Salary Cap: 24-25 Salary Thread Crosbicles Volume MXVI: End of season wrap up

[PamBallam]

I think it's more that the other options are so shitty that they're high on Shea just as the best of that group.

That's just sad, dude. A 28 year old mediocre 7th D is our best LD. Maybe Dumbo better just focus on fixing it, because no amount of being from Massachusetts is gonna make Shea develop more.

 

[Turin]

Dubas just used the "what young players did anything somewhere else after Sullivan didn't give them a chance?" argument when someone asked him about Sullivan's handling of young players.

Basically saying it's his job to give Sullivan young guys worthy of playing, rather than just scraping the bottom of the barrel to play any young guys just to play young guys.

I don’t think Sully is that bad when it comes to young players, that’s not really his issue. His issue is he does stuff like scratch Kyle Connor for Chris Kreider. And after a decade just stale.

 

[JackFr]

Very confident Dubas wanted Sully gone last year but ownership said no. Dubas then went and canned Sullys assistants over his objections in a small hope he would quit.

Sadly this free agency is probably the worst one to try and revamp our left side defense.

Which is fine, honestly. Sign some filler guy like Nate Schmidt, put Shea and Pickering behind him.

OR.... Brian Dumoulin is an RFA........

 

[SEALBound]

If this team is serious about giving young guys the chance, then Dubas needs to go out of his way to NOT sign guys like Lizotte, Nieto, Acciari, and acquiring guys like Heinen in trades. Hayes is a slight exception because of the high pick we got but the same sentiment remains that Hayes is a veteran players who blocks younger guys. Now I thought he was fine this year so I'm good bringing him back but there needs to be some house cleaning.

No more "oh Acciari is an unsung hero!" bullshit. Get him out. I'd rather finish bottom 10 but have young guys like Poulin, Pono, and Broz in the bottom 6 than watching Lizotte, Acciari, and Nieto. They have the ponies to do it coming season...

McG-Sid-Rust
Koivunen-Malkin-Rakell
Hallander-Novak-Tomasino
Poulin-Broz-Pono

As one such example. Might be more fair to stick Lizotte or Hayes in at 4C though but I'd be fine accepting that.

Dubas basically just evaded a question asking if there are going to be any changes to the coaching staff. Super interesting.

Just said they go through their reviews at the end of the season, and if he wants to make any changes, they'll make them then. Was then asked directly about Sullivan and Dubas said "he's under contract" as the first thing, but more or less leaving it up to Sullivan if he wants to stay here.

I think I could probably say this every year but there might be a legit coaching carousel this summer that works to everyone's advantage. If Boston wants a new coach, Mike Sullivan can go home. Or with Lavy out, he can go to NYC. If Tocchet leaves Vancouver, he'd be a premium pickup for us.

I imagine Torts is done-done. Philly might look for a new coach as well. Lavy I think gets a role. He might still have some life left in him.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Some other comments:

• No timeline for making the team back to a contender, not trying to do a patch it up fix just to get the team back to the playoffs. Thinking long-term, trying to get back to the playoffs and contend and not just squeak into the playoffs.
• Expects both Jarry and Nedjelkovic back next year, although he prefaces that with "both are under contract". Performance needs to be better. Proud of how they finished the year, but they need to keep up their end of season performance with extra pressure from Blomqvist and Murashov in the minors.
• Thinks the team put Malkin in a bad position with his constant rotating cast of wingers, they need to do a better job at making his support more consistent.
• St. Ivany, Pickering, Brunicke mentioned as guys who could push for NHL minutes next year on defense. Tristan Broz added as another guy at forward who can push for minutes, they didn't want his first games being the end of season games this year.
• Pickering: "He needs to come in and not just settle in a 12 or 13 minute a night role. He needs to keep pushing his way to get more and more responsibility"
• Reiterated that they're trying to emulate the Capitals rebuild. "You can hold hope in one hand and shit in the other, see which one fills up first" in terms of hoping to win the draft lottery. The thing that separates Washington is drafting well with guys like Ferehvary, McMichael, Protas and such.

Thanks for the summary.

I know it won't happen, but they should take an established F (Rust or Rakell) and make a hockey trade to address the Defense.

 

[WickedWrister]

Listening to the Dubas presser now, yeah I’m getting the sense he wants to trade EK

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Would be cool to throw a bag at David Carle

Feels very FSG

He’d probably be the next college coach that goes pumpkin but man that guy just wins

 

[Zirakzigil]

Which is fine, honestly. Sign some filler guy like Nate Schmidt, put Shea and Pickering behind him.

OR.... Brian Dumoulin is an RFA........

Im all for bringing Dumo back to babysit Letang. Schmidt is also an interesting option.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think today's press conference really threw water on the "trying to get good again before Crosby retires" talk, he didn't mention the idea of contending when Sid was here once and was adamant about making the best decisions for the long-term of the franchise. They want to "urgently" rebuild the team like Washington, but they're not shooting for some deadline of competing before Crosby retires.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

They can’t try to be good for Sid because the only way to be good with Sid is make a roster that could contend without him. If that makes sense. Which will likely take some time unless they get some insane draft/lotto luck.

 

[JackFr]

If this team is serious about giving young guys the chance, then Dubas needs to go out of his way to NOT sign guys like Lizotte, Nieto, Acciari, and acquiring guys like Heinen in trades. Hayes is a slight exception because of the high pick we got but the same sentiment remains that Hayes is a veteran players who blocks younger guys. Now I thought he was fine this year so I'm good bringing him back but there needs to be some house cleaning.

No more "oh Acciari is an unsung hero!" bullshit. Get him out. I'd rather finish bottom 10 but have young guys like Poulin, Pono, and Broz in the bottom 6 than watching Lizotte, Acciari, and Nieto. They have the ponies to do it coming season...

McG-Sid-Rust
Koivunen-Malkin-Rakell
Hallander-Novak-Tomasino
Poulin-Broz-Pono

As one such example. Might be more fair to stick Lizotte or Hayes in at 4C though but I'd be fine accepting that.

Realistically no team is ever rolling out a depth unit that young. Just how it goes.

 

[Ugene Magic]

If everything he's saying about "complacency" and not creating a culture like that is true, I would imagine Karlsson's approach to defence is probably not something he wants hanging around for the next three years.

He also brought up the lack of LD being a big component to the team's lack of success.

Basically, they won't be able to replace his offense if they move him out and address the left side doesn't make the situation better. Him saying part is on them and part on Karlsson, when you don't have that first part, how can you expect the second part? Basically, Karlsson is Karlsson, expecting him to change at 35 years old is kind of a foolish ask. Putting players in position to succeed ultimately falls on the GM/coach.

The LSD is atrocious. The bottom 9 forward wise was atrocious.

Karlsson was a -26 his Norris season, and this season he just had was a -24 at half the rate points wise.

The issue is not Karlsson.

 

[Epic Neal Time]

My interpretation of that presser:

• This team is not going to try to compete next year. You can rule out the Marners/Gavrikovs/etc. of the world.
• Trades for young players, sub-25, is the most likely category for moves, with LD being a priority.
• Based on his brushing off of Rakell and Rust and others' desire to stay in PIT and their age not lining up with our potential, Rakell is as good as gone. With the gushing about Rust's value to younger players on and off the ice, I think he stay but I do believe they would trade him if they are really, really blown away.
• Karlsson is as good as gone, Dubas seemed to insinuate he is too complacent.
• I do wonder if Dubas thinks the NYR opening changes the calculus for Sully. He seemed to indicate he wants Sully back, but Dubas' non-commital answer to rhe question made me wonder if he truly thinks Sully wants to come back. I can actually see this being a rare trade for a coach if it happens. I do not see Dubas firing him if he simply wants another opportunity
• This offseason will be like last. Target young players, no term for guys over 25.

 

[Andy99]

Dubas made a great quote regarding complacency, he keeps being told in exit meetings that the guys love playing in Pittsburgh but "we've missed the playoffs 3 years in a row". Getting these comments makes him anxious that there's a feeling of complacency being developed here that he will need to address.

Dubas basically also just said "if Karlsson wants to win a cup, he needs to be better" when asked about it. Exact quote was "his actions have to match his ambitions", said that Karlsson has a higher level he should be performing at that he showed at times this year (like at the 4 Nations tourney).

And maybe if that’s this case Dubas should address the coach and whether his system and who and how he plays Karlsson is part of the problem and not solely on EK’s mindset lol

 

[WickedWrister]

Particularly his closing statement about trying to “jolt” the team one last time with the EK trade in his first year here.

 

[Andy99]

My interpretation of that presser:

• This team is not going to try to compete next year. You can rule out the Marners/Gavrikovs/etc. of the world.
• Trades for young players, sub-25, is the most likely category for moves, with LD being a priority.
• Based on his brushing off of Rakell and Rust and others' desire to stay in PIT and their age not lining up with our potential, Rakell is as good as gone. With the gushing about Rust's value to younger players on and off the ice, I think he stay but I do believe they would trade him if they are really, really blown away.
• Karlsson is as good as gone, Dubas seemed to insinuate he is too complacent.
• I do wonder if Dubas thinks the NYR opening changes the calculus for Sully. He seemed to indicate he wants Sully back, but Dubas' non-commital answer to rhe question made me wonder if he truly thinks Sully wants to come back. I can actually see this being a rare trade for a coach if it happens. I do not see Dubas firing him if he simply wants another opportunity
• This offseason will be like last. Target young players, no term for guys over 25.

I took the Sullivan comment to mean “I can’t fire him but if he wants to go to NY I’m not going to stand in his way given this shitshow of a team” lol

 

[WickedWrister]

I think today's press conference really threw water on the "trying to get good again before Crosby retires" talk, he didn't mention the idea of contending when Sid was here once and was adamant about making the best decisions for the long-term of the franchise. They want to "urgently" rebuild the team like Washington, but they're not shooting for some deadline of competing before Crosby retires.

Particularly his closing statement about trying to “jolt” the team one last time with the EK trade in his first year here.

 

[Empoleon8771]

My interpretation of that presser:

• This team is not going to try to compete next year. You can rule out the Marners/Gavrikovs/etc. of the world.
• Trades for young players, sub-25, is the most likely category for moves, with LD being a priority.
• Based on his brushing off of Rakell and Rust and others' desire to stay in PIT and their age not lining up with our potential, Rakell is as good as gone. With the gushing about Rust's value to younger players on and off the ice, I think he stay but I do believe they would trade him if they are really, really blown away.
• Karlsson is as good as gone, Dubas seemed to insinuate he is too complacent.
• I do wonder if Dubas thinks the NYR opening changes the calculus for Sully. He seemed to indicate he wants Sully back, but Dubas' non-commital answer to rhe question made me wonder if he truly thinks Sully wants to come back. I can actually see this being a rare trade for a coach if it happens. I do not see Dubas firing him if he simply wants another opportunity
• This offseason will be like last. Target young players, no term for guys over 25.

This mostly matches the vibe I get, but I don't agree with you that Rakell is "as good as gone". He spoke glowingly of him and was saying that he carries himself like Rust. I think it's definitely more likely they keep Rakell so he can be a mentor for young guys, just like Rust.

I also think the feeling Dubas has more towards Sullivan is more "I'm not going to fire him but I'm not going to stop him if he wants to leave".

 

[SEALBound]

Realistically no team is ever rolling out a depth unit that young. Just how it goes.

For sure. Realistically, you want to see a balance. I've always been a proponent of rotating in some WBS guys just to get them the experience and to get some NHL eyes on them to see what you have. I think Hallander can come back and be an NHL regular.

McG-Sid-Rust
Koivunen-Malkin-Rakell

I think that's a fine top 6, regardless of "youth".

Hallander-Novak-Tomasio - decently well balanced 3rd line.

Poulin-Lizotte-Hayes - more realistic 4th line with any of the slots being a rotation of Poulin-Pono-Broz-Lizotte-Hayes (under the huge assumption that Acciari and Heinen are sent out - which is highly unlikely).

I just don't want to see:

Heinen-Novak-Tomasino
Hayes-Lizotte-Acciari

with Poulin, Pono, Broz, etc just twiddling their thumbs waiting for someone to tweak a muscle.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I took the Sullivan comment to mean “I can’t fire him but if he wants to go to NY I’m not going to stand in his way given this shitshow of a team” lol

This is more of the vibe I get with how Dubas feels about Sullivan. "I won't fire you but I won't ask you to stay if you want to leave".

 

[Gurglesons]

I think today's press conference really threw water on the "trying to get good again before Crosby retires" talk, he didn't mention the idea of contending when Sid was here once and was adamant about making the best decisions for the long-term of the franchise. They want to "urgently" rebuild the team like Washington, but they're not shooting for some deadline of competing before Crosby retires.

I disagree. What I got from this presser is he isn’t tearing down the team and is willing to trade for and sign players to big deals as long as they fit the appropriate age group.

 

[Jared Grayden]

This is more of the vibe I get with how Dubas feels about Sullivan. "I won't fire you but I won't ask you to stay if you want to leave".

I don't believe Dubas could fire Sullivan even if he wanted to. FSG won't allow it. Which is what Seravelli has said multiple times.

 

[Andy99]

I don't believe Dubas could fire Sullivan even if he wanted to. FSG won't allow it. Which is what Seravelli has said multiple times.

Lebrun too…

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think the chances of them going after Byram this off-season shot up with that press conference. Between:

1. Karlsson almost definitely being moved.
2. Dubas noting this team needs massive help on both LD and with young defensemen.
3. Dubas mentioning the 23/24 year old range as guys he'd sign long term
4. He seems to not like Pickering as a prospect

I think there is definitely a really logical fit there, especially with Buffalo probably moving on from Byram.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think the chances of them going after Byram this off-season shot up with that press conference. Between:

1. Karlsson almost definitely being moved.
2. Dubas noting this team needs massive help on both LD and with young defensemen.
3. Dubas mentioning the 23/24 year old range as guys he'd sign long term
4. He seems to not like Pickering as a prospect

I think there is definitely a really logical fit there, especially with Buffalo probably moving on from Byram.

Byram getting his pay day here would be just as awful as the Graves and Jarry deals. Would hate that.