Salary Cap: 24-25 Salary Thread Crosbicles Volume MXVI: Sad Penguins, no Ploffs, got tariffed instead

[BHD]

Part of me wonders if this caps team turns into a pumpkin next year and tumbles

I don't see them fall of a cliff next season, but I don't see them being world-beaters either. Third place in the Metro seems right.

 

[Pancakes]

I mean, they should. Sid's the face of the franchise and 1C. That's just reality. People care more about that than Geno does, because if he was as riled up as this place is, he'd have been in like Florida a decade ago.

We're pretty blessed that Geno has never complained about that. I can't think of many other players of his caliber that would have been okay with playing second fiddle the way he has.

Hell there have been years where he's been inarguably better than Sid. In 09 he was our best player that playoffs even above Sid.

Geno has never complained. Just another reason to adore the big lug

 

[chethejet]

Geno banked some nice money without the pressure to be that guy. Sid carried that responsibility. Malkin has one more year and even Hextall knew Malkin had a limited shelf life. He is OK if paired with Rakell and Voikunen next year. But no question he buys time for the Pens to develop centers for the next period. I do think Dubas will not throw in the towel here and make an attempt to make the playoffs next year.

 

[Ugene Magic]

That's true but they definitely try any top winger they bring in with Sid first. The reason Geno got Neal and Phil wasn't because Penguins coaches/gms wanted to cater to his needs. With Neal Sid got hurt and then Neal developed tremendous chemistry with Geno and so they just kept on with that even when Sid came back.

And with Phil they did try him with Sid early on iirc and it didn't work so they moved on from it and then had him with Geno or on his own line.

When Geno ends up with a good winger it's historically just because Sid doesn't like playing with that winger. When a winger plays well with Sid, they get glued to him forever (Guentzel, Hossa, Kunitz, etc).

Crosby is the better player. There's no secret there. Geno is also anti front and center kind of guy, only sliding into that role when Sid is injured.

The thing is, Geno doesn't harbor any ill will for it, so I don't know why anyone else should.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

We're pretty blessed that Geno has never complained about that. I can't think of many other players of his caliber that would have been okay with playing second fiddle the way he has.

Hell there have been years where he's been inarguably better than Sid. In 09 he was our best player that playoffs even above Sid.

Geno has never complained. Just another reason to adore the big lug

He did an interview with Sid and, Friedman (?) some years ago and was asked pretty pointedly; Did you ever think about jumping ship and being the 1C/franchise guy elsewhere and Geno basically said "Yeah, seriously considered it, but stayed because playing with Sid was the best shot at winning Cups."

 

[Ryder71]

Crosby is the better player. There's no secret there. Geno is also anti front and center kind of guy, only sliding into that role when Sid is injured.

The thing is, Geno doesn't harbor any ill will for it, so I don't know why anyone else should.

Crosby is the better player, but for a while they along with AO took turns being the best in the world. The gap is widening now but there were many years Geno was as good if not better. Geno won a Calder, a Conn Smythe, a Hart and two Art Rosses, Two first team all stars. He's a generational talent himself.

 

[Turin]

The fact that the Pens got a 2nd, 3rd and 5th from Washington for Beau and Eller is pretty dope given how mid they’ve been for them.

 

[Ugene Magic]

He did an interview with Sid and, Friedman (?) some years ago and was asked pretty pointedly; Did you ever think about jumping ship and being the 1C/franchise guy elsewhere and Geno basically said "Yeah, seriously considered it, but stayed because playing with Sid was the best shot at winning Cups."

4:13

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

The fact that the Pens got a 2nd, 3rd and 5th from Washington for Beau and Eller is pretty dope given how mid they’ve been for them.

Tbf those are pretty meaningless assets for a team still trying to go for it like Washington. Worth way more to a team like the Pens that are facing the edge of the cliff, if not already over and in a free fall.

Still good though. Same with Glass and Petts' returns.

 

[Ryder71]

The fact that the Pens got a 2nd, 3rd and 5th from Washington for Beau and Eller is pretty dope given how mid they’ve been for them.

This is an area where by Kyle high pointed his return! Also in the MP deal, masterful job there getting a fantastic return.

Wes Clark is one of the better hockey minds there is. We SHOULD be in good hands at the draft. Let's hope so.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm just happy this team has legitimate young players that will be playing in notable roles next year. McGroarty, Koivunen, Pickering and Blomqvist should all be playing in regular roles with guys like Ponomarev and Hallander (if he ever ends up signing) potentially filling roles too.

 

[Coastal Kev]

The “poor Geno always being screwed over” crowd is very odd and also very unique to just this board. I don’t know that I’ve seen this anywhere other than HFPens.

Malkin is one of my favorites players ever but that crowd brings a certain level of cringe that can make reading discussion about him on this board very strange.

I'm not in that crowd; I'm in the crowd that Sully doesn't know how to put his best lines together. I could give countless examples, but would anyone care?

 

[Coastal Kev]

I'm just happy this team has legitimate young players that will be playing in notable roles next year. McGroarty, Koivunen, Pickering and Blomqvist should all be playing in regular roles with guys like Ponomarev and Hallander (if he ever ends up signing) potentially filling roles too.

Don't forget Broz... I see Rust 3.0 with him.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

OK, looking at the defense again. Assuming we don't move out Karlsson or Letang, I think this is about the best we could hope to do:

Outside Add - Karlsson
Grzelcyk Timmins
Pickering Letang

The free agent and trade market is tough, and Grz helped the power play while not being defensively awful by the end of the season, so we bring him back with a short term deal, modest raise. What's clear to me though is he can't be paired with Karlsson or Letang. They don't compliment eachother. This would be easier if Grz was a RD, but hes not.

So we pair him with the more stable Timmins, and set up Pickering to babysit a declining Letang. Really those bottom two pairings are 2A and 2B, and should get around the same ammount of minutes.

With Karlsson, he needs a Marc Methot style partner. Pettersson could have been that, Dumoulin was that once upon a time, but there's no one on this team that can play that style with that number of minutes. I'd back up a truck of money to Gavrikov's house, who plays more 5v5 minutes per night than anyone on our team, (18.54min/game, 13th most in the league) and tell him to babysit Karlsson. There aren't a lot of other UFA options out there. Provorov maybe.

After that you're looking at trades or offer sheets. Nick Hague is possible, but 20+ min a night is probably too much to ask from him too.

Timmins looked good here but I would be careful of using the word steady.

Letang needs to retire. LTIR. Move Karlsson. Get a coach that has some structure in the d zone. Win cup

1 more year of play and he can LTIR after.

lol…

Yea I don't know why they think this.

There doesn't really seem to be anything of note coming out of the locker room cleanouts. Karlsson admitted that him missing spring training really screwed with him at the start of the year, which anyone who watched him in October/November could have said.

Gryzelcyk said he loved it here and is open to returning, but I genuinely can't think of a player I want to return less than him. I don't even think it's "he's terrible" as much as it's he's absolutely not what they need in the role they're using him in. They can't have him as a D partner for Karlsson or Letang next year.

Agreed not the type of LD we need on this team.

 

[Turin]

I'm just happy this team has legitimate young players that will be playing in notable roles next year. McGroarty, Koivunen, Pickering and Blomqvist should all be playing in regular roles with guys like Ponomarev and Hallander (if he ever ends up signing) potentially filling roles too.

And Misa

 

[DesertPenguin]

Next year the D will have at least 2 if not three younger prospects. Dubas has to get them the experience now so they can be integral players in a couple years. Brunicke, Pickering, Timmons, maybe St Ivany and yes move Karlsson. I think Letang just ran out of gas and now knows he is limited in minutes. But Dubas has cap space so go after a nice physical LD who can help Letang out. So:
FA Letang
Pickering Timmons
Graves Brunicke or St Ivany
Shea

Brunicke is NHL or back to juniors. Not AHL eligible till next year. I'd love to see him make it but I'm not counting on it. He's an option for the 26/27 season when we will have moved out one if not both of Karlsson and Letang. For now he's not in the equation. St Ivany had a good run but nothing I saw this year indicates he's ready for anything more than an injury call up.

Graves is shot. We tried for two seasons to make him work and can't. Retain 50% and send him to a rebuilding team with a sweetener, or buy him out. Time to cut our losses.

Pickering yes, but we're still short two LD. Sign one, trade for one.

 

[farscape1]

So when does Preseason start? Its going to be along summer.

 

[Ryder71]

So when does Preseason start? Its going to be along summer.

Actually the best part of the season for the foreseeable future is the summer. Don't expect this team to get better next year, in fact we'll likely be worse. But that's what's necessary.

 

[farscape1]

Actually the best part of the season for the foreseeable future is the summer. Don't expect this team to get better next year, in fact we'll likely be worse. But that's what's necessary.

I understand it will be worse but i can deal with and watch it be worse if we play Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty and give others the shot. But if these two start the year in WBS , oh hell with Sully still here it dont matter. Yeah i need another team to support.

 

[Fordy]

koivunen and mcg as full time players next year is a significant upgrade in watchability

 

[Rudy Russo]

I'm just happy this team has legitimate young players that will be playing in notable roles next year. McGroarty, Koivunen, Pickering and Blomqvist should all be playing in regular roles with guys like Ponomarev and Hallander (if he ever ends up signing) potentially filling roles too.

Hallander, Novak and Tomasino would be an interesting line if Hallander does sign with the penguins. I'm hoping Dubas trades Heinen this summer.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Malkin has also been one of the most injury prone players in his career.

This season was no different.

And?

 

[canadianguy77]

Hallander, Novak and Tomasino would be an interesting line if Hallander does sign with the penguins. I'm hoping Dubas trades Heinen this summer.

I don’t think Tommyboy is strong enough to play in this league. I didn’t see much of anything this season from him along the walls besides lost 50/50s. He a decently intelligent player but he’s no Jake or Koivunen for that matter. I just don't see a fit for him here.

 

[Andy99]

koivunen and mcg as full time players next year is a significant upgrade in watchability

And Sullivan a downgrade lol…hope they don’t cancel each other out…

 

[AuroraBorealis]

koivunen and mcg as full time players next year is a significant upgrade in watchability

Fingers crossed on Brunicke and Murashov.