Salary Cap: Salary Cap & Roster Building | Yeah, I got nuthin' ....

[Riptide]

I definitely agree. I don't really care about Kostin. I just find the move redundant because of our wing depth.

Like I said I'll have a blast watching Reaves this season.

Same. I don't think he's going to create more space for Crosby or lessen the abuse they take on a regular basis... but my emotional desire for someone to "pay the price" for their cheap **** should now get answered with Reaves on the team. And he'll be entertaining as hell to watch. But effective as a deterrent? Meh... I doubt it.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I stay away from Zaripov.

How do people expect him to skip all of camp, not even come as a PTO and then expect to be on the 2nd line without seeing how he looks in camp. I say we just drop that fantasy altogether and focus on who could be a good LW'er for Geno from what the team currently has right now.

I think Blueger and McKegg are fighting for the 4C job, which makes me wonder what is going on with Rowney then.

You obviously don't do that if Zaripov shows he can't handle the role. If he comes here and sucks, you waive him or terminate his contract and he's gone, which he said he'd be willing to do. Not the end of the world.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Are you suggesting he's the Russian Guentzel?

Imagine if you will: Jake Guentzel with 13 years more experience.

Isn't the KHL on the same level as the AHL pretty much, in terms of quality of competition and talent?

Anyway, even if this Zaripov guy turns out to be better than your run of the mill Pesonen or Plotnikov, where does he fit? Who does he bump out of the roster? Genuinely curious, because I don't see a spot for the guy even if he signs and turns out to not be some nobody.

It's such a different style of game that it's hard to compare. The top end players are much more skilled in general, but that doesn't mean Zaripov is one of those whose games would translate well. I've heard that his skating's a plus, which could help here.

The only place he'd fit is next to Geno, which would push one of our young utility guys off the roster (if we're healthy). But given how much Sully likes being able to move players up-and-down the roster and how unlikely it is that he'll simply hand a top 6 spot to a KHLer, it's hard to see how it could happen.

It is fun to think about adding a talented Russian winger for Geno to play off of though. Malkin and Kessel produce but don't seem to have a lot of natural chemistry.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

You obviously don't do that if Zaripov shows he can't handle the role. If he comes here and sucks, you waive him or terminate his contract and he's gone, which he said he'd be willing to do. Not the end of the world.

This is a well oiled machine of a team right now with Sullivan, a team that has won back to back cups, has the best team culture it's ever had in its existence, there are no players that are handed spots on this team.

It's why I think Zaripov being an option is non-existent. There is virtually no way the team shirks that kind of mentality for a 36yr old that is seeking gainful NHL employment because he's been banned for doping in the KHL for the next 2yrs. No way he's gifted a spot beside Malkin on the 2nd line, not without taking a look. There are too many waiver issues with players to take that risk, yeah the team has depth, but if it doesn't workout, you just gave up a guy that worked well for an experiment.

That just looks stupid, like something a GM like Sakic or Benning would do.

 

[SCPens]

If he wants that much money, he's not coming here. Seeing how both Friedman and Mackey are at least implying Zaripov wants to come here, it doesn't make sense for him to be asking for that much.



Here is my guess for what's going to happen next. I could definitely post the stats and charts to support my opinion. It's ridiculously easy. I know for a fact you're going to dismiss those because I'm just "a stat watching idiot who has never played hockey" or something along those lines, and Armstrong was right because he's a GM and I'm just some unqualified fan. Does that sound about right? Because I could easily post that he had 4 points in 64 games lats year, or he didn't even play 7:00 a nigh because his team thought he was so bad, or how he's consistently an atrocious possession player, or I can post literally what any Jets fan would say about him.

Once again it comes down to a need and a fit. I love Jags as much as the next person around here but he obviously wasn't a need when Armstrong was looking to make a roster addition. Two completely different players who do completely different things on the ice. Losing Reaves who had been employed by the Blues for the past 7 seasons created a need, and Thorburn was who they decided to sign to fill it with. Perhaps if they had lost a Steen or a Tarasenko in the offseason Jags might've received a call from the Blues' brass. But I can't say for sure because I'm not part of their management group....

 

[HandshakeLine]

KHL doesn't seem to necessarily map well to other leagues, AHL or otherwise. Steve Moses was a monster in the K the one year, but is nothing to write home about as the A goes. On the flipside, Evander Kane couldn't hack it in the K, but is a pretty good NHL player. Tough to say how a guy's going to do before he makes the change.

Well, the K's style of play is way different than the North American leagues and has VAST talent disparities. The Moscow teams are going to be a better incubator of talent than the Beijing or Khanty-Mansiysk teams. So it's really hard to judge.

 

[Empoleon8771]

This is a well oiled machine of a team right now with Sullivan, a team that has won back to back cups, has the best team culture it's ever had in its existence, there are no players that are handed spots on this team.

It's why I think Zaripov being an option is non-existent. There is virtually no way the team shirks that kind of mentality for a 36yr old that is seeking gainful NHL employment because he's been banned for doping in the KHL for the next 2yrs.

He wasn't banned for doping, he was banned for using an illegal substance to control allergies or something like that. That's a really **** poor reason to say no to Zaripov, that sounds like your standard yinzer BS, where Ryan Braun is the devil for using steroids but Starling Marte is A-okay.

No way he's gifted a spot beside Malkin on the 2nd line, not without taking a look. There are too many waiver issues with players to take that risk, yeah the team has depth, but if it doesn't workout, you just gave up a guy that worked well for an experiment.

That just looks stupid, like something a GM like Sakic or Benning would do.

I literally flat out said if he doesn't work there, the Penguins should get rid of him. There are literally no waiver issues with players to take that risk. It's also not a guarantee the Penguins would be giving up anyone to test to see if Zaripov works here.

It only looks stupid if you make up reasons for it to look stupid. It's a virtually no risk, high reward move.

 

[HandshakeLine]

This is a well oiled machine of a team right now with Sullivan, a team that has won back to back cups, has the best team culture it's ever had in its existence, there are no players that are handed spots on this team.

It's why I think Zaripov being an option is non-existent. There is virtually no way the team shirks that kind of mentality for a 36yr old that is seeking gainful NHL employment because he's been banned for doping in the KHL for the next 2yrs. No way he's gifted a spot beside Malkin on the 2nd line, not without taking a look. There are too many waiver issues with players to take that risk, yeah the team has depth, but if it doesn't workout, you just gave up a guy that worked well for an experiment.

That just looks stupid, like something a GM like Sakic or Benning would do.

While I agree with this, I think it's also crazy that the KHL gives a **** about doping at all, given how insanely thorough the Russian doping program is at all levels of their sports industry. Like why did they decide to give a **** for Zaripov when literally every Russian Olympian that could be was on tons of PEDs.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that Zaripov would be a more productive NHLer than Sprong this season, and people seem open to the idea of him making the team.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I just don't want to make a spot for the Russian version of a 36 year old Kunitz.

We're fine at wing. Find a center between now and the trade deadline and be done with it. We even have guys waiting for their chance to prove themselves in ZAR and Sprong.

If Zaripov was a center, I'd be much more intrigued, but as a winger I have just about zero interest.

 

[HandshakeLine]

He wasn't banned for doping, he was banned for using an illegal substance to control allergies or something like that. That's a really **** poor reason to say no to Zaripov, that sounds like your standard yinzer BS, where Ryan Braun is the devil for using steroids but Starling Marte is A-okay.



I literally flat out said if he doesn't work there, the Penguins should get rid of him. There are literally no waiver issues with players to take that risk. It's also not a guarantee the Penguins would be giving up anyone to test to see if Zaripov works here.

I've seen reports in the Czech press that it was explicitly doping. But I'm not sure if that was Blesk's usual anti-Russian sentiment or true.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

So if the Pens get Sheahan for Pouliot or whatever, then sign Zaripov, we'd not lose Archibald or Kuhnhackl or both on waivers?

 

[Empoleon8771]

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that Zaripov would be a more productive NHLer than Sprong this season, and people seem open to the idea of him making the team.

I wouldn't bet on that, but I think it's entirely possible he would be more productive.

Here's the way I look at it. There's virtually no risk here. What's the risk here? To bring him in, you have to waive Archibald (if you don't trade a winger in the Sheahan deal). Whoopty do. If he works out, you get a free rental top-6 winger that makes marginally above league minimum (because he's not coming here if he actually wants money). If he fails, you waive him or trade him to a bad team who needs depth or you terminate his contract, which he said he'd be willing to do. There flat out isn't a downside here. The Penguins may not need him, but why not bring him in? It's like saying no to a free lottery ticket because you're already rich.

I just don't want to make a spot for the Russian version of a 36 year old Kunitz.

We're fine at wing. Find a center between now and the trade deadline and be done with it. We even have guys waiting for their chance to prove themselves in ZAR and Sprong.

If Zaripov was a center, I'd be much more intrigued, but as a winger I have just about zero interest.

Zaripov really isn't at all comparable to Kunitz in terms of play style, and he's not going to have the tenure here to get way too much rope to stick in the top-6.

I've seen reports in the Czech press that it was explicitly doping. But I'm not sure if that was Blesk's usual anti-Russian sentiment or true.

I thought it was that originally, but someone corrected me and said he was taking steroids for allergies.

So if the Pens get Sheahan for Pouliot or whatever, then sign Zaripov, we'd not lose Archibald or Kuhnhackl or both on waivers?

Not technically, I think you're severely overestimating how much people want the Penguins borderline NHL caliber wingers.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I wouldn't bet on that, but I think it's entirely possible he would be more productive.

Here's the way I look at it. There's virtually no risk here. What's the risk here? To bring him in, you have to waive Archibald (if you don't trade a winger in the Sheahan deal). Whoopty do. If he works out, you get a free rental top-6 winger that makes marginally above league minimum (because he's not coming here if he actually wants money). If he fails, you waive him or trade him to a bad team who needs depth or you terminate his contract, which he said he'd be willing to do. There flat out isn't a downside here. The Penguins may not need him, but why not bring him in? It's like saying no to a free lottery ticket because you're already rich.

Yeah, there doesn't seem to be much downside.

But knowing Sully, it seems like a pretty long shot that he'd hand a KHLer a top 6 spot. Hope against hope haha.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Wait... what is this about wanting 2-2.5M? If that's true, I hope they just get Geno a pet rock or a fidget spinner or something.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah, there doesn't seem to be much downside.

But knowing Sully, it seems like a pretty long shot that he'd hand a KHLer a top 6 spot. Hope against hope haha.

I don't think he'd be handed a top-6 spot, probably more so "we'll play you with Malkin so you get comfortable here, but if you suck, you lose your spot". Seeing how Zaripov is 36, I don't think he'd be naive enough to think he'd have a spot with Malkin on lock down regardless of how well he played.

Wait... what is this about wanting 2-2.5M? If that's true, I hope they just get Geno a pet rock or a fidget spinner or something.

I don't know, I haven't heard that until someone mentioned that here. For that price, Zaripov can go play in traffic

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Based on all the video and firsthand accounts of Sprong this summer and pre-season, he's NHL-ready now and has the skill, shot and speed to excel. I would be really surprised if some random 36 year old Russian guy outproduced him with equal opportunity over an 82-game season. I really think Sprong is gonna be our Pastrnak.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

If I'm honest, that makes more sense than league minimum, or close to it. I'm obviously looking at this entire situation with a very, very critical eye but the guy has consistently been a very productive wing in the KHL over the bulk of his career there. There is no denying that. Typically, even under these conditions, guys want paid something close to what they are worth.

I dunno, again... at rock bottom dollar, I don't really care. Go get Geno's borscht buddy. Otherwise... eh.

 

[billybudd]

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that Zaripov would be a more productive NHLer than Sprong this season, and people seem open to the idea of him making the team.

"Productive's" probably shaky. "Better" might be a good bet.

Sprong looks like he'll produce immediately, but it's not clear what that will cost the other way until he cleans up his systems play. I don't know a lot about Zaripov, but I have to believe a 17 or 18 year pro will be less raw than Sprong can be at times.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

KHL doesn't seem to necessarily map well to other leagues, AHL or otherwise. Steve Moses was a monster in the K the one year, but is nothing to write home about as the A goes. On the flipside, Evander Kane couldn't hack it in the K, but is a pretty good NHL player. Tough to say how a guy's going to do before he makes the change.

He was pretty good on Big Brother, though.

 

[888 98 twins]

They should just throw Sprong on Geno and Phil's LW to start the season. He'd have no choice but to learn how to defend.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Based on all the video and firsthand accounts of Sprong this summer and pre-season, he's NHL-ready now and has the skill, shot and speed to excel. I would be really surprised if some random 36 year old Russian guy outproduced him with equal opportunity over an 82-game season. I really think Sprong is gonna be our Pastrnak.

To be fair, he's not really a random Russian guy. He's been one of the most productive wingers in what many consider the 2nd best league in the world for years, and led that league's playoffs in goal scoring last year.

It's no guarantee of anything and I'm clearly not basing this on first-hand viewings, but he's got a solid track record.

"Productive's" probably shaky. "Better" might be a good bet.

Sprong looks like he'll produce immediately, but it's not clear what that will cost the other way until he cleans up his systems play. I don't know a lot about Zaripov, but I have to believe a 17 or 18 year pro will be less raw than Sprong can be at times.

That's fair. But I'd still probably go with the guy who produced at an elite level in the KHL last year over Sprong for next season, if not for any season afterward.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Marginalizing Kuhnhackl and Archibald as our borderline NHL'ers is a low blow shot. There's quite a few teams that would jump at Kuhn for their PK, he's cheap and blocks a ton of shots, Archie is quick and a forechecking demon, those are the kinds of guys cap strapped teams wait for around the end of the camp to pluck off for nothing.

 

[Riptide]

I just don't want to make a spot for the Russian version of a 36 year old Kunitz.

I'm not all that interested in the guy... but he's far from Kunitz.

If I'm honest, that makes more sense than league minimum, or close to it. I'm obviously looking at this entire situation with a very, very critical eye but the guy has consistently been a very productive wing in the KHL over the bulk of his career there. There is no denying that. Typically, even under these conditions, guys want paid something close to what they are worth.

I dunno, again... at rock bottom dollar, I don't really care. Go get Geno's borscht buddy. Otherwise... eh.

Worth what and more importantly where. He can't just say well this is what I'd earn in the KHL... he can't play there this year. Maybe there's an NHL team that will pay him 2m... if so, best of luck. But there's no way Pittsburgh is going to do that for a 36 yr old who's English is meh and has never played in the NHL before - especially since he's a winger.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If we get Sheahan for 3C at 2 mil per, would Zaripov at 2 mil per not be doable?

Also, not sure if this has been mentioned but if Zaripov were able to play the skilled winger role on Geno's LW, Horny on his RW might actually work.