Hopefully we are done with taking in bad contracts. As mentioned previously, we are already over the limit on bad contracts and that is what is keeping some of our prospects in the AHL right now.
The pro-trade Rakell and Karlsson crowd want to create roster space by trading our top talent. The con-trade Rakell and Karlsson crowd is suggesting we create the roster space by not bringing in anymore bad contracts and replacing our crappy players with the kids.
The pro-trade Rakell and Karlsson crowd want a full-blown rebuild by bottoming out a la Chicago despite the fact we still have one of the best players in the game and two other legends winding down their careers.
The con-trade Rakell and Karlsson crowd suggest we should keep our good players and dumps our bad players. That is how you retool quickly.
Now, I am against trading Rakell and Karlsson. However, if the Kings are willing to part with Quinton Byfield, then you absolutely try to make that happen. If we are trading these two guys, give me names. I want names. Picks are not enough. We need good young NHL talent.
I'm a numbers person. Bottoming out is the clear-cut highest percentage route back to Cups, from what I can see.
Cups are what I care about, not preserving the core's feelings in their twilight years. I have no desire to see them stunt the growth of their prospect pool, just for the sake of pretending for a few more hopeless years. They would just miss the playoffs anyway if they did that, and potentially really hurt themselves by drafting lower in 2026 and beyond.
The team and their future is bigger than 2 or 3 players.
I don't agree with you that they're in a position to build a new successful core through trade, and will win a Cup that way. Trade and free agency is meant for patching holes, not building the whole thing from scratch. Crosby only has 2 years left. Malkin 1. There won't be a real core soon. They have to prepare the next one. That will take years.
The Pens are not in a position to re-tool quickly imo. They are not prepared to take advantage of a player like Byfield, or other good roster players. Most trades create minor net gains or losses for the team. And in free agency teams overspend more often than not.
Their progress through that route wouldn't be enough to change the trajectory of this organization, given it's sorry state atm.
I don't see that we're over the limit of anything.
If they get rid of Rakell, EK and Rust... that's X million in cap savings in addition to the 24.5M they already have for next year. They would certainly have the cap space to spend on bad contracts for picks.
And that's 3 more roster spots.
We have very few worthy prospects who are gonna play in the NHL next year, and they're gonna be dirt cheap as well. Not worried about blocking the development of C or D level prospects. Their careers won't match the Pens next contention window anyway. They won't be here when the team is ready to make deep playoff runs again.
I'd prefer they focus on picks/prospects who's primes will align. That's a good recipe for championships.
For example if they get McKenna in 2026, the team would have until like 2030 or beyond to prepare for his prime. And even that might not be enough time. That's how bad of a spot they're in.
