Confirmed with Link: Rakell to re-sign with the Penguins (6 years, $5 million AAV)

[AuroraBorealis]

I know, it's like someone telling me to bet it all on Zucker because there's no way he's not putting up 60+ on Sid's line.


Oh, wonderful. So he won't, is what you're saying?

Yeah pretty much, but overpaying was the only way to buff the top 6. That's the market. All teams dealing with this.
What better winger are we gonna get at 5 mil a year? We already know he fits here. We have no ELC's who can do it.

Plus he'll compensate for some of the lacking production with really good 2-way play imo. He works hard and efficiently. His lines consistently had great zone time. That's time we're not defending.

He's definitely a lot smarter and a far superior playmaker than Zucker, if we're looking for a comparable.

I think he'll get a fair chunk of PP1 though. All it takes is one of that unit's members out at a given time. With our luck that will be no small number.
They can play him at the point with his heavy slapper and good patience/passing.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I'd love to be optimistic that they'll rework PP1 to give Rakell a spot, but Geno or no Geno I don't really see that happening.

 

[Andy99]

I love Malkin but he missed half the season last year and I personally enjoyed half 1 more than half 2. It's fun for me to see guys outperform their contracts and carry the team. The team came together and were more focused. Jarry was electric. EGod. Jake was among the best league 5v5 players for a while with no Sid. Carter was producing. Some D-men took steps forward. We had the godly PK. The 10 game streak...

Was it that bad?

Sorry to hear you won't be watching, even if I don't believe it!!

yeah, watching ERod was bad, as was watching ZAR…I prefer it when both Sid and Geno play and looked good doing it…I don’t get excited watching chance after Chance get flubbed by the likes of Simon etc…

 

[AjaxTelamon]

And I would say he's better defensively than almost all our Forwards, or at least was last year.

Not sure that is saying much, but I am definitely happy about it. He's a pretty complete player that I've always liked, and I'm pretty shocked and pleased that we managed to get and keep him.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I'd love to be optimistic that they'll rework PP1 to give Rakell a spot, but Geno or no Geno I don't really see that happening.

How many games out of 82 would one of GCR, 58 or 71 be out though?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I like Rakell, and was hoping he'd stick around. But again, I still think this is way too hefty a contract for what probably ends up being a 45-50pt winger.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

yeah, watching ERod was bad, as was watching ZAR…I prefer it when both Sid and Geno play and looked good doing it…I don’t get excited watching chance after Chance get flubbed by the likes of Simon etc…

Well it's good Simon and ZAR aren't back next season.

 

[HandshakeLine]

How many games out of 82 would one of GCR, 58 or 71 be out though?

Probably a lot, but I think they'll throw Carter on there because that's what Sullivan does.

I mean, in a vacuum, it's a fair deal and a great signing. I'm just really cynical that Sullivan wants to actually utilize him in a way that maximizes his contribution to the team.

 

[Andy99]

Well it's good Simon and ZAR aren't back next season.

who said?…just you wait brah…

 

[Empoleon8771]

I like Rakell, and was hoping he'd stick around. But again, I still think this is way too hefty a contract for what probably ends up being a 45-50pt winger.

It's "too hefty" in the sense that every UFA contract is "too hefty", which is exactly what this contract was.

This wasn't Letang or Rust taking a discount to stay with the Penguins. The Penguins basically gave Rakell the UFA contract he would have gotten to stay.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

It's "too hefty" in the sense that every UFA contract is "too hefty", which is exactly what this contract was.

This wasn't Letang or Rust taking a discount to stay with the Penguins. The Penguins basically gave Rakell the UFA contract he would have gotten to stay.

I get that, and I like Rakell, but I don't think he's a guy who moves the needle enough to dole out $5 million a year for half a dozen years.

Just a weird mishmash of crossed wires this off-season. Team states they're still 100% in on gunning for Cups but keeps Hextall? Again, they're all-in, but the plan was always to bring back essentially the same group that's failed to make it out of the 1st round for 4 years running? They want to make changes and improve the team, but are notably gunshy on paying futures?

I don't know. I don't give a shit that Geno's gonna walk, and I don't *really* care about Rakell's deal. It just seems like a whole lotta talk and no real action or commitment toward improving.

That's why I'd rather they just let the FAs walk, pull Sid aside and ask him if he wanted to stick around for a dismantling of the roster and rebuild to retire a Penguin or be dealt to the destination of his choosing. They're not gonna go through the effort to perform major surgery to a pretty lackluster roster. Mediocre, increasingly boring teams with 1st round exits are on the horizon for as far as the eye can see. /shrug

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Probably a lot, but I think they'll throw Carter on there because that's what Sullivan does.

I mean, in a vacuum, it's a fair deal and a great signing. I'm just really cynical that Sullivan wants to actually utilize him in a way that maximizes his contribution to the team.

Don't buy that. That's just forced pessimism. Carter was already tried there and failed.
And if you think he doesn't value Rakell, then why did Rust get demoted to Geno's wing for a while there? He was so clearly unhappy about it.

If anything Rakell's excellent defensive game has won him points with Sully.
I don't think he'll take Rust's spot full time because of Rust's history with Sully, but he's definitely the next man up. On a team like Pittsburgh that means a lot.

Could be 30+ games of PP1 action. Geno himself could miss 20 no sweat.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I like Rakell, and was hoping he'd stick around. But again, I still think this is way too hefty a contract for what probably ends up being a 45-50pt winger.

I think he can be more than that if Sullivan would get his head out of his ass and actually play Rakell with Sid and Jake. But we know Sullivan won't permanently move Rust from that spot (including the top PP unit), so your estimate might even be high.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think he can be more than that if Sullivan would get his head out of his ass and actually play Rakell with Sid and Jake. But we know Sullivan won't permanently move Rust from that spot (including the top PP unit), so your estimate might even be high.

I think he's absolutely best suited to play with Sid and Jake, but like you said, Sully's gonna have to have Jake-Sid-Rust pried from his cold, dead hands.

I still don't think he's a big production guy though. Even with Sid and Jake, he probably only gets a 10pt bump, if that, to end up a 55-60pt winger. Still leaves a pretty dogshit 2nd line all said and done though.

Another year of the team living and dying by the performance and production of Sid and Jake. Yipee.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I think he's absolutely best suited to play with Sid and Jake, but like you said, Sully's gonna have to have Jake-Sid-Rust pried from his cold, dead hands.

I still don't think he's a big production guy though. Even with Sid and Jake, he probably only gets a 10pt bump, if that, to end up a 55-60pt winger. Still leaves a pretty dogshit 2nd line all said and done though.

Another year of the team living and dying by the performance and production of Sid and Jake. Yipee.

And Carter. Don't forget our Swiss Army knife who plays 5 minutes per night on all special teams and who Sullivan rides into the ground during the regular season despite being almost 50 years old.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

And Carter. Don't forget our Swiss Army knife who plays 5 minutes per night on all special teams and who Sullivan rides into the ground during the regular season despite being almost 50 years old.

I think the team will end up taking a shot at somebody like Trocheck, who I don't really give a shit about either way. If they strike out, it'll be Carter or E-Rod at 2C, and I gleefully look forward to the super rational takes all season long.

 

[Shady Machine]

Personally think this is too rich of a contract. This just seems like market value. I like the player but damn.

 

[Giskard]

I always had him at 5x5, but since everybody get 6-year here I can't complain, just happy he's stay.

 

[Power Surge]

Still believe Geno will be signed last minute but if not I think getting either Trochek, Kadri or Miller is better than nothing. Hopefully we land one of them.

 

[Peat]

Well this is pleasant news to wake up to. Like the player, like the news.

Re the cost... I shan't bother repeating what many others have already said, but the long and the short of it is that if he can be the first top 6 winger to come in here and deliver to the parameters of the role given to him in god knows how long, I will not give a shit. It's better to overpay a little for the right guy then watch the latest episode of "top 6 trades gone wrong". Of course, this still could be top 6 signing gone wrong, even if he looked like a great fit.

Also, maybe if he actually delivers, he'll see his role grow. It's been a long time since we've got to test that one on a player on Rakell's calibre...

eta that this is the bottom range of my expectation of what Rakell would cost us anyway, which makes it easier to be okay with it.

 

[Pengu]

It's an ok deal.
1. We know he fits
2. Goof luck finding top 6 wingers in the UFA. Not that many available

I think Hextall has done a good job so far. If only he could move Zucker...

 

[HandshakeLine]

Don't buy that. That's just forced pessimism. Carter was already tried there and failed.
And if you think he doesn't value Rakell, then why did Rust get demoted to Geno's wing for a while there? He was so clearly unhappy about it.

If anything Rakell's excellent defensive game has won him points with Sully.
I don't think he'll take Rust's spot full time because of Rust's history with Sully, but he's definitely the next man up. On a team like Pittsburgh that means a lot.

Could be 30+ games of PP1 action. Geno himself could miss 20 no sweat.

Hell, nobody hopes I'm wrong more than I.

 

[ThosePuckingPenguins]

Getting annoyed that I keep reading “Pens signed Rakell instead of Malkin.” Lol what? Pens still have $10 mil in cap space, $14 mil once they trade a D. This isn’t an either or situation.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I'll believe they'll trade a D when they actually do.

 

[OnMyOwn]

Personally think this is too rich of a contract. This just seems like market value. I like the player but damn.

He wasn’t going to take anything less than market, IMO. As others have said, Pittsburgh just isn’t a huge draw and who knows what we would have wound up with if he walked.