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!"

[Rudy Russo]

Here’s the real story

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But he lives in San Diego.

 

[SEALBound]

I love San Diego, lived there for a year.

I was in the SD for quite a while. I do miss it from time to time. I miss La Jolla and the Pacific Beach area.

 

[SEALBound]

But he lives in San Diego.

I think most sensible people want at least a 1-2 state buffer.

 

[Jacob]

Only thing I’m looking at in free agency is a 3C to slot Eller down into 4C and maybe a 3rd pair RD if they’re reeeeal cheap. And I’d rather trade for both spots than overspend in free agency.

We don’t need wingers and we don’t need more expensive garbage in the bottom 6.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

prohockeyrumors predicts the Pens will sign Anthony Duclair for 3 years, $3.75MM AAV.

I really hope they are wrong.

 

[Gurglesons]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806445108641870306

strikes me as a Penguins target.

 

[molon labe]

I was in the SD for quite a while. I do miss it from time to time. I miss La Jolla and the Pacific Beach area.

Pancho Villas down the strand?

Trujilos burritos near UCSD?

PB is a definite highlight in more than one way. Ironically more testosterone yet less bro-bumping on a night out drinking. Maybe it was the fact that everyone knew real baddies were lurking - but going back east the peacocking is way worse.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I was hyper critical of Duclair in the past because I thought he was spent from his injuries, but he really showed what he is still capable of doing with Tampa this year. I'd be really satisfied with signing him for $3.75 million a year. He likely gives this team equal or better production than Rakell while costing over a million less if he'd take that deal.

Bunting-Malkin-Duclair looks like a really solid line to me.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

prohockeyrumors predicts the Pens will sign Anthony Duclair for 3 years, $3.75MM AAV.

I really hope they are wrong.

A lot of those predictions don't really make much sense.

 

[Andy99]

We should not be signing someone who will likely play on L3 for 3 years…populate mostly youth in bottom six and spend our money on a top six finisher who can help our PP

 

[molon labe]

I was hyper critical of Duclair in the past because I thought he was spent from his injuries, but he really showed what he is still capable of doing with Tampa this year. I'd be really satisfied with signing him for $3.75 million a year. He likely gives this team equal or better production than Rakell while costing over a million less if he'd take that deal.

Bunting-Malkin-Duclair looks like a really solid line to me.

Do you really see him in the top 6 though? He seems like a true tweener to me and exactly another person to be really weary of giving any sort of term.

I'd personally do a hard pass on Duclair. Often looks like he's got an allergy to his skates.

 

[Empoleon8771]

We should not be signing someone who will likely play on L3 for 3 years…populate mostly youth in bottom six and spend our money on a top six finisher who can help our PP

Minus his 2022-2023 season that was messed up due to injury, Duclair has 88 goals in his past 255 games for a 28 goals per 82 game pace

Do you really see him in the top 6 though? He seems like a true tweener to me and exactly another person to be really weary of giving any sort of term.

I'd personally do a hard pass on Duclair. Often looks like he's got an allergy to his skates.

Yeah, why wouldn't he be on this team? Dude just flat out scores goals.

Him as a 3rd wheel with Malkin and Bunting is a great role for him. Based on how he has done in the past few years with Ottawa, Florida and Tampa, he's probably giving you 25-25 in that role.

Duclair's issue is that he's trash outside of his production, and I do wonder how long Sullivan would tolerate him. But purely in terms of production, he's giving you great results for $3.75 million a year if you can get him to sign that.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

You are probably right about the value, but I'd rather have two early to mid seconds than one late first.

Yeah, let’s be real, this team needs to horde draft picks and young talent over everything else.

The dark ages are upon us and it’s up to these numskulls in the FO to get us out of it as quickly as possible.

Two mid seconds trumps one late first every day of the week in the state this team is in.

 

[Gurglesons]

Pancho Villas down the strand?

Trujilos burritos near UCSD?

PB is a definite highlight in more than one way. Ironically more testosterone yet less bro-bumping on a night out drinking. Maybe it was the fact that everyone knew real baddies were lurking - but going back east the peacocking is way worse.

PB sucks ass.

La Jolla blows too.

 

[molon labe]

PB sucks ass.

La Jolla blows too.

Strange takes.

 

[Gurglesons]

Strange takes.

Nah. Real takes.

OB, Encinitas, Bird Rock, Leucadia, Solana, Cardiff / Del Mar, all over those two for beach areas.

PB and La Jolla are rookie spots for tourists, jarheads, college kids and rich losers.

 

[Jacob]

Duclair is like Grabner in that he can score on his own but can't play in the top 6.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

If the season does goes off the rails, let’s hope this FO is smart enough to push Smith and Bunting up the lineup to accumulate bullshit points.

They are the two forwards that we can potentially get any sort of meaningful capital with at the trade deadline.

 

[Darren McCord]

If the season does goes off the rails, let’s hope this FO is smart enough to push Smith and Bunting up the lineup to accumulate bullshit points.

They are the two forwards that we can potentially get any sort of meaningful capital with at the trade deadline.

Smith played better on the third line. Bunting will be on line 2 and the top pp to start.

 

[Gurglesons]

If the season does goes off the rails, let’s hope this FO is smart enough to push Smith and Bunting up the lineup to accumulate bullshit points.

They are the two forwards that we can potentially get any sort of meaningful capital with at the trade deadline.

Yeah, that's what our goal should be at this point.

Bringing in players to move them for picks.

Hence my annoyance about Mikheyev and Walman. Perfect fits for that.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Duclair is like Grabner in that he can score on his own but can't play in the top 6.

Duclair put up 31 goals and 58 points in 2021-2022 with Florida while his 5 most common line arrangements were:

1. Huberdeau-Bennett-Duclair
2. Verhaeghe-Barkov-Duclair
3. Huberdeau-Barkov-Duclair
4. Verhaeghe-Bennett-Duclair
5. Huberdeau-Lundell-Duclair

I don't really see any proof that he "can't play in the top-6". He was in the top-6 of a team that finished with 122 points just 2 years ago.

When he came to Tampa, he was playing LW with Point and Duclair as well.

 

[molon labe]

Minus his 2022-2023 season that was messed up due to injury, Duclair has 88 goals in his past 255 games for a 28 goals per 82 game pace



Yeah, why wouldn't he be on this team? Dude just flat out scores goals.

Him as a 3rd wheel with Malkin and Bunting is a great role for him. Based on how he has done in the past few years with Ottawa, Florida and Tampa, he's probably giving you 25-25 in that role.

Duclair's issue is that he's trash outside of his production, and I do wonder how long Sullivan would tolerate him. But purely in terms of production, he's giving you great results for $3.75 million a year if you can get him to sign that.

Straight up comes off as a worse skating but better finishing DOC to me. That's not something Malkin's line is going to work well with imo. You've already got the net crasher in Bunting - who's better at it - so what is Duclair doing? He's not a finesse or sniper guy.

Idk, I just don't like the term/money angle of it. 5 years ago could see him up and down the lineup now, eh.

Nah. Real takes.

OB, Encinitas, Bird Rock, Leucadia, Solana, Cardiff / Del Mar, all over those two.

I don't have experience in those arenas as an older person / taken person. I was in California for many years as a young and single dude. So, my opinion is biased but I don't know how you could shit on either of PB or La Jolla.. coming in as stark contrasts to one another. But PB had a great vibe to it.

 

[Gurglesons]

Duclair is like Grabner in that he can score on his own but can't play in the top 6.

He's a good third wheel, but signing him to term would make no sense.

I don't have experience in those arenas as an older person / taken person. I was in California for many years as a young and single dude. So, my opinion is biased but I don't know how you could shit on either of PB or La Jolla.. coming in as stark contrasts to one another. But PB had a great vibe to it.

Maybe it was different 30+ years ago

 

[Empoleon8771]

Straight up comes off as a worse skating but better finishing DOC to me. That's not something Malkin's line is going to work well with imo. You've already got the net crasher in Bunting - who's better at it - so what is Duclair doing? He's not a finesse or sniper guy.

Idk, I just don't like the term/money angle of it. 5 years ago could see him up and down the lineup now, eh.

I don't know what player we're talking about if you think Duclair isn't "a finesse or sniper guy".

He's a good third wheel, but signing him to term would make no sense.

I don't view anything at 3 years or under as a "term" that's a problem, especially considering Duclair is only 28.

It's the 4-6 year deals that are a problem.

 

[Andy99]

Minus his 2022-2023 season that was messed up due to injury, Duclair has 88 goals in his past 255 games for a 28 goals per 82 game pace

Duclair is a decent scorer but Sullivan will play him in the bottom six lol…guarantee unless Rakell continues to suck…I don’t want another middle six tweener…rather have a dominant shooter like Stamkos if we’re signing someone from Tampa