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

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The problem is whether he has the athleticism and will to deal with how urgent teams play against our top six, and how urgent the HC wants them to play, and how Sid and Geno maybe shouldn't be expected to go win all their own puck any more.

Exactly. A friggin' Granlund/Malkin/Rust line would get cavvvvvvvvvved. Malkin would be injured in one period because he'd have to do all the work. And frankly at this stage cannot.

I dunno. It all sounds extremely hopeful to me. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they find a way to move him out quickly. Entertaining ideas of trying to rehabilitate players like Granlund on the job while realistically competing for anything doesn't seem congruent. At least to me.

 

[SEALBound]

1st, 4th, POJ to Boston for Grzelcyk, Swayman
Grandlund for Garlund
Resign: DOC, Poehling, Smith, Zucker @$4mil
Swayman @$4mil
Athanasiou @$3.25mil

Jake-Sid-Rakell
Zucker-Malkin-Garland
Athanasiou-Poehling-Rust
DOC-Carter-Nylander
13th

Grzelcyk-Letang
Pettersson-Petry
Smith-Rutta
Rudwedel

Swayman
CDS

$3.4mil in space.

Some hopefuls in there but I think every need got addressed nicely.

 

[Gurglesons]

1st, 4th, POJ to Boston for Grzelcyk, Swayman
Grandlund for Garlund
Resign: DOC, Poehling, Smith, Zucker @$4mil
Swayman @$4mil
Athanasiou @$3.25mil

Jake-Sid-Rakell
Zucker-Malkin-Garland
Athanasiou-Poehling-Rust
DOC-Carter-Nylander
13th

Grzelcyk-Letang
Pettersson-Petry
Smith-Rutta
Rudwedel

Swayman
CDS

$3.4mil in space.

Some hopefuls in there but I think every need got addressed nicely.

Athana say no.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I love you guys and you have the right idea but Bryan Rust will play on the third line on a Sullivan coached team roughly about the same time that I'm being coronated Duke of Mars and all attendant moons.

 

[Jacob]

Keeping the pick doesn’t prevent us from trading the asset later. Even if a 14th OA is unlikely to become a star they aren’t going to bust in the next 2 years. Hell they might increase their value if we leave them be in juniors or Europe and they develop well.

 

[SEALBound]

Athana say no.

Well I say yes.

I love you guys and you have the right idea but Bryan Rust will play on the third line on a Sullivan coached team roughly about the same time that I'm being coronated Duke of Mars and all attendant moons.

Sadly, that's fair to an extent but in my lineup, if you have Rust, Rakell, and Garland as the top 9 RWs, you can put whichever one you want wherever. That was just my ideal line combos

 

[Extra Texture]

Why can’t Granlund just chill on the first line with Sid and Jake until his value is back up?

Guentzel-Crosby-Assist 66 by Granlund


Talk about panic. 14 overall just to get rid of a message board punching bag lol. The whole team was sorry last year. Nobody knows why. Just were. Who cares. Move on. I’m sure Granlund already has (mentally) and is fixing his mistakes like the professional he is. And will be back to 2nd round worthy.

Yeah, I dont know if that combo would work out on L1, but the absurdity of this "fix" is too much. Iwould be mad as hell if we gave up 14 OA just to dump him. Hell, when the trade was floated on the mainboard, Hawks fans insinuated that it was an overpay, and they take Granlund for far less. The idea of giving up our highest pick since 2007 to undo a Hextall move after 4 months is revolting.

IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO we buy him out. Save 4+ million this year, and 3 next year. By 2025-7, his negative buyout carry probably matter anymore, and is manageable anyway. We keep the pick and get burned a little financially. Boo hoo, we still have 25M in cap space.

Like you said, I think we should just keep him for at least part of the season. If he goes on a heater, or if by some miracle he finds chemistry, we're looking at a redemption arc, hockey trade, or at least a non-negative asset.


Edit: also if the pick has to be used, then use it for something to actually improve this team in a net sense. The buyout is right there and begging to be used. Expending the pick leaves us down an asset that can be used later to very good effect.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Sadly, that's fair to an extent but in my lineup, if you have Rust, Rakell, and Garland as the top 9 RWs, you can put whichever one you want wherever. That was just my ideal line combos

Were asinine trade clauses not a thing... Rust should 100% be a shakeup trade.

Hey who is being unrealistic, now? Haha

 

[pensfan71]

What are people's thoughts on Dawson Mercer? Just a name I came across and was curious about him since I haven't watched him much

 

[eXile3]

Keeping the pick doesn’t prevent us from trading the asset later. Even if a 14th OA is unlikely to become a star they aren’t going to bust in the next 2 years. Hell they might increase their value if we leave them be in juniors or Europe and they develop well.

I feel like a lot of times the prospect has better value than the pick. Probably something psychological about a pick being nameless and prospect being someone you can project hopes on.

 

[Gurglesons]

What are people's thoughts on Dawson Mercer? Just a name I came across and was curious about him since I haven't watched him much

He's an excellent piece and a foundational player for Jersey.

 

[Peat]

If Zucker takes 4m a year after the season he had, the GM who pulls it off probably has incriminating photos of him.

 

[Extra Texture]

Keeping the pick doesn’t prevent us from trading the asset later. Even if a 14th OA is unlikely to become a star they aren’t going to bust in the next 2 years. Hell they might increase their value if we leave them be in juniors or Europe and they develop well.

Bingo.

Recall the hype surrounding Tangradi, Joe Morrow or Derrick Pouliot. They were highly prized as trade returns in the hockey world, but only in the case of Morrow did we sell near his absolute peak value. If we let go at the right time, a prospect that hasnt inexplicably busted already can still bring back a great return. If they somehow develop even faster or more promisingly, then we have the option of using them ourselves.

If Pouliot and a first had landed us Kessel with retention, and then DP went on to have the same career, it would've not only been the trade of the decade, but avoided the ridiculous Kapanen redux moves.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

What are people's thoughts on Dawson Mercer? Just a name I came across and was curious about him since I haven't watched him much

He's great ... but why would NJ make him available?

 

[Nordekes]

I agree. I've mentioned Chicago as a team that has money to spend and nothing to offer Bedard for support. You can't tell me they send him out on the ice without some real talent next to him.

"I thought you said we didn't have any high priced talent?"
"I forgot about Dorn because he's only high priced"

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If Zucker takes 4m a year after the season he had, the GM who pulls it off probably has incriminating photos of him.

Depends on term. If he's offered 4+ years, Zucker's probably aware enough of his own history that his body could break down at any point. So a guaranteed $16+ million to play in a spot he enjoys could be more attractive than getting a million or more per year but on a shorter term deal.

 

[Zbynek]

I remember seeing we lead in hits for awhile. I knew we were top 3-5. But that said, I'm not sure that has the impact we all hope it does. Josh Archibald was great at all of those hits and it's important and all but...at what cost? I'd rather have another Zucker who still hits, fewer mind you, but still produces. A little ball of energy that hits isn't useful unless he's scoring too. That's just the current state of the bottom 6. I can't really recall when a major hit led to something productive for the bottom 6. Now Rakell and Zucker, I can recall times where their tenacity on the forecheck created the stage for us to score and that worked well so I'd prefer to have those style of guys.

But part of that is also that Sullivan gives top-6 guys 20 mins and L4 8 minutes a night. Probably the same reason people don't remember seeing those 200 hits from Archibald. Cuz L4 doesn't even play...

It's not going to make or break our season next year if we extend Archibald I just wanted to point out he was the most energetic piece of what was otherwise the worst bottom-6 in the NHL.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Bingo.

Recall the hype surrounding Tangradi, Joe Morrow or Derrick Pouliot. They were highly prized as trade returns in the hockey world, but only in the case of Morrow did we sell near his absolute peak value. If we let go at the right time, a prospect that hasnt inexplicably busted already can still bring back a great return. If they somehow develop even faster or more promisingly, then we have the option of using them ourselves.

If Pouliot and a first had landed us Kessel with retention, and then DP went on to have the same career, it would've not only been the trade of the decade, but avoided the ridiculous Kapanen redux moves.

Esposito is a great case study too. Sold at the absolute right time there for Hossa and Dupuis.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I could see Zucker taking a pretty steep discount to stick around in Pittsburgh. He's loved by the coach and the lockerroom, and the team didn't ship him out when he was struggling with injury for years, so I'm sure he's appreciative of that.

 

[Zbynek]

I could see Zucker taking a pretty steep discount to stick around in Pittsburgh. He's loved by the coach and the lockerroom, and the team didn't ship him out when he was struggling with injury for years, so I'm sure he's appreciative of that.

Counterpoint: He's the highest scoring winger (from last season) available in UFA and this is his last chance to get a big contract. And he has a good chance I'd say.

But yea, I personally agree, if you can get this guy in the 4.5 range with some term that's huge for Pittsburgh. Once he's gone you have to replace the grit and buzz he brings (on top of the production). Archibald, as buzzy as he is, won't do.

 

[Peat]

Depends on term. If he's offered 4+ years, Zucker's probably aware enough of his own history that his body could break down at any point. So a guaranteed $16+ million to play in a spot he enjoys could be more attractive than getting a million or more per year but on a shorter term deal.

Jason Zucker is a top 10 for points scored in this UFA class and out of the guys in front of him, only 3 are younger. He's also a known full energy player who's popular in the locker room.

In other words, I don't think he's going to have to chose between 4+ years and substantially more than 4m. I think it's more likely you're going to look at his new contract and say "what the hell is wrong with GMs".

 

[Gurglesons]

Jason Zucker is a top 10 for points scored in this UFA class and out of the guys in front of him, only 3 are younger. He's also a known full energy player who's popular in the locker room.

In other words, I don't think he's going to have to chose between 4+ years and substantially more than 4m. I think it's more likely you're going to look at his new contract and say "what the hell is wrong with GMs".

Yeah, I don’t see Zucker signing for less than 5.5 x 4.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Counterpoint: He's the highest scoring winger (from last season) available in UFA and this is his last chance to get a big contract. And he has a good chance I'd say.

But yea, I personally agree, if you can get this guy in the 4.5 range with some term that's huge for Pittsburgh. Once he's gone you have to replace the grit and buzz he brings (on top of the production). Archibald, as buzzy as he is, won't do.

I personally want all of the UFAs to be allowed to walk. But yeah, if they lose Zucker, they're just gonna give Bunting his money or something like that. Maybe squeeze out another million or so to give to Bertuzzi.

My issue is with Zucker's durability. He's a fine third wheel when he's healthy, but I am not confident that's gonna be the case.

 

[eXile3]

Jason Zucker is a top 10 for points scored in this UFA class and out of the guys in front of him, only 3 are younger. He's also a known full energy player who's popular in the locker room.

In other words, I don't think he's going to have to chose between 4+ years and substantially more than 4m. I think it's more likely you're going to look at his new contract and say "what the hell is wrong with GMs".

Which is why I hope Kyle is going golfing the first week of July. Avoid filling out a roster through UFA as much as you can.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Apparently Yamamoto is a buyout candidate this summer. He's only 24 and was dealing with a neck issue this year. I'd give him a prove it type deal. Could be good on the third line and maybe you can squeeze some more growth out of him