Salary Cap: Penguins Salary Cap Thread: We suck again summer edition

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It's just code for "Sid shall always have Jake forever and ever"

You can just imagine the lightbulb moment years ago when some doof like Recchi leaned over to Sullivan and said "hey Sid and that Jake Guentzel make a hell of a duo!"

 

[Andy99]

Even if you averaged his production over 82 games, he wouldn’t have hit 30 in those seasons. His last 30 season came the same year we won a playoff series - that’s a long time ago.

He would have had 30 goals if he shot more…he doesn’t shoot enough

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

He would have had 30 goals if he shot more…he doesn’t shoot enough

I wish you wouldn't have edited this. You never know... maybe that actually IS his problem.

Didn't he have some dietary issues? I think you're on to something, Andy.

 

[Peat]

Geno and Zucker were a duo last year and pretty dang good too.

Also Granlund could absolutely go on Sid's line as he's a career RW. It's probably not going to happen, but it's not like Granlund is a LW only guy who ergo can't be with Sid as that's where Guentzel is. The fact Hextall left us with 3 guys who are better on the RW here at 5m+ is just one more reason why the Granlund move was absolutely moronic.

 

[Andy99]

I wish you wouldn't have edited this. You never know... maybe that actually IS his problem.

Didn't he have some dietary issues? I think you're on to something, Andy.

My default autocorrect is “shit” lol

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Geno and Zucker were a duo last year and pretty dang good too.

Also Granlund could absolutely go on Sid's line as he's a career RW. It's probably not going to happen, but it's not like Granlund is a LW only guy who ergo can't be with Sid as that's where Guentzel is. The fact Hextall left us with 3 guys who are better on the RW here at 5m+ is just one more reason why the Granlund move was absolutely moronic.

He really SHOULD be on the LW. I see no reason why a guy with a ECHL caliber shot should be playing on his "shooting" wing. And wronghanded along the boards. But it's true that he's mostly played RW for whatever reason.

What a dumb player to have on this roster geez.

 

[ChaosAgent]

He really SHOULD be on the LW. I see no reason why a guy with a ECHL caliber shot should be playing on his "shooting" wing. And wronghanded along the boards. But it's true that he's mostly played RW for whatever reason.

What a dumb player to have on this roster geez.

I blame Sully for making Hextall feel panic into his worst decision.

I think Hex was gonna get another GM job eventually, but after Granlund not sure. That is going to be a very tough move to explain away.

 

[Peat]

I blame Sully for making Hextall feel panic into his worst decision.

I think Hex was gonna get another GM job eventually, but after Granlund not sure. That is going to be a very tough move to explain away.

How many GMs get a third go at the job when they had zero playoff success in their first two tries, and accumulate a reputation for being difficult to deal with for owners to boot? I guess if Chuck Fletcher got to be a GM three times Hextall can... but if that's the standard, one bad move is nothing.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I blame Sully for making Hextall feel panic into his worst decision.

I think Hex was gonna get another GM job eventually, but after Granlund not sure. That is going to be a very tough move to explain away.

I think it was a combination of a few things. The team stumbling badly down the stretch certainly added pressure as well. The media and fans getting well beyond just restless and of course I'm sure Sullivan was pounding the desk for more reinforcements, as well. But communication and articulating what the team ACTUALLY needs (aside from just fee fees -- MOAR THIRD LINERZ) seems to be a challenge beyond just Hextall with this team. People complain about communication issues WRT to Hextall but for some reason don't factor in the chain of communication including scouts, AGMs, analytic advisors and of course the coach himself. It's ALL a mess.

 

[Pens1566]

If you really, really, really want to get back into serious contention while the big 3 are still productive, you have to add another offensive threat sort of like what Kessel brought in. Only now, it probably has to be someone above that level in order to make up for the decline/aging of the other 3.

I don't know that a player like that exists in what is reasonably available.

 

[HandshakeLine]

If you really, really, really want to get back into serious contention while the big 3 are still productive, you have to add another offensive threat sort of like what Kessel brought in. Only now, it probably has to be someone above that level in order to make up for the decline/aging of the other 3.

I don't know that a player like that exists in what is reasonably available.

Our best option to do something like that would have been trading one of the supporting cast like Rust + prospect and 14OA, but we just don’t have the assets necessary to pull it off.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Our best option to do something like that would have been trading one of the supporting cast like Rust + prospect and 14OA, but we just don’t have the assets necessary to pull it off.

Just your daily reminder that Rust managed a whole goal and three assists in March.

You know... during his so-called "comeback tour."

 

[Peat]

I think it was a combination of a few things. The team stumbling badly down the stretch certainly added pressure as well. The media and fans getting well beyond just restless and of course I'm sure Sullivan was pounding the desk for more reinforcements, as well. But communication and articulating what the team ACTUALLY needs (aside from just fee fees -- MOAR THIRD LINERZ) seems to be a challenge beyond just Hextall with this team. People complain about communication issues WRT to Hextall but for some reason don't factor in the chain of communication including scouts, AGMs, analytic advisors and of course the coach himself. It's ALL a mess.

That's something where the buck stops with the GM though. If the Front Office isn't communicating well, it's on him to sort it or abort it. That goes double when a lot of main links in the chain are his guys. The only AGM, Pryor, was his guy. Huffman, the head of pro scouting, was his guy. He implemented his structure as to how the team should do things and when it came to a crucial stretch of decision making, it came up very small.

I wonder if we're being too harsh on Hextall sometimes. I think passionate people usually overstate things and I look at some moves of his that I really rate. Rakell was a humdinger of a get. But when you prod at the structure he built, it feels like bad moves were inevitable. He didn't do enough good to counteract that, and he didn't understand his job well enough to know to insulate himself. So good riddance.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

That's something where the buck stops with the GM though. If the Front Office isn't communicating well, it's on him to sort it or abort it. That goes double when a lot of main links in the chain are his guys. The only AGM, Pryor, was his guy. Huffman, the head of pro scouting, was his guy. He implemented his structure as to how the team should do things and when it came to a crucial stretch of decision making, it came up very small.

I wonder if we're being too harsh on Hextall sometimes. I think passionate people usually overstate things and I look at some moves of his that I really rate. Rakell was a humdinger of a get. But when you prod at the structure he built, it feels like bad moves were inevitable. He didn't do enough good to counteract that, and he didn't understand his job well enough to know to insulate himself. So good riddance.

I'm no big fan of the coach these days but yeah... while I think more people should acknowledge the role of this (and nearly all) coaches in roster construction... much of this past season's failure frankly came down to a poorly constructed and very vestigial-feeling FO. I have no real proof of this of course but it felt like just a big gaggle of guys in suits wondering around aimlessly. Then sometimes they'd shove the hedgehog in front of a camera to bark about how great Mike Sullivan is or whatever.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Our best option to do something like that would have been trading one of the supporting cast like Rust + prospect and 14OA, but we just don’t have the assets necessary to pull it off.

Just your daily reminder that Rust managed a whole goal and three assists in March.

You know... during his so-called "comeback tour."

Just your daily reminder that Rust has a full NMC til July 1 2025.

 

[ChaosAgent]

If you really, really, really want to get back into serious contention while the big 3 are still productive, you have to add another offensive threat sort of like what Kessel brought in. Only now, it probably has to be someone above that level in order to make up for the decline/aging of the other 3.

I don't know that a player like that exists in what is reasonably available.

Karlsson maybe. But that is a real hail Mary.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Just your daily reminder that Rust has a full NMC til July 1 2025.

Oh I know.

That really sucks.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Just your daily reminder that Rust has a full NMC til July 1 2025.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

I like this line of thinking and hope Dubas gets creative. This team is 8th in terms of cap space this summer. If he can dump Granlund to he will have a ton to work with.

A couple of those teams also won't be competing for the UFAs as well. Chicago and Arizona to name a couple.

 

[Peat]

Rust annoyed the living daylights out of me frequently last season - and the prior couple - with the way a once buzzsaw player seems to be trying to be diet Kessel, but he did make Geno's line better last season. I wish he'd spent more time with Geno and less with Sid, but Sid's line got good results too. I'd happily move him in a heartbeat to free up space for a better player, but he's not a problem.

And even if he didn't have trade restriction, I don't think guys giving up a big dog would hugely want him.

I think if a big dog did become available, the Penguins' route to obtaining him would be one of

a) Trading Guentzel, who has zero trade restrictions and is highly fungible
b) Giving up the farm
c) Pay through the nose in FA (the guy isn't there in FA)

Right now I'm thinking there won't be one available, and the team should try and keep assets back in case for flexibility and proceed to fill the roster with good value guys who can be like Zucker - unrelenting effort, enough skill to score freely for their role. You know, super easy to do.


Incidentally... if Colorado made Girard available, how would guys feel about targeting him?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I dunno.

People were just saying the other day that as terrible as Granlund is (and he is) that he managed 60some points due strictly to opportunity. What the hell does that make non-buzzsaw Rust?

I know I'm being harsh but anyone who doesn't have deep, deep misgivings about that guy after last year either is a really huge Rust fan or isn't paying enough attention.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Couldn't Boston get a better haul from other teams besides the Pens if the need to get rid of Hall and Ullmark?

Honestly, I doubt it. Ullmark has a full NTC before July 1st and a 15 team NTC after. The last time a goalie was in his position, Vegas got literally nothing for Fleury. Hall is also in the same category as someone like Pacioretty, who Vegas actually had to pay to move to Carolina.

It really depends on how they view POJ, though. If they love the idea of POJ because they can put him in Grzelcyk's spot for a fraction of the price, I think there would be some major traction there. The Bruins are in such an awful cap situation that I don't think they're going to be getting good offers from a lot of teams for their players.

I think the best they could do is like a 2nd for both Ullmark and Hall (meaning each can get a 2nd at best), and I think POJ and a 2nd is pretty much that.

 

[ChaosAgent]

A couple of those teams also won't be competing for the UFAs as well. Chicago and Arizona to name a couple.

Is Arizona really going to compete for UFAs? Until they move,they must be broke (surely)

 

[KrisLetAngry]

I'm ready to make a horrible deal

Nurse retained to 7 million. For granlund.

I'm ready fellow pens fans for your thoughts.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I dunno.

People were just saying the other day that as terrible as Granlund is (and he is) that he managed 60some points due strictly to opportunity. What the hell does that make non-buzzsaw Rust?

I know I'm being harsh but anyone who doesn't have deep, deep misgivings about that guy after last year either is a really huge Rust fan or isn't paying enough attention.

Rust did a better job taking up space and is a much more dangerous scorer. I'm not happy about his season last year but he has the tools to bounce back. Granlund doesn't.