Confirmed with Link: Malkin re-signs to a 4 year, $6.1 million AAV deal (Eklund called it, start singing his praises)

[Pittsburgh1776]

 

[TNT87]

Heading into the offseason I certainly didn't expect Geno, Tanger, Rust, and Rakell to all be back. That is an impressive job to be able to keep them. I figured a couple would have left.

Now let's see what Hextall can do to create some cap space.

 

[Ryder71]

Hextall, you are the man!!!

Brilliant signings. All 4 are way under what those guys would've gotten in free agency.

Hextall's grade is an A and well deserved.

6 phenomenal deals...

Rust
Letang
Rakell
Malkin
POJ
Kapanen QO

Appssofreakinglootley so far so good! Big day tomorrow however.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Can we trade for that Russo guy from the Minny beat?

Not to sound like an entitled fan, but the Pens have been too good for too long to have this bad of local beat guys.

Russo is legitimately one of the best hockey sources out there period, let alone local team beat writers.

 

[Headshot77]

So Letang and Malkin had a combined 16.75 in cap hit and now it's turned into 12.1 in cap hit. In other words we saved 4.65 in cap hit or 0.93 Rickard Rakells.

Glad Geno is back and glad Hextall is clearing cap space.

 

[IcedCapp]

The sad news is.... tomorrow is now very very very boring

Im okay with that.

nahhhhh, it won't be JR levels of exciting, but i think there's a few fireworks to be had

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

For real though let’s take a minute to appreciate how terrible Yohe and Rossi were during this

Yohe doesn't have sources anymore but I do believe Barry was feeding messages through Rossi. Or maybe Rossi was just talking to Geno's barber. There are grains of truth sometimes but layered in exaggeration and misdirection.

 

[TNT87]

I hope Zohorna and DOC develop into truly legit players. That would go a long way.

I really hope Sully gives them a shot for more than a handful of games.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

So Letang and Malkin had a combined 16.75 in cap hit and now it's turned into 12.1 in cap hit. In other words we saved 4.65 in cap hit or 0.93 Rickard Rakells.

Glad Geno is back and glad Hextall is clearing cap space.

.93 Rickard Rakells.

 

[IcedCapp]

Russo is legitimately one of the best hockey sources out there period, let alone local team beat writers.

Sid really f***ed this up. He should have gone the LeBron route and had a guy like Windhorst follow him around, that dude coulda been the only guy in pittsburgh. 99% chance that he'd be better than what we got

 

[DesertedPenguin]

4.2 mil left. Need 3 Forwards.
Kap will be one.

Trade Pettersson, sign Kapanen to a reasonable 1-year deal, fill in with some prospects, and you still have room to bring in a fairly big fish. Or dump Kapanen and bring in a bit more grit on the back end.

Guentzel-Crosby-Rakell
XXX-Malkin-Rust
Zucker-Carter-Kapanen/Puustinen
O'Connor-Blueger-McGinn
Zohorna-Hallander

Dumoulin-Letang
Matheson-Marino
POJ-Ruhwedel/XXX
Friedman/Ruhwedel

Jarry
DeSmith

 

[BrindamoursNose]

I had the same thought. With Heinen walking, they need to find a replacement for him that would come in cheap. Lindblom falls in that category really well.

It would be a very good move.

Lindblom shouldn’t have been bought out. He’ll be a very awesome add to the team. I just feel it in my bones he’ll be a Pen and murder us.

 

[nohero]

If it hasn't been said, Hextall was a bully on the ice and remains a bully at the bargaining table.

Some pretty shrewd moves this offseason, I am definitely impressed!

To those lamenting "no change, same result" I say that free agency hasn't even started yet, let's wait and see what Hextall has up his sleeve. Find a way to get Zucker and a 4mil d-man off the books and you have enough cap space to sign literally any single free agent willing to come here, including Gaudreau if there's even a snowball's chance in hell he would.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

The only grace I’ll give the reporters is that I truly don’t think anyone has a line into the war room.

But since that’s the case, why don’t they just admit and not run with stuff? Would be less embarrassing

 

[Genetic]

The sad news is.... tomorrow is now very very very boring

Im okay with that.

Singing Trochek wouldn't be boring

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

 

[Empoleon8771]

Trade Pettersson, sign Kapanen to a reasonable 1-year deal, fill in with some prospects, and you still have room to bring in a fairly big fish. Or dump Kapanen and bring in a bit more grit on the back end.

Guentzel-Crosby-Rakell
XXX-Malkin-Rust
Zucker-Carter-Kapanen/Puustinen
O'Connor-Blueger-McGinn
Zohorna-Hallander

Dumoulin-Letang
Matheson-Marino
POJ-Ruhwedel/XXX
Friedman/Ruhwedel

Jarry
DeSmith

Honestly, my bet for the forward group as of right now is something along the lines of:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Rakell-Malkin-Kapanen
Zucker-Carter-Lindblom
O'Connor-Blueger-McGinn

The best part about that middle-6 is how much flexibility you have there. I believe Lindblom and Rakell play both wings, so you can have some flexibility with how you set that up.

 

[dogthateats]

Obvi

 

[ZorkEnchanter]

Man, I was leaving work and about to post- I know it's a business and it sucks that Geno won't be back....

I get home and Geno is back.

You are welcome! ahha

 

[Andy99]

Eklund called it…we have to give credit where credit is due…lol

 

[IcedCapp]

The only grace I’ll give the reporters is that I truly don’t think anyone has a line into the war room.

But since that’s the case, why don’t they just admit and not run with stuff? Would be less embarrassing

there are people who have legit sources in the Pittsburgh FO. Now, the sources are different today than, say 2 years ago. But you can tell who has the sources right now and who doesn't.

RR and JY did not under the previous regime and do not under this regime, have those sources.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

nahhhhh, it won't be JR levels of exciting, but i think there's a few fireworks to be had

Trade Pettersson, sign Trocheck.

Guentzel - Crosby - Rust
Rakell - Malkin - Kapanen
Zucker - Trocheck - Carter

Trocheck can be bumped to L2 and Kap to L3.

 

[TKalltheTime]

The sad news is.... tomorrow is now very very very boring

Im okay with that.

Don’t be so sure…

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm curious what got Malkin back to the negotiating table.

 

[Turin]

If they deal Pettersson and take little back

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Rakell-Malkin-Trochek
Zucker-Carter-Kapanen
Lindblom-Blueger-O’Connor

Is a probably the best Pens forward group in a long time- depth wise. Now, I don’t know if the cap there actually works but I think it’s close granted Kapanen is cheap.