Salary Cap: 24 25 Salary Thread Crosbicles Volume Mmxxvii Retool over Time to Go for A Cup in 2026

  • We sincerely apologize for the extended downtime. Our hosting provider, XenForo Cloud, encountered a major issue with their backup system, which unfortunately resulted in the loss of some critical data from the past year.

    What This Means for You:

    • If you created an account after March 2024, it no longer exists. You will need to sign up again to access the forum.
    • If you registered before March 2024 but changed your email, username, or password in the past year, those changes were lost. You’ll need to update your account details manually once you're logged in.
    • Threads and posts created within the last year have been restored.

    Our team is working with Xenforo Cloud to recover data using backups, sitemaps, and other available resources. We know this is frustrating, and we deeply regret the impact on our community. We are taking steps with Xenforo Cloud to ensure this never happens again. This is work in progress. Thank you for your patience and support as we work through this.

    In the meantime, feel free to join our Discord Server
Then what does it matter if they come up for 8 games now, or start the next season with the big club?
Playing 8 games at the end of the season with nothing mattering other than losing and getting draft position vs. playing 8 games at the beginning of the new season fighting for a roster spot.

One of those gives you a taste with no pressure. The other one gets you 5 minutes a game and probably a spot in the press box.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OtherThingsILike
It's an unnecessary risk. It also puts pressure on the rest of the roster to buckle up and play better. This isn't done to further a tank! They're trying to win games that only hurt us! It's like having a headache and hitting yourself in the head with a hammer to cure it! It's asinine!

The intent is to try and spark the team.

Unfortunately many here do not understand that you win in this league by drafting and developing core pieces. It's been a while since we've drafted such a player but without that we'll never be good again.
I may be wrong, but I just don't think they're going to move the needle all that much.

Both Dubas and Spezza have been in lock-step saying that a "cup of coffee" recall was off the table for the younger players with potential. Spezza said as much during an in-game interview as recent as two weeks ago.

That's why part of me wonders if the directive for this recall may have come from above them. In the last five-game homestand, three of the games had ~3,000 empty seats.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tasty Biscuits
What I like about the Pens' position right now - including keeping Rakell rather than simply trading him for the best package we could find at the deadline - is that they have a diversity of assets.

Pens have a ton of cap space, a wealth of draft picks (including 3 really good ones this year and next), a group of promising B grade prospects, and a couple veteran 1st line wingers on bargain deals. Different trade partners are going to prioritize different types of assets, and we have a pretty good variety.

The only (ha!) thing we're really missing to accelerate the rebuild are good young roster players. But we can target those now, either with offer sheets OR a varied package of assets. We've got options.
And a different coach, but yes that's right.
 
I may be wrong, but I just don't think they're going to move the needle all that much.

Both Dubas and Spezza have been in lock-step saying that a "cup of coffee" recall was off the table for the younger players with potential. Spezza said as much during an in-game interview as recent as two weeks ago.

That's why part of me wonders if the directive for this recall may have come from above them. In the last five-game homestand, three of the games had ~3,000 empty seats.
This is intended (in part) to put pressure on these current NHLers for jobs. They looked down and defeated. Sullivan sounded defeated. They couldve gone into a tail spin. This very well could bring life back to the line up. That's the very last thing we need in the scheme of things.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jared Grayden
I have zero issue with them being called up as long as they play. They get no benefit from playing 5 minutes a game on the 4th line.
 
McGroarty and Koivunen are getting called up because WBS just clinched a playoff spot and they're rewarding the strong seasons that they have had with 3 weeks of a NHL paycheck before the AHL playoffs start.

The remaining AHL games don't really matter until the playoffs start, so they're rewarding them with meaningless NHL games at NHL salaries rather than having them play in meaningless AHL games at AHL salaries.
 
They aren't meaningless if this move helps them win games and ultimately hurts their draft position. Then it really isn't so meaningless.

If we do not get a significant piece for the future this draft this entire season was a waste! That helps no one!
 
Dumb team is dumb, doing dumb stuff. This should be a post Sullivan move. but whatever, dick head will be here long after we all are galaxy dust.
 
I sincerely liked it better when this team went through four coaches in a five year period. This coach has been here almost a decade, that's not how this is supposed to go. Too much complacency and an aversion to change largely at the behest of the core.
 
And if you wanted more exciting new players in coming years you would worry about draft position. Lotta irony there.
actually i don't think 1-2 draft spots that come down to a million possible combinations of a half dozen other team's outcomes as well is something to worry about. all that actually matters, for our outcomes, is whether jarry and ned keep giving up touchdowns, or decide to steal games. 2 rookies getting some playing time does not matter
 
actually i don't think 1-2 draft spots that come down to a million possible combinations of a half dozen other team's outcomes as well is something to worry about. all that actually matters, for our outcomes, is whether jarry and ned keep giving up touchdowns, or decide to steal games. 2 rookies getting some playing time does not matter
If Geno's back, one of the kids needs to be with him. Not frigging Connor Dewar. I'll be happy if that happens.
 
actually i don't think 1-2 draft spots that come down to a million possible combinations of a half dozen other team's outcomes as well is something to worry about. all that actually matters, for our outcomes, is whether jarry and ned keep giving up touchdowns, or decide to steal games. 2 rookies getting some playing time does not matter
1 or 2 or 3 draft spots could make a big difference depending on the strength of that particular draft and where the drop off of talent occurs. Case in point in 1990 with the 5th overall pick we drafted Jaromir Jagr. With the sixth overall pick the Islanders drafted Scott Scissions. No Jagr this draft but according to many the drop off starts at 8th OA. Point being, you wanna put yourself in the best position possible.
 
When they didn't trade Rakell, and now with them calling up their two best forward prospects in garbage time I have a hard time understanding what the objective is anymore. They aren't close enough to re-tool and compete. And they are clearly not all in on a rebuild (as I believe they should be). They should pick a lane and stay there. Otherwise they'll stay in the mushy middle in perpetuity. This doesn't help the core see the post season, and it doesn't further this teams ability to accrue building blocks for the future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jared Grayden
Pens can be in top 5 but man win the lottery and take Misa or get high end draft capital to add a center and RW. Dubas has to accept the fact Sully is not the coach from here and grab the AV's coach or the WB guy to work with the younger guys. Pens may need to blow it up no matter how much Dubas wants to try to stay relevant. Pedal to the metal here on a rebuild. These are enough parts here to be much better in a couple. On the block Karlsson, Rust, maybe Rakell with the right deal. Draft a top 6 center. Maybe with the trades and potential rangers pick, Dubas can walk away with top 6 center, R winger, very good center prospect in tow.
Sully hasn't been the coach for here on out since the Habs bounced their comical asses in the play in series.
 
1 or 2 or 3 draft spots could make a big difference depending on the strength of that particular draft and where the drop off of talent occurs. Case in point in 1990 with the 5th overall pick we drafted Jaromir Jagr. With the sixth overall pick the Islanders drafted Scott Scissions. No Jagr this draft but according to many the drop off starts at 8th OA. Point being, you wanna put yourself in the best position possible.
It would be pretty bomb if Schaefer or Misa told a bunch of teams "f*** off, I'll only sign with Pittsburgh to play with Sid". Or maybe Frondell can do that - "I ain't coming over...unless it's for Sid and the Pens.
 
When they didn't trade Rakell, and now with them calling up their two best forward prospects in garbage time I have a hard time understanding what the objective is anymore. They aren't close enough to re-tool and compete. And they are clearly not all in on a rebuild (as I believe they should be). They should pick a lane and stay there. Otherwise they'll stay in the mushy middle in perpetuity. This doesn't help the core see the post season, and it doesn't further this teams ability to accrue building blocks for the future.

Look at their actions, listen to what they say, and you'll know what direction they are going in.

giphy.gif



1. They do not want to do a (rebuild) tear it down to the studs as the Sharks and Hawks did.
2. They don't want to tank for McKenna because only 1 team can land him, and the odds are terrible.
3. They are working on a retool the likes of the Caps.
4. They don't want to trade either of Karlsson or Rakell, but for the right overpay they would trade Rakell, and they have the "Global Series" coming up next season with Nashville in Sweden. That pretty much puts a lock on not trading them. They feel their presence will help the youngsters.
5. If the NYR's decide to keep the 1st 2025, I'm sure Dubas will use the 1st 2026 to land a player at the draft or over the summer.

They are telling you they are retooling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OtherThingsILike
It would be pretty bomb if Schaefer or Misa told a bunch of teams "f*** off, I'll only sign with Pittsburgh to play with Sid". Or maybe Frondell can do that - "I ain't coming over...unless it's for Sid and the Pens.
I mean if Michkov can.

I feel like most the time it happens though it’s to a large metro area.
 
Look at their actions, listen to what they say, and you'll know what direction they are going in.

giphy.gif



1. They do not want to do a (rebuild) tear it down to the studs as the Sharks and Hawks did.
2. They don't want to tank for McKenna because only 1 team can land him, and the odds are terrible.
3. They are working on a retool the likes of the Caps.
4. They don't want to trade either of Karlsson or Rakell, but for the right overpay they would trade Rakell, and they have the "Global Series" coming up next season with Nashville in Sweden. That pretty much puts a lock on not trading them. They feel their presence will help the youngsters.
5. If the NYR's decide to keep the 1st 2025, I'm sure Dubas will use the 1st 2026 to land a player at the draft or over the summer.

They are telling you they are retooling.
And I'm telling you that won't work. What evidence is there that such a strategy will pay dividends? The core has aged out minus Sid. There is no quick fix, so how and where exactly is this Calvary coming? Marner, other UFA's? How?

Also, you don't have to end up with McKENNA to get a really nice player for the future next year. The top end of that draft class seems to be very good beyond the first five or six.

Keeping players just to play in a f***in global series is beyond absurd! You have a team to run, That's what garage leagues do. And if they are suppose to help where and when? Because it hasn't manifested in results the last couple of seasons.
 
Last edited:
Playing 8 games at the end of the season with nothing mattering other than losing and getting draft position vs. playing 8 games at the beginning of the new season fighting for a roster spot.

One of those gives you a taste with no pressure. The other one gets you 5 minutes a game and probably a spot in the press box.

giphy3.gif


Bold of you to assume there is a difference.
 

Ad

Ad