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

[Sidney the Kidney]

Devils fan here, Couldn't find a better thread to ask.

Do you think Ellers is available? if so what do you think would be the ask?

Put it this way: it would be idiotic of Dubas if Eller *wasn't* available. This team is going nowhere and Eller is a UFA at the end of the season (and old, too, so not someone you should re-sign). That's the poster boy for selling off.

 

[Pancakes]

Put it this way: it would be idiotic of Dubas if Eller *wasn't* available. This team is going nowhere and Eller is a UFA at the end of the season (and old, too, so not someone you should re-sign). That's the poster boy for selling off.

Every single UFA the Pens have should be sold off at the trade deadline with the possibly exception of DOC. With DOC I'd have to see what the return is (and ideally whether or not he's even willing to re-sign) before exploring that.

Like if DOC is just getting back a third...I'd probably rather keep him and re-sign him. A thirds a pretty blah return for one of the few sub 30 forechecking wingers we have.

If DOC can fetch a second I'd do it though.

Obviously all academic if DOC doesn't want to re-sign

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I mean yeah sure he's been a 20-30 pt guy for his career. Is that supposed to be impressive?

He's been fine in PIT, but as Colorado saw he's not really much of a gamer anymore.

Would love if we could fool someone into giving us a 2nd for him.

A center who can play responsible defense and score 30 points per while being buried in zone starts like clockwork is a pretty valuable commodity. Especially one with Cup experience.

He's been very good with the Pens. I don't think one can gather much about his value as a "gamer" from 31 total games with Colorado.

 

[Gurglesons]

A center who can play responsible defense and score 30 points per while being buried in zone starts like clockwork is a pretty valuable commodity. Especially one with Cup experience.

He's been very good with the Pens. I don't think one can gather much about his value as a "gamer" from 31 total games with Colorado.

I mean sure. If we want to circle jerk Lars Eller, he's been good since coming here.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I mean sure. If we want to circle jerk Lars Eller, he's been good since coming here.

He's not a world beater, but if I was a contender looking for a reliable bottom 6 center who could eat hard minutes and put up decent numbers, I don't think I'd have to be fooled into paying a 2nd for Eller.

 

[Gurglesons]

He's not a world beater, but if I was a contender looking for a reliable bottom 6 center who could eat hard minutes and put up decent numbers, I don't think I'd have to be fooled into paying a 2nd for Eller.

Tyler Toffoli went for a 2nd last year. I just think you're getting your hopes up.

If Dubas can get a 2nd for DOC and Eller though, I'll be absolutely stoked.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Tyler Toffoli went for a 2nd last year. I just think you're getting your hopes up.

If Dubas can get a 2nd for DOC and Eller though, I'll be absolutely stoked.

I got Eller as a 3rd. I could see a team needing forward depth ask for both. Conditional 1st if make top 4. 2nd if not?

 

[SEALBound]

I got Eller as a 3rd. I could see a team needing forward depth ask for both. Conditional 1st if make top 4. 2nd if not?

If he continues to score at a 30g goal pace, he may get a late 1st. Henrique + Carrick got Edmonton's late 1st last year. No reason to think that if Eller keeps up the play he has that he won't get a 2nd+.

Pettersson for a late 1st
Eller + Beau? Nieto? Acciari? for a late 1st
DOC for a 2nd?
Gryz for a 4th?
Beau for a 4ht?

It could end up being a really good draft for us.

 

[Gurglesons]

If he continues to score at a 30g goal pace, he may get a late 1st. Henrique + Carrick got Edmonton's late 1st last year. No reason to think that if Eller keeps up the play he has that he won't get a 2nd+.

Pettersson for a late 1st
Eller + Beau? Nieto? Acciari? for a late 1st
DOC for a 2nd?
Gryz for a 4th?
Beau for a 4ht?

It could end up being a really good draft for us.

Have a couple more.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Every single UFA the Pens have should be sold off at the trade deadline with the possibly exception of DOC. With DOC I'd have to see what the return is (and ideally whether or not he's even willing to re-sign) before exploring that.

Like if DOC is just getting back a third...I'd probably rather keep him and re-sign him. A thirds a pretty blah return for one of the few sub 30 forechecking wingers we have.

If DOC can fetch a second I'd do it though.

Obviously all academic if DOC doesn't want to re-sign

DOC is a UFA next year, though. Why wouldn’t he just jump ship anyway?

I mean if DOC’s management isn’t absolutely dead set on letting him test the market next year, they are f***ing stupid.

 

[pistolpete11]

Tyler Toffoli went for a 2nd last year. I just think you're getting your hopes up.

If Dubas can get a 2nd for DOC and Eller though, I'll be absolutely stoked.

Toffoli is a scoring line winger. Eller is a defensive/2-way line center. Not sure that's the best comparison.

You know who would be a better comparable? Lars Eller. That guy returned a second when he was having a worse year than Eller has had in Pittsburgh so far.

 

[Gurglesons]

Toffoli is a scoring line winger. Eller is a defensive/2-way line center. Not sure that's the best comparison.

You know who would be a better comparable? Lars Eller. That guy returned a second when he was having a worse year than Eller has had in Pittsburgh so far.

So why did nobody want Eller last deadline then?

 

[Andy99]

So why did nobody want Eller last deadline then?

He had an extra year on his contract at that point, that’s why…Dubas said the same…harder to move those guys at the deadline unless they’re top six scorers or top 4 D…

 

[Gurglesons]

He had an extra year on his contract at that point, that’s why…Dubas said the same…harder to move those guys at the deadline unless they’re top six scorers or top 4 D…

I mean Wennberg got a 2nd and a 4th.

Hopefully y’all are right.

 

[Andy99]

I mean Wennberg got a 2nd and a 4th.

Hopefully y’all are right.

If Eller has 30 points at the TDL, he should get something similar, hopefully a 2nd…

 

[SEALBound]

Have a couple more.

I literally pointed out that Henrique+Carrick (who are more expensive) got a 1st and a 4th from Edmonton. Historical examples are there. Especially when a team is weak down the middle and Eller is making $2.45mil. Scoring at a 30g pace with a strong two-way game. PKs and can be on the PP.

I mean, cry all you want but it's possible.

 

[Gurglesons]

I literally pointed out that Henrique+Carrick (who are more expensive) got a 1st and a 4th from Edmonton. Historical examples are there. Especially when a team is weak down the middle and Eller is making $2.45mil. Scoring at a 30g pace with a strong two-way game. PKs and can be on the PP.

I mean, cry all you want but it's possible.

Eller is scoring at a 25 goal pace and is shooting at 15% the highest in his career.

If Eller scores 30 goals this year I’ll fade into the darkness I came from.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

When Dubas acquired this team he had 20 mil in space. He had multiple draft picks. He had the below roster.

Guentzel - Crosby - Rust
Granlund - Malkin - Rakell
X - Jeff Carter - X
X - X - X

Pettersson - Letang
POJ - Petry
X - Rutta

X
Desmith

RFAs: Smith, DOC, Gruden

He had the assets and cash to make a team that could be competitive if he took the Washington model approach.

I would argue that even after the Karlsson trade, we looked like a team that could worm its way out of the mess we are in. But none of the moves since have panned out at all, partly because of his evaluation and partly because of the coach's utilization/power trip.

Hell, I could even argue that even TODAY there is a way out of this mess. But the coach will still be here, so I cannot make that argument.

This is a conservative hypothesis of what this team could look like next season:

Malkin-Crosby-Marner
Rakell-Broz/Ponomarev-Rust
Bunting-Lizotte-Acciari
Koivunen-Hayes-Puustinen

Pickering-Letang
???-Karlsson
Graves-Brunicke
St. Ivany

Blomqvist
Nedeljkovic

I am deleting all of the players on expiring contracts (including Glass, who should not be qualified imo, especially if we can't get value for him at the deadline). I am adding Marner to the equation, and I am deleting Jarry as the only player under contract that HAS to go without question. Can we trade him for a LD? Can we fill that LD void by trading someone else for a prospect? Maybe. Could that second-line C spot go to Malkin? Of course. Could it go to our 2025 1st rounder? If he is better than Broz or Ponomarev in camp, why not? Pull a Brunicke and we could be in business.

This honestly does not look hopeless to me. Forget windows or playoffs. This at least looks like a plan. And it looks like an emphasis on talent, which has been completely absent lately.

BUT, how is this ever going to happen with Mike Sullivan in charge? Heck, for all we know, Sullivan would say no to Marner if Dubas were to tell him we can land him. This is where we are at.

 

[Andy99]

I would argue that even after the Karlsson trade, we looked like a team that could worm its way out of the mess we are in. But none of the moves since have panned out at all, partly because of his evaluation and partly because of the coach's utilization/power trip.

Hell, I could even argue that even TODAY there is a way out of this mess. But the coach will still be here, so I cannot make that argument.

This is a conservative hypothesis of what this team could look like next season:

Malkin-Crosby-Marner
Rakell-Broz/Ponomarev-Rust
Bunting-Lizotte-Acciari
Koivunen-Hayes-Puustinen

Pickering-Letang
???-Karlsson
Graves-Brunicke
St. Ivany

Blomqvist
Nedeljkovic

I am deleting all of the players on expiring contracts (including Glass, who should not be qualified imo, especially if we can't get value for him at the deadline). I am adding Marner to the equation, and I am deleting Jarry as the only player under contract that HAS to go without question. Can we trade him for a LD? Can we fill that LD void by trading someone else for a prospect? Maybe. Could that second-line C spot go to Malkin? Of course. Could it go to our 2025 1st rounder? If he is better than Broz or Ponomarev in camp, why not? Pull a Brunicke and we could be in business.

This honestly does not look hopeless to me. Forget windows or playoffs. This at least looks like a plan. And it looks like an emphasis on talent, which has been completely absent lately.

BUT, how is this ever going to happen with Mike Sullivan in charge? Heck, for all we know, Sullivan would say no to Marner if Dubas were to tell him we can land him. This is where we are at.

Sullivan: “Talent? I don’t want talent. Give me someone who plays the right way away from the puck and PKs “

 

[pistolpete11]

I mean Wennberg got a 2nd and a 4th.

Hopefully y’all are right.

To @Andy99 's point, Wennberg was on an expiring contract.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Relatedly, I think we need to seriously consider that to retain or acquire UFAs from here on out, we’ll have to drastically overpay. So it’s probably better to just trade our soon to be UFAs and take on contracts for picks to fill out the roster.

 

[Gurglesons]

To @Andy99 's point, Wennberg was on an expiring contract.

Oh I was agreeing with the fact he returned that.

 

[eXile3]

Relatedly, I think we need to seriously consider that to retain or acquire UFAs from here on out, we’ll have to drastically overpay. So it’s probably better to just trade our soon to be UFAs and take on contracts for picks to fill out the roster.

I don’t think that’s true at all.

95% go where they will be paid most regardless of the team’s recent success.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Same combos at practice outside of Pulju replacing Puustinen.
So it'll Bunting-Acciari-Pulju.
That line will have some Moxy.
I would sit DOC. He's been trash this year, offensively and defensively.
Got no problem with Nieto replacing him if DOC's gonna play like this. At least MN shuts things down super well.

Might be a good idea to throw out our best defensive lines after we score, since the focus is so bad directly following Pens goals.

 

[Pancakes]

DOC is a UFA next year, though. Why wouldn’t he just jump ship anyway?

I mean if DOC’s management isn’t absolutely dead set on letting him test the market next year, they are f***ing ststupid.

Ideally Dubas speaks to his camp before the tdl and has some idea of their intentions. If they aren't deadset on re-signing and want to test ufa then yeah cya