GDT: Free Agency Day 1: You're from Boston? Come on down

[Andy99]

Man, just got caught up and these signings really make no sense. The trades have been fine but how do we expect to play younger players if all the spots on this roster are taken? Pono, Poulin, and the possibility of a Yager 9 game stint are basically gone. I’ve been a Dubas supporter but jeez. Hope this is part of his plan lol.

Yep…does anyone think if Pomo outplays Hayes, for example, in training camp for the 3C that Sullivan will have him in the opening night lineup? Lol

 

[molon labe]

Yep…does anyone think if Pomo outplays Hayes, for example, in training camp for the 3C that Sullivan will have him in the opening night lineup? Lol

I'm putting a soft bet on which game Hayes will start in OT for the Pens next year over Sid/Geno.

23.5 is the over under point and I'm taking the under.

 

[Ryder71]

Yep…does anyone think if Pomo outplays Hayes, for example, in training camp for the 3C that Sullivan will have him in the opening night lineup? Lol

Yes

 

[Epic Neal Time]

I have a feeling Malkin will be traded within a year. The year after next (2025-2026) is his last on his current deal and he's likely to retire following it. He'll want to play that year on a contender, and I'd love to see him do it. We won't be a serious contender in 25/26 IMO and I don't think it's as important to the team that he retires a Penguin.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

At this point though there is very little additional tearing down we can do.

Jarry tanked his value last year. Our best path forward with him is letting him build it back up.
Rust is on a restrictive NMC for another year.
Karlsson would take our remaining retention spot and may have more value at the TDL or next off-season (when we'll have more retention spots).
Rakell would take a retention spot and could rebuild his value this year
Petts is the ONLY example where we may be leaving some value on the table by not selling now. At the same time, we don't know if Dubas has been offered a 1st for him. I don't think his value would drop much by the deadline, if at all.

I also am cool buying this year if we think we can get to the final 8 or so. There's value in playoff hockey and excitement, and it's not infeasible to think this team and these Hall of Famers can figure their stuff out on the Powerplay. If they bomb, then the sell off can really begin at the TDL and next off-season.

I quoted this and never got to it.

Agreed some trade values took a hit and if we are in a playoff picture adding to this roster would be awesome to do for our guys. I'd love to get a playoff win. Who would have thought after 2 wins and a 2nd round battle to the eventual winner would be our last playoff win. Not me.

Happy for POJ signing with the Blues to join his brother. Hope he has the success he deserves to have.

Same hope he does well.

Rakell Crosby Rust
Bunting Malkin Tarasenko
O'Connor Hayes Beaulivier
Lizotte Aciari Puljujarvi

Yuck. So little youth no wonder we never have any prospects succeed. Isn't DOC 26 now?

Yep…does anyone think if Pomo outplays Hayes, for example, in training camp for the 3C that Sullivan will have him in the opening night lineup? Lol

I personally don't. My goal was he'd become a 4C this year playing 10 minutes a night. That dream seems mostly gone.

 

[ThosePuckingPenguins]

I have a feeling Malkin will be traded within a year. The year after next (2025-2026) is his last on his current deal and he's likely to retire following it. He'll want to play that year on a contender, and I'd love to see him do it. We won't be a serious contender in 25/26 IMO and I don't think it's as important to the team that he retires a Penguin.

Assuming Sid’s still here, I don’t think that happens.

 

[Rudy Russo]

In the event the Tarasenko signing is legit, would they move Rakell or Rust to LW and bump DOC to the third line, or simply put Rakell or Rust (probably Rakell) on the third line?

I would move Rakell to Crosby line but then again this team is coached by Mike Sullivan.

 

[SEALBound]

So they want to rebuild and be competitive, sort of what other teams do to refresh a roster with youth and picks but still be competitive. Dubas and Sullivan sat down and hammered out a plan.

The plan? Make it so zero youth have a shot at any spots in the line up except for St Ivany based on need and even then even he won't.

So the entire roster is entirely veteran heavy again. Lol...

There are still slots in the lineup for youth. The only recent additions that I feel have a much better chance at being staples in the lineup are Lizotte and Hayes. Everyone else that was signed to a 1yr deal could be sent to WBS including Beauvillier, Puljujarvi, Bemstrom, and Nieto. I don't think they would shy away from waiving Acciari if it comes to it either.

But now let's also be realistic for a second. Yes, Dubas said they want to infuse youth into the lineup but that doesn't necessarily mean "put all youth into the line up this season with no plan B". If Pono comes in a gets buried every game...what do you do? To expect:

DOC-Sid-Rust
Bunt-Geno-Raks
Poulin-Pono-Puustinen
Koivunen-Yager-Broz

or something is hardly a realistic expectation. As is, they have a couple of slots for youth to win in camp. Then, and a I know this is foreign to some, but you can indeed call guys up from WBS. Whether that be "hey, Beauvillier sucks, let's get Pono up here" or "Damn, Rakell is hurt, Broz is playing well, get him up here". It's a long season and things happen - waives, trades, injuries, scratches...there's plenty of time to assess the youth we have. And I don't think the goal was the necessary bank on youth this season, I think this is a transitionary season with lower expectations. Then in 2-3 years, get the youth in and go for it again.

 

[Turin]

I have a feeling Malkin will be traded within a year. The year after next (2025-2026) is his last on his current deal and he's likely to retire following it. He'll want to play that year on a contender, and I'd love to see him do it. We won't be a serious contender in 25/26 IMO and I don't think it's as important to the team that he retires a Penguin.

I don’t think Malkin cares about winning a cup away from Sid at this point. If he’s going to any team though it would be Florida I’d imagine.

 

[OnMyOwn]

a lot of the signings will be in WBS all season or only play a handful of games in the NHL. We saw it last year with all of these around league minimum deals. I think Beauvillier will likely make the team, but his salary isn't hard to bury if he sucks, either. I'm hoping Ponomarev is ready straight out of camp.

 

[Turin]

I quoted this and never got to it.

Agreed some trade values took a hit and if we are in a playoff picture adding to this roster would be awesome to do for our guys. I'd love to get a playoff win. Who would have thought after 2 wins and a 2nd round battle to the eventual winner would be our last playoff win. Not me.



Same hope he does well.


Yuck. So little youth no wonder we never have any prospects succeed. Isn't DOC 26 now?



I personally don't. My goal was he'd become a 4C this year playing 10 minutes a night. That dream seems mostly gone.

Injuries are gonna happen, plus it wouldn’t surprise anybody if Beauvillier didn’t even make the team. If he plays like last year in training camp he’ll get waived.

 

[Goodleaf]

I'm putting a soft bet on which game Hayes will start in OT for the Pens next year over Sid/Geno.

23.5 is the over under point and I'm taking the under.

23.5? Is he starting the year on LTIR???

 

[SomeDude]

The only way Geno is leaving this organization is retirement. If he had any inclination that he didn’t want to spend the rest of his career here, then he would have been gone 2 summers ago. He has a NMC. We would have to buy him out and then I’m sure he would just head back to the motherland to get a few checks from the KHL.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The only way Geno is leaving this organization is retirement. If he had any inclination that he didn’t want to spend the rest of his career here, then he would have been gone 2 summers ago. He has a NMC. We would have to buy him out and then I’m sure he would just head back to the motherland to get a few checks from the KHL.

I would say the Penguins could try forcing him out but he's still here after last season so no luck there, either.

 

[Solution]

Oh... whoosh... right over my head. I nearly forgot about that. Or was it his wife? Or was that Casey Pierre-Zabotel that had wife drama?

In any case there's some names best left in the past. Leave it to me.

CPZ.

 

[SomeDude]

I would say the Penguins could try forcing him out but he's still here after last season so no luck there, either.

I don’t think there’s any chance that would happen and if it did, it would work. He’s got a Jeff Carter iron clad contract. He’s only leaving if he wants or is bought out and I don’t think he wants to.

 

[SEALBound]

The only way Geno is leaving this organization is retirement. If he had any inclination that he didn’t want to spend the rest of his career here, then he would have been gone 2 summers ago. He has a NMC. We would have to buy him out and then I’m sure he would just head back to the motherland to get a few checks from the KHL.

They will 100% let him play out his contract. Why wouldn't they?

The interesting thing will be, if they intend on contending, what do they do at 2C if Malkin retires after next year? Is that a FA signing, a trade, or do they hope to have a young guy like Yager in place?

If the intention is to boomerang around and compete in 2027/28 when Sid/Letang are about done, then a 1/2C is the organization's biggest need. As I said previously, I do think you can fill out the defense via free agency or trade. 1/2Cs are a bit tougher.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I don’t think there’s any chance that would happen and if it did, it would work. He’s got a Jeff Carter iron clad contract. He’s only leaving if he wants or is bought out and I don’t think he wants to.

I don't think he does, either. But I often wonder what the team thinks.

 

[SomeDude]

They will 100% let him play out his contract. Why wouldn't they?

The interesting thing will be, if they intend on contending, what do they do at 2C if Malkin retires after next year? Is that a FA signing, a trade, or do they hope to have a young guy like Yager in place?

If the intention is to boomerang around and compete in 2027/28 when Sid/Letang are about done, then a 1/2C is the organization's biggest need. As I said previously, I do think you can fill out the defense via free agency or trade. 1/2Cs are a bit tougher.

Kevin Hayes, my man.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I don't think Tarasenko does much to move the needle but he's actually a guy they might be able to flip at the TDL if he does well alongside Sid or Geno. Don't really care either way tbh.

 

[SEALBound]

Kevin Hayes, my man.

That bum Hextall ain't here anymore to hand out another Jeff Carter special.

I wish we could have figured out something with Pinto. That would have been ideal. He's 22. That would have put him at 25/26 when it's "time". Josh Norris is another I think could be had but the guy can't stay healthy.

Maybe we finish bottom 5 and win the draft lottery and pick Hagens though. Surely Uncle Gary wouldn't want Mario and Sid's team in the gutter without a generational talent for TOO long, right?

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

CPZ.

Speaking of wife drama, Mike Hoffman is still a UFA.

 

[SomeDude]

Speaking of wife drama, Mike Hoffman is still a UFA.

FSG can get into reality TV and start the Real House Husbands of Sewickly with EK and Hoffman.

 

[Fordy]

they should sign tarasenko because i always liked him

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

FSG can get into reality TV and start the Real House Husbands of Sewickly with EK and Hoffman.

At the very least, it would get Karlsson to waive his NMC.