Salary Cap: Garbage Day collection comes early!

[Shady Machine]

I'm more worried about how much Crosby/Malkin/Letang/Karlsson will decline this season than Hayes being in the bottom 6 or scratched

Yeah I think that’s fair and honestly listening to Dubas and Sully speak, they are essentially saying the same thing without saying it. No longer is there talks of being contenders now. It’s “as competitive as we can be”. There’s a recognition that this team is on the downswing and they will tread water while trying to rebuild on the fly.

Not saying it’s smart, but it’s likely what ownership wants. Squeeze every ounce of ticket revenue you can from this group and hope you strike gold on a few picks and prospects.

 

[OtherThingsILike]

Boston never did.

Boston missed the playoffs in 2015 and 2016.

Worse players than Smith that have term have been traded. Not sure Dubas even is all that urgently trying to move him it seems.

He's not urgently trying to move him, because it's not an urgent move to make. It's certainly not one that should be viewed as a cap dump.

 

[Shady Machine]

Boston missed the playoffs in 2015 and 2016.

He's not urgently trying to move him, because it's not an urgent move to make. It's certainly not one that should be viewed as a cap dump.

Yeah but Boston missing the playoffs doesn’t count since it doesn’t fit with our friend @Gurglesons agenda.

And yeah I don’t see the urgency in moving Smith. He’s a good player. Maybe he will suck again this year or maybe it’s possible he’s a good player again this year. No reason to dump him if you don’t have to and will likely have higher value as a trade deadline rental.

 

[Gurglesons]

Boston missed the playoffs in 2015 and 2016.

He's not urgently trying to move him, because it's not an urgent move to make. It's certainly not one that should be viewed as a cap dump.

Yeah but Boston missing the playoffs doesn’t count since it doesn’t fit with our friend @Gurglesons agenda.

And yeah I don’t see the urgency in moving Smith. He’s a good player. Maybe he will suck again this year or maybe it’s possible he’s a good player again this year. No reason to dump him if you don’t have to and will likely have higher value as a trade deadline rental.

We’ve missed the playoffs in similar positions with a 1st three times now if you include the bubble.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

 

[lettuceAA]

Calgary doesn't have Sidney Crosby at PPG. if they did, Conroy wouldn't have traded what he did.

The density in this thread is about to suck the entire world into it. Good lord people.

I was replying to a post about no teams going full tear down in a rebuild. When it's exactly what Calgary has been doing. Penguins obviously are not doing that but they did trade Guetzel even when Crosby was at a PPG.

 

[Gurglesons]

sigh, I amazed some people haven't been mentally prepared already that the rest of this decade will be HORRIBLE and we'd be lucky to make the playoff once before 2030. This team is poor and will suck more and more for every year that passes. ACCEPT IT and try look to the future. We have been so damn spoiled compared to many other fanbases and now it is our time to watch our team in the basement.

I think many people are prepared for that.

The issue is that Dubas’ inability to full commit to tearing it down and lack of extracting full value in trades is frustrating.

I agree. It's pretty clear the Penguins made one last kick at the can last offseason. The brought in the reigning Norris trophy winner and looking at a net with no goalies brought in the biggest name UFA. They also added a legit top six forward, an alleged top 4 defenseman, and bottom 6 depth. Most of these moves failed.

One it became clear they were not competing they sold off their only big pending UFA. The draft concluded with them adding picks not using them to buy new vets.

Between now and the trade deadline the Penguins will likely sell off more pending UFAs. Pettersson, Smith, and Eller will all have value as rentals at the deadline. Some of them may even be out the door in the next week if teams like Vancouver or Buffalo that want to win now miss out on their big UFA targets.

If the Penguins actually do this I’ll be happy.

But, the word is that they want to re-sign Pettersson.

I'm more worried about how much Crosby/Malkin/Letang/Karlsson will decline this season than Hayes being in the bottom 6 or scratched

Go watch some Kevin Hayes clips.

He’s so done.

 

[Ulf5]

Go watch some Kevin Hayes clips.

He’s so done.

At least we don't have to watch non-NHL talents like Gruden and especially Harkins.
Do we? Do we? Kyle????

 

[Empoleon8771]

At least we don't have to watch non-NHL talents like Gruden and especially Harkins.
Do we? Do we? Kyle????

I have a feeling that Gruden is going to be Sullivan's new pet next year. Which is "playing youth" but it's a guy I think is bad

But yeah, what Dubas does with the bottom of the roster is definitely something I'm keeping a major focus on.

 

[Gurglesons]

At least we don't have to watch non-NHL talents like Gruden and especially Harkins.
Do we? Do we? Kyle????

I’m fully expecting us to sign another forward with the cap space we have fully blocking out any chance of a young player making the roster outside of Puusy / Pulju.

I have a feeling that Gruden is going to be Sullivan's new pet next year. Which is "playing youth" but it's a guy I think is bad

But yeah, what Dubas does with the bottom of the roster is definitely something I'm keeping a major focus on.

Yep. I definitely think Gruden plays over Poulin and Ponomarev despite those two looking better next year. The thing with Gruden is he takes penalties a lot so maybe Sully hates him for that.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807432837462655456

Think that about wraps up the Jake saga.

 

[Empoleon8771]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807432837462655456

Think that about wraps up the Jake saga.

Getting a 3rd for his rights is pretty great, especially with it being June 30th.

But yeah, Guentzel is obviously chasing money and Tampa gives him both tax-free money (especially with his deal likely being bonus heavy) and a contending team.

 

[Gurglesons]

It's cool that Tampa is old as f***, has no prospects, and does cool shit.

Good GMing over there. Vegas vibes too in terms of loyalty which I love to some degree.

 

[TimmyD]

It's cool that Tampa is old as f***, has no prospects, and does cool shit.

Good GMing over there. Vegas vibes too in terms of loyalty which I love to some degree.

Jake Point Kucherov is going to be a fun line to watch

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

It's cool that Tampa is old as f***, has no prospects, and does cool shit.

Good GMing over there. Vegas vibes too in terms of loyalty which I love to some degree.

Hedman's 33, Kuch is 31, Vasi is 29, Point is 27. I don't think they're old as f***, but yeah--at least they operate like they give a f***. The era was always gonna end with the Pens but the way mismanagement and awful coaching turned it from a gradual decline to falling off a cliff sucks. Self-inflicted the entire way.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Jake's gonna light it up on that PP.
Wait, does that mean Stammer is gone?
Or can they afford both.

 

[Ugene Magic]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807432837462655456

Think that about wraps up the Jake saga.

Reminds me when Shero traded a 3rd to Philly for Dan Hamhuis and he refused to sign.

Who knows what Guentzel wants or where he wants to be.

 

[Gurglesons]

Jake's gonna light it up on that PP.
Wait, does that mean Stammer is gone?
Or can they afford both.

They've already admitted Stamkos isn't going to be back.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

As it stand right now the roster is, imo

Smith-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Rakell
O'Connor-Hayes-Puustinen
Ponomarev-Eller-Acciari
Puljujarvi

Pettersson-Karlsson
PoJ-Letang
Graves-St. Ivany

Jarry
Ned

That's about 5.5 mill in cap space.

I would love to move some guys because this is a purgatory roster IMO.

You’re not really developing any long term guys on it, you’re not going to bad enough to get a high pick.

It’s okay if we finish middle of the table but I’d like to do it developing Pono, Koivunen and other prospects.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I want Dubas to be all over this, seems like a no brainer for a high upside young player.

Hedman's 33, Kuch is 31, Vasi is 29, Point is 27. I don't think they're old as f***, but yeah--at least they operate like they give a f***. The era was always gonna end with the Pens but the way mismanagement and awful coaching turned it from a gradual decline to falling off a cliff sucks. Self-inflicted the entire way.

They're like the 2016 Penguins right now. They still have plenty of contention window left.

They also just got Moser and Geekie in the Sergachev trade, which should drastically help their prospect pool/youth on the roster.

I would love to move some guys because this is a purgatory roster IMO.

You’re not really developing any long term guys on it, you’re not going to bad enough to get a high pick.

It’s okay if we finish middle of the table but I’d like to do it developing Pono, Koivunen and other prospects.

I think Acciari is an obvious guy to move out to open up a spot for a young player. Running with Poulin-Eller-Ponomarev or something like that as a 4th line should be the goal, not having an expensive veteran clogging up a 4th line wing spot.

 

[Ulf5]

I’m fully expecting us to sign another forward with the cap space we have fully blocking out any chance of a young player making the roster outside of Puusy / Pulju.



Yep. I definitely think Gruden plays over Poulin and Ponomarev despite those two looking better next year. The thing with Gruden is he takes penalties a lot so maybe Sully hates him for that.

Which is sad. Poulin might be a bust but I think he has NHL level skills. To be at least a solid "contributing" 4th liner. Possibly 20 points. A bit higher upside with any luck.

 

[Gurglesons]

Hedman's 33, Kuch is 31, Vasi is 29, Point is 27. I don't think they're old as f***, but yeah--at least they operate like they give a f***. The era was always gonna end with the Pens but the way mismanagement and awful coaching turned it from a gradual decline to falling off a cliff sucks. Self-inflicted the entire way.

I guess it's weird because I feel like they've actually been contenders since 2015 and we are kinda always in between.

 

[Andy99]

Reminds me when Shero traded a 3rd to Philly for Dan Hamhuis and he refused to sign.

Who knows what Guentzel wants or where he wants to be.

He wants 8 years at least or Tampa wouldn’t have traded a third…they’re trying to keep the AAV down by offering the extra year

 

[BrookswasHere44]

Jake's gonna light it up on that PP.
Wait, does that mean Stammer is gone?
Or can they afford both.

Stammer is all but gone. Apparently watch Nashville for him

 

[Empoleon8771]

Which is sad. Poulin might be a bust but I think he has NHL level skills. To be at least a solid "contributing" 4th liner. Possibly 20 points. A bit higher upside with any luck.

I'm honestly not sure Poulin's upside is any higher than Gruden's upside.