Salary Cap: Pens '23-'24 Salary Cap Thread: "But if you don't get the President of the Pittsburgh Penguins on that phone, you know what's gonna happen to you?"

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm not sure this team really has any guys to call up who stand to make a difference. Puustinen has two shots on goal, no points, and is a -2 through two games for WBS. Poulin's basically in the same boat.

I have no clue how Dubas manages it, but in order to sort things out, I can't see a way that doesn't include adding a Smith-or-better player to the top-6.

Yeah I hate to say it but I don't think there is any cavalry on the way in-system.

Dubas is gonna have to pull another rabbit out of his hat. That 5.5ish million in dead cap + Carter really smarts right now.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Yeah I hate to say it but I don't think there is any cavalry on the way in-system.

Dubas is gonna have to pull another rabbit out of his hat. That 5.5ish million in dead cap + Carter really smarts right now.

The second year for Carter was absurdity. The NMC should mean Hextall never works an NHL FO job again.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm not sure this team really has any guys to call up who stand to make a difference. Puustinen has two shots on goal, no points, and is a -2 through two games for WBS. Poulin's basically in the same boat.

I have no clue how Dubas manages it, but in order to sort things out, I can't see a way that doesn't include adding a Smith-or-better player to the top-6.

I think Puustinen makes sense in this case because his skillset is the most comparable to Rakell's, so while you're putting a worse player there you're still generally keeping the same skillsets together for that line.

Like I said, I think in a perfect world you bump Smith to L3 because he's the most suited guy for what they need on L3. But who's replacing Smith on Malkin's line? Just as he's a perfect fit for the 3rd line, he's also a perfect fit for Malkin's line. Smith is the prototype for the perfect Mike Sullivan forward IMO.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think Puustinen makes sense in this case because his skillset is the most comparable to Rakell's, so while you're putting a worse player there you're still generally keeping the same skillsets together for that line.

Like I said, I think in a perfect world you bump Smith to L3 because he's the most suited guy for what they need on L3. But who's replacing Smith on Malkin's line? Just as he's a perfect fit for the 3rd line, he's also a perfect fit for Malkin's line. Smith is the prototype for the perfect Mike Sullivan forward IMO.

I like Puustinen's shot, it seems genuinely dangerous even at an NHL level. But I don't think he's got the hockey IQ or skating to position himself well enough to utilize the shot, and that kinda ends the convo imo.

Dubas has to figure something out, but in the meantime, the team might as well call up a WBS guy or two. I don't think they'll make a difference, but plonk Puustinen or Poulin on the wing in the middle-6 and see what happens. /shrug

Team could permanently scratch any and all of DOC, Carter, Nieto, Harkins and Acciari and be no worse for wear.

 

[Andy99]

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Saw Sturm and immediately thought Marco, and was like "Yeah, a 45 year old sounds about right."

 

[Empoleon8771]

I wanted Sturm in the Karlsson deal, but he has a career high of 26 points and makes $2 million a year (which the Penguins can't even afford). That's not going to move the needle in any meaningful way.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

The most economically viable answer is Patrick Kane tbh

Harkins waived.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Please break a tibia or develop a chronic allergy to your equipment, Carter.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Welp goodbye Harkins, nice 4 game look you got

I don't see any way he doesn't get re-claimed by Winnipeg.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I would make a comment on whether anything of real value was lost or not here but frankly the entire bottom six is a failure miasma right now so who knows.

He seemed like a good skater and I appreciated his work ethic. Whoever replaces him stands a good chance of doing even worse... sad as that might seem.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I would make a comment on whether anything of real value was lost or not here but frankly the entire bottom six is a failure miasma right now so who knows.

Meh

He doesn't have the hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL and they don't need him in the AHL. If he gets claimed it's not really much of a loss.

If he clears waivers, I imagine Zohorna or White will come up and he will go down. That maintains the veteran numbers in WBS, but I imagine Winnipeg will just reclaim him and send him to their own AHL team.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Meh

He doesn't have the hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL and they don't need him in the AHL. If he gets claimed it's not really much of a loss.

Trying to be charitable.

It's becoming increasingly clear that the entire bottom six is flotsam and jetsam.

 

[eXile3]

O'Connor is playing himself to waivers more than he's playing himself into that kind of role.

Unfortunately. Every time he makes his way into the top 6 it seems like he’s a different player.

I’m not sure who else is going replace him and carry that line.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

The most economically viable answer is Patrick Kane tbh

Harkins waived.

Kane's been awful for a while now, is coming off of pretty major hip surgery, and I don't think he's gonna get any less than like $3 million AAV.

Also, he's a piece of shit.

 

[Andy99]

I wanted Sturm in the Karlsson deal, but he has a career high of 26 points and makes $2 million a year (which the Penguins can't even afford). That's not going to move the needle in any meaningful way.

Unless you send someone like Eller or Acciari the other way who is making around the same coin…

 

[Empoleon8771]

Unless you send someone like Eller or Acciari the other way who is making around the same coin…

Why would you do that? That's a lateral move at best and those guys have been here for 4 games.

 

[eXile3]

Harkins on waivers. Well deserved. Dude just didn’t have the hockey IQ.

 

[Andy99]

Trying to be charitable.

It's becoming increasingly clear that the entire bottom six is flotsam and jetsam.

This is what Sullivan wanted folks…build a low event wall in the bottom six so they don’t give up as many goals as last season and that’s it…anyone except the great coach in chief could see this was a shit plan lol

 

[Gurglesons]

I wanted Sturm in the Karlsson deal, but he has a career high of 26 points and makes $2 million a year (which the Penguins can't even afford). That's not going to move the needle in any meaningful way.

Barabanov brings a lot of what we need from the Sharks.

We can fit 2 million if needed. Just be running a very small roster.

 

[Ryder71]

I see a lot of criticism of Sully, and while he does deserve his fair share he's not telling the bottom six to be useless, not forecheck very well and not score.

 

[Josey Wales]

LETANG, ACCIARI HURT​

Mike Sullivan on the statuses of Kris Letang and Noel Acciari after both missed practice: "Tanger is being evaluated for a lower-body injury. Noel is being evaluated for an upper-body injury." There was no elaboration.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Sturm: 26 points in 74 games last year, 0 points in 3 games this year
Acciari: 23 points in 77 games, 0 points in 4 games this year
Eller: 23 points in 84 games, 0 points in 4 games last year

Sending Eller or Acciari out for Sturm falls firmly into the "why even bother?" territory for me. You're not improving in any notable way and frankly it's pretty rude management to pull the plug on a guy you gave a multi-year deal to after 4 games.

 

[Andy99]

Why would you do that? That's a lateral move at best and those guys have been here for 4 games.

The only reason is that Sturm is younger and allows you to, let’s say, bump Eller down to 4C where he’s better off…Acciari looks like he’d be better at wing…if you value the center depth more, maybe you make that trade

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

This is what Sullivan wanted folks…build a low event wall in the bottom six so they don’t give up as many goals as last season and that’s it…anyone except the great coach in chief could see this was a shit plan lol

I mean... probably. But for the record an alternative of making the top six play with scrubs for the sake of L3 and/or blowing a bunch of money on that mythical "bottom six badass" everyone seems to want is equally dumb so I dunno. Should have drafted/developed better I guess.