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

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Oh cool. We definitely needed more goaltenders.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Granlund got 21 games here after finding out his wife had left him for another man.

I didn't hear about this?

 

[Gurglesons]

I didn't hear about this?

He got divorced from his wife the same month he was traded to PIT. But don't worry. Ron Hextall is a MORON and everything about the Penguins is HIS FAULT.

EMMI IIDA on Instagram: "Hi, I’m Emmi I’m a mom of two boys who are 2 and 4 I’m an interior architect and designer by training but have been working as a visual artist, creative freelancer and model for the past decade I’m from Finland but used t

410 likes, 24 comments - emmi.granlund on January 16, 2024: "Hi, I’m Emmi I’m a mom of two boys who are 2 and 4 I’m an interior architect and designer by training but have been working as a visual artist, creative freelancer and model for the past decade I’m from Finland but used to live in...

www.instagram.com

Uuden rakkauden löytänyt Emmi Granlund kertoo, mihin liitto Mikael Granlundin kanssa päättyi – eroon liittyi ilkeä huhu

Emmi Granlundin ja kiekkotähti Mikael Granlundin avioliitto päättyi eroon pitkän harkinnan jälkeen. Nyt Emmi Granlund elää omannäköistään elämää uuden kumppaninsa kanssa.

www.is.fi

 

[deakka]

you gotta have organizational depth to develop prospects.

We are top many as it is already. Don't know if Gauthier is still injured. But with him we are 6 deep

Jarry
Ned

Blomqvist
Larsson

Murashov
Gauthier

 

[eXile3]

Another bad contract.

The length’s are bad but roughly 5 million and they’re still useful players that a contender could plop on a 2nd or 3rd line.

 

[Gurglesons]

We are top many as it is already. Don't know if Gauthier is still injured. But with him we are 6 deep

Jarry
Ned

Blomqvist
Larsson

Murashov
Gauthier

Yeah, I was being sarcastic.

The length’s are bad but roughly 5 million and they’re still useful players that a contender could plop on a 2nd or 3rd line.

What contender is paying a 2nd for 3 years of oft injured Rust or Rakell at 5 million when they can acquire a UFA or a younger piece for that much.

Hell, they could get Mikael Granlund!

 

[Jag68Sid87]

That's fine though. If they adore him but team is hot garbage on the ice, remove him from the bench and bring him into the FSG FO if he's THAT well liked. It's just getting too hard to look at the product on the ice and not come to the conclusion that coaching is a BIG part of it.

White knighting for Hextall and Granlund. Of all the people to hitch your wagon to. Beyond bizarre.

And yeah, fixing the mistakes of the previous GM is expensive. We'd probably be in a better spot if we had Matheson-Marino as our 2nd pairing and Dickenson in the pipeline. But when you go out of your way to get older, slower, with an anemic roster, yeah, it costs you quite a bit to rectify that.

Hindsight is always 20/20. Had we known Sullivan would suck this hard in 2024, we should have fired him after 2017, right? We should have fired Byslma after 2010, but most certainly after 2012 and absolutely after 2014. When we did, I think most of us felt it was a couple years too late.

The Rangers series should have been the end. After that loss, after being up 3-1, there was more than enough "evidence" to support firing him—numerous failures that take away the "they never gave him a chance!" excuse.

For this season to be salvageable, it's a 2016 job all over again. Not only do you need a new coach, but Dubas will have to make a couple of shrewd trades to change the dynamics of the team a bit. What we are seeing is not a case of "this is a capable roster being held back by Sullivan". Fact is, the core is old and we likely are who we are. The goal isn't the cup, the goal is merely the playoffs.

Best solution - bottom 5 this year. Pick Misa. bottom 5 next year, pick McKenna. Usher in a new era with McGroarty-McKenna-Misa, Pickering-Brunicke, Blomqvist/Murashov. Then it's your mission to part out existing roster players for as much value as possible (Karlsson, Rust, Rakell, Eller, etc.).

We are all in agreement that Sullivan has to go, so we are just moving the goal posts as far as when we SHOULD have done it previously.

And yes I agree that firing the head coach is not going to suddenly turn this team into a playoff contender. But part of the Sullivan issue is that I believe there are some players here that are here only because of him. I don't think Kevin Hayes would be a Penguin were it not for Mike Sullivan. Now to be fair, Sullivan is playing him in the right spot and Hayes is nowhere near our biggest problem right now. Grz would not be a Penguin were it not for Mike Sullivan. Again, my opinion. And P-O Joseph was never as bad as people here made him out to be, and it was clear Sullivan never liked him and really hurt the player's confidence. And that is something he has done with others.

Yes, Dubas needs to absolutely look into moving out some contracts if at all possible, starting obviously with Jarry.

BUT, how much better would guys like Puljujarvi, Puustinen, Poulin, McGroarty, Pickering et al would be if Mike Sullivan were not here?

What this organization needs more than anything else is to start over behind the bench with an entirely new staff. And bring up the guys I mentioned above and let them play. And play the guys who are here like the Finnish Ps and give them more ice time. AND, we need the four veteran stars (Rust is not a star) to suck it up, be leaders and embrace change. They have been comfortable for far too long that they have forgotten what it was like to embrace the change that came with other big decisions earlier in their careers.

But there are still zero signs that a firing is even remotely on the table. AND, what is even worse is that even if FSG would for some reason decide that a change is needed, all they would do is replace Sullivan with Quinn. And they we'd be really effed.

 

[eXile3]

Yeah, I was being sarcastic.



What contender is paying a 2nd for 3 years of oft injured Rust or Rakell at 5 million when they can acquire a UFA or a younger piece for that much.

Hell, they could get Mikael Granlund!

Can they acquire a younger piece? UFAs are usually only a couple years younger at best and you’re seeing more and more staying with their teams.

I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I never eliminate the possibility of a NHL GM being myopic. It’s kind of their thing for most of them.

Right now is the best time to get rid of them. I don’t think either is going to age well.

 

[Gurglesons]

Can they acquire a younger piece? UFAs are usually only a couple years younger at best and you’re seeing more and more staying with their teams.

I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I never eliminate the possibility of a NHL GM being myopic. It’s kind of their thing for most of them.

Right now is the best time to get rid of them. I don’t think either is going to age well.

We are closer to paying a team to take Rust and Rakell ala Hayes than we are getting a 2nd round pick.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Right now is the best time to get rid of them. I don’t think either is going to age well.

They already aren't. And frankly were never as good as the team and fans desperately insisted they both are to begin with.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Man, if only the Penguins had more young players that could be traded for value to help replenish the prospect pool, like John Marino and Jared McCann. I can't imagine what the Penguins would have to do to have 27/28 year old prime aged players on good deals to trade for good value.

 

[Gurglesons]

Man, if only the Penguins had more young players that could be traded for value to help replenish the prospect pool, like John Marino and Jared McCann. I can't imagine what the Penguins would have to do to have 27/28 year old prime aged players on good deals to trade for good value.

John Marino just returned two 2nds.

Jared McCann was likely offered to the entire league and returned a 7th and Hallander.

3 2nds would completely change this franchises direction…

Also to your point Empo. A smart franchise would trade young late 20 year olds for future building blocks.

Not a 2nd round pick, Michael Bunting, and a couple 21 year olds whose peak is a 3rd liner.

 

[Empoleon8771]

John Marino just returned two 2nds.

Jared McCann was likely offered to the entire league and returned a 7th and Hallander.

3 2nds would completely change this franchises direction…

Also to your point Empo. A smart franchise would trade young late 20 year olds for future building blocks.

Not a 2nd round pick, Michael Bunting, and a couple 21 year olds whose peak is a 3rd liner.

3 2nds is more than what they got for giving those guys away for nothing, and it's more than the Penguins will reasonably get for the guys who replaced them (Rust and Karlsson).

And yes, I agree that the Karlsson trade was one of the worst deals in the Crosby era. Not necessarily because of the value (which wasn't good) but because of the result of the deal.

 

[Gurglesons]

3 2nds is more than what they got for giving those guys away for nothing, and it's more than the Penguins will reasonably get for the guys who replaced them (Rust and Karlsson).

We got a 1st round pick two season removed and a 3rd round pick for Marino. Our management in it's infinite wisdom then proceeded to play said 1st round pick 8 games.

Once again. Why are you not crtical of the Guentzel deal if you're going to suddenly be critical of the Marino and McCann returns?

Jake Guentzel was the best forward available at the trade deadline and the best part of the return was the player we potentially got with the 2nd.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

We got a 1st round pick two season removed and a 3rd round pick for Marino. Our management in it's infinite wisdom then proceeded to play said 1st round pick 8 games.

Once again. Why are you not crtical of the Guentzel deal if you're going to suddenly be critical of the Marino and McCann returns?

Jake Guentzel was the best forward available at the trade deadline and the best part of the return was the player we potentially got with the 2nd.

Targeting Bunting netted Dubas one of the best LWs in the league, though.

 

[Gurglesons]

Also, hypothetically we could be pumping the value of multiple mid 20s players in Puustinen, Poulin, DOC, and Pulju for returns this deadline.

Yet we have to have Accairi, Beauvillier and Kevin Hayes playing over them.

 

[Empoleon8771]

We got a 1st round pick two season removed and a 3rd round pick for Marino. Our management in it's infinite wisdom then proceeded to play said 1st round pick 8 games.

Once again. Why are you not crtical of the Guentzel deal if you're going to suddenly be critical of the Marino and McCann returns?

Jake Guentzel was the best forward available at the trade deadline and the best part of the return was the player we potentially got with the 2nd.

New Jersey sold Smith after he was coming off a bad year and was showing constant signs of decline, and he continued to suck for the Penguins and ended up a nothing piece that didn't pan out as a NHLer.

The Guentzel deal isn't remotely comparable to the McCann and Marino deals. The Guentzel deal lacked the upside (outside of Brunicke) but they got quantity back, they got 3 prospects that seem like they have good chances of being NHLers. Marino and Hallander only brought back 1 of those guys. I think Koivunen/Ponomarev/Hallander/Smith are all on the same level, but getting 2 of those plus a 2nd for a rental Guentzel is way different than getting 1 for a cost controlled Marino and McCann.

 

[Gurglesons]

New Jersey sold Smith after he was coming off a bad year and was showing constant signs of decline, and he continued to suck for the Penguins and ended up a nothing piece that didn't pan out as a NHLer.

The Guentzel deal isn't remotely comparable to the McCann and Marino deals. The Guentzel deal lacked the upside (outside of Brunicke) but they got quantity back, they got 3 prospects that seem like they have good chances of being NHLers. Marino and Hallander only brought back 1 of those guys. I think Koivunen/Ponomarev/Hallander/Smith are all on the same level, but getting 2 of those plus a 2nd for a rental Guentzel is way different than getting 1 for a cost controlled Marino and McCann.

But the Matheson, Marino, and McCann deals followed this same thought process?

We got prospects like Hallander, Poehling, and Smith back along with picks.

Shouldn't Guentzel's lack of return kind of explain why we got so very little for Marino and McCann considering the seasons they were coming off of?

People act like Marino was a top pairing D. He had just gotten rocked on the tying goal in G7 in front of everyone.

McCann was ED bait. Also, who was the GM again that then exposed McCann and lost him for nothing after paying up Hallander and a 7th?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I had to look this up to verify it was accurate. Granlund didn't fit here at all, I wouldn't call it a mistake getting rid of him.

Granlund didn't fit largely because of the coach's usage of him.

Who would have thought that a small, offensive player would struggle when put in a defensive shutdown role?

 

[Malkinstheman]

Granlund is the definition of an empty calorie scorer. Someone needs to get points on dog shit teams. Not shocked that people are suddenly complaining about him traded away.

Also convenient that the blame is being put on Dubas for trading away the guy that was a horrible fit on the team. Let's just ignore who actually traded for Granlund though

 

[Pancakes]

I don't have a problem with putting Geno and Sid together. Sid's been garbage and they need him to be good if they're going to have any chance.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I don't care about Granlund, Hextall, Petry or whatever.

I think the overarching point is that this team's pro scouting and talent/roster assessment is beyond abysmal and spans multiple GMs.

And also that it's getting increasingly difficult to defend Kyle Dubas.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

In hindsight, Jake should've been dealt before the 2023-24 season even started. The team didn't want to give him a blank check, rightfully so, and he wanted his colossal pay day and a chance to compete again--neither was happening here. Letting Jake's situation simmer until the TDL was ratf***ed, and tanked his value, and thus the return.

Dubas also shouldn't have ponied up for EK with this coach around.

In non-hindsight moves, he should've just gone another direction than Jarry (don't give a shit who, run some shitty stop-gap and Ned for all I care, just don't re-sign Jarry). He also should've found a different solution than Graves, who I admit I wanted signed, but was not a good fit.

I don't have a problem with putting Geno and Sid together. Sid's been garbage and they need him to be good if they're going to have any chance.

f*** having a chance, this team's cooked, charred, thrown away, and rotting at the landfill. Put 'em together so they can do cool shit and hopefully rack up some points because that's the only thing to watch for anymore after years of mismanagement and terrible coaching have ruined things beyond repair.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I don't have a problem with putting Geno and Sid together. Sid's been garbage and they need him to be good if they're going to have any chance.

At this point, as long as the organization insists on keeping Sullivan, I'm just hoping to see Sid and Geno put up points. So if them playing together means 1 or 2 points for each guy, even if it still results in the Pens losing, oh well.

Fire Sullivan and I'll start caring about team results again. Until then I'm here for Sid and Geno's rise in the all-time career rankings.

 

[Gurglesons]

Granlund is the definition of an empty calorie scorer. Someone needs to get points on dog shit teams. Not shocked that people are suddenly complaining about him traded away.

Also convenient that the blame is being put on Dubas for trading away the guy that was a horrible fit on the team. Let's just ignore who actually traded for Granlund though

Got some bad news for you.

Also funny how this same logic isn't applied to Erik Karlsson who we paid a top 15 1st and a 2nd to acquire.