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

[Honour Over Glory]

The Geno-Sid-Raks line needs to end, Geno and Raks are still playing well but Sid is still up and down, he is good against the weaker teams not so good against the stronger teams, he was better vs the Isles in his own game, but the stacked line also gave up a goal - the tying goal. That goal is funny to watch, Sid skating around in a circle which has Raks come out to cover the point and then Geno is stuck coming over after trying to keep a gap on Pulock and Horvat and then breaks his stick on Pageau and when that happens Sid stops skating and Pageau just goes for his rebound while Grz does jack shit and Letang is doing his losing battle aginst Lee. While Sid does his lap, Raks is like wtf watching the right wall for the point and the player down low...Letang of course, weak ass clear with the chop at the puck and then pushes Lee into the spot he needs to be in to screen Ned. I bet Yohe still blamed Karlsson for that game, haha. Sid and his lap, the part that irks me was he barely goes after the puck to clear from Lee, then Horvat swoops in and passes right through Sid to Pageau..

That line lost vs the Wild and Isles, but won against the Habs and Ducks. So it's done jack shit for the team that has already been doing the usual this season - lose against playoff caliber teams (when healthy) and win against bottom feeder teams.

Rakell is just a beast this season and I am glad he is because so many here wanted him gone and should be eating a f*** ton of crow while very few of us kept backing him knowing his shoulder was a big reason why he was off last year when it came to light. Rakell has been the better RW over Rust since he's been a Penguin. The line was great vs the Isles, but then again it's a severely destroyed Isles team and they still won, lol.

Acciari this season has been one of the worst forwards on the team for anyone that's played as much as he has, just shit all across the board for his analytics as a player, but because a "line he is on" does well, he stays in Sullivan's good graces while being mostly mediocre as shit (Rust too when he was healthy). I think the Hayes line with Glass does well because of Hayes + Glass, I bet if you threw Lizotte there, it'd still be a damn good line without Acciari, meanwhile Acciari's individual game is ass.

There's usage that were used for a couple of shifts that had promise based on analytics, etc.

Malkin + Rakell - They've been strong together all year, their issue is the best LW for them was Bunts when he was ass, he's better now so it would be fine, but Rakell is going to be with Sid which f***s Geno over.
Bunting, Glass, Beauvillier - They were great vs the Ducks, but Sully kept shoving Acciari with Glass & Bunting, Beauvillier looked far better with them.
Puljujarvi + Eller is also a strong duo.
Puljujarvi + Bunting have good shifts together, although I feel like when Acciari is thrown with them, it suffers.
Bunting, Glass, Puustinen
DOC, Eller, Puustinen - Still works
Bunting, Hayes, Puustinen
Beauvillier, Lizotte - As a duo, strong (Lizotte was good with Doc and Hayes too)

 

[Andy99]

Saw this from another poster on another site…didn’t listen myself thank god lol…tearing my hair out that the GM doesn’t see the coaching staff as the problem but the solution lol…

“listened to the GM show with Getzoff and KD. KD talked about the blown leads as a "trend" over the last few seasons. He also said Sullivan and the coaching staff are "working their butts off" trying to figure it out.

Does not sound Sully is on any short leash at all.”

 

[Andy99]

Also , sad but accurate read on the state of the team lol…

Time for Penguins to stop fighting the inevitable and accept that it’s over

No matter how well their aging legends play, this team isn’t good enough to compete for a playoff spot anymore.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

 

[Ulf5]

Saw this from another poster on another site…didn’t listen myself thank god lol…tearing my hair out that the GM doesn’t see the coaching staff as the problem but the solution lol…

“listened to the GM show with Getzoff and KD. KD talked about the blown leads as a "trend" over the last few seasons. He also said Sullivan and the coaching staff are "working their butts off" trying to figure it out.

Does not sound Sully is on any short leash at all.”

Surely someone hailed as a top 3 coach should be able to figure out something that's happened over several seasons by now. Right kyle?

 

[HandshakeLine]

"How make the puck go in their net, but not OUR net? Hard question this one. Think, Mike, think."

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

"How make the puck go in their net, but not OUR net? Hard question this one. Think, Mike, think."

Come on Mike... give us some of those complete sentences of yours that you are so renowned for!

 

[SEALBound]

I wish Dubas would just trade Puustinen already, why destroy a prospect to the point of being someone you can get nothing for because the coach is a dipshit, it'd clear the way for another prospect to come up that hopefully a twat like Sullivan doesn't ruin or is somehow Sullivan proof.


I don't think FSG will be happy about that. After their usual verbal stroke job for Sullivan, they went on about how Dubas is the right bloke to figure this out and get them back to being a playoff team while being younger, yet Sullivan keeps making it impossible to get younger or get into the playoffs because of his usage, lol.

I am curious to see what Werner says if they rip off a bunch of losses in a row and are 2nd from last again and the damage is already done by then for the season, is he going to blame the 3rd GM Sullivan has had or is he going to give Dubas the permission to fire the twat.

Puustinen is 25, he's not much of a "prospect" anymore just like DOC or Glass. He's a tweener roster player who might be capable of more (or maybe not).

I'm not convinced that FSG would care all of that much. They knew the ages of the core when they bought the team. They did their due diligence. It's not like they are sitting around saying "well what do you MEAN guys in their late 30s can't carry a team to a cup!? LeBron does!" They bought the team, knowing full well that this was the reality of the situation in the near future. Sure, we can debate (maybe) or how soon FSG was expecting this while still shelling out money to Sid, Geno, Letang, and Karlsson but I think at the end of the day, they are hoping for a "good" send off of these franchise players. In the same way, it's important to Sid to finish with the Pens, and I think FSG sees humanity and value in ensuring there is a "controlled demolition," if you will. Or rather, a nice gradual ease into the dirt instead of a dramatic free fall that leaves a bad taste in everyone's bought.

When it comes time to my managers, I always praise them. To everyone. Doesn't mean they don't f*** up every now and then but I also want people to think that I hired good people. It doesn't help me or my company if I'm out there berating a guy and wanting him to be fired. That makes me look bad. Perception and marketing are an ever-changing and ever-evolving spectrum that you MUST constantly manage. FSG knows that.

 

[The Old Master]

It’s real easy to find a taker for Rust with no retention if you simply just don’t look at his on ice play and age.

is jr still out there?

 

[The Old Master]

View attachment 927224


Marcus Pettersson worst defenseman in the league in terms of GA per 60 with 160+ minutes played.

i want to stay out of this but that stat is one of the most meaningless.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Puustinen is 25, he's not much of a "prospect" anymore just like DOC or Glass. He's a tweener roster player who might be capable of more (or maybe not).

I'm not convinced that FSG would care all of that much. They knew the ages of the core when they bought the team. They did their due diligence. It's not like they are sitting around saying "well what do you MEAN guys in their late 30s can't carry a team to a cup!? LeBron does!" They bought the team, knowing full well that this was the reality of the situation in the near future. Sure, we can debate (maybe) or how soon FSG was expecting this while still shelling out money to Sid, Geno, Letang, and Karlsson but I think at the end of the day, they are hoping for a "good" send off of these franchise players. In the same way, it's important to Sid to finish with the Pens, and I think FSG sees humanity and value in ensuring there is a "controlled demolition," if you will. Or rather, a nice gradual ease into the dirt instead of a dramatic free fall that leaves a bad taste in everyone's bought.

When it comes time to my managers, I always praise them. To everyone. Doesn't mean they don't f*** up every now and then but I also want people to think that I hired good people. It doesn't help me or my company if I'm out there berating a guy and wanting him to be fired. That makes me look bad. Perception and marketing are an ever-changing and ever-evolving spectrum that you MUST constantly manage. FSG knows that.

I went off what Werner and FSG stated before this season. Which was making the team younger, Dubas and Co getting them back to the playoffs etc.

Werner is also a f***ing moron so there's also that....

“We got involved with this because this is an incredible team with a great legacy, and our responsibility is to bring another Stanley Cup. We know that we’re in a period of some transition. We are so confident in Kyle’s vision. ... Our responsibility as FSG is to give Sully and Kyle the resources that they need to win.”

About Sullivan: “We think that he’s one of the two or three best coaches in hockey,” Werner said.

“Part of the reason we’re here is because we trust the core,” he said. “I think it was really important for us to sign Sidney, and we’ve got to build around that core. Kyle’s goal is to get the team younger. He brought in five new players, and we’re confident in the direction that he’s going.”

“Our focus is on giving the team resources,” he said. “We’re not really concerned about the bottom line in any particular year. We’re concerned about growth. It’s important to us obviously to sell as many tickets as we can, but it all begins and ends with winning.”

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2024/10/09/tom-werner-fenway-sports-group-mike-sullivan-sidney-crosby-season-opener/stories/202410090126

Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, Pirates News, Live Coverage | DK Pittsburgh Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, Pirates News, Live Coverage | DK Pittsburgh Sports

www.dkpittsburghsports.com

Lmao this team is f***ed. Dubas absolutely blew it

You misspelled Mike Sullivan.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

So what fails for Werner?

He has seen Sullivan fail to win a round since 2018 and missed the playoffs with JR, he's lost in the first round several times and missed the playoffs with Hextall. With Dubas he missed the playoffs but Kyle brought in 5 new players and Rutger. So if the team is still failing, I worry who that idiot and FSG blame for that because they seem to want us to believe the fans not going to games means jack shit to them and that getting better is more important.

Well for the Pens they go hand in hand with this team. Fans won't show up if they suck. So is it yet another GM that failed to get them there or will they finally admit to themselves it's Mike Sullivan that has failed several times with a ton of support for things he needed and still kept failing with it.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Also..

Q: What are some of the changes FSG has made off the ice?

A: Part of what we did is (that) we gave Kyle the resources. Again, you don’t see it necessarily on the ice, but our data and analytics department improved, our strength and conditioning department has improved, and our focus on our minor leagues improved. So we’re in a mode of being impatient.

But on the other hand, I got frustrated; I think we were all disappointed last year that we didn’t make the playoffs. I was talking to Sidney in March, and I said, ‘You know, we’re going to be better next year.’

And he said, ‘We’re going to go on a run.’ And we did go on that run. And I’m hoping it carries over.

FSG Ownership’s State of the Penguins; ‘Mode of Being Impatient’

For the first time since Fenway Sports Group bought the Pittsburgh Penguins from Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle in November 2021, one of FSG’s principals spoke with a small gathering of Pittsburgh media. FSG chairman Tom Werner, who is also the chairperson of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C...

pittsburghhockeynow.com

This is the impatient shit I was talking about and this was before the Rangers game. I can't believe they're happy at the moment with what has been going on, they liked what Kyle did so I would hope it means they're not keen on how Sullivan hasn't improved using what he's been given.

You have to wonder...

Dubas and Spezza did the right things with other departments and added youth while adding new players and Sullivan is still using them incorrectly. Wbs is better and filled with younger talent and has a very good developmental coach. So it's down to Mike Sullivan f***ing it up. You'd almost need to be insanely ignorant to not see it.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Imagine seeing Kirk having the baby Pens go 7-2 and playing well with players Sullivan doesn't want to use and you're like ok so what is it, is it the players or is it the coach? Because it seems we keep blaming the players when shit it might be the dumb twat we kept praising - FSG.

On a side note: I'm happy for Jarry playing well in wbs, so many keep wanting to shit on him and that's fine, I still think there's a great goalie in there somewhere and maybe this stint boosts him back to it. 4-0, 1.69GAA,.946sv% and facing 31 shots per game average. He deserves to come up and play games when he's back to build up some value and hopefully be moved to a team. Best for all parties involved.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Imagine seeing Kirk having the baby Pens go 7-2 and playing well with players Sullivan doesn't want to use and you're like ok so what is it, is it the players or is it the coach? Because it seems we keep blaming the players when shit it might be the dumb twat we kept praising - FSG.

On a side note: I'm happy for Jarry playing well in wbs, so many keep wanting to shit on him and that's fine, I still think there's a great goalie in there somewhere and maybe this stint boosts him back to it. 4-0, 1.69GAA,.946sv% and facing 31 shots per game average. He deserves to come up and play games when he's back to build up some value and hopefully be moved to a team. Best for all parties involved.

I think you just answered why those players are doing well there. It's not the NHL. It's very close. But it's still the AHL.

Sullivan does suck, though, and the big pens have been worse that the sum of their parts for YEARS

 

[Andy99]

lol…terrible

The Penguins’ inability to hold leads: By the numbers

The Pittsburgh Penguins have big problems defending leads and defending in general.

www.pensburgh.com

 

[Pancakes]

Sullivan sucks but it doesn't even matter any more if he gets fired. This roster is too old and gutted of depth to do anything.

I don't know if Jon Cooper could get this roster into a playoff spot.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Sullivan sucks but it doesn't even matter any more if he gets fired. This roster is too old and gutted of depth to do anything.

I don't know if Jon Cooper could get this roster into a playoff spot.

I could not disagree with this sentiment more. Look at what a mid ass roster like the Caps is doing. I will die on the hill that the Pens are a beach ball behind held 100ft underwater by Sullivan's incompetence. Replace him with literally anyone and they make the playoffs

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Sullivan sucks but it doesn't even matter any more if he gets fired. This roster is too old and gutted of depth to do anything.

I don't know if Jon Cooper could get this roster into a playoff spot.

I think that there is a chance this team could at least be bubble-competitive with a better coach and a GM that didn't take one whack at it and then give up. But yeah... I mean... aside from this roster just flat-out sucking ass the only difference makers left are old. The time to do anything was like... four-ish years ago.

 

[Coastal Kev]

The Geno-Sid-Raks line needs to end, Geno and Raks are still playing well but Sid is still up and down, he is good against the weaker teams not so good against the stronger teams, he was better vs the Isles in his own game, but the stacked line also gave up a goal - the tying goal. That goal is funny to watch, Sid skating around in a circle which has Raks come out to cover the point and then Geno is stuck coming over after trying to keep a gap on Pulock and Horvat and then breaks his stick on Pageau and when that happens Sid stops skating and Pageau just goes for his rebound while Grz does jack shit and Letang is doing his losing battle aginst Lee. While Sid does his lap, Raks is like wtf watching the right wall for the point and the player down low...Letang of course, weak ass clear with the chop at the puck and then pushes Lee into the spot he needs to be in to screen Ned. I bet Yohe still blamed Karlsson for that game, haha. Sid and his lap, the part that irks me was he barely goes after the puck to clear from Lee, then Horvat swoops in and passes right through Sid to Pageau..

That line lost vs the Wild and Isles, but won against the Habs and Ducks. So it's done jack shit for the team that has already been doing the usual this season - lose against playoff caliber teams (when healthy) and win against bottom feeder teams.

Rakell is just a beast this season and I am glad he is because so many here wanted him gone and should be eating a f*** ton of crow while very few of us kept backing him knowing his shoulder was a big reason why he was off last year when it came to light. Rakell has been the better RW over Rust since he's been a Penguin. The line was great vs the Isles, but then again it's a severely destroyed Isles team and they still won, lol.

Acciari this season has been one of the worst forwards on the team for anyone that's played as much as he has, just shit all across the board for his analytics as a player, but because a "line he is on" does well, he stays in Sullivan's good graces while being mostly mediocre as shit (Rust too when he was healthy). I think the Hayes line with Glass does well because of Hayes + Glass, I bet if you threw Lizotte there, it'd still be a damn good line without Acciari, meanwhile Acciari's individual game is ass.

There's usage that were used for a couple of shifts that had promise based on analytics, etc.

Malkin + Rakell - They've been strong together all year, their issue is the best LW for them was Bunts when he was ass, he's better now so it would be fine, but Rakell is going to be with Sid which f***s Geno over.
Bunting, Glass, Beauvillier - They were great vs the Ducks, but Sully kept shoving Acciari with Glass & Bunting, Beauvillier looked far better with them.
Puljujarvi + Eller is also a strong duo.
Puljujarvi + Bunting have good shifts together, although I feel like when Acciari is thrown with them, it suffers.
Bunting, Glass, Puustinen
DOC, Eller, Puustinen - Still works
Bunting, Hayes, Puustinen
Beauvillier, Lizotte - As a duo, strong (Lizotte was good with Doc and Hayes too)

If Dubas is smart, he's already working on a deal involving Rakell. It's time this organization learns Asset Management 101.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Sullivan sucks but it doesn't even matter any more if he gets fired. This roster is too old and gutted of depth to do anything.

I don't know if Jon Cooper could get this roster into a playoff spot.

Worse rosters are doing more than Sullivan. Stop blaming the roster, it's how he uses it that's the problem. Also how he's used it is why we've had so many players shit the bed on the Pens in usage designed to destroy players.

If Dubas is smart, he's already working on a deal involving Rakell. It's time this organization learns Asset Management 101.

You trade Rust first. Rust is awful in comparison to what Rakell brings to the line up.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

How could anyone call this roster anything other than abhorrent? They lost Rust... Bryan flippin' "60 points in a awesome year" Rust and as a result had to blow up their second line just to stay afloat. THAT is how great their depth is. They lost Jake Guentzel and his like 40 goals and 90 points and replaced him by committee with Hayes, Beauvillier, Glass and Lizotte. The defense is bloated and ineffectual and the goaltending is a mixture of trash and too young to tell. The best wing is Raks who went like half a season last year with single digit goals.

Let me make it abundantly clear that I despise Sullivan and am POSITIVE nearly any other coach could at least get MORE out of these guys. But this roster f***ing sucks and was likely designed to suck. And if it wasn't then Kyle Dubas just put another mark on his "I'm an absolute buffoon" tally.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Worse rosters are doing more than Sullivan. Stop blaming the roster, it's how he uses it that's the problem. Also how he's used it is why we've had so many players shit the bed on the Pens in usage designed to destroy players.


You trade Rust first. Rust is awful in comparison to what Rakell brings to the line up.

I agree with Rust, but you sell either when their hot.... SELL HIGH

 

[Pancakes]

Worse rosters are doing more than Sullivan. Stop blaming the roster, it's how he uses it that's the problem. Also how he's used it is why we've had so many players shit the bed on the Pens in usage designed to destroy players.

I'm sure the team would do better without him. How could they not? He's terrible.

But this roster...oof marron. I think for the Pens to be a playoff team with superior coaching would require Letang and Karlsson to find their games under a new coach. Would probably also be nice if Sid decided to have more than a token interest in playing defense.

I doubt our depth improves all that much with a new coach. It's just not that good to begin with.

I think that there is a chance this team could at least be bubble-competitive with a better coach and a GM that didn't take one whack at it and then give up. But yeah... I mean... aside from this roster just flat-out sucking ass the only difference makers left are old. The time to do anything was like... four-ish years ago.

The one saving grace for the Pens in that regard is if you look around the league there's a lot of struggling teams. They somehow haven't played themselves into too deep a hole yet.

 

[Pancakes]

I could not disagree with this sentiment more. Look at what a mid ass roster like the Caps is doing. I will die on the hill that the Pens are a beach ball behind held 100ft underwater by Sullivan's incompetence. Replace him with literally anyone and they make the playoffs

I dunno. The Caps are getting key contributions from a young core of players. McMichael and Protas are having terrific seasons. So is Dylan Strome. They picked up Dubois and Chychrun and Sandin who are all sub 30 year old players playing well.

Sullivan's a doofus but there's just no room for those kinds of young player contributions on the Pens because we don't have those young players. The Caps decided to get younger before the Pens did and they're reaping the benefits of it.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

So, there is a player that for my money is the perfect Pettersson replacement for us, and he is currently a player his team is scratching (mainly to send a message, but also for performance). This player is 24 years old, is signed for the next three seasons after this one, and he has no trade protection at all. Plus, his dad played for the Penguins!

I would love to get my hands on Mattias Samuelsson from the Sabres. That team might start trading if things continue because the GM's job is on the line. Samuelsson's cap hit is basically the same as Pettersson's current cap hit: $4,285,714/year.

The Sabres would probably have interest in either RW (Rakell and Rust), but Rakell has an 8-team no trade and Dubas has already said he won't ask Rust to waive. So I think Rust will be on the market after July 1, but not before.

Anyway, Mattias Samuelsson is a player we could really use. He works with either Letang or Karlsson. Grz cannot be a long-term partner for either. His defense is terrible. He cannot cover up for Letang or Karlsson, and their partners absolutely have to.