brassard-Rust
Sheahan-Cullen-Simon

To me, this is the super obvious way the lineup should be set up assuming they don't find a Brassard trade they like.

Edit: to be honest, the only thing I'm scared about with acquiring Ferland is the Penguins getting him and then giving him an obscene contract they couldn't afford in the long run. I would be queasy if they'd give Ferland 5 years at $5 million, and he's almost definitely getting more than that.

I would run the same lineup. I would maybe try and trade Sheahan to free up some extra cap as well and slot Blueger in that spot

 

[Turin]

Buy low on Nichushkin?

No. Sometimes people with cool names are duds too.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Buy low on Nichushkin?

Nah, doubt it works
We said the same about Yakupov
I'd rather keep the assets for other pieces rather than a long shot

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Ferland can play either wing (he was a RW with Gaudreau), but I definitely agree with you on where they should put him. He 10000% should be the LWer for Kessel, it's not even a question in my eyes. Ferland is the closest thing to a modern day Kunitz in the NHL right now, which is exactly what that line needs on LW.

I don’t think Kunitz is a good comparison, aside from the physical aspect.

Ferland is way more intimidating and does some crazy things with the puck at times that allows him to beat guys 1-1 in small spaces, that Kunitz never could. Kunitz could also fly at 26, and while I said Ferland wasn’t slow, he doesn’t skate like Kunitz did as a young man.

He’s more of a modern day Tocchet type... fire hydrant on skates, surprising hands for his style, tough as hell, pretty wicked shot...

Biggest difference though, is Tocchet was a gifted goal scorer obviously, but their style is very similar. So with that caveat in mind, it’s his style that reminds me a lot of Tocchet, not his potential.

 

[TimmyD]

Jarry+Sheahan+2nd for Ferland. Brassard+ for Faksa

Jake Sid Hornqvist
Ferland Malkin Kessel
Pearson Faksa Rust
Cullen Blueger Simon or
ZAR Cullen Simon as your 4th line

 

[Empoleon8771]

I would run the same lineup. I would maybe try and trade Sheahan to free up some extra cap as well and slot Blueger in that spot

Blueger is only a center, JR has been very emphatic about that. They're not going to trade Sheahan to put Blueger in there, they'll probably just keep Blueger as the 13th forward.

I don’t think Kunitz is a good comparison, aside from the physical aspect.

Ferland is way more intimidating and does some crazy things with the puck at times that allows him to beat guys 1-1 in small spaces, that Kunitz never could. Kunitz could also fly at 26, and while I said Ferland wasn’t slow, he doesn’t skate like Kunitz did as a young man.

He’s more of a modern day Tocchet type... fire hydrant on skates, surprising hands for his style, tough as hell, pretty wicked shot...

Biggest difference though, is Tocchet was a gifted goal scorer obviously, but their style is very similar. So with that caveat in mind, it’s his style that reminds me a lot of Tocchet, not his potential.

Thanks for the insight, I think the problem was that I thought Ferland was way faster than he apparently is. I thought he did have near the speed of prime Kunitz, that's where I was mistaken. I thought he was way tougher than Kunitz was, but not enough for me to not use that comparison.

There's only a few guys like that in the league at any time, so it's hard to bring up good comparisons for them. How many top-6 tough power forwards are even in the NHL today? Lucic used to be one, but he fell off a cliff.

 

[orby]

I really don't think the Pens would benefit much in the long run from taking on several years of past-his-prime Jordan Staal's 6 million AAV contract. Might make them better this year but they need to get younger bottom 6 centers in the future.

Ferland wouldn't be a bad addition but like others I fear the prospect of the Pens overpaying on an extension.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

He played RW in Calgary and that Rust-Malkin-Kessel line is stayin until they suck.

He played RW on that top line because Johnny H is a LW. He’s a LW, and that’s where he’s playing now with the Canes.

He can play both sides, but Sullivan doesn’t like playing his wingers on their offside if he can help it.

Thanks for the insight, I think the problem was that I thought Ferland was way faster than he apparently is. I thought he did have near the speed of prime Kunitz, that's where I was mistaken. I thought he was way tougher than Kunitz was, but not enough for me to not use that comparison.

There's only a few guys like that in the league at any time, so it's hard to bring up good comparisons for them. How many top-6 tough power forwards are even in the NHL today? Lucic used to be one, but he fell off a cliff.

Ferland is like Reaves in terms of skating in that some people think Reaves isn’t fast, and some do.

Ferland also skates differently with the puck, especially in short bursts. He’s hard to explain to people. He isn’t slow, he isn’t always pretty, but he can look pretty skating... it’s just again, that Tocchet style of skating where you can’t break it down into words that give the correct vision.

 

[Turin]

He played RW on that top line because Johnny H is a LW. He’s a LW, and that’s where he’s playing now with the Canes.

He can play both sides, but Sullivan doesn’t like playing his wingers on their offside if he can help it.

Just used Simon with Crosby and Guentzel and Rust with Malkin and Kessel. Kessel was a LW some games ago. Rust looked better last game than he has the last few on the top line. Sheary often played RW with Kunitz and Guentzel

 

[Peat]

Just used Simon with Crosby and Guentzel and Rust with Malkin and Kessel. Kessel was a LW some games ago. Rust looked better last game than he has the last few on the top line. Sheary often played RW with Kunitz and Guentzel

Sully does it, but he doesn't like doing it more than he has to, and the more a guy's strengths are about gritty play and the less they're about pure skill, the less he likes it.

 

[NMK11]

Jarry+Sheahan+2nd for Ferland. Brassard+ for Faksa

Jake Sid Hornqvist
Ferland Malkin Kessel
Pearson Faksa Rust
Cullen Blueger Simon or
ZAR Cullen Simon as your 4th line

Can't really have a much better lineup than that, although I'm always hesitant of any line that has Horny with Sid.

I still doubt that we can get Faska. Unless the Stars decide to blow everything up, he's too good, young, and cheap to be moved for anything short of a massive overpayment. And if they are going to blow it up, Brassard is only valuable if they can flip him immediately.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't know what it is, but I've really soured on Simon recently for seemingly no reason. He's been producing well, he has 3 goals and 8 points in his last 11 games, but I'm just really uncomfortable with any lineup that has him above the 3rd line. I want him on the 4th line for when the playoffs open, that would be a best case scenario for me.

 

[Turin]

Sully does it, but he doesn't like doing it more than he has to, and the more a guy's strengths are about gritty play and the less they're about pure skill, the less he likes it.

That’s fine, he was gritty enough in Calgary. Rust is just better with Geno most of the time and Kessel in the bottom six is a dream that should die unless 2016 Hagelin returns.. so until that line doesn’t look good enough to own Tampa I’d try Ferland with Sid and Guentzel to start.