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!"

[DesertPenguin]

Tyler Kennedy on The Fan evidently saying the Penguins should and would be interested in Trouba?

What a take. That would maybe be the final straw for me.

I'd only accept this if they traded for him in order to immediately and repeatedly smash his head in the bench door and then put him on career ending LTIR.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

It's Pagnotta.

He's the mystery team?

Tyler Kennedy on The Fan evidently saying the Penguins should and would be interested in Trouba?

What a take. That would maybe be the final straw for me.

Just because he managed to fool the Mattress World girl into marrying him doesn't mean he can fool the Pens, too, right?

Right?

 

[chethejet]

Dubas at the draft table will be talking and be active. Smith moved would be a start.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The more I try to think of trade options for the Penguins, the more and more I realize this team just has little flexibility due to some of the gross deals they've handed out. The Jarry talk has been beaten to death, but even someone like Rakell has a pretty unattractive contract that I'd struggle to find trades with.

This team wants to make changes when:

-The big name guys won't and can't be moved (I'd include Rust in this group)
-Most of the notably paid support guys have ugly deals that would be difficult to move, even if they're not true "albatross" contracts
-The other guys are just shitty guys that no one wants

How exciting of a roster. Honestly, the only players on the roster that likely could be moved and don't have an ugly contract are probably just Pettersson and Bunting.

 

[Gurglesons]

The more I try to think of trade options for the Penguins, the more and more I realize this team just has little flexibility due to some of the gross deals they've handed out. The Jarry talk has been beaten to death, but even someone like Rakell has a pretty unattractive contract that I'd struggle to find trades with.

This team wants to make changes when:

-The big name guys won't and can't be moved (I'd include Rust in this group)
-Most of the notably paid support guys have ugly deals that would be difficult to move, even if they're not true "albatross" contracts
-The other guys are just shitty guys that no one wants

How exciting of a roster. Honestly, the only players on the roster that likely could be moved and don't have an ugly contract are probably just Pettersson and Bunting.

The hilarious part is all of the shitty contracts were moved out last year and Dubas just locked us into multiple shittier contracts.

 

[66-30-33]

The more I try to think of trade options for the Penguins, the more and more I realize this team just has little flexibility due to some of the gross deals they've handed out. The Jarry talk has been beaten to death, but even someone like Rakell has a pretty unattractive contract that I'd struggle to find trades with.

This team wants to make changes when:

-The big name guys won't and can't be moved (I'd include Rust in this group)
-Most of the notably paid support guys have ugly deals that would be difficult to move, even if they're not true "albatross" contracts
-The other guys are just shitty guys that no one wants

How exciting of a roster. Honestly, the only players on the roster that likely could be moved and don't have an ugly contract are probably just Pettersson and Bunting.

Hmmm, make a coach change? I know I know, beaten to death. What else you gonna do that would help this team? nada.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The hilarious part is all of the shitty contracts were moved out last year and Dubas just locked us into multiple shittier contracts.

The Rakell deal sucks too and that was a Hextall deal.

 

[Ryder71]

I'm excited for the next week, it's in all probability the only time there'll be much to look forward to for the next year or so.

 

[Pancakes]

Jarry is movable you just wouldn't get shit for him.

I've seen people here say that Rakell is tradable. I have my doubts on that front. Who wants a butt long contract of a guy who just scored 15 goals? It's not like his intangibles or two-way game are much to speak of either.

Pettersson is definitely movable but if the Pens are at least trying to make a token attempt at contending there's no way they'd deal their best defensive defenseman.

Graves isn't going anywhere for obvious reasons.

Rust has the NTC clause and Dubas apparently "respects him too much" to ask him to waive it which is moronic but between JR/Hextall/Dubas we're all getting used to moronic decisions at this point.

Smith/Eller should be tradable given they each only have one year but one is old and the other is not that young either and is coming off a dreadful year. I doubt Dubas could just cut and run with them without paying a team to take them, so if they do get dealt I fully expect bad contracts coming back. Sort of a "change of scenery" type deal where one crappy guy gets dealt for another.

Uh who else? Bunting is here to stay since he was the centerpiece in the Guentzel deal and seemed to have added an element of balls to the team.

EK/Sid/Geno/Letang are all not going anywhere unless they ask to be dealt.

Nobody would want Acciari and I doubt the Pens would want to move him either.

Yeah if you go down the list there's not a lot of options there. Imo the main player to move to open up cap space is Jarry and that's because I think he alone out of all the bunch could probably be dealt without taking on equal salary back. I have sincere doubts that Eller or Smith could be moved without a team wanting to give us a contract back. But Jarry? Some team might be desperate enough to take him "as is" and maybe that opens up enough cap dollars to do something this off season.

 

[Ryder71]

Jarry is movable you just wouldn't get shit for him.

I've seen people here say that Rakell is tradable. I have my doubts on that front. Who wants a butt long contract of a guy who just scored 15 goals? It's not like his intangibles or two-way game are much to speak of either.

Pettersson is definitely movable but if the Pens are at least trying to make a token attempt at contending there's no way they'd deal their best defensive defenseman.

Graves isn't going anywhere for obvious reasons.

Rust has the NTC clause and Dubas apparently "respects him too much" to ask him to waive it which is moronic but between JR/Hextall/Dubas we're all getting used to moronic decisions at this point.

Smith/Eller should be tradable given they each only have one year but one is old and the other is not that young either and is coming off a dreadful year. I doubt Dubas could just cut and run with them without paying a team to take them, so if they do get dealt I fully expect bad contracts coming back. Sort of a "change of scenery" type deal where one crappy guy gets dealt for another.

Uh who else? Bunting is here to stay since he was the centerpiece in the Guentzel deal and seemed to have added an element of balls to the team.

EK/Sid/Geno/Letang are all not going anywhere unless they ask to be dealt.

Nobody would want Acciari and I doubt the Pens would want to move him either.

Yeah if you go down the list there's not a lot of options there. Imo the main player to move to open up cap space is Jarry and that's because I think he alone out of all the bunch could probably be dealt without taking on equal salary back. I have sincere doubts that Eller or Smith could be moved without a team wanting to give us a contract back. But Jarry? Some team might be desperate enough to take him "as is" and maybe that opens up enough cap dollars to do something this off season.

I think Jarry will be moved. This time next week I think he'll be gone. For better or worse.

 

[Gurglesons]

The Rakell deal sucks too and that was a Hextall deal.

Meh. It's not too bad. Especially given the fact we know he was dealing with a shoulder injury.

 

[Malkinstheman]

The forward market in FA is pretty stacked this year. I feel like Rielly starts on the Pens next year and either bounces back or is swapped with another struggling player. Pretty much expecting them to run back most of the roster while re-arranging some chairs in the bottom-6.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The more I try to think of trade options for the Penguins, the more and more I realize this team just has little flexibility due to some of the gross deals they've handed out. The Jarry talk has been beaten to death, but even someone like Rakell has a pretty unattractive contract that I'd struggle to find trades with.

This team wants to make changes when:

-The big name guys won't and can't be moved (I'd include Rust in this group)
-Most of the notably paid support guys have ugly deals that would be difficult to move, even if they're not true "albatross" contracts
-The other guys are just shitty guys that no one wants

How exciting of a roster. Honestly, the only players on the roster that likely could be moved and don't have an ugly contract are probably just Pettersson and Bunting.

I suspect you could move Raks. You can spin last year away to the potential buyer as strictly injury-related and frankly that might not even be a big exaggeration. He was quite good the year prior. But yeah you're either getting another questionable deal back in return or paying a little for the price of doing business, I suspect. Rust would have value but you're right that they won't move him which I find frustrating but whatever. Bunting is a new toy they won't want to let go of. They love Eller so he isn't going anywhere. Smith can probably be moved but it might take until the TDL. Acciari and Graves both look pretty much stuck here to me but I've seen weirder things, I guess.

All in all yeah... lots of pretty poor contracts for middling players. But hey... like I always say... if Rob Scuderi could be traded (for value at that) while he was rocking a like 4M dollar contract or whatever it was years ago... just about anyone can. Kyle Dubas, though? Not confident after this past year.

 

[Pancakes]

I think Jarry will be moved. This time next week I think he'll be gone. For better or worse.

If it's not done by this weekend I have my doubts it happens.

The closer we get to free agency the more teams are just gonna throw their hanads up and give out money to some shittier goalie instead.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I have been focusing on four names since the end of the season: Jarry; Smith; Eller and Acciari.

If you can move those four out, get a top-six winger with the money saved, sign your RFAs, extend Crosby and Pettersson, and sign Yager to his ELC, that would be not only a successful off-season, but an ideal one IMHO.

Oh, and a new power-play coach.

Let's see how many boxes get checked between now and training camp.

 

[Pancakes]

Honestly the more I think about it the less opposed I am to keeping Smith to start the season. He mailed it in big time last year but as an impending free agent he's going to be motivated to have a big season to cash in.

Remember when Zucker couldn't stay healthy worth a shit and then when his UFA year arrived he magically stayed healthy and was a forechecking menace and put up almost 50 points?

I bet Smith has a big year if we keep him.

Of course if we keep him and he has a big year and we somehow make the playoffs you just know that Dubas is gonna give him the Hextall/Carter treatment and just lock him into a shitty two-three year deal where we all hate his guts again in no time

 

[Empoleon8771]

I suspect you could move Raks. You can spin last year away to the potential buyer as strictly injury-related and frankly that might not even be a big exaggeration. He was quite good the year prior. But yeah you're either getting another questionable deal back in return or paying a little for the price of doing business, I suspect. Rust would have value but you're right that they won't move him which I find frustrating but whatever. Bunting is a new toy they won't want to let go of. They love Eller so he isn't going anywhere. Smith can probably be moved but it might take until the TDL. Acciari and Graves both look pretty much stuck here to me but I've seen weirder things, I guess.

All in all yeah... lots of pretty poor contracts for middling players. But hey... like I always say... if Rob Scuderi could be traded (for value at that) while he was rocking a like 4M dollar contract or whatever it was years ago... just about anyone can. Kyle Dubas, though? Not confident after this past year.

I think the issue with moving Rakell is the 4 years left. I'm not sure a 31 year old guy signed for 4 years and coming off a down year (regardless of whether it was due to injuries or not) is a particularly attractive asset.

I think this team needs to make changes but it really seems like there isn't many avenues to actually accomplish it. It's trading Bunting or Pettersson for value or trading Jarry, Smith or Rakell for shit returns. That's really about it, at least from what I can tell.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Tyler Kennedy on The Fan evidently saying the Penguins should and would be interested in Trouba?

What a take. That would maybe be the final straw for me.

Tyler Kennedy is a blithering f***ing nitwit who looks like a Gelfing from The Dark Crystal.

 

[DesertPenguin]

I have been focusing on four names since the end of the season: Jarry; Smith; Eller and Acciari.

If you can move those four out, get a top-six winger with the money saved, sign your RFAs, extend Crosby and Pettersson, and sign Yager to his ELC, that would be not only a successful off-season, but an ideal one IMHO.

Oh, and a new power-play coach.

Let's see how many boxes get checked between now and training camp.

Thats more than we really need to do. Move out one of Smith or Jarry and there's all the cap space you could realistically spend available for a top 6 W, even an expensive one like Reinhart or Stamkos if you could somehow land them.

Eller and Acciari aren't going to hurt you if they're on the 4th line.

My fear is that Dubas WILL make a lot of cap space, but instead of landing one or two big fish, he's going to use that cap space to add a bunch of mid priced vets in UFA that block the likes of DOC, Puustinen, Ponomarev, Poulin, Gruden, Yager, Koivunen, St. Ivany.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I think the issue with moving Rakell is the 4 years left. I'm not sure a 31 year old guy signed for 4 years and coming off a down year (regardless of whether it was due to injuries or not) is a particularly attractive asset.

I think this team needs to make changes but it really seems like there isn't many avenues to actually accomplish it. It's trading Bunting or Pettersson for value or trading Jarry, Smith or Rakell for shit returns. That's really about it, at least from what I can tell.

Yeah I'm trying to dress Raks up a bit. He was pretty bad last year injury or no. A player like him is going to be really streaky even when healthy I think. And his ~50ish points and 20ish goals in a good year just isn't all that much to get excited about these days especially on a long deal.

This team has done a poor job re: who they've hitched their apple cart up to. Too many generous long-ish term deals for bland, middling players.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

The Rakell deal sucks too and that was a Hextall deal.

If a late 1st is available, I'd move him and pick Ryder Ricthie!!

 

[Malkinstheman]

Not having any prospects is really what has hurt the Pens. If you have a Necas type player in the top-6, hes either on an ELC or making roughly 3m on his second contract. That lets you go out and pay 9m for someone like Reinhart. Instead you have Rakell and Smith making 10m for a whole lot of nothing.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

TK has had a lot of dumb takes about this team in the past year or two.

Wasn't Kennedy claiming last summer the Pens were looking to trade for Tom Wilson? His takes are as good as his playing career was. He's a f***ing clown shoe.

 

[Ryder71]

If it's not done by this weekend I have my doubts it happens.

The closer we get to free agency the more teams are just gonna throw their hanads up and give out money to some shittier goalie instead.

It could happen this weekend, heck it could happen any minute, I just meant in general it'll likely be done soon.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah I'm trying to dress Raks up a bit. He was pretty bad last year injury or no. A player like him is going to be really streaky even when healthy I think. And his ~50ish points and 20ish goals in a good year just isn't all that much to get excited about these days especially on a long deal.

This team has done a poor job re: who they've hitched their apple cart up to. Too many generous long-ish term deals for bland, middling players.

Yeah and if those guys don't have good years, you can't really move them for anything worthwhile. Even if they have short term like Smith, teams aren't exactly lining up to take them at full salary in a trade.

Mid players coming off of poor to mid years aren't a particularly attractive assets.