Salary Cap: Pens 2024 Summer Thread: "Thus, knocking us out of these superior numbers when we emerge! Mr. President, we must not allow a non-playoff bound gap!"

[Sidney the Kidney]

Debrusk is a big yuck from me.

Debrusk just seems like a lot of what we already have and the type of winger we keep saying we need to stop investing in (ie. decent winger who'll get you 40-ish points, but doesn't really drive offense much or can't take the burden off of our aging centers).

 

[Gurglesons]

You're right, Kotkaniemi is a MUCH better move...

if we can turn Reilly Smith’s cap into a 23 year old depth C with 40-50 pt potential. Yeah. Much better.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Yeah, I would take that deal in a heart beat.

 

[orby]

I think Kotkaniemi kinda just is what he is at this point. He's an okay bottom 6 player who might score 40 points in a good year with optimal usage. That doesn't really entice me.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I think Kotkaniemi kinda just is what he is at this point. He's an okay bottom 6 player who might score 40 points in a good year with optimal usage. That doesn't really entice me.

And Reilly Smith does?

 

[Ulf5]

I think Kotkaniemi kinda just is what he is at this point. He's an okay bottom 6 player who might score 40 points in a good year with optimal usage. That doesn't really entice me.

Key phrase there being "optimal usage". Has a career 64.5 % offensive zone start usage. Does anyone think Sullivan is going to utilize him in that way?

 

[Ryder71]

Id like Guentzel back only if Rust was getting moved. I hope I never have to watch GCR again.

We're not getting Jake back, need to go in a different direction.

 

[hiptanaka]

i wouldve loved Berube as head coach.

 

[Andy99]

if we can turn Reilly Smith’s cap into a 23 year old depth C with 40-50 pt potential. Yeah. Much better.

Kot is terrible…the 23 year old center we should invest in is Pinto…

 

[orby]

And Reilly Smith does?

Neither one of them moves the needle but I think Smith is the better player.

 

[OnMyOwn]

The only player “available” that could really take pressure off Sid is Marner. I just don’t see how that happens due to multiple factors. Dubas should absolutely be calling though.

 

[Andy99]

Lol…this outlet is a racket…no one is interested in coming here unless 1) we overpay them and offer NMC or 2) it’s a young player looking for a bigger opportunity to play to get a future pay day and we’ll give that to him lol

Agent: UFAs Should Be Drawn to Penguins

Sure, he knows that the Pittsburgh Penguins are one of the NHL’s oldest teams. And, yeah, he’s aware that they have missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for two years in a row and haven’t won a postseason series since 2018. He also understands that they often must deal with significant constraints...

pittsburghhockeynow.com

 

[orby]

The only player “available” that could really take pressure off Sid is Marner. I just don’t see how that happens due to multiple factors. Dubas should absolutely be calling though.

The only way I can see Marner ending up in Pittsburgh is if Toronto wants Karlsson.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Lol…this outlet is a racket…no one is interested in coming here unless 1) we overpay them and offer NMC or 2) it’s a young player looking for a bigger opportunity to play to get a future pay day and we’ll give that to him lol

Agent: UFAs Should Be Drawn to Penguins

Sure, he knows that the Pittsburgh Penguins are one of the NHL’s oldest teams. And, yeah, he’s aware that they have missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for two years in a row and haven’t won a postseason series since 2018. He also understands that they often must deal with significant constraints...

pittsburghhockeynow.com

f*** the Dan Kingirski and the Pittsburgh Hockey Now, I break their back, put them in Camel Clutch, f*** their ass, make them humble, old country way Bubba.

 

[Epic Neal Time]

Hopefully we can swing a deal for one of the young forwards reportedly available this offseason.

Proven: Necas, Zegras
Change of Scenery: Rossi, Perfetti
Buy-low: Robertson, Kaliyev

I really doubt we have the assets for the fist four, unless you're trading Yager or the 2025 1st, which I highly doubt.

Should be able to get Robertson or Kaliyev for one of the 2nds at most. Might not even cost that much.

 

[Empoleon8771]

And Reilly Smith does?

I mean, Smith has 1 year left compared to 6 for Kotkaniemi. Smith will be gone soon enough anyone, Kotkaniemi wouldn’t be if they traded for him.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Next year and the year after are all that really matter at all--and even that's a stretch--because Sid's probably gonna hang 'em up after the Olympics. After that, they can't even keep pretending they're relevant. /shrug

Longer term stuff doesn't matter. Very soon this team's gonna be undeniably terrible, and probably for like a decade.

 

[SEALBound]

if we can turn Reilly Smith’s cap into a 23 year old depth C with 40-50 pt potential. Yeah. Much better.

Reilly Smith having a 40pt season is a bad season, down from established norms. He has one year left then is a UFA.

KK's 40-point season would be ceiling-level play and, at this point, unusual. He's signed for six more years at $4.8mil. KK was a fourth-line player who needed protecting on nightly basis while scoring his whopping one assist in 11 games. His highest ice time in the playoffs was 18 minutes in a double OT game.

Debrusk is a near lock for 20-20 with higher potential who just potted 11 points in 13 playoff games and genuinely being an impact player on the top line on a nightly basis.

You are flat-out wrong here. But given your love for PLD just a mere week ago, no surprised you turned your attention to yet another overpaid shit center with a long term contract.

 

[chethejet]

Not sure Dubas moves smith now. I think he needs to go but Dubas just may think there just aren't the FA options out there to sign and play here. Love Stephenson but if he hits FA he will be in demand. I have posted I think Dubas makes the major changes after this year. He will have assets like Rust and Karlsson to offer for picks and prospects and younger players.

 

[Sorry]

We need a stable all situation 3rd line center who can be trusted to cover the opponents top players. Watching the Canucks/Oilers I would love to have a player like Teddy Blueger anchoring the third line. Wonder what it would take to acquire him.

::gunshot::

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I wish we had a coach that utilized the 3rd line as an all-around line and didn't roll with a 1st line, a 3rd line, and a 4th line and 5th line in the bottom-6.

 

[Empoleon8771]

We need a stable all situation 3rd line center who can be trusted to cover the opponents top players. Watching the Canucks/Oilers I would love to have a player like Teddy Blueger anchoring the third line. Wonder what it would take to acquire him.

::gunshot::

I mean, Blueger had 10 points in 45 games last year for the Penguins and has been a playoff no-show since leaving (4 points in 17 games) just like he was with the Penguins (2 points in 18 games).

He's basically just a younger Lars Eller.

 

[Sorry]

I mean, Blueger had 10 points in 45 games last year for the Penguins and has been a playoff no-show since leaving (4 points in 17 games) just like he was with the Penguins (2 points in 18 games).

He's basically just a younger Lars Eller.

Look at how they are using him. He was against McDrai every shift it seemed like, and winning the matchup consistently. Considering Lars Eller was one of the most stable players in the bottom six, and was fantastic later in the season, a younger version sounds like a nice player.

 

[Andy99]

The Pens need an offensive third line that can score, more than a responsible defensive line…with Sid and G aging, they should be taking on more defensive responsibilities too as they slow down…the top three lines should have about even O zone starts…we’re at that point now…unfortunately the coach isn’t lol

 

[SEALBound]

We need a stable all situation 3rd line center who can be trusted to cover the opponents top players. Watching the Canucks/Oilers I would love to have a player like Teddy Blueger anchoring the third line. Wonder what it would take to acquire him.

::gunshot::

I'm happy for Bleuger that he found a home but I am even more happy (still) that it's not in Pittsburgh.

I think the issue there is more Mike Sullivan than anything. Need two defensive lines. Oh no, can't put a wing with offensive instincts in there! He'll want to score instead of being hemmed in the zone defending!

As I've said recently, I think Jack Drury would be a great target for this. Or potentially Ponomarov if his play holds similar to what it was last year, as per Canes fans.