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

[Empoleon8771]

That Lizotte deal definitely suggests he'll be a regular. I figure something else has to be coming with their depth forwards, namely Eller and/or Acciari.

 

[Gurglesons]

Wait wait wait, a much better use of our time is go through draft by draft and looking at all they players they COULD have draft and then bemoaning the fac they didn't!

Haven't you been complaining about what Ron Hextall did for two years now?

That Lizotte deal definitely suggests he'll be a regular. I figure something else has to be coming with their depth forwards, namely Eller and/or Acciari.

Why?

@Jacob already posted the lines.

 

[MayorofWBS]

That Lizotte deal definitely suggests he'll be a regular. I figure something else has to be coming with their depth forwards, namely Eller and/or Acciari.

I can't see anyone clamoring for Acciari another two years. Dude's a total nothingburger.

 

[deakka]

That Lizotte deal definitely suggests he'll be a regular. I figure something else has to be coming with their depth forwards, namely Eller and/or Acciari.

I mean. Hea no world better, but surely he'd have a lineup spot? Figured as much as soon as I saw "multi-year deal"

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

You forgot "the Penguins chipped in and got him a lawnmower, leaf blower, and weedeater".

Nope

“As a retirement gift, Pens players, led by Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust, secured a lease in a retail location in downtown Dorchester, where they’ve set up Hayes to open his own bar where he grew up, something the former NHL centerman has always dreamed about. The venue will be called “The National” and former NHL players from Boston will drink free”

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Beauvillier, Lizotte, and Bemstrom kind of remind me of Hinostroza, White, and Johnsson from last year. Trying to cast a broad net in hopes one or more of them will find that spark they had in the past or reach their potential here. No risk, high potential if they can hit it, can always bury them, and one might even go back to Sweden. Could easily see Bemstrom following Johnsson's route from last year.

 

[Turin]

Lizotte should be a regular. Time to punt Eller to Buffalo

 

[SEALBound]

DOC-Sid-Rust
Bunt-Geno-Raks
Beau-Eller-Puustinen
Poulin-Hayes-Acciari
Bemstrom-Lizotte-Puljujarvi

Getting crowded in here...

 

[66-30-33]

I can't see anyone clamoring for Acciari another two years. Dude's a total nothingburger.

What's the cap hit if we put him to WBS?

 

[IcedCapp]

We have Graves' and Letang's contract term extending out long so they can pass on their knowledge to young defenseman so we don't need Petts around. I mean when defenseman asks about Sullivan's defensive prowess/system, they both should be able to answer, "There isn't any so don't worry about it, there isn't any thing to learn".

I think we'll have Graves, Jarry and Rakell around for awhile. I have my doubts on Rust being movable too.

NHL GMs still think there's value in a player like Ryan Reaves, do you really think Rust, who has been a member of one of the most productive lines in hockey (the Pens #1 line was one of the top lines in advanced stats last year, I believe) will have no value?

Pretty sure he's also thought of as a bit of a playoff performer, even if we don't agree with that.

Very interesting off-season for them. I would have thought they would have waited an additional year or two before trying to pull out of the gutter but they committed some real money and real term to decent players. Add what they have to Bedard and Levshunov and it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

This is the problem with the generationals. You tell yourselves it's okay if you suck in year 1, but then in year 1 that player looks great and everyone panics and says, 'he's so good, you're failing him if you don't surround him with talent!' So now you're forced to move a year or two too fast.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I mean. Hea no world better, but surely he'd have a lineup spot? Figured as much as soon as I saw "multi-year deal"

I wasn't sure if he was being brought in as a 13th forward or as a regular. The money makes me think he's a regular.

I think he's the obvious Eller replacement when Eller gets moved. But before then, I'm curious about how the bottom-6 shakes up.

 

[66-30-33]

Surprised Crosby wasn't re-signed yet.

 

[Gurglesons]

I wasn't sure if he was being brought in as a 13th forward or as a regular. The money makes me think he's a regular.

I think he's the obvious Eller replacement when Eller gets moved. But before then, I'm curious about how the bottom-6 shakes up.

I assume it's Lizotte - Eller - Acciari on L4. And then Beauvillier - Hayes - X for L3.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Assuming DOC is on the first line, this is what we seem to have in the bottom-6:

Beau/Poulin/Gruden - Lizotte - Puusty/Poolparty
Beau/Poulin/Gruden - Hayes - Acciari
Eller

 

[Gurglesons]

Assuming DOC is on the first line, this is what we seem to have in the bottom-6:

Beau/Poulin/Gruden - Lizotte - Puusty/Poolparty
Beau/Poulin/Gruden - Hayes - Acciari
Eller

We don't need to pretend Hayes isn't going to be our 3C.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The way Eller was used and talked about last season makes me rather doubt he's going anywhere but we'll see I guess.

 

[SEALBound]

This is the problem with the generationals. You tell yourselves it's okay if you suck in year 1, but then in year 1 that player looks great and everyone panics and says, 'he's so good, you're failing him if you don't surround him with talent!' So now you're forced to move a year or two too fast.

Which is why getting him when they did in the state that they did is tough. In 2008 when the Pens went to the Cup, they had a solid team built and Sid and Geno were on their ELCs. The next year, when they won, Malkin was on his ELC. So I think there's definitely a positive to wanting to take advantage of his ELC value but at the same time, I don't think you can build a solid cup contender in 1-2 off-seasons through the FA market.

If you took another year, you could have another top 5 pick in a much better draft (in addition to whatever the Toronto pick gets you) to add to the mix of Bedard, Nazar, Levshunov, and 1st. You then have the last year of Bedard's ELC to go for it. Maybe that's why they offered their unprotected 1st to Columbus? Adding Cayden Lindstrom, Demidov, or Iginla to the roster would have certainly helped much more in the next 1-2 years than waiting to see how things shake out next year. I didn't see Chicago being this active so maybe they were banking on Columbus not realizing that either. DIdn't work out obviously but maybe that was part of their plan.

Bedard would have been better off going to Arizona, IMHO (or Utah now). They had a series of solid picks and players already. Chicago was just a void. Worse than Sid and Geno's first year, worse than McDavids, and certainly worse that Auston Matthews. Now that's a good time to get your generational 1C after you've stocked up on a Marner, Nylander, and you have a Tavaras-level talent wanting to come home in additiona to like of Reilly and Kadri.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Are we sure Jake even wanted to re-sign here?

Seems pretty obvious he went to the market that he could make the most money in possible.

It was obvious he didn't. His camp had a high number that didn't make sense for the Penguins cap structure from the start, then the negotiations seemed very tense and stopped. It's not new for players to price themselves off to avoid the negative backlash of stating outright they want to test the market or request a trade. I don't hate any player that does that personally - it's their livelihood and if they are happy elsewhere, good for them.

Jake though, kept throwing darts about how he would have stayed etc but his camp never really made that effort to stay. He looked like he was always going to test the market and dubas had to get something for him. I wish we got a first out of it but it's done now.

There's 0% of that situation that makes me feel he ever wanted to stay. The writing was on the wall for the Penguins future as anything but a playoff missing team that has legends on it to sell tickets and Jake knew it.

 

[spfan]

Little annoying we had to retain a bit on Smith. I know he hurt his value this year, but I do really think he could look good, just somewhere else. Really surprised VGK didn't just try to get him back.

Beauvillier is good value.

Hayes trade is fine.

Grzelcyk is pretty good value.

Annoying that we lost POJ for nothing. He didn't live up to potential, but we may as well have got rid of him way earlier and get something for him.

Please don't trade Jarry. Please do trade Graves.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807895117711167892

I laugh when they say multi year and it's always like 2yrs. Say f***ing two years. Multi years is when you have more than a couple of years. Makes everyone feel like it's some 5 year deal.

Dubas sat down with Sullivan and their entire plan is lipstick and pig.

And muppets feel like they're totally doing a rebuild all the while making moves that screams the opposite.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Illegal emoji, five yard penalty, it is still second down.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I honestly don't have a good read for what the Penguins will set up their bottom-6 to be next year. The easiest option is:

Beauvillier-Eller-Puustinen
Lizotte-Hayes-Acciari

But signing Lizotte for 2 years at $1.85 million to put him as a 4LW seems odd, both from the aspect of "he's more of a center" and "he's the obvious Eller replacement when Eller gets moved". This is especially true if the Penguins add another forward like I'm expecting them to.

At the same time, I think Lizotte and Acciari as a wing duo is pretty damn fast (or should be fast, if Acciari plays to his capabilities), so maybe they do just want to surround Hayes with a couple of speedy wingers. Still though, I like Lizotte more as a 3C than a 4LW.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Little annoying we had to retain a bit on Smith. I know he hurt his value this year, but I do really think he could look good, just somewhere else. Really surprised VGK didn't just try to get him back.

Beauvillier is good value.

Hayes trade is fine.

Grzelcyk is pretty good value.

Annoying that we lost POJ for nothing. He didn't live up to potential, but we may as well have got rid of him way earlier and get something for him.

Please don't trade Jarry. Please do trade Graves.

Why would VGK? They walked from Marchessault as well.

The rest, bless your soul mate. You're being positive and I don't want to ruin that for you.

 

[spfan]

Why would VGK? They walked from Marchessault as well.

The rest, bless your soul mate. You're being positive and I don't want to ruin that for you.

It was a success for VGK. Reports were Smith had no desire to be on the Pens. Maybe that's why his play was not great. Not sure if NYR will work out for him, but he was definitely good for VGK.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Well with Eller and Smith gone, the PK would be worse for sure.