Salary Cap: '24-'25 Salary Thread: Crosbicles Volume MMXXV - Poolman and Poolparty?!?

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

About what? The depth being horrible and the 2nd line looking like shit? No. Same ol', same ol'.

~9M dollars evidently doesn't get you what it used to.

Or the GM is a loser. Either way.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

~9M dollars evidently doesn't get you what it used to.

Or the GM is a loser. Either way.

All of the above with a heaping helping of "the coach runs his lineup like he has a 1st line, a 3rd line, and two 5th lines."

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Didn't the coach say he wanted him to get playing time and "be fair to the player?"

And they exposed him to waivers and can still send him down at some point in the near future.

 

[ChaosAgent]

All of the above with a heaping helping of "the coach runs his lineup like he has a 1st line, a 3rd line, and two 5th lines."

I mean, isn't this true?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I mean, isn't this true?

I wasn't being sarcastic.

 

[chethejet]

If Tomasino is out for any period, Jesse as RH shot looks to get some PT. Man Sullivan is a curse at this point. But I am sure the Rangers will trade some assets for him.

 

[Duffy13]

If there is only one team in the league that needs a fresh set of eyes behind the bench it's this team. The allotting of playing time is mind numbing.

I'm just glad we have defensive specialists on the 4th line that deserve to be playing 15 minutes a night.... Shows our incredible depth /s..... Oh and a PP specialist that plays <8 mins but gets 4mins on the man advantage..... So fortunate to have this insane depth and specialists available. I'm sure Cup contending teams would pay 1st rounders for such high level players.

 

[Duffy13]

In all seriousness though, I think this team is going to need to look at getting at minimum a #2 center for next year, and let Malkin slowly transition to Sid's wing, or have that new C/W work with him to reduce his usage. Unless they somehow end up with McKenna, or one of the other high end centers over the next couple of drafts... They seriously need to look at the situation staring them in the face. Sid and Malkin are starting to age out. Even though Sid is still producing at a ppg level, age is undefeated, and it would be a pretty big mistake to not look for some help to reduce their workloads over the next 2 seasons.

Malkin is perhaps my favourite Penguin and I just can't see him being able to carry a line of plugs much longer this season let alone doing it for 2 more.

 

[BusinessGoose]

The pens need 4 top six caliber players

Bottom six need two upgrades

They need 3 dmen

And a goalie

So, with some creative trading, we have a chance!

 

[Ulf5]

If Tomasino is out for any period, Jesse as RH shot looks to get some PT. Man Sullivan is a curse at this point. But I am sure the Rangers will trade some assets for him.

Logic would seem to dictate right shot, RW out right shot, RW in. But Sully. So in conclusion, AB will probably draw back in.

 

[Andy99]

In all seriousness though, I think this team is going to need to look at getting at minimum a #2 center for next year, and let Malkin slowly transition to Sid's wing, or have that new C/W work with him to reduce his usage. Unless they somehow end up with McKenna, or one of the other high end centers over the next couple of drafts... They seriously need to look at the situation staring them in the face. Sid and Malkin are starting to age out. Even though Sid is still producing at a ppg level, age is undefeated, and it would be a pretty big mistake to not look for some help to reduce their workloads over the next 2 seasons.

Malkin is perhaps my favourite Penguin and I just can't see him being able to carry a line of plugs much longer this season let alone doing it for 2 more.

Try Broz…seriously, the kid has developed well…throw him in there after the deadline and let’s get a look at him playing with Geno at wing and Koivunen lol

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah I've pretty much become convinced that Malkin needs to move to wing at this point to maximize his effectiveness. He can't carry a line anymore and doesn't have the all around game you want out of a center, but I think he'd be a terrific 1st line complementary winger. If you'd run with:

Malkin-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-XXXXX-Rakell

I think you could have a good top-6 if you get a good 2C. But how exactly are the Penguins going to do that? They don't have the assets to trade for that or the prospects in the system that seem to be on pace to develop into that.

If this team is serious about contending for next year, they'd have to find a way to get a lineup of something like this:

Malkin-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-Miller-Rakell
McGroarty-Gourde-Tomasino
Lizotte-Ponomarev-O'Connor

Pettersson-Karlsson
Pickering-Letang
Hague-Fabbro

Thompson-Blomqvist

But I fundamentally see no way how you could feasibly accomplish this. This requires the Penguins to get out of all of Jarry, Hayes, Acciari and Graves contracts, somehow acquire Hague (which is doable) and Miller (which is impossible IMO) and sign all of Thompson, Fabbro, Gourde, Pettersson and O'Connor as UFAs.

 

[Andy99]

Yeah I've pretty much become convinced that Malkin needs to move to wing at this point to maximize his effectiveness. He can't carry a line anymore and doesn't have the all around game you want out of a center, but I think he'd be a terrific 1st line complementary winger. If you'd run with:

Malkin-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-XXXXX-Rakell

I think you could have a good top-6 if you get a good 2C. But how exactly are the Penguins going to do that? They don't have the assets to trade for that or the prospects in the system that seem to be on pace to develop into that.

If this team is serious about contending for next year, they'd have to find a way to get a lineup of something like this:

Malkin-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-Miller-Rakell
McGroarty-Gourde-Tomasino
Lizotte-Ponomarev-O'Connor

Pettersson-Karlsson
Pickering-Letang
Hague-Fabbro

Thompson-Blomqvist

But I fundamentally see no way how you could feasibly accomplish this.

Spoiler alert: the team is not serious about contending…let’s at least fire Sullivan and bring up some guys in Wilkes and play them…

 

[Empoleon8771]

Spoiler alert: the team is not serious about contending…let’s at least fire Sullivan and bring up some guts in Wilkes and play them…

I know they're not serious about contending, I'm just saying that the moves required to make this team a contender at this point are borderline impossible.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Yeah I've pretty much become convinced that Malkin needs to move to wing at this point to maximize his effectiveness. He can't carry a line anymore and doesn't have the all around game you want out of a center, but I think he'd be a terrific 1st line complementary winger. If you'd run with:

Malkin-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-XXXXX-Rakell

I think you could have a good top-6 if you get a good 2C. But how exactly are the Penguins going to do that? They don't have the assets to trade for that or the prospects in the system that seem to be on pace to develop into that.

If this team is serious about contending for next year, they'd have to find a way to get a lineup of something like this:

Malkin-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-Miller-Rakell
McGroarty-Gourde-Tomasino
Lizotte-Ponomarev-O'Connor

Pettersson-Karlsson
Pickering-Letang
Hague-Fabbro

Thompson-Blomqvist

But I fundamentally see no way how you could feasibly accomplish this. This requires the Penguins to get out of all of Jarry, Hayes, Acciari and Graves contracts, somehow acquire Hague (which is doable) and Miller (which is impossible IMO) and sign all of Thompson, Fabbro, Gourde, Pettersson and O'Connor as UFAs.

Pinto or Norris for that 2C?

... or Granlund???

... Stamkos?

Cozens?

Ok, I'm just throwing names out there.

edit to add EP40

 

[Ulf5]

Pinto or Norris for that 2C?

... or Granlund???

... Stamkos?

Cozens?

Ok, I'm just throwing names out there.

edit to add EP40

For Sully's team? Lowry.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Pinto or Norris for that 2C?

... or Granlund???

... Stamkos?

Cozens?

Ok, I'm just throwing names out there.

edit to add EP40

I'd be all for going after Cozens if Buffalo decides to move on from him. They gave him a pretty huge deal and he has gotten worse and worse since he signed that deal, plus Buffalo seems to want a shakeup. I think gambling on Cozens is a less risky version of the PLD move that the Caps made and is paying off pretty well for them.

He signed that deal in a season where he had 68 points in 81 games and has 47 points in 79 games and 20 points in 39 games since then. I'm just skeptical the Sabres would trade him for anything the Penguins have, what could they even really offer beyond prospects?

 

[Ryder71]

Spoiler alert: the team is not serious about contending…let’s at least fire Sullivan and bring up some guys in Wilkes and play them…

When the Dinosaurs leave Sullivan will also. Blame the core for this, please!

 

[Randy Butternubs]

what could they even really offer beyond prospects?

Not like we have high level prospects. But hey, ya never know with Buffalo.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

If Tomasino is out for any period, Jesse as RH shot looks to get some PT. Man Sullivan is a curse at this point. But I am sure the Rangers will trade some assets for him.

I wish it were allowed by the NHL, but NHL teams are no longer allowed to trade for head coaches and/or GMs. I doubt they reopen this in the next CBA.

In all seriousness though, I think this team is going to need to look at getting at minimum a #2 center for next year, and let Malkin slowly transition to Sid's wing, or have that new C/W work with him to reduce his usage. Unless they somehow end up with McKenna, or one of the other high end centers over the next couple of drafts... They seriously need to look at the situation staring them in the face. Sid and Malkin are starting to age out. Even though Sid is still producing at a ppg level, age is undefeated, and it would be a pretty big mistake to not look for some help to reduce their workloads over the next 2 seasons.

Malkin is perhaps my favourite Penguin and I just can't see him being able to carry a line of plugs much longer this season let alone doing it for 2 more.

I believe Gavin McKenna will be a left-winger in the NHL. I know he is just 16 and there is time but I do believe he is a natural winger. Nothing wrong with that, and I would hate to see an NHL head coach try to force-feed him defensive responsibilities to try to "maximize his potential".

This was always on the agenda (replacing 87 and 71, long term). Trading Yager hurts to that end, but perhaps Broz offers some hope.

That said, until something changes, Evgeni Malkin is still the second-best center option on this team and it is nowhere hear close. Is that more of an indictment on the rest of the bunch? Absolutely.

The pens need 4 top six caliber players

Bottom six need two upgrades

They need 3 dmen

And a goalie

So, with some creative trading, we have a chance!

I don't think we need four top-six forwards. We need a RW for Malkin and we need to establish a third line. It probably comes out to four forwards, but it is semantics. I would say we need to establish four top-nine forwards. But we really should see what we have in Ville Koivunen, Tristan Broz and Rutger McGroarty. Will they establish themselves as our second line, eventually? Highly unlikely under Mike Sullivan. But it would be ideal if they did.

We need two long-term replacements for Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson, but I don't think we need three D-men. Replacing Pettersson is going to be difficult, but if Pickering can handle most of that load, we could be in decent shape. If Brunicke almost made the team this year, perhaps he makes the team next year? I know regression often happens with a player's second training camp, but maybe he is going to be OK? I suspect Sullivan will force Dubas to re-sign Grz and possibly even Shea, whether we like it or not. And Joseph is the wild card. Will they be able to re-sign him more easily this time around? I hope so, but you never know.

We definitely do not need a goaltender. We have a surplus. We need to find a taker for Ned at the very least, or ideally Jarry. Blomqvist should be ready to at least back up by the trade deadline, and Murashov has great potential.

Ultimately, Sullivan remains the biggest issue with this team.

 

[Pancakes]

You guys are talking about moving Malkin to wing as though this team has aspirations to contend over the next few seasons.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

You guys are talking about moving Malkin to wing as though this team has aspirations to contend over the next few seasons.

But Dubas told Sid he would give this team a chance to compete, and they tell the fanbase in pressers that they're still trying super duper hard to be relevant while Sid's still around. You tellin' me they've been lyin'? A bit of japes and jests?

 

[Pancakes]

But Dubas told Sid he would give this team a chance to compete, and they tell the fanbase in pressers that they're still trying super duper hard to be relevant while Sid's still around. You tellin' me they've been lyin'? A bit of japes and jests?

I think Dubas is hoping that his rebuild happens fast enough to matter to Sid but it's still a rebuild. They're not coming out and saying the quiet part out loud but this team isn't trying to add to the roster unless it's dirt cheap to do so/a young player (eg Tomasino) and they aren't going to be handing out any more big free agent contracts any time soon unless something crazy falls into their lap.

So it's going to be a similar roster next year but even older. Maybe a couple of young guys get plugged in like McGroarty or whomever. But it will be a damned miracle if the team makes the playoffs this year let alone next year.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think Dubas is hoping that his rebuild happens fast enough to matter to Sid but it's still a rebuild. They're not coming out and saying the quiet part out loud but this team isn't trying to add to the roster unless it's dirt cheap to do so/a young player (eg Tomasino) and they aren't going to be handing out any more big free agent contracts any time soon unless something crazy falls into their lap.

So it's going to be a similar roster next year but even older. Maybe a couple of young guys get plugged in like McGroarty or whomever. But it will be a damned miracle if the team makes the playoffs this year let alone next year.

It's not even a rebuild though. That's the thing that sucks. They *should* go into next season without Petts, EK, Rust, and Bunting on the roster, but I'd be shocked if they were smart enough to do that.

-edit- And of course, Sullivan. If they were serious about trying to shift gears to focus on the next chapter more, they wouldn't have this f***ing loser in charge of molding the game/development of the next crop of premium prospects they'll be getting sooner than later.

 

[eXile3]

It's not even a rebuild though. That's the thing that sucks. They *should* go into next season without Petts, EK, Rust, and Bunting on the roster, but I'd be shocked if they were smart enough to do that.

You really want to see Sid spend the remaining of his career surrounded by that?