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

[Turin]

Rebuilding and surrounding Sid with good young players are not mutually exclusive goals though.

The Tomasino and Glass acquisitions are clear examples of what Dubas is trying to do. He didn't acquire them to pump their value to trade later. He acquired them hoping they'd find their game here and be part of the rebuild moving forward.

Dubas is trying to do what JR was already doing for a while there minus sacrificing the first round pick/prospects to do it. Pens got Oleksiak, Rodrigues, Kapanen, Marino and McCann all in like a two-ish year span. Then nobody had any patience for any of that nonsense so we didn't see McCann, Rodrigues or Oleksiak at their peaks lol.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think JR got Oleksiak cuz he was dumb enough for the "big = tough" thing, and once Wilson KOd Oleksiak, JR dumped him before his unconscious body even hit the ice.

I dunno I still think this rebuild on the fly, "try to compete while Sid's still playing" shit is absolutely a fool's errand, but it is what it is.

 

[Turin]

I think JR got Oleksiak cuz he was dumb enough for the "big = tough" thing, and once Wilson KOd Oleksiak, JR dumped him before his unconscious body even hit the ice.

I dunno I still think this rebuild on the fly, "try to compete while Sid's still playing" shit is absolutely a fool's errand, but it is what it is.

Doesn't really matter though, because if they keep their high picks they're still gonna be building for the future anyway.

But yea its kind of funny that JR got Oleskiak cuz he was big and could fight Tom Wilson, then he turned into a good player and they traded him because he couldn't fight Tom Wilson. Doh.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Doesn't really matter though, because if they keep their high picks they're still gonna be building for the future anyway.

But yea its kind of funny that JR got Oleskiak cuz he was big and could fight Tom Wilson, then he turned into a good player and they traded him because he couldn't fight Tom Wilson. Doh.

Yeah they really gotta hang on to their 1sts at all costs pretty much. Especially if they do the smart thing and start removing players like Petts, EK, Rust, etc. who may have enough value to bring back some value.

 

[Pancakes]

I dunno I still think this rebuild on the fly, "try to compete while Sid's still playing" shit is absolutely a fool's errand, but it is what it is.

I think Dubas is hoping it will be a rebuild on the fly but it will functionally work the same way as a rebuild because it seems like (recent streak aside) the Pens are a lottery team even with Sid anyways lol. Though maybe they're about to go on a run and play themselves out of that.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think Dubas is hoping it will be a rebuild on the fly but it will functionally work the same way as a rebuild because it seems like (recent streak aside) the Pens are a lottery team even with Sid anyways lol. Though maybe they're about to go on a run and play themselves out of that.

Yeah, I'm just hoping this team's not stupid enough to hang on to guys with value like Petts, Rust, etc. for the hell of it. But they absolutely will be.

 

[Pancakes]

Yeah, I'm just hoping this team's not stupid enough to hang on to guys with value like Petts, Rust, etc. for the hell of it. But they absolutely will be.

Can't see them holding onto Petts unless they're in a playoff spot by the deadline.

Rust probably isn't going anywhere as long as that NMC is active. Though iirc he loses his protection in a year or two? Maybe gone then.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Can't see them holding onto Petts unless they're in a playoff spot by the deadline.

Rust probably isn't going anywhere as long as that NMC is active. Though iirc he loses his protection in a year or two? Maybe gone then.

Rust's NTC drops this summer. I still don't think they move him unless Sullivan's fired after the season, sadly.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Can't see them holding onto Petts unless they're in a playoff spot by the deadline.

Rust probably isn't going anywhere as long as that NMC is active. Though iirc he loses his protection in a year or two? Maybe gone then.

Yeah, Petts is gone unless they suddenly look like a legit playoff team.

Rust's NMC expires on July 1. I think his future as a Penguin will depend on how much roster movement Dubas is able to conduct prior to that point. If he's struggling to move players out, Dubas might get antsy and look to trade Rust over the summer. Otherwise, Dubas might be content to wait a bit and see what Rust's value is later in his contract.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Not to come across as overly negative but Rust's already injury prone, streaky, and almost 33. So I don't imagine he's gonna be gaining value the longer they hang on to him. I think you work the phones all season to gauge interest in an off-season deal, and make the move after the dust settles on July 1st and some teams miss out on signing the forward(s) of their choice.

I don't think you should enter October with Rust and EK still Penguins tbh.

 

[Malkinstheman]

During preseason Dubas was talking about how they want players like Rust around to guide the next gen of Pens. I think he's here to stay sadly

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Bryan Rust? Lazy ass, takes like half the season off, coasts around the ice when he's not leeching off of Sid or Geno in the offensive zone, Bryan Rust? A mentor for the next generation? Man, I hope not.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Dubas is trying to do what JR was already doing for a while there minus sacrificing the first round pick/prospects to do it. Pens got Oleksiak, Rodrigues, Kapanen, Marino and McCann all in like a two-ish year span. Then nobody had any patience for any of that nonsense so we didn't see McCann, Rodrigues or Oleksiak at their peaks lol.

JR doing this was a major factor in what kept the Penguins as competitive for as long as they were. I honestly think the large decline after JR left was primarily due to Hextall and Dubas not being able to acquire effective youth like JR was able to (and in Hextall's case, actively trading away that youth). JR was able to mask the prospect pool being dogshit by acquiring those kind of guys, once that stopped it became super obvious how bad the prospect pool was.

That's why I think it's crazy to be against trading for Hoglander, especially when the cost would only be around a 3rd.

 

[pistolpete11]

I think you ask Rust what teams he'd be willing to waive his NTC for and make the trade now if you can. Having some control where he ends up would be more appealing to him than spending a couple more months in Pittsburgh on a bottom feeder just to get traded in the offseason to anywhere, I'd think.

I think teams would have interest in Rust, but I don't think there'd be a bidding war if you waited until the offseason. It's gonna be like a 3rd in 2027 and maybe a throw in young player that needs a change of scenery. Trying to squeeze a team for a 2nd or something isn't worth the risk that he gets another injury or other players become available or whatever. If you can get something, just take it.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

I think you ask Rust what teams he'd be willing to waive his NTC for and make the trade now if you can. Having some control where he ends up would be more appealing to him than spending a couple more months in Pittsburgh on a bottom feeder just to get traded in the offseason to anywhere, I'd think.

I think teams would have interest in Rust, but I don't think there'd be a bidding war if you waited until the offseason. It's gonna be like a 3rd in 2027 and maybe a throw in young player that needs a change of scenery. Trying to squeeze a team for a 2nd or something isn't worth the risk that he gets another injury or other players become available or whatever. If you can get something, just take it.

This should be Dubas top priority right now, he cannot wait to trade him or Rackell or they end up being unmovable within the next 18 months. He has to try to move them to and create some cap room going forward for us.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Tbh I feel like Rust is the kind of guy that brings back way more than most fans would expect, while Rakell is a guy that brings back less than what most fans expect.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Tbh I feel like Rust is the kind of guy that brings back way more than most fans would expect, while Rakell is a guy that brings back less than what most fans expect.

Clearing 10 million going forward is good enough IMO
Picks, prospects and maybe a player or 2 with bad contracts ending in the next season if better than 4 more years of either player IMO