GDT: Salary Cap Thread - Free Agency Frenzy Edition!

[Dipsy Doodle]

Stability/safe is exactly what I think they need (while still meeting our identity) to match up and enable the Letangs/Schultz to do what they do.

Welcome to Pittsburgh, Jack!

*Please let the power of hope and JR's magic putter overrule every objective criteria that says this is not a very good idea*

 

[AjaxTelamon]

I've been extremely patient with Maatta as he battled everything under the sun during his development and he's still freaking young. He has been so brutal in the postseason. I'm getting a tad bit impatient. That's for sure. I really want him to step up and be the player we know he can be.

If Johnson comes in and proves to be a good fit, then I can see them moving Maatta next offseason. It's tough to have this much cap wrapped up in LD specifically, usually you're going to get hit with an overly expensive RHD in your lineup just due to lack of supply of those guys. If Riikola can play on your bottom pair, or another cheaper option comes along, then I can see them parting with Maatta. If Johnson is a bomb, then they'll have less desirable options.

They really need Oleksiak to continue to take steps forward, and as a right side D, to give us some flexibility moving forward.

 

[JackFr]

The difference between Cole and Johnson for me is that Cole at least gave the illusion of stability. We didn't have to shelter him. I feel like if you play Johnson in those same scenarios he'll be absolutely eaten alive.

 

[Tom Hanks]

that was true for Daley too, but losing him was still a big loss.

Someone to skate out of trouble or to create something in the O zone through skating was what we missed with Daley.

Letang’s really the only one otherwise.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

2 of our top 4 D have major flaws though (Letang and Maatta). Olli’s skating and he turned into a turnover machine in the playoffs. Obviously Letang has his issues.

It’s starts to become a gamble especially when Schultz is a little bit overpaid too.

We need more stability in the back end. Safer options.

Players having significant flaws isn’t unique though. You can go through the roster and highlight problems with most of them. It’s how effective players still are and how they fit.

The stability on the backend should be a concern. Dumoulin can be Letang’s keeper but it probably hurts him some. Maatta is better when he’s pushing and shouldn’t be someone’s babysitter because he can’t be allowed to go into his awful defensive shell game. Schultz most likely ideally needs a Dumoulin or Cole but I also wonder if being second fiddle to Letang hurts his offensive game. Oleksiak needs to improve defensively or have a keeper. Johnson will inevitably need a babysitter but his current production doesn’t justify it. Letang is who the f*** knows. They have 2 two way defensemen, an unknown with Letang and the rest aren’t great defensively.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Meh, Honestly my wife is a Disney Fanatic. So we are annual passholders, and go.... ALOT.

The parks get old Reaaalllly Fast.

I miss Cedar Point being a coaster man myself. Even Universal if they werent ridiculously expensive for 1 day tickets.

However drinking at Epcot is my favorite thing to do. Just gotta be ready to drop 60-100 bucks.

Since they overprice everything. So I'll probably pregame beforehand.

Parks may get old but the beach isn't far, fishing..... ooooh yeah the fishing.


Yeah, you're right, Kennywood is probably the worst waste of money and time in these parts. I'd take your situation.

 

[Ogrezilla]

The difference between Cole and Johnson for me is that Cole at least gave the illusion of stability. We didn't have to shelter him. I feel like if you play Johnson in those same scenarios he'll be absolutely eaten alive.

It's a year late, but JJ is replacing Daley much more than Cole imo.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Players having significant flaws isn’t unique though. You can go through the roster and highlight problems with most of them. It’s how effective players still are and how they fit.

The stability on the backend should be a concern. Dumoulin can be Letang’s keeper but it probably hurts him some. Maatta is better when he’s pushing and shouldn’t be someone’s babysitter because he can’t be allowed to go into his awful defensive shell game. Schultz most likely ideally needs a Dumoulin or Cole but I also wonder if being second fiddle to Letang hurts his offensive game. Oleksiak needs to improve defensively or have a keeper. Johnson will inevitably need a babysitter but his current production doesn’t justify it. Letang is who the **** knows. They have 2 two way defensemen, an unknown with Letang and the rest aren’t great defensively.

I feel ours are bigger though but that could just be because of how much I watch them. One can be dealt with but not 2. Last summer I would have included Dumo but I feel he took a step forward with his offense. He looked way more confident and ditched the muffin shot.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

that was true for Daley too, but losing him was still a big loss. Replacing Daley is pretty clearly the intent of bringing in JJ.

I feel insulted on behalf of Daley. I think part of Johnson is the grittiness. They tried drafting gritty defensemen, they added Oleksiak’s grit, WBS tried to be big and gritty and they lost Cole. It’s more than Daley’s puck moving.

 

[Andy99]

Parks may get old but the beach isn't far, fishing..... ooooh yeah the fishing.


Yeah, you're right, Kennywood is probably the worst waste of money and time in these parts. I'd take your situation.

Please...I have fond memories of Kennywood....

 

[WayneSid9987]

JJ is, at minimum, getting the good(pre concussion) Hunwick back who's way more physical who can eat alot more minutes than Hunwick did.
I'm really not all that worried about him.
In Columbus, he was tasked with going against top lines everynight. In PIT he'll go against 3rd and 4th lines a heck of a lot more with Dumo/Tang/Maatta/Schultz/Rig/JJ spreading out the task of stopping top lines.
Theres also Riikola who could be a Nuutivara or Kempny.
Just have to let things play out. The D+G tandem last season was the only team close to stopping/limiting WSH's offense and that had Ruh in for Hunwick. They just couldn't score on the other end + Letang sucked and knew he sucked.

 

[Peat]

Hendricks looks to have a 1 year deal in Minnesota - Friedman

Listed as 700k on CF.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I feel insulted on behalf of Daley. I think part of Johnson is the grittiness. They tried drafting gritty defensemen, they added Oleksiak’s grit, WBS tried to be big and gritty and they lost Cole. It’s more than Daley’s puck moving.

It's kind of like both JJ and Oleksiak are somewhere in the middle of what Cole and Daley each brought. I'm not really speaking to quality, just the kinds of things they bring to the team.

Not sure how I insulted Daley though.

 

[Ugene Magic]

It's a year late, but JJ is replacing Daley much more than Cole imo.

Except JJ doesn't replace Daley's attributes. It's really not close since skating is pretty much the main requirement.

 

[USMC607]

i'll be moving there in january, so i'm quite excited to get annual passes, being a disney fanatic myself.

i have a friend down there, he also says drinking at epcot is great. so i'm ready for some around the world drinking!

Nice well early welcome to the area. I've been here a yr in September.

You know yet what part of Orlando you're moving or looking to move to?

And yes drinking at epcot and disney springs is pretty fun.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Please...I have fond memories of Kennywood....

Kennywood is great.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Except JJ doesn't replace Daley's attributes. It's really not close since skating is pretty much the main requirement.

He's not as good at skating as Daley, but he's more capable of skating a puck out than most of our D.

That's actually something Dumo was doing these playoffs that I hope he keeps up with.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Please...I have fond memories of Kennywood....

That's just it, those memories never change. The park is small, lines too long for outdated overplayed memories.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The difference between Cole and Johnson for me is that Cole at least gave the illusion of stability. We didn't have to shelter him. I feel like if you play Johnson in those same scenarios he'll be absolutely eaten alive.

What? Johnson has been massacred with huge defensive assignments for years. Cole was sheltered more than he wasn't with the Penguins.

I don't know where this idea comes from that Johnson needs to be "sheltered". No, he's just more suited in an offensive role, but he can play in a heavy defensive role. He won't do as well because he's not as suited for it, but he can do that. Put current Cole in Johnson's spot in 2015-2016 and I guarantee he would have been murdered.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Listed as 700k on CF.

That’s a good deal

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

So St.Louis and LA were reportedly our biggest competition for Skinner, and now LA's signed Kovy and St.Louis has signed Perron and is reportedly pursuing ROR.

Hope that bodes well.

 

[USMC607]

I cant believe Philly is signing JVR to 7 mil. I know they got money but. That seems like a waste of it. They got Simmonds as the PF guy. Plus there really isnt a good spot for him on PP1, since it's where Simmonds played and Patrick took that from him.

 

[Andy99]

Fun fact #2: when we sign JJ, here is the list of teams, other than the Pens, who will have 5 or more D men making $3.25 mil or more....

Coyotes...

 

[Ugene Magic]

Kennywood is great.

I was just there and it was a suckfest. Especially since the construction and demo of the logjammer.

 

[JackFr]

It's a year late, but JJ is replacing Daley much more than Cole imo.

Daley brought actual offense to the table though. We could mitigate his defensive deficiencies because he'd get us points and provide offence. I see Johnson as all of Daley's negatives with none of the positives.