Salary Cap: Pens '24-'25 Salary Thread: The Crosbicles Volume XIX

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

"We're still trying to find the people responsible for denying this kid play time. We'll get to the bottom of this, trust us"

The Next Day...

Evgeni Malkin: I very sorry for waive guy name I don't know. I will try hard to be fire and invade Finland to say sorry.

 

[Turin]

We’re sitting outside the playoffs and our prospect pool is still bottom 1/3 of the league. The current FO has earned every right to be criticized for every move.

Pens prospect pool is moving closer to middle of the pack after being bottom 3 for a decade at least

 

[IcedCapp]

The Next Day...

Evgeni Malkin: I very sorry for waive guy name I don't know. I will try hard to be fire and invade Finland to say sorry.

f***ing malkin, i knew it was him all along

 

[Darren McCord]

Waiving Puljujarvi for no reason just to "do him a solid" is an idiotic suggestion. They don't need a roster spot for anyone to fill (unless there is a more serious injury that has yet to be reported), so sending him down to help out the AHL team makes complete sense for why they're waiving him.

This exactly why they did it. It had nothing to due with WBS at all. The coach is a moron. There is not reason you can’t rotate him into this lineup except the coach has an infatuation with bad players from the northeast.

Have fun with this one everyone.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

f***ing malkin, i knew it was him all along

Every time! It's a wonder Mike Sullivan gets ANYTHING done with him creepin' around like Snidely Whiplash all the time.

This exactly why they did it. It had nothing to due with WBS at all. The coach is a moron. There is not reason you can’t rotate him into this lineup except the coach has an infatuation with bad players from the northeast.

Don't worry... if Pulju clears waivers it means we're all dumb and the coach is very smart, actually. That's how this works.

 

[Icarium]

I love blaming Sully for everything but he does tend to say lots of nice sounding stuff that may or may not be true. Being fair to the player does sound better than "I got tired of looking at his mug in the press box" after all.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Pens prospect pool is moving closer to middle of the pack after being bottom 3 for a decade at least

Still not much (aka any) top end talent. A whole bunch of middle-six forwards or bottom-four defenders.

Goalies, though, I'm kinda excited for.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Still not much (aka any) top end talent. A whole bunch of middle-six forwards or bottom-four defenders.

Goalies, though, I'm kinda excited for.

I've become steadily more interested in Koivunen as the year has gone along. And hopefully Groats is picking it up offensively, now but... yeah... seems accurate.

 

[Darren McCord]

Still not much (aka any) top end talent. A whole bunch of middle-six forwards or bottom-four defenders.

Goalies, though, I'm kinda excited for.

I think Pickering and Brunick have top 4 potential.

I’m also interested in the finish guy who’s name I can’t spell

 

[Empoleon8771]

That quote from Sullivan makes me inclined to believe that the team thinks Puljujarvi is going to get claimed off waivers. We’ll see if they’re right in about 20 minutes.

 

[IcedCapp]

That quote from Sullivan makes me inclined to believe that the team thinks Puljujarvi is going to get claimed off waivers. We’ll see if they’re right in about 20 minutes.

i had the same thought. Like, they know he's gone.

 

[Ryder71]

Still not much (aka any) top end talent. A whole bunch of middle-six forwards or bottom-four defenders.

Goalies, though, I'm kinda excited for.

Our goalies in the AHL could likely give our NHL goalies a run for their money. Murashov is ready for the AHL but we're very deep there so he's currently blocked. Hopefully Ned can get moved out.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I know there aren't any guys with big potential in the prospect pool but if a few of these guys pan out to be "fill out the roster" supporting cast talent, I'd be happy. Can't ask for much more than that given where the Pens have drafted over the years.

But yeah, no real foundation guys or guys you'd expect to be production drivers yet. Still important to have the depth guys in place and acclimated well so that when you get those top-3 picks, and you hit, you can get goin' while they're still on ELCs.

 

[Ryder71]

I think Pickering and Brunick have top 4 potential.

I’m also interested in the finish guy who’s name I can’t spell

McGroarty will be a very solid NHL player I suspect. Very good hockey IQ and vision. Skating isn't that bad.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I think Pickering and Brunick have top 4 potential.

I’m also interested in the finish guy who’s name I can’t spell

Top 4 and Bottom 4 do have some overlap.

 

[Darren McCord]

Top 4 and Bottom 4 do have some overlap.

Sounds more exciting to say top 4 lol

 

[Jag68Sid87]

If Dubas sincerely believes this is a playoff caliber team he'd buy,( but he won't). Sid and Geno have avoided injuries longer than anytime in their careers, that can't continue. If they weren't good enough two years ago to make the playoffs they aren't good enough now, - Jake, with a goalie who gives up a goal almost every single outing in his first five shots and has an abysmal goal differential. This run isn't sustainable.

He does not have to buy to improve this team, as has been proven already this season. Recalling Pickering improved this team. Earlier, giving Blomqvist a few starts when the team was a complete mess, helped matters. Adding Tomasino for minimal asset damage has improved the team. Adding Joseph for free was a godsend.

He should continue to look for ways to improve the team just as he has been doing. In other words, he should continue to do the job of a general manager. This whole buy or sell nonsense needs to stop. We should never trade our first-round pick, no matter how good we are. And we should never stop tweaking with the roster (or trying to win games) when we are struggling. It's pro sports.

That said, there is a clear path to the playoffs this season. So to ignore that would be completely stupid (and not at all what the plan calls for as long as 87, 71, 65 and 58 are on the roster).

 

[Empoleon8771]

IMO the Penguins do have some intriguing D prospects between Pickering, Brunicke and Pieniniemi, but I think those guys all have more middle pair upside. I think Brunicke is a fringe #2/3 upside though, so he could hit top pair level.

Think Dumoulin/MP for Pickering, Goligoski for Pieniniemi and Letang-lite for Brunicke, at least IMO.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Puljujarvi on waivers is a mercy killing as far as I am concerned. I hope somebody gives him an opportunity because he is CLEARLY an NHL-caliber player in every NHL observer's mind except for the guy behind the bench of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

 

[Ryder71]

I love blaming Sully for everything but he does tend to say lots of nice sounding stuff that may or may not be true. Being fair to the player does sound better than "I got tired of looking at his mug in the press box" after all.

The core is the culprit. As long as they get their ice time they don't care how Sully treats the lesser lights. People don't want to blame the core but they're most responsible for Sully being here and hanging on here longer than they should. Remember, Crosby and this team have not won a playoff series since he was 30.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

IMO the Penguins do have some intriguing D prospects between Pickering, Brunicke and Pieniniemi, but I think those guys all have more middle pair upside. I think Brunicke is a fringe #2/3 upside though, so he could hit top pair level.

Think Dumoulin/MP for Pickering, Goligoski for Pieniniemi and Letang-lite for Brunicke, at least IMO.

I agree. Just like the mission to find the next top-six centers, we are going to need to find the eventual successors to Karlsson and Letang, too.

Don't forget Kangas. I think he is much improved since last year's WJC. Big defensive defenseman who seems comfortable on either side of the ice. We can definitely use that in the future.

The core is the culprit. As long as they get their ice time they don't care how Sully treats the lesser lights. People don't want to blame the core but they're most responsible for Sully being here and hanging on here longer than they should. Remember, Crosby and this team have not won a playoff series since he was 30.

So, you are blaming Crosby for not telling Sullivan how to coach this team?

 

[Empoleon8771]

Puljujarvi clears waivers. Not super surprised tbh

 

[IcedCapp]

always knew Puljujarvi was a bum!

 

[Ryder71]

I agree. Just like the mission to find the next top-six centers, we are going to need to find the eventual successors to Karlsson and Letang, too.

Don't forget Kangas. I think he is much improved since last year's WJC. Big defensive defenseman who seems comfortable on either side of the ice. We can definitely use that in the future.


So, you are blaming Crosby for not telling Sullivan how to coach this team?

I'm blaming Crosby for backing the guy at every turn. Again, hasn't won a playoff series in 7 years. Plenty of blame to go around but it starts with the Core.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Just like with Puustinen, I don’t think anyone should be surprised about Puljujarvi clearing waivers. Should Sullivan have played him more? Yeah, but the Penguins depth is dogshit and I seriously doubt Puljujarvi would be in a bottom-6 of an actually good team.

He’s a AAAA player when every team has numerous AAAA players like him, even the Penguins have a few. That said, I’m happy he didn’t get claimed so he can help out at WBS.