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

[SEALBound]

This is the type of player I wouldn't target.

Knies is going to get a huge contract and is largely a utility guy.

You don't pay major money or assets for that.

I think he's in that Sam Bennett category. Utility guy in the RS that will put up respectable numbers but will be an absolute monster in the playoffs. Nylander and Knies have been their best players IMHO. Knies is the kind of playoff warrior that's gonna get you over the top. Like Hornqvist was for us.

Tough to put a value on that. 1st, 2nd, 3rd in 2026...hard, HARD pass.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think he's in that Sam Bennett category. Utility guy in the RS that will put up respectable numbers but will be an absolute monster in the playoffs. Nylander and Knies have been their best players IMHO. Knies is the kind of playoff warrior that's gonna get you over the top. Like Hornqvist was for us.

Tough to put a value on that. 1st, 2nd, 3rd in 2026...hard, HARD pass.

Not someone we should be acquiring at this point in our build then.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Again, I'm not really super bothered either way simply because this draft is relatively weak, and I get that the cap jumping like $20M in the next few years is gonna result in insane shit, but I really don't give a shit about Laf as a player, man. Sorry, I just don't.

It's all pointless because I doubt the Rangers risk trading him in-division and having that egg on their face for the next decade if he finds another gear here.

 

[Gurglesons]

Laf has played nearly 400 games in this league with some outstanding players and has one season of note for it. And his new contract which pays him what I am told is a super reasonable 7+ million dollars is about to kick in.

I think an 11th overall in a weak draft is fine value.

Laf has largely been played on LW on the third line outside of last year when everyone on that team was a disaster and the year prior when he was one of the best 5v5 generators in the league.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Why would the Wild even trade Rossi?

Don't they have little center depth in the AHL? It doesn't really make sense unless they wants out.

It’s been reported by Russo they’re far apart on contract talks and Guerin is size queen. Fans don’t want him gone it seems.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I completely agree with concept of getting Laf even if I’m not as high on him as Gurgs

I’d just rather do so for a center.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I mean dude just sounds like a pricey complimentary winger to me. It's cool he's young and has former pedigree but I feel like you could probably get close to the same production out of a ton of players without the acquisition cost and the cap hit. Maybe I'm wrong... sure wouldn't be the first time. But I guess Laf doesn't look to me to be a breakout candidate. I think this is him... not terrible but not great, either. I don't see the point but I also don't care a ton at this juncture in the team's timeline I guess.

As stated NYR aren't trading him in-division so likely a pointless exercise one way or the other.

EDIT: Also as stated if we are wanting to pay an acquisition price I'd rather find a decent center to target.

 

[Peat]

At this point I wish there was a sell on Lafreniere beyond "he's young, he has talent and pedigree, and what's 11OA worth anyway" because everybody agrees with this but many of us want to know why this player in particular out of every player that may or may not be available.

And every time someone tries to drill down we just hear "young/talent/picks aren't worth much". Yes, great, that's agreed and not what was asked.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Obv we can’t pick a depth player or prospect from every NHL team like Vegas

But imo the lesson to take from them is trading extra 1sts for impact players.

The number one thing to turn us around is hitting on high picks. But I don’t think we should put all our eggs in the drafting basket.

I’d keep the high firsts, make a million dart throws in the 2nd thru 4th round, and trade every mid/late 1st we add for current NHLers.

 

[SEALBound]

f*** it, let's just do all three.

Rakell + NYR 1st for Rossi
Pens 2025 1st for Lafreniere
Pens 2026 1st, 2nd, 3rd for Knies

Lafreniere-Sid-Rust
Knies-Rossi-Malkin
McG-Novak-Koivunen

I only advocate for this because I would love to see the look on Sullivan's face is Dubas did this.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Lafreniere hasn't been a third liner since 2022-23 when he spent most of his time with Chytil and Kakko.

Obv we can’t pick a depth player or prospect from every NHL team like Vegas

But imo the lesson to take from them is trading extra 1sts for impact players.

The number one thing to turn us around is hitting on high picks. But I don’t think we should put all our eggs in the drafting basket.

I’d keep the high firsts, make a million dart throws in the 2nd thru 4th round, and trade every mid/late 1st we add for current NHLers.

This is pretty much where I'm at, but I'm way more adamant that this team needs to hit on several high 1sts before putting more impetus into other stuff. Obviously try to keep doing the other things all the while, but the focus should be on trying to land a couple genuine franchise building blocks who will be on ELCs.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

This is pretty much where I'm at, but I'm way more adamant that this team needs to hit on several high 1sts before putting more impetus into other stuff. Obviously try to keep doing the other things all the while, but the focus should be on trying to land a couple genuine franchise building blocks who will be on ELCs.

We agree— just not on timing. I’m just of the opinion you can do both at the same time, or even before you get the building blocks.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Also also... NYR just hired one of the league greatest coaches ever and I'm sure they want to give him a shot at really bringing out that true potential in Laf because among the many things he's awesome at (but doesn't like to explain) is definitely getting young players coached up.

 

[Pancakes]

At this point I wish there was a sell on Lafreniere beyond "he's young, he has talent and pedigree, and what's 11OA worth anyway" because everybody agrees with this but many of us want to know why this player in particular out of every player that may or may not be available.

And every time someone tries to drill down we just hear "young/talent/picks aren't worth much". Yes, great, that's agreed and not what was asked.

The sell is that Lafreniere is already a capable young NHL player whereas anyone we pick at 11th (or 12th) is going to take probably a minimum of 3 years to make the team.

The gamble is that Laf might not get much if at all better. Is he worth that pick if this is all he ever is?

 

[Ugene Magic]

f*** it, let's just do all three.

Rakell + NYR 1st for Rossi
Pens 2025 1st for Lafreniere
Pens 2026 1st, 2nd, 3rd for Knies

Lafreniere-Sid-Rust
Knies-Rossi-Malkin
McG-Novak-Koivunen

I only advocate for this because I would love to see the look on Sullivan's face is Dubas did this.

I would go a different route.

You're not getting Lafs for a single first.

To NYR's: McGroarty, NYR's 2026 1st and St, Louis 2nd 2026
To Pens: LaFreniere

Pens sign Brock Boeser
Pens sign Pius Sutter

LaFreniere, Crosby, Rust
Rakell, Malkin, Boeser
Novak, Sutter, Koivunen
Heinen, Lizotte, Tomasino
Dewer

Defense:

Pens sign Gavrikov and Dumoulin

Gavrikov, Karlsson
Dumoulin, Letang
Graves, Timmons
Shea

Jarry
Ned

Welcome back to the playoffs.

 

[pistolpete11]

Also also... NYR just hired one of the league greatest coaches ever and I'm sure they want to give him a shot at really bringing out that true potential in Laf because among the many things he's awesome at (but doesn't like to explain) is definitely getting young players coached up.

I read this and thought to myself "Oh, who did they hire?"

Being free from that jabroni still hasn't really set in for me yet.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Tocchet to Philly, Sullivan to Rags. Wild that people are hiring coaches during a time when they should be watching bad international tournaments.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I would go a different route.

You're not getting Lafs for a single first.

To NYR's: McGroarty, NYR's 2026 1st and St, Louis 2nd 2026
To Pens: LaFreniere

Pens sign Brock Boeser
Pens sign Pius Sutter

LaFreniere, Crosby, Rust
Rakell, Malkin, Boeser
Novak, Sutter, Koivunen
Heinen, Lizotte, Tomasino
Dewer

Defense:

Pens sign Gavrikov and Dumoulin

Gavrikov, Karlsson
Dumoulin, Letang
Graves, Timmons
Shea

Jarry
Ned

Welcome back to the playoffs.

LOL. No

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Tocchet to Philly, Sullivan to Rags. Wild that people are hiring coaches during a time when they should be watching bad international tournaments.

Wild that neither one actually conducted a real coaching search and hired the guy they've wanted for years.

 

[SEALBound]

Jarry
Ned

Welcome back to the playoffs.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

We agree— just not on timing. I’m just of the opinion you can do both at the same time, or even before you get the building blocks.

Hopefully this team's starting to really shift and rebuild their scouting depts after a miserable f***ing decade of pro and amateur work. And hopefully the whole philosophy that goes into development has been rebuild from the ground up.

Scouting and development should be of the utmost priority for the next five years or so. Like you said, this team *really* has to hit on some 1st rounders in a big way, and you do that by great scouting, organizational development, and luck. The first two you can control, the last one you just have to cross your fingers and hope you've done everything correctly.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

f*** it, let's just do all three.

Rakell + NYR 1st for Rossi
Pens 2025 1st for Lafreniere
Pens 2026 1st, 2nd, 3rd for Knies

Lafreniere-Sid-Rust
Knies-Rossi-Malkin
McG-Novak-Koivunen

I only advocate for this because I would love to see the look on Sullivan's face is Dubas did this.

As someone else has said we would have to add more for LAF. I don't hate this at all though. Would be an insanely exciting full top 9 to watch.

Our defense would insanely suck though.

 

[JackFr]

f*** it, let's just do all three.

Rakell + NYR 1st for Rossi
Pens 2025 1st for Lafreniere
Pens 2026 1st, 2nd, 3rd for Knies

Lafreniere-Sid-Rust
Knies-Rossi-Malkin
McG-Novak-Koivunen

I only advocate for this because I would love to see the look on Sullivan's face is Dubas did this.

Spending all of our assets on three complementary players... it's beautiful

 

[Peat]

The sell is that Lafreniere is already a capable young NHL player whereas anyone we pick at 11th (or 12th) is going to take probably a minimum of 3 years to make the team.

The gamble is that Laf might not get much if at all better. Is he worth that pick if this is all he ever is?

That's just the same sell in different words.

It's a sell that 90% of the people in this thread, conservatively, agree with. Everybody agrees that player now is better if it can happen.

What I am asking for is for people to stop repeating it whenever people express doubts over particular options and get into what about that player specifically they think makes them a great option at this moment. Why Lafreniere over Rossi? Over Byram? Is Dylan Cozens going to be available, what about him?

Repeating young player now good is boring, pointless, and at this point, patronising. If someone actually has a sell on why any of these dudes is a particularly good option, go for it. That'd be interesting.

Re Laf in particular - I'll be honest, push comes to shove, I'm worried there's a guy who just isn't really interested in putting in the work to get better. It's a bit mad to me that a guy with his pedigree, investment, and obvious skill, hasn't got more trust from NYR and hasn't got more out of his situation. A light dig into his stats suggest he's a product of Panarin and Fox and not a guy who particularly drives things himself. Yeah, that's still probably better than 11OA most years, but it's probably not the best thing you can do with the pick.

And if anyone wants to disagree and make a strong case for the guy then, for the love of god, please do so.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Yeah man, losing three 1sts, a 2nd, a 3rd, and a valuable trade asset in Rakell to land a 5'9 middle-6 center, a 45pt winger with skating issues, and Knies with his shiny new $9M AAV contract sounds like absolute f***ing dogshit. I'm just gonna be honest. Just full on facebook boomer fan levels of stupid.