GDT: Free Agency: Dr Strangedubas or How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Nerd

[Turin]

So can we predict which 3rd team would have to be involved in the EK trade?

Chicago
Arizona

just to name a couple

The Granlund-Zucker combo will finally be rekindled... in Arizona.

Dubas has good relationship with Kyle Davidson.

 

[Sideline]

My secret hope is that Jeff Carter's wife really wants to live in California again.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

My secret hope is that Jeff Carter's wife really wants to live in California again.

Or someone else's wife really wants Jeff Carter to live in California again.

 

[Malkinstheman]

So if you dump Petry/Granlund/CDS and bring in EK at 8.5m, that leaves you with 3m to fill two forwards spots with Nylander as the 13F. Its tight but might be doable. A couple decent players should fall through the cracks and accept a 1x1 deal.

I could see a guy like Motte coming here on a 1x1. Hes produced pretty well with 70%+ Dzone starts

 

[66-30-33]

So can we predict which 3rd team would have to be involved in the EK trade?

Chicago
Arizona

just to name a couple

Obviously Nashville because they are weirdos.

Anybody who has cap space to retain some of EK's salary, and a roster spot to take Petry or Granlund to feed them TOI in hopes to pad their stats so they can flip them at the deadline for futures.

SJ: Petry, Carter, 1st, Pickering, 2M retained
2nd team: Granlund, 2nd round pick, 2M retained
Pens: EK at 7.5 AAV

 

[Andy99]

I mean if the Penguins trade for Karlsson, they're giving up likely a 2024 1st and Pickering for him. They wouldn't still be talking about it if Dubas wasn't willing to pay for Karlsson.

Yeah, i guess his comment that wouldnt pay premium assets except for a young player is just as BS as his comment that he would like to make the team younger in the bottom six, or really improve the bottom six, as he did neither

 

[Empoleon8771]

My secret hope is that Jeff Carter's wife really wants to live in California again.

Call it copium but I legitimately think Carter will be on his way out if the Penguins don't do this rumored Karlsson trade.

I think Dubas likes both Petry and Granlund, at least enough to keep both of them on the roster. But Carter? He doesn't have a spot on this team anymore after the Eller, Acciari and Nieto additions.

Without a Karlsson trade, I'm hoping to see an opening night lineup of something like:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rakell
Smith-Malkin-Rust
Granlund-Eller-Sundqvist
O'Connor-Acciari-Nieto
Nylander-Koppanen (or 2 other league minimum depth guys)

Graves-Letang
Pettersson-Petry
POJ-Rutta
Ruhwedel

Jarry-Nedjelkovic

Tell Carter and DeSmith to go pound sand and add another winger with size to the 3rd line with the bit of cap space remaining.

 

[DRAGO 18]

I think the deal would have the Sharks retaining about $2 million and a third team retaining about $1 million, which would get Karlsson down to $8.5 million. In total, I think a reasonable deal would look like this:

-Penguins get Karlsson at $8.5 million
-Sharks get Petry, Granlund, Smith, Pickering and a 2024 1st
-Team C gets a 2025 2nd for retaining an additional $1 million on Karlsson

It looks like a lot of value, but I think it would look something like this. I don't think Ty Smith has a spot on the team anymore (with a potential Karlsson addition that is), so including him makes a lot of sense.

I think this makes a lot of sense but I dont think it requires us giving up our first next year. Petry, Granlund, Smith, Pickering and a 2024 2nd or 3rd plus another asset (Say Puustinen) gets it done.

 

[SaucyCelly]

Lfg dubas be bold get ek65! Worth the risk for 1 more!

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think Lindholm from Calgary does more to help this team improve than EK65 or anyone else does, but EK65 would be more fun so that's what I want.

More likely than not, this is pretty much the team we're gonna see in camp/pre-season, and based on who impresses, is probably what we'll see when Bedard scores 4 goals against J4rry on October 10th. (Half joking. Maybe.)

 

[AuroraBorealis]

My initial impressions are

Acciari B+
Graves B-
Eller C-
Smith - A
Nedjelkovic - B- ?
Jarry - D until proven otherwise.

But there's some serious context missing because Dubas made in clear there were still changes coming.. but if all of Granlund, Carter and Petry are still on the roster come September then it's all an F.

Acciari B
Graves B
Eller C-
Nieto C
Smith - A
Nedeljkovic - C
Jarry - C+

...is where I'm at. They have to overpay quality players like Graves to come here these days.
Nedeljkovic is tough to assess. Boom or bust. Might do a little better on a stronger defensive team here than Detroit.
The only slam dunk realistic option better than Jarry was Ullmark, so I can't be too harsh on that one. Maybe Boston turned them down.
They had no shot at Hellebuyck with him needing to be re-signed at Vasi money and wanting a contender.

Feel like it's gonna be a big struggle to score in this bottom 6 again, but the improvement at team ES defense and PK should negate that mostly.

 

[Malkinstheman]

If we end up getting EK i wont be as annoyed by the Eller signing. At that point we'll need players whos main responsibility will be to play D

 

[Empoleon8771]

Also I think it's really obvious to tell that Dubas is a really sociable person and the Pittsburgh media is going to absolutely fawn over him. Even in the exchange where Dubas and Rossi were talking about the Penguins cap structure, Dubas was throwing in some banter about "did Capfriendly tell you that?" that seemed pretty friendly.

They won't get spoon fed rumors like when JR was here, but Dubas seems pretty open to talk to the media and be friendly with them.

 

[wheelz87]

I absolutely believe EK is worth the risk. But beyond that, I think I’m most disappointed that with all the money we threw around today.. who is L3 gonna be? I see a whole lotta 4th line guys.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Apparently Carolina has made a offer to Tarasenko. If that happens theyve gotta be out on EK. Pesce's cap hit is only 4m. Theyd have to make a bunch of moves to fit in EK.

 

[PensandCaps]

So if you dump Petry/Granlund/CDS and bring in EK at 8.5m, that leaves you with 3m to fill two forwards spots with Nylander as the 13F. Its tight but might be doable. A couple decent players should fall through the cracks and accept a 1x1 deal.

I could see a guy like Motte coming here on a 1x1. Hes produced pretty well with 70%+ Dzone starts

I'd like Erne or Sundqvist for size. Along with being decent producers.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Aren't we out on Karlsson? Dubas sounded pretty resigned on that front at the presser, like he did his due diligence and is moving on.

 

[Fiji Water]

Pens need to pick a lane: Either tear it down or go for it. They have the core here for another 3 yrs, so the obvious choice is to just go for it. Move heaven and earth to get EK here. We won't be bad enough to pick high in the 1st rd over the next 2 yrs anyways, so just trade those picks for one last run or two.

 

[Andy99]

Acciari B
Graves B
Eller C-
Nieto C
Smith - A
Nedeljkovic - C
Jarry - C+

...is where I'm at. They have to overpay quality players like Graves to come here these days.
Nedeljkovic is tough to assess. Boom or bust. Might do a little better on a stronger defensive team here than Detroit.
The only slam dunk realistic option better than Jarry was Ullmark, so I can't be too harsh on that one. Maybe Boston turned them down.
They had no shot at Hellebuyck with him needing to be re-signed at Vasi money and wanting a contender.

Feel like it's gonna be a big struggle to score in this bottom 6 again, but the improvement at team ES defense and PK should negate that mostly.

We needed someone who can move the needle in the top six imo…a better scorer as Sid and Geno regress…Smith isn’t it…what they should do to improve L3 is to have players like Smith and Rust playing on that line…that’s something Vegas had in the playoffs…that kind of depth is necessary to make the playoffs let alone win a round…this team will not have improved its finishing troubles and we have no one except maybe Granlund who can step into the top six if Sid/Geno/Jake get injured…it’s really a poorly thought out plan, as we still have no depth scoring

 

[Malkinstheman]

Aren't we out on Karlsson? Dubas sounded pretty resigned on that front at the presser, like he did his due diligence and is moving on.

According to Friedman its down to the Pens or Canes. He said this after the Pens made all their signings

 

[SomeDude]

Also I think it's really obvious to tell that Dubas is a really sociable person and the Pittsburgh media is going to absolutely fawn over him. Even in the exchange where Dubas and Rossi were talking about the Penguins cap structure, Dubas was throwing in some banter about "did Capfriendly tell you that?" that seemed pretty friendly.

They won't get spoon fed rumors like when JR was here, but Dubas seems pretty open to talk to the media and be friendly with them.

This is another negative for Dubas. Why would anyone willingly be friendly to people like Rossi and Yohe who will just make crap up if needed to throw him under the bus when the time comes.
Yes, that time will come.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Apparently Carolina has made a offer to Tarasenko. If that happens theyve gotta be out on EK. Pesce's cap hit is only 4m. Theyd have to make a bunch of moves to fit in EK.

Yeah, I get the feeling that Carolina wants EK65 badly, but like Chychrun, they won't be able to make it work and will look elsewhere.

I'm still not confident, let alone convinced, the Pens will end up with EK65 but it seems like there's only two teams legitimately interested, and iirc Karlsson has agreed to be traded to, and that's Pittsburgh and Carolina. So it'll probably either be here or SJ sits on it for months like Arizona did with Chychrun.

 

[Ryder71]

Apparently Carolina has made a offer to Tarasenko. If that happens theyve gotta be out on EK. Pesce's cap hit is only 4m. Theyd have to make a bunch of moves to fit in EK.

Honestly, with their D stacked already, that would be a smarter acquisition.

 

[Malkinstheman]

I'd like Erne or Sundqvist for size. Along with being decent producers.

Could throw Nosek and Gurianov into that list as well

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Aren't we out on Karlsson? Dubas sounded pretty resigned on that front at the presser, like he did his due diligence and is moving on.

Friedman and Lebrun say the Pens are still having discussions to see if they can make it work. Karlsson's either agreed to or has Pittsburgh and Carolina as accepted destinations, and they're the only two teams seriously looking into EK65. Though it seems like Carolina is looking elsewhere, and I'd be absolutely astonished if the Pens could find a 3rd team to pull the whole thing together to make the cap work.