Salary Cap: Pens '23-'24 Salary Cap Thread: "Mandrake, do you recall what Clemenceau once said about hockey"

[Coastal Kev]

Sounds like Dubas has made his decision to cowardly acquiesce to Sully/Sid and has hired DK's site to defend his non-action. The Pens should be forced to take a course on asset management.

Their arrogance is only surpassed by their ignorance. I now loathe them and actively root for them to lose in embarrassing fashion..

Danny friggin Shirley.........lol As Roger Waters would say circa 1980, PATHETIC

 

[66-30-33]

Looks like the Pens and Jake are far apart on a deal and most think that he gets traded.

And I am very good with that.

I don't mind a team who is a few horses short still going for it in the playoffs if they are young and the star kids can gain experience.

That ain't this team.

Time to start looking to the next era.

If we get a good return I’m good moving on. I’ll likely follow his team closely though.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

I would target Kuzmenko as a buy-low candidate.

Could really click with Geno and get his form from last year back.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

If we get a good return I’m good moving on. I’ll likely follow his team closely though.

I might be more interested. It is better to watch kids to see if they can grow into something than a team spin it's wheels going nowhere meaningful.

 

[Turin]

Looks like the Pens and Jake are far apart on a deal and most think that he gets traded.

And I am very good with that.

I don't mind a team who is a few horses short still going for it in the playoffs if they are young and the star kids can gain experience.

That ain't this team.

Time to start looking to the next era.

They gonna re-sign him

 

[Kristopher Letang]

What's our xGF?

 

[BusinessGoose]

I have to disagree. Almost everyone on here had to have Karlsson "because at least he will be" fun to watch". Now he's here and they are still "unwatchable" So now you want to watch a product like the Coyotes for the last 10 years because that will be better? I'll have to pass. I'd rather watch a team with at least a shot at the playoffs.

Clearly the mix wasn't helped by EK and the team still sucks.

So. You want a team with a shot at they playoffs? You must be sick of this current one, too, like the rest of us. Cause they don't have a shot.

 

[Turin]

Clearly the mix wasn't helped by EK and the team still sucks.

So. You want a team with a shot at they playoffs? You must be sick of this current one, too, like the rest of us. Cause they don't have a shot.

Today it is more likely than not that the Pens will make it. Not by a huge margin, but it is more likely.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I have to disagree. Almost everyone on here had to have Karlsson "because at least he will be" fun to watch". Now he's here and they are still "unwatchable"

What on earth could be the reason?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I would target Kuzmenko as a buy-low candidate.

Could really click with Geno and get his form from last year back.

Pros:
- Probably will balance out to being a high % career shooter, and the team's abysmal at finishing.
- Shooting mentality on the PP, as well as 14 PPGs last year. This addresses another need.
- Righty. Can solidify himself as the PP1 LW, which is the only spot that isn't locked down.
- Speaks Russian. Good for motivating Malkin.
- Cap hit's fairly reasonable, with convenient term, since we need to be rebuilding soon anyway.

Cons:
- Shot 27.3%. It was insane, but it's never gonna happen again. This year's he's at below half that. I would expect his norm to be something like Zucker career-wise.
- Scraped 21 points in 43 games on a potential President's Trophy winner. Kind of concerning when projecting how he'd play with 38 y/o Malkin and a shit Pittsburgh PP1.
- Didn't adjust well to Tocchet and his 2-way demands. Sullivan emphasizes defense just as much or more. Might be strife there.
- Unlikely to be traded by Calgary. They just got him, and they're probably not blowing it up next year.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Sounds familiar

Well, either way - What a f***ing idiotic article. "Need more from Malkin down the stretch" you don't f***ing say? "He's getting older, has older legs...blah blah" so riddle me this - If Crosby is on such a godly pace, then why not drop Guentzel down to Malkin's line for a bit to help him out and see if Smith maybe finds enough of his game to make that 1st line strong without Jake there.

The biggest reason I want the Pens to move Jake is because he sticks on 1 line. There's never any open ideas for usage with him, he lives and dies on that line.

Pensburg f***ing blows.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I would target Kuzmenko as a buy-low candidate.

Could really click with Geno and get his form from last year back.

Doesn't take fitness seriously, I don't really care for his bullshit about the jersey shit last year, I wouldn't buy that tosser for whatever price the Flames will want to dump his lazy ass for. The fact that anyone wants him shows you lot don't really do jack shit for research. He would be the worst possible winger for Malkin with the attitude Kuzmenko has. He's also 27, he's not young, to show up and not be in the shape he should be in and struggling under a system the rest of the team is thriving in is massive red flags, healthy scratched a few times this season.

To add another 5m+ contract and a lazy player to boot, it would be highly illogical of Dubas to do.

If the Flames are selling, I'd target Yegor Sharangovich, liked his game a lot in NJ and would love to see him on the Pens as the LW on Malkin's line. Yegor blows at faceoffs so moving him back to his natural C position wouldn't work at all. Also, the Flames probably don't really want to move him either.

But if Dubas can land him for Pickering and a 3rd or something, I'd do it. He's 25, has 20 goals this year, is really finding his game and he's always had a lethal shot that he hasn't used often enough but is starting to. Cap wise, not sure how Dubas would make it work, he'd have to find a way to get Carter to waive to play for Calgary or do a 3 way deal to send Carter somewhere he wants to play and the Flames get their piece for him asap.

Guentzel, Crosby, Rust
Sharangovich, Malkin, Rakell
Smith, Eller, Puustinen
O'Connor, Acciari, Hinostroza/White

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I have to disagree. Almost everyone on here had to have Karlsson "because at least he will be" fun to watch". Now he's here and they are still "unwatchable" So now you want to watch a product like the Coyotes for the last 10 years because that will be better? I'll have to pass. I'd rather watch a team with at least a shot at the playoffs.

I mean it should shock no one that a talented player has come to the Penguins and has struggled, it's more comical that the GM hasn't figured it out. All he has to do is go look at the players that have come, struggled, left and thrived to really get a beat on what the issues are.

Then there's the whole thing about how Sullivan approaches the players - He really doesn't do much scouting on them and has basically admitted it in ways, he knows about them enough to where he thinks he knows how to use him, spoiler - he doesn't. Karlsson can produce and he's shown he can, but positioning wise, it's like he's trying to do what they are asking him to and it's throwing him off his game he's played as a veteran in the NHL. Also, I don't think they've really understood the kind of D partner he needs. Pettersson is cuffed to Letang, but Graves is not a fit for Karlsson at all and POJ isn't either.

To go and get a highly valued asset like Erik Karlsson and then not really understand the kind of D partners he's thrived with is also very on brand Penguins lately. HIs best years came with Marc Methot, none of the Pens D are anything close to that type. I know for parts of his time in San Jose he was with Megna, a stay at home type which makes you think Graves should work, maybe he could if the system didn't make 99% of the defense look awful.

 

[Pens1566]

Karlsson is giving off big "Iginla acquisition" vibes so far.

But it shouldn't shock anyone. We try to mold everyone to fit the system instead of using their strengths.

 

[trader997]

Team needs to sell high on Guentzel and get assets to begin the rebuild. The core needs to see reality that theyre just not good enough. As good as Sids been, hes not even top-20 in scoring and Geno is no longer a PPG guy. With the big guns dropping off, they need more support from the bottom-6 but the team decided to put more on their shoulders.

Then theres Jarry. The rest of the core's careers is hitched to Jarry's wagon. As good as hes been this season, we've seen him lose the team elimination games by himself. We're also approaching the point of the season where he historically drops off hard, so he might just answer the stay put or sell question.

You want to start to rebuild now? If some of you think Dubas came here to start the rebuild this year, you guys are crazy. The pens PP has been terrible this year and a disgrace with 3 HOF on the ice, we all know that, but things might change after the All star break as Karlsson will be replaced by Letang on PP1. I'm pretty sure the experiment is over with Karlsson on the PP with the second half of the season coming up. I believe they are just one good PP away from being a great team that can make a run this year.

Btw, Crosby is 6th in the league in even strength points so he's not dropping off that much... His line has been dynamite this year so i don't think Dubas will sell Guentzel at the deadline when he's the best winger they have.

 

[molon labe]

Yeah, we really need more from our 6 million dollar 37 year old.

Not the 5 million dollar triplet in Rust/Rakell/Smith that do zero for this team on 99% of nights.

Blame Canada! er... Geno!

What an embarrassing take. How about more - idk - creative thought from this coaching staff? More.....power play structure? More....depth scoring? More...defensive scoring? Interesting how everything has slowly taken a bigger and bigger hit while trying the same type of roster with the same coach. Almost like we're figured out and everyone knows it except the front office.

Anyway, any good high school hockey action going on, Kyle?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Well, either way - What a f***ing idiotic article. "Need more from Malkin down the stretch" you don't f***ing say? "He's getting older, has older legs...blah blah" so riddle me this - If Crosby is on such a godly pace, then why not drop Guentzel down to Malkin's line for a bit to help him out and see if Smith maybe finds enough of his game to make that 1st line strong without Jake there.

The biggest reason I want the Pens to move Jake is because he sticks on 1 line. There's never any open ideas for usage with him, he lives and dies on that line.

Pensburg f***ing blows.

My annoyance with the whole thing has nothing to do with Crosby, Guentzel etc. but more the fact that there is like 15ish million or more worth of extremely underperforming top nine players on the team and none of them ever seem to find their way into the near-daily griping and gnashing of teeth both from the fans and the individuals covering this team in the media. I'm perfectly fine saying that 71 has to be better if the team has a chance of making the playoffs and winning more than just the ticket there. But agendas work both ways.

Yeah, we really need more from our 6 million dollar 37 year old.

Not the 5 million dollar triplet in Rust/Rakell/Smith that do zero for this team on 99% of nights.

Blame Canada! er... Geno!

What an embarrassing take. How about more - idk - creative thought from this coaching staff? More.....power play structure? More....depth scoring? More...defensive scoring? Interesting how everything has slowly taken a bigger and bigger hit while trying the same type of roster with the same coach. Almost like we're figured out and everyone knows it except the front office.

Anyway, any good high school hockey action going on, Kyle?

Took the words outta my mouth.

 

[Sideline]

Yeah, we really need more from our 6 million dollar 37 year old.

Not the 5 million dollar triplet in Rust/Rakell/Smith that do zero for this team on 99% of nights.

Blame Canada! er... Geno!

What an embarrassing take. How about more - idk - creative thought from this coaching staff? More.....power play structure? More....depth scoring? More...defensive scoring? Interesting how everything has slowly taken a bigger and bigger hit while trying the same type of roster with the same coach. Almost like we're figured out and everyone knows it except the front office.

Anyway, any good high school hockey action going on, Kyle?

Seriously mind boggling how much shit Geno gets. He's a little under a point per game at a 6MM cap hit. He makes half as much money as John Tavares for very similar production; that is a guy that needs to do more.

He's not MacKinnon or McDavid level anymore, but he literally makes half as much money as they do. He's arguably the third best value for money contract on the Penguins after Crosby and Guentzel.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Seriously mind boggling how much shit Geno gets. He's a little under a point per game at a 6MM cap hit. He makes half as much money as John Tavares for very similar production; that is a guy that needs to do more.

He's not MacKinnon or McDavid level anymore, but he literally makes half as much money as they do. He's arguably the third best value for money contract on the Penguins after Crosby and Guentzel.

I mean... he's clearly lost a step. He's not helping out their lousy poweplay as much as I would have hoped and he's trying to do too much out there at times to the detriment of himself and the team. None of this is untrue. But he's 37 and working with like... whatever flotsam and jetsam they choose to stick him with night to night while guys like Rust, Rakell, and Smith go weeks barely moving the needle (yes I know Smith is on IR but he was a ghost before that).

The fact that he's somehow managed the numbers he has (tops on the team in takeaways and actually more assists than Sid, BTW) at 6M dollars is honestly pretty decent. Nobody on this team should be above reproach especially when they are floating around the Mendoza line. But c'mon.

EDIT: Worth remembering too that Sid and Malkin operate in their own bubbles on the team... fairly independent of each other and their respective production. Aside from the powerplay, of course. Which stinks.

 

[ChaosAgent]

It's the Powerplay. If the Powerplay stops sucking, we will get more from Malkin and whomever else is associated with it.

L2 is underresourced to actually be a driving line. It's a $15m line. That isn't much.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It's the Powerplay. If the Powerplay stops sucking, we will get more from Malkin and whomever else is associated with it.

L2 is underresourced to actually be a driving line. It's a $15m line. That isn't much.

For real.

With even a decent powerplay this team is likely in a much better spot. But historic ineptitude tends to muddy the waters a bit.

 

[Sideline]

For real.

With even a decent powerplay this team is likely in a much better spot. But historic ineptitude tends to muddy the waters a bit.

Absolutely. 15 more points for Geno and he's top 15 in the league. 15 more for Sid and he's top 10.

 

[66-30-33]

Karlsson is giving off big "Iginla acquisition" vibes so far.

But it shouldn't shock anyone. We try to mold everyone to fit the system instead of using their strengths.

Iggy was misused hilariously by a dumbass coach.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Iggy was misused hilariously by a dumbass coach.

I think thats what @Pens1566 meant. A hall of famer being misused by a coach who thinks his shit smells like roses.

 

[66-30-33]

I think thats what @Pens1566 meant. A hall of famer being misused by a coach who thinks his shit smells like roses.

Surprised anyone wants to come here tbh.