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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?"

How soon before Letang is back on PP1:

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If you can get Carter to f*** off, I'd be all for trading back for Rutta. I'd actually go back to POJ-Rutta as the 3rd pair if you can do that.

Rutta, Lybushkin and Hakanpaa are the 3 examples I'd point to of what I'd be targeting to add on defense. Zadorov seems a bit overkill to me personally.
 
Tacitus Kilgore said:
I want Ruttaa back on the bottom pairing tbh
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I know this is blasphemous but I really don’t mind Ruhwedel. Especially in a theoretical playoff series where he really is only playing a few shifts a period plus PK.

More concerned with Graves ability to hold up against top players and lines right now. I’d be picking up Zadorov to play with Letang.
 
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CheckingLineCenter said:
I know this is blasphemous but I really don’t mind Ruhwedel. Especially in a theoretical playoff series where he really is only playing a few shifts a period plus PK.

More concerned with Graves ability to hold up against top players and lines right now. I’d be picking up Zadorov to play with Letang.
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I think the issue with this is that Zadorov and Graves have basically the same problem: both are really dumb hockey players.

Zadorov is more of a physical DFD while Graves is more of a position DFD, but both are super low IQ defensemen so I'm not sure having both would help much.
 
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CheckingLineCenter said:
I know this is blasphemous but I really don’t mind Ruhwedel. Especially in a theoretical playoff series where he really is only playing a few shifts a period plus PK.

More concerned with Graves ability to hold up against top players and lines right now. I’d be picking up Zadorov to play with Letang.
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Zadorov will cost too much. And him and Letang would be a disaster in their own zone. Both jump into the play too much to be paired together.

Tacitus Kilgore said:
I want Ruttaa back on the bottom pairing tbh
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This. Right handed guy and would work well with POJ or Smith
 
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Empoleon8771 said:
I think the issue with this is that Zadorov and Graves have basically the same problem: both are really dumb hockey players.

Zadorov is more of a physical DFD while Graves is more of a position DFD, but both are super low IQ defensemen so I'm not sure having both would help much.
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Don’t agree. Zadorov is good now. He didn’t used to be. He’s much better at breaking the puck out than Graves too. I’d trust him in top 4 minutes more than Graves. Also big/nasty enough to bring that motherf***er element if needed and scores some goals. Graves is fine enough in NZ and OZ but is starting to really freak me out in coverage, clearing the net, and handling the puck in his own end.

I’d still prefer a top 6/middle 6 F to anyone. But I do not see a need for a RD. Theyre playing 10 min a night in the playoffs- maybe. And all you ask them to do is what Ruhwedel is doing right now.
 
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Empoleon8771 said:
If you can get Carter to f*** off, I'd be all for trading back for Rutta. I'd actually go back to POJ-Rutta as the 3rd pair if you can do that.

Rutta, Lybushkin and Hakanpaa are the 3 examples I'd point to of what I'd be targeting to add on defense. Zadorov seems a bit overkill to me personally.
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Dubas has acquired Lyubushkin once before. Of those three, Rutta might be the only one available unless Anaheim comes way back to earth.
 
Empoleon8771 said:
I'm a bit concerned about their depth beyond their current bottom-6 forwards, the next guys up are Carter (old and sucks), Poulin (injured and not lighting the world on fire in the AHL) and Harkins (was awful in the NHL). But I really like the group they have with their currently healthy bottom-6 guys, and I am beginning to think they don't need any notable additions to that group. They should be focusing on improving the bottom pair.
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That's something that can emerge throughout the season. Any of Koppanen, White, Pitlick, Nylander or even a dude like Gruden could clear their way to the front of the queue. Lot of options down there.

Although I like how our highest scoring forward down there isn't even on an NHL contract, that's tip top.
 
What about someone like Trenin? Struggling hard offensivly with 0 points but maybe he can get here and start producing.

Trenin-Eller-Zohorna

He was someone we wanted last TDL when TB got the other guy.
 
Empoleon8771 said:
If you can get Carter to f*** off, I'd be all for trading back for Rutta. I'd actually go back to POJ-Rutta as the 3rd pair if you can do that.

Rutta, Lybushkin and Hakanpaa are the 3 examples I'd point to of what I'd be targeting to add on defense. Zadorov seems a bit overkill to me personally.
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That'd be lovely. They were stingy af.
Not feeling too good about POJ in the pressbox right now. They should be developing his game.
 
ChaosAgent said:
To my eye Shea is a true NHLer. I like POJ but he's probably a downgrade. Injuries will happen, he will get in there.
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I like Shea's mobility with the puck for sure. That's NHL level easily. Pretty good on breakouts and straddling the line in the O-zone.
I do take a bit of issue with his D-zone positioning and tracking though. That needs some work.
 
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Our bottom pair defenders are doing just fine, beyond them we have POJ, Ludvig and Smith (who for the record I'm not high on). But there's some depth there. Very intrigued by Ludvig actually. No, IF we add a forward who can add some good offensive acumen when guys like RR and DOC struggle that IMO is how you help fortify this team.
 
AuroraBorealis said:
That'd be lovely. They were stingy af.
Not feeling too good about POJ in the pressbox right now. They should be developing his game.
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POJ is a fifth year pro. That leaves very limited runway left for improving a guy's game through gameplay and experience imo. Not enough for them to put his development over results. It's up to POJ to make his way back in based on performance.
 
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Peat said:
POJ is a fifth year pro. That leaves very limited runway left for improving a guy's game through gameplay and experience imo. Not enough for them to put his development over results. It's up to POJ to make his way back in based on performance.
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Did he do anything to lose his spot this year? That's my question.
I remember one bad game, and solid play preceding that.
 
I wouldn't mind Rutta back but I would probably want retention, and I don't think SJ would use up their last retention spot on him.
 
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AuroraBorealis said:
Did he do anything to lose his spot this year? That's my question.
I remember one bad game, and solid play preceding that.
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Can't say I've watched close enough to really comment, but I can't say I really noticed anything about how he was playing or how Shea is playing that leaves me inclined to argue with the coach's call.
 
Peat said:
Can't say I've watched close enough to really comment, but I can't say I really noticed anything about how he was playing or how Shea is playing that leaves me inclined to argue with the coach's call.
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I would like to try a Joseph-Shea pairing, with one of them learning to PK in Ruhwedel's stead.
Shea did fine as a RD in pre-season.
If it works, becoming stable and reliable, I'd waive Ruhwedel and call up another Forward. Then Nieto can be replaced. Right now L4 is sorta ghosting. It needs another kick, just like L3 got.

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I'm kind of on the fence about POJ. Sure, an argument could have been made that someone should be tried in his spot, to see if someone ran with it. That's what defensive depth is for.
But did they?

It'll be more telling when we watch the 3rd pairing play the death row of opponents for the remainder of November. Lately we've taken advantage of some tired or weaker opponents. 6 of the next 8 are against arguable contenders.
 
Turin said:
The singular player this team needs is Radko Gudas, but alas. He’s killing it again in Anaheim.
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The whole NHL needs Radko Gudas, just like how in the 2010's every team needed Tom Wilson. You gotta find those players and develop them yourself otherwise you'll pay over market value for "truculence"
 
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