Salary Cap: '24-'25 Salary Thread: Crosbicles Volume MMXXVI: Sid is Still Goat

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I wonder how much of EP40's issues are from being a Kessel kinda guy. In that I mean he's not a team's centerpiece, a guy you build around, the guy you lean on all night, every night, etc. A guy who wants to just quietly do his own thing and be left alone.

It's probably a combination of a bunch of things tbh. Nagging injury (looked godawful in the 4 Nations), a battered ego after the months-long circus played out in the media and to the public (with the POHO/GM both saying anything's possible when asked whether EP40 was on the block), and probably a bridge burned too badly to repair in the end.

It would be very funny for the Canucks to lose all of JT Miller, EP40, and then Quinn Hughes in the span of a couple of years though. EP40 is Hughes' best friend, so if/when EP40 is dealt, I imagine that'd be it for Hughes' chances of sticking around--either by asking to be dealt or refusing to re-sign in a couple years.
 
I wonder how much of EP40's issues are from being a Kessel kinda guy. In that I mean he's not a team's centerpiece, a guy you build around, the guy you lean on all night, every night, etc. A guy who wants to just quietly do his own thing and be left alone.

It's probably a combination of a bunch of things tbh. Nagging injury (looked godawful in the 4 Nations), a battered ego after the months-long circus played out in the media and to the public (with the POHO/GM both saying anything's possible when asked whether EP40 was on the block), and probably a bridge burned too badly to repair in the end.

It would be very funny for the Canucks to lose all of JT Miller, EP40, and then Quinn Hughes in the span of a couple of years though. EP40 is Hughes' best friend, so if/when EP40 is dealt, I imagine that'd be it for Hughes' chances of sticking around--either by asking to be dealt or refusing to re-sign in a couple years.
Were I a Canucks fan I'd be worried about Hughes wanting to go to the Devils in a few years given both of his brothers are there.

We already dealt with this as Pens fans with Jordan Staal. Staal wanting to go to Carolina was as much to play with his brother as it was to have a bigger role.
 
If I zoom out, Malkin's trend line from the 2009 cup through the 2011 knee injury looks similar to EP's. To get a bit Malkin soapboxy, those 1.5 seasons as Crosby and Ovechkin continued to dominate (and balance of power shifted to Chicago/LA) are the reason he fell off the wider hockey narrative, had the stupid NHL100 snub, etc.

Then after the knee injury he came back motivated, fit, and gave us 9 years of elite 1C play albeit with frequent injuries. But during his time off he was maniacally motivated, saying and doing all the right things. It seems like EP40 is being more petulant and scoffing/snappy about it.

I also look at players like Eric Staal, Lecavalier and Toews. We take it for granted that elite is elite and will stay that way. But there are guys who just peaked early and then fell into a sort of meh malaise. Still good players, but not franchise players.

I still think it's worth taking a swing on a potentially great 1C. I would trade our 2025 1st, but I would also need them to take Jarry or Graves.
 
Preds are holding out Nyquist for poss trade to the Wild. Though he was a better player in his prime than Beau, their production is similar this season. He’s 35 and a -20 but similar points in similar games played. RW vs LW but should be interesting to see the return…the Pens should absolutely be able to trade Beau if Nyquist has interest…
 
Preds are holding out Nyquist for poss trade to the Wild. Though he was a better player in his prime than Beau, their production is similar this season. He’s 35 and a -20 but similar points in similar games played. RW vs LW but should be interesting to see the return…the Pens should absolutely be able to trade Beau if Nyquist has interest…

I agreee, neither of them are ideal deadline acquisitions but could see bubble teams being interested.
 
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Preds are holding out Nyquist for poss trade to the Wild. Though he was a better player in his prime than Beau, their production is similar this season. He’s 35 and a -20 but similar points in similar games played. RW vs LW but should be interesting to see the return…the Pens should absolutely be able to trade Beau if Nyquist has interest…
Yet we are not holding any players out. These next few games are scary from that perspective.
 
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It's gonna be so f***ing stupid (but predictable) when Rakell makes it through the TDL still a member of the Pens. :laugh:
Forget Rakell. There are no guarantees we deal anybody else. Combination of us wanting to keep guys and our guys having little to no value in a SELLER'S market.

And we already know Dubas will not trade players with term.
 
I'd like guys like Beau and Grz moved, but you're probably looking at like a 4th and 3rd respectively there. I'd like Ned moved too, but he's also pretty worthless as far as value goes (mainly as a way to get Murashov in the AHL and playing there). Rakell's the guy you should be shopping imo. Dude's value's never gonna be higher and next year's draft is much more well regarded, so the odds of you getting a team to pay a 1st is pretty much nothing. Like Emp said, still a week, but I really hope the team moves Rakell. Makes zero sense to keep him for a team in this position now and for the foreseeable future.

Idk if they are here
That trade's a salsa of dogshit. :laugh:
 
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I'm not going to argue that Lindgren isn't bad, but I think people have become a bit too analytics obsessed with ignoring the context of those analytics. Lindgren is likely playing in way too high of a role on a complete dumpster fire of a team. Going from being the DFD partner for Fox on a team with terrible analytics (even before this year, the Rangers were a bad team analytically that was just bailed out by Shesterkin) to a 3rd pair role that will sub into the top-4 in case of an injury should really help him.

The Avs won a cup with JJ as their regular 3rd pair LD. I don't see Lindgren as worse than that.
 
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Has he been that bad individually, or is his play a reflection of playing on an underachieving team? I don't watch the Rangers unless we're playing them, so I don't know.

It's a bit of both. He's fallen off dramatically from where he was in the past, but the Rangers are an absolute tire fire of a team. Even before this year, they were a mess that was just propped up by Shesterkin.
 
Getting a 2nd for a defenseman who’s been horrendous lately? Really? Does anyone want Graves then

Maybe we can get an 8th round pick (yeah, I know) for POJ?

Or how about just "future considerations" -- with those considerations being "You KEEP the damn guy and don't ever give him back to the Penguins like the Blues did, just because you finally figured out how bad he sucks".

It would be great to get rid of Graves' contract and salary but cap space shouldn't be a big problem for the Pens next year even with Graves and Jarry still here. Move the garbage that MAYBE can be moved: Beau, Acciairi, Hayes, Gryz, Ned, Glass, Heinen. Fire Sully, call up some kids to replace the veteran losers, watch them lose some games (tank on) as they get acclimated to the NHL.... then profit.
 
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I'm not going to argue that Lindgren isn't bad, but I think people have become a bit too analytics obsessed with ignoring the context of those analytics. Lindgren is likely playing in way too high of a role on a complete dumpster fire of a team. Going from being the DFD partner for Fox on a team with terrible analytics (even before this year, the Rangers were a bad team analytically that was just bailed out by Shesterkin) to a 3rd pair role that will sub into the top-4 in case of an injury should really help him.

The Avs won a cup with JJ as their regular 3rd pair LD. I don't see Lindgren as worse than that.

Lindgren has looked solid in the past too. Same with Vesey. Avs have paid price as if they were still those players (and for Rags to retain 50%). Highly likely both Lindgren and Vesey look better on the Avs too. Lindgren drops to a #5 on a better team and suddenly looks like a decent dman again.
 

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