Salary Cap: Pens Salary Cap: Free Agency, everyone panic!!! Geno talk to the Geno thread only please

[Zirakzigil]

Off season time. New thread time apparently cause @Ugene Magic doesn’t like high page counts.

So how about them Malkin and Letang UFAs? Maybe we should sign one or both.

Geno thread. Keep Geno talk here:

Rumor: - Geno where art thou?

With all the Geno rumors and news, time for its own thread. Keep the Geno talk here please.

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[TKalltheTime]

I still find it hilarious that they found it necessary to pay Casey DeSmith almost 2 million dollars a year to be a backup to a multi-year deal that early. How fitting.

 

[Flying Dego]

TBH I'm pretty relieved with the team's recent comments on Dumoulin.

I wanted him out for a while because I was worried that the team was going to throw silly money at him when this current contract ran out. Now it's clear that they see the regression but still like him with Letang. If that's the case I'm more inclined to just bring him back and play it out. Therefore Petts gotta go.

This.

Let Dumo have his last year in peace. Petts is the Dman out this year.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Bro.. I literally said that as an option

And it is a bad one if we really want to contend. All options are bad ones compared to just re-signing Malkin.

Cap will be rising and if he can't cut it, we can Hossa him. I just do not get the unwillingness to go 4 years and the attempt at low balling a f***ing legend. People would REVOLT if they were doing that shit to Sid.

 

[orby]

Trocheck > Giroux > Strome as far as UFA options go. JT Miller is better than all 3 but the Pens would be fools to try trading for him. TBH Malkin is the best choice.

 

[Dessloch]

Where does Evan fit into the Pens plans? He is the Tyler Kennedy of 2022 that needs to be extended for multiple years!

 

[Son Goku]

Trocheck > Giroux > Strome as far as UFA options go. JT Miller is better than all 3 but the Pens would be fools to try trading for him. TBH Malkin is the best choice.

Dont tell that to yinzers on facebook all they care about is the shiny new toy. They'd rather sign Trocheck or Kadri to 6 years at 8 million over Geno for 6 mil for 4 years

 

[3ladesof5teel]

Why is G a guarantee need to stay? They lost 4 years in a row in the first round. I think we share reasons why we want G to stay and I think we saw some positives last playoff, but four first round exits.

If anything happens I'm like "Meh cool... it can't get worse than 4 first round exits. I'd rather not make the playoffs if it's going to be a first round exit with ease."

I guess an easier question - why are we not just okay with anything happening since the results have been shit?

Geno was definitely not even remotely close to the sole reason we had 4 exits. Sure if you want to change up the roster and get better do it. We have more legit top 6 wingers on our roster now than in a long time. But we are down a top Center.

2 steps forward 1 step back

 

[3ladesof5teel]

I still find it hilarious that they found it necessary to pay Casey DeSmith almost 2 million dollars a year to be a backup to a multi-year deal that early. How fitting.

As much as I dislike it I look around and the backup goalie options out there are slim to none and lesser players are getting paid more.

It would have been pretty dangerous to wait it out

 

[ColePens]

And it is a bad one if we really want to contend. All options are bad ones compared to just re-signing Malkin.

Cap will be rising and if he can't cut it, we can Hossa him. I just do not get the unwillingness to go 4 years and the attempt at low balling a f***ing legend. People would REVOLT if they were doing that shit to Sid.

Here is my issue. Why in the world would we look at 4 first round exits and immediately turn and say "Yeah but sign everyone again because this time it will be different!"

We have common ground. We have a common focus. You already know I want G, Sid, Letang to retire Penguins. But the fan inside of me that just cares about Stanley Cups looks and says "heart be damned... this is results oriented and the results have been stuck in a rut for 4 years."

My mind couldn't be more open to all of this. If players sign - cool. If they walk - cool.

 

[ThosePuckingPenguins]

As much as I dislike it I look around and the backup goalie options out there are slim to none and lesser players are getting paid more.

It would have been pretty dangerous to wait it out

Yeah, like the Caps didn’t give Samsonov a QO because he would’ve cost $3M-$3.5M. Market for goalies right now is crazy.

 

[ColePens]

Geno was definitely not even remotely close to the sole reason we had 4 exits. Sure if you want to change up the roster and get better do it. We have more legit top 6 wingers on our roster now than in a long time. But we are down a top Center.

2 steps forward 1 step back

So i think we can cut the one piece out of discussion. Everyone in this conversation (or at least a very high majority) agrees we should re-sign G. It's a default. I think that piece is past discussion.

My point is... if he walks. That's his choice and the team's choice. Then i'm saying we actually have money, space, and enough assets to make something of it.

 

[StaalForOne]

I feel like JT Miller would be Brassard 2.0. He wouldn't play the same role here that he's played in Vancouver, and would likely produce at a similar rate as what he did in Tampa which...isn't bad, but it ain't Malkin. It makes so much more sense to just pay Malkin, which is only an extra 500k or so over Miller, plus it wouldn't cost a 1st and a prospect and/or a defenseman or whatever the ask is. It's a lateral at best move and would cost assets. It's completely stupid.

 

[3ladesof5teel]

So i think we can cut the one piece out of discussion. Everyone in this conversation (or at least a very high majority) agrees we should re-sign G. It's a default. I think that piece is past discussion.

My point is... if he walks. That's his choice and the team's choice. Then i'm saying we actually have money, space, and enough assets to make something of it.

I get your point. I'm just not getting the argument that we have had 4 1st round exits and signing the same team.

We just signed RR long-term. People have been pounding the desk on getting Geno a top 6 winger for years. Here he is (that's not signing the same team) that's improvement to the top 6.

 

[nohero]

I'm fully aware Dumo is a shell at this point and gone next year. But Pettersson has driven me nuts for years. I don't want him with an important role here.

He's average to below average in almost every category. He's very weak. He's good positionally and can somewhat pass the puck. He's also got a muffin shot and that's a huge no no for a dman for me.

He just bothers me more than he probably should but I'm too stubborn to change.

All of this, plus he just takes the worst penalties at the worst times. Seems anytime a Penguin is taking a penalty during a crucial moment, it's this numpty tossing a puck over the glass or cross checking some dude in the offensive zone...

He's not the worst defenseman in the world but 4 mil AAV for a player with zero offensive upside and prone to boneheadedness at times, I would be glad to see him go.

 

[Zbynek]

Sometimes teams give away good players just to lose the cap space. Sometimes they even give a pick on top lol. We are only missing a round 3 pick next year. We have all of our picks to use. We have guys like Poulin/Legare who may sweeten the pot.

I dont love the trade route. I would rather get Giroux as a temp fix and then move him to wing and let a 2C come in at the deadline if possible.

All i'm saying is IF G walks, we have options. And it's because Hex is actually patient and doesn't waste picks and everything.

The best time to make trades based around picks just passed. Not a single move from Ronnie. The door is shutting on options, fast.

I mean, I'm already hella cynical and these moves aren't doing anything to make that go away.

Rakell for market value is fine, but it's not like he's Jake or anything.

And lord knows if this team is going to dick Geno over, just think of the f***ery that Jake's gonna get.

Lets be honest - Jake isn't Russian so he'll do just fine.

 

[Darren McCord]

Here is my issue. Why in the world would we look at 4 first round exits and immediately turn and say "Yeah but sign everyone again because this time it will be different!"

We have common ground. We have a common focus. You already know I want G, Sid, Letang to retire Penguins. But the fan inside of me that just cares about Stanley Cups looks and says "heart be damned... this is results oriented and the results have been stuck in a rut for 4 years."

My mind couldn't be more open to all of this. If players sign - cool. If they walk - cool.

I think Sullivan is a much bigger problem than the core right now. You can blame those three all you want but he has continued to be out coached as well.

He shouldn't be the one getting a pass.

 

[Andy99]

Can't wait for us to miss on Malkin and Trocheck and then bring back ERod for 5 years at 4mil.

Lol…this is exactly what I’m expecting….

 

[ColePens]

I think Sullivan is a much bigger problem than the core right now. You can blame those three all you want but he has continued to be out coached as well.

He shouldn't be the one getting a pass.

You already know i 10000000000000% agree.

 

[Darren McCord]

Malkin will easily be signed if he is willing to take a 7 x 3.

He probably wanted 7.1 x 3

 

[MrBrightside]

 

[3ladesof5teel]

My gut is Geno still signs here, really managements choices are slim and Hex is up against a rock and a hard place. If he can't be successful his new bosses will give him the can.

 

[SomeDude]

My gut is Geno still signs here, really managements choices are slim and Hex is up against a rock and a hard place. If he can't be successful his new bosses will give him the can.

Given how FSG seems to handle their other teams, I wouldn't be surprised if Hextall has a number from them not to go over. They typically do not hold onto players past their prime.

 

[MrBrightside]

Given how FSG seems to handle their other teams, I wouldn't be surprised if Hextall has a number from them not to go over. They typically do not hold onto players past their prime.

I'd suggest that the extensions they've given to Letang, Rust, and Rakell indicate that they are not being governed by a "don't keep players past their prime" mindset.

 

[SomeDude]

I'd suggest that the extensions they've given to Letang, Rust, and Rakell indicate that they are not being governed by a "don't keep players past their prime" mindset.

Well, they don't overpay for players past their prime. You can put it that way. The deals that Letang and Rust signed are under market value, plus they're front loaded with no trade protection for Rust and little trade protection for Letang in their final few years so they should be easily movable.

 

[Peat]

Here is my issue. Why in the world would we look at 4 first round exits and immediately turn and say "Yeah but sign everyone again because this time it will be different!"

Because they look at what we've got and what we can get for them instead and reflect this is the best shot and we need to be patient and wait for the luck to go out way. Like Tampa with Jon Cooper to use an example you used.

I am not convinced Geno's presence on this team as it's been last couple of years is irreplaceable. But it's indisputable nobody else will give us such a high ceiling. There's virtually nothing the team can do with its assets to change that.

I would also add that this team has turned over its whole front office, assistant coaches, bottom six, bottom two pairings, most of the top six wings, and starting goaltender over this. The core with Jake, Dumo, and a promoted Rusty are the only guys on ice to see the whole thing. The org isn't just running it back and back, it doesn't need to change shit for the hell of it.