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

[McGroarty2]

I don't know why Marner would do it, but getting him would make me interested again.

Rakell - Crosby - Rust
Bunting - Malkin - Marner

Is a damn fine top 6 even at Crosby and Malkin's ages. Force Sullivan's hand to play young guys like Tom, Groats, Pono, etc. in the bottom 6 with just a few of the usual plugs like DOC and Lizotte. Maybe you get lucky and a few of those guys make a jump.

I would switch Marner and Rust.

 

[Ryder71]

If they traded Rakell they could get a 1st and probably a good prospect plus depth roster player (to help offset the cap).

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Sell every vet other than 87-71-58-65, call up the kids, tank for Hagens, sign Marner

 

[Coastal Kev]

Sell every vet other than 87-71-58-65, call up the kids, tank for Hagens, sign Marner

agreed, but if you get any value for the 4 you listed....SELL SELL SELL

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

agreed, but if you get any value for the 4 you listed....SELL SELL SELL

Yea i just assumed they're unmoveable due to contract or legacy reasons

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Latest from Elliotte Friedman -- Dubas is still ready to sell

11. Pittsburgh’s made it clear it has forwards, defencemen and goalies available. The Penguins are willing to use their cap space to take on contracts, as long as it gets what they really desire: young players, prospects and draft picks (in that order).

32 Thoughts: What happened between Canucks, Rangers

What really happened between the Rangers and Canucks? How will Frank Vatrano's contract deferrals work? Elliotte Friedman covers that and more in a new 32 Thoughts blog.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[Ryder71]

Latest from Elliotte Friedman -- Dubas is still ready to sell

11. Pittsburgh’s made it clear it has forwards, defencemen and goalies available. The Penguins are willing to use their cap space to take on contracts, as long as it gets what they really desire: young players, prospects and draft picks (in that order).

32 Thoughts: What happened between Canucks, Rangers

What really happened between the Rangers and Canucks? How will Frank Vatrano's contract deferrals work? Elliotte Friedman covers that and more in a new 32 Thoughts blog.

www.sportsnet.ca

This isn't a surprise. This has been pretty much their mandate since Jake was moved.

 

[Gurglesons]

Latest from Elliotte Friedman -- Dubas is still ready to sell

11. Pittsburgh’s made it clear it has forwards, defencemen and goalies available. The Penguins are willing to use their cap space to take on contracts, as long as it gets what they really desire: young players, prospects and draft picks (in that order).

32 Thoughts: What happened between Canucks, Rangers

What really happened between the Rangers and Canucks? How will Frank Vatrano's contract deferrals work? Elliotte Friedman covers that and more in a new 32 Thoughts blog.

www.sportsnet.ca

I still wonder if we see Dubas take on assets and flip them for a Sandin or Hronek type return.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Latest from Elliotte Friedman -- Dubas is still ready to sell

11. Pittsburgh’s made it clear it has forwards, defencemen and goalies available. The Penguins are willing to use their cap space to take on contracts, as long as it gets what they really desire: young players, prospects and draft picks (in that order).

32 Thoughts: What happened between Canucks, Rangers

What really happened between the Rangers and Canucks? How will Frank Vatrano's contract deferrals work? Elliotte Friedman covers that and more in a new 32 Thoughts blog.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I still wonder if we see Dubas take on assets and flip them for a Sandin or Hronek type return.

I think that's the idea, based on how he's described the process of not fully tearing things down and still trying to utilize the presence of the core - particularly Sid - to set the time for the next era of Pens hockey.

You acquired assets, even some redundancies. You move out contracts. And then you use assets to acquire younger players who are ready to contribute.

And this extends even to the summer. You move guys like Petts and DOC and Beauvillier and Grzelcyk by the deadline for whatever you can get, you let the retained contracts come off the books so you can retain on Jarry and Graves deals to move them out and get at least half of their cap back, you look at a Karlsson or Rust or Rakell trade, you grab a couple young guys in return, and then you make a splash or two in free agency.

Then after all that, you start bringing in the remaining young guys developing in WBS to fill in.

It's a lot of moving parts. I don't know if it will work. But I think that's the idea and has been for a little while.

Patience, grasshopper. The value for most of these guys will be highest closer to the deadline.

 

[Turin]

Latest from Elliotte Friedman -- Dubas is still ready to sell

11. Pittsburgh’s made it clear it has forwards, defencemen and goalies available. The Penguins are willing to use their cap space to take on contracts, as long as it gets what they really desire: young players, prospects and draft picks (in that order).

32 Thoughts: What happened between Canucks, Rangers

What really happened between the Rangers and Canucks? How will Frank Vatrano's contract deferrals work? Elliotte Friedman covers that and more in a new 32 Thoughts blog.

www.sportsnet.ca

Well that's good. Especially "goalies"

 

[Ryder71]

I think that's the idea, based on how he's described the process of not fully tearing things down and still trying to utilize the presence of the core - particularly Sid - to set the time for the next era of Pens hockey.

You acquired assets, even some redundancies. You move out contracts. And then you use assets to acquire younger players who are ready to contribute.

And this extends even to the summer. You move guys like Petts and DOC and Beauvillier and Grzelcyk by the deadline for whatever you can get, you let the retained contracts come off the books so you can retain on Jarry and Graves deals to move them out and get at least half of their cap back, you look at a Karlsson or Rust or Rakell trade, you grab a couple young guys in return, and then you make a splash or two in free agency.

Then after all that, you start bringing in the remaining young guys developing in WBS to fill in.

It's a lot of moving parts. I don't know if it will work. But I think that's the idea and has been for a little while.


Patience, grasshopper. The value for most of these guys will be highest closer to the deadline.

Not Rakell, his status is at an all time high. If we wait he could slump. He's at a a 39-40 goal pace. And has looked exceptional in doing it.

Petts, well he needs to get gone. I'm afraid his play of late has been very unremarkable. Move these assets soon for a big return.

That's what this season is all about, nothing else.

 

[Gurglesons]

Not Rakell, his status is at an all time high. If we wait he could slump. He's at a a 39-40 goal pace. And has looked exceptional in doing it.

Petts, well he needs to get gone. I'm afraid his play of late has been very unremarkable. Move these assets soon for a big return.

That's what this season is all about, nothing else.

Nobody is paying for Rakell with those years up.

 

[Ryder71]

Nobody is paying for Rakell with those years up.

Years up?

 

[Ulf5]

Years up?

3 more years after this one. Which might not be an issue if the cap rises somewhat significantly next season. The issue is the $5 million cap hit this season. Not many contenders can afford that at the deadline.
Sure you can take cap back in a deal. But then you have yet another crap forward in the top 6.

 

[Ryder71]

3 more years after this one. Which might not be an issue if the cap rises somewhat significantly next season. The issue is the $5 million cap hit this season. Not many contenders can afforrd that at the deadline.
Sure you can take cap back in a deal. But then you have yet another crap forward in the top 6.

$5 million per with the cap going up shouldn't be a problem at all. And as you said we could assuredly take money back.

And having another crap forward helps us plunge further. We want crap players for the next couple of years. Two birds, one stone.

 

[Ulf5]

$5 million per with the cap going up shouldn't be a problem at all. And as you said we could assuredly take money back.

And having another crap forward helps us plunge further. We want crap players for the next couple of years. Two birds, one stone.

You might want crap players in the top 6. I have my doubts that management and players do.
Which contenders have $5 million or nearly $5 million to send back that: a- won't weaken their team and b- Dubas would be willing to accept?

 

[eXile3]

If they traded Rakell they could get a 1st and probably a good prospect plus depth roster player (to help offset the cap).

They couldn’t get his for Jake so I doubt it. Rakkell has term but he’s also not the same caliber of player. My bet is a second and a prospect at best.

 

[orby]

Rakell and Bunting are prime trade candidates, but neither is gonna get them a first round pick IMO. They should absolutely move both players, though.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Rakell and Bunting are prime trade candidates, but neither is gonna get them a first round pick IMO. They should absolutely move both players, though.

Acceptable to keep some current players so as young guys come up they can have somebody to play with (ex: I think there is more value in keeping Rakell than getting a 3rd+prospect) - but IMO they need to move one of Rust/Bunting/Rakell by next fall. Would hope for 2.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I understand that this team needs to start selling and rebuilding, but you should only sell guys if you're getting a good return for them. Bunting is a guy I'm thinking they should hold onto and trade him as a rental at the deadline next year. Granted NHL GMs don't just go on hockeydb to evaluate players, but I think Bunting's bad start (1 point in 11 games) really hinders how good he has been since that bad start. Outside of October, Bunting has 19 goals and 42 points in 51 games for the Penguins, they should be getting a really strong return for him.

I think they'd be getting a return pretty similar to what Tyler Bertuzzi got in 2023 (2024 1st and 2025 4th), so if you're not getting a 1st rounder for Bunting, I'd hold onto him and wait until next deadline. If Bunting continues his great play with the Penguins, I think you can probably get a 2027 1st if you're trading Bunting at the 2026 deadline.

Nobody is paying for Rakell with those years up.

This seems silly considering what comparable UFAs would be getting. I'm not saying you're necessarily wrong, but teams are going to be giving Rakell caliber players even bigger deals in UFA this year.

He's on pace for about 40 goals and 70 points this year and will be 32 this off-season. What would he be getting in UFA this year? Likely larger than the 3 year, $5 million AAV that he has left on his current deal. Marchessault had an almost identical season last year with Vegas at age 33 (42 goals and 69 points in 82 games) and he signed for 4 years at $5.5 million with Nashville.

 

[Andy99]

Well that's good. Especially "goalies"

lol…

 

[eXile3]

lol…

It’s crazy what lengths the FO will go instead of admitting a mistake.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The only chance this team has at trading Jarry is by playing him and hoping he plays well. Waiving him just guarantees you're stuck with him.

He's an unclutch, poor goalie on a bad defensive team, no one should be surprised with his performance. Since his conditioning assignment in WBS, he has an .895 save% in 16 games, which is basically the best you're going to get out of him with the state of this team's defense. It's actually why Jarry's GSAx over that window is actually not completely terrible.

He either plays well enough to be traded at some point or they end up buying him out in the off-season. He needs to be out of the organization, they need both the NHL and AHL goalie spots open.

 

[SEALBound]

Latest from Elliotte Friedman -- Dubas is still ready to sell

11. Pittsburgh’s made it clear it has forwards, defencemen and goalies available. The Penguins are willing to use their cap space to take on contracts, as long as it gets what they really desire: young players, prospects and draft picks (in that order).

32 Thoughts: What happened between Canucks, Rangers

What really happened between the Rangers and Canucks? How will Frank Vatrano's contract deferrals work? Elliotte Friedman covers that and more in a new 32 Thoughts blog.

www.sportsnet.ca

Yes. But:

Forwards: Puljujarvi, Nieto, Beauvillier
Dmen: Graves, Shea, Pettersson for the premium
Goalies: Jarry and Neds

Can't imagine many are knocking on the door.

I understand that this team needs to start selling and rebuilding, but you should only sell guys if you're getting a good return for them. Bunting is a guy I'm thinking they should hold onto and trade him as a rental at the deadline next year. Granted NHL GMs don't just go on hockeydb to evaluate players, but I think Bunting's bad start (1 point in 11 games) really hinders how good he has been since that bad start. Outside of October, Bunting has 19 goals and 42 points in 51 games for the Penguins, they should be getting a really strong return for him.

I think they'd be getting a return pretty similar to what Tyler Bertuzzi got in 2023 (2024 1st and 2025 4th), so if you're not getting a 1st rounder for Bunting, I'd hold onto him and wait until next deadline. If Bunting continues his great play with the Penguins, I think you can probably get a 2027 1st if you're trading Bunting at the 2026 deadline.



This seems silly considering what comparable UFAs would be getting. I'm not saying you're necessarily wrong, but teams are going to be giving Rakell caliber players even bigger deals in UFA this year.

He's on pace for about 40 goals and 70 points this year and will be 32 this off-season. What would he be getting in UFA this year? Likely larger than the 3 year, $5 million AAV that he has left on his current deal. Marchessault had an almost identical season last year with Vegas at age 33 (42 goals and 69 points in 82 games) and he signed for 4 years at $5.5 million with Nashville.

One thing that worries me a bit about Bunting is his stint in Carolina. I imagine GMs will look at his slow start and hot streak. The hot streak and style of play is what will perk GM ears but at the same time I think they will hesitate a pinch when looking at how he did in Carolina. Over the last 2-3 years, he's been a very ON or OFF player. When he's feeling it, he's the reincarnate of Hornqvist. When he's not, he's an expensive 3rd line passenger.

There might be calls this TDL for GMs willing to pick him up on the super cheap, citing the extra year but I don't think Dubas will sell low. The more probably scenarios are an off-season trade either right before the draft or before FA like the Reilly Smith deal or at the TDL next year where you can retain on him and ask for a better return. If you can retain down to $3mil then pro-rate from there, that's a mighty fine pick up for a contender for their 3rd line and 2nd PP unit.

I see a Rakell deal being nearly the same as the one Hextall did. A team needs a top 6 RW, we take back a cap dump player (McGinn), and get a quality prospect (Clang) and a pick (2nd). With our space though, we might be able to take back a bit more salary than a guy like McGinn.