Salary Cap: Salary Cap: 2015 - insert witty title here

[UnderratedBrooks44]

What they do with Perron will sort itself out this season. If he has something like 9 goals by the deadline we know what's going to happen. If he has 18-20 then he's a Penguin.

 

[drpepper]

Just looking at some contract comparables for Byfuglien:

Giordano - 6.75M for 6 yrs at age 32
Boychuk - 6M for 7 yrs at age 31
Phaneuf - 7M for 7 yrs at age 29
Seabrook - 6.875M for 8 yrs at age 31
Johnson - 6M for 7 yrs at age 28
Greene - 5M for 5 yrs at age 32
Green - 6M for 3 yrs at age 29
Sekera - 5.5M for 6 yrs at age 29

I am not interested in 5-8 year term for Buff. I don't think his brand of hockey ages well.

 

[Greeneye]

No doubt Buff gets over 6 mil from someone.

 

[Rufus]

The guy might also not be a defenseman. Buff is so back and forth on being a defenseman and being a forward that you don't really know what you are getting. There are just a lot more negatives than positives, I would say, and if we are pursuing defensive help, we should look many other options before we consider Buff

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

All Byfuglien brings is a heavy shot, and the occasional big hit. He's not a very good skater (not terrible for a guy his size, but not great either). He's not a very good passer. He's not very good defensively. He was reportedly a big influence on driving E. Kane out of town--and regardless of how you feel about E. Kane, I don't want that kind of confrontational **** in my lockerroom.

No thanks. Especially not at the expense of Perron--whom I think, if we used him right, would end up being a damn good player for us for a long time. Big if, obviously, since this organization's ****ing stupid.

 

[drpepper]

I forgot about Craig Smith, I thought they had a hole in their top-6 but I guess not. Never mind on that one then.

If the Pens would decide to move Perron, I'm not sure how much of a market there would be for him based on what we'd want back for him. Due to him being a pending UFA, bad teams wouldn't be interested and a lot of good teams have their top-6 groups sorted out already. Montreal is the glaring one that could use him, but they wouldn't trade Petry for him after signing him to that extension and I'd sure as hell hope we wouldn't trade Perron for a 36 year old Markov. As a matter of fact, I honestly thing Montreal may be the only team that would be heavily interested in him if he were made available, maybe Calgary based on how the negotiations with Hudler go. Just more of a reason to keep him.

In terms of moving Perron, I could see MTL, NJD, VAN being interested. MTL doesn't really have top 4 defense to trade. VAN might be interested in a UFA swap - Hamhuis for Perron - but it depends on what Benning thinks about Perron, Hamhuis's NTC, and value-wise Hamhuis might be available for less. NJD could use the offense & would probably re-sign Perron, but value-wise I am not sure what would be available in return.

CGY has a fair number of young players to play in the top 6 wing position, and they just signed/re-signed their top D. Russell or Wideman might be available, but I don't know what CGY might want in return. WPG doesn't seem to have a need for Perron, and I don't think Buff is a great trade (play style, rental, cap hit, etc).

FLA, OTT & SJS are a bit of a mystery in terms of team needs and trade assets. FLA has a full top 6 so I doubt they would be interested.

EDIT: I should mention that I am not really interested in the team trading Perron. I'd rather the team use him as a top 6 LW and consider re-signing him.

 

[billybudd]

Buff could help us a lot.


At wing.

Which he doesn't want to play.

And where we have no more money that can be allocated.


Far as D, he's got the same problems as Pouliot, just not as bad and with more consistent offense in a way stronger frame.

 

[drpepper]

Buff could help us a lot.


At wing.

Which he doesn't want to play.

And where we have no more money that can be allocated.


Far as D, he's got the same problems as Pouliot, just not as bad and with more consistent offense in a way stronger frame.

And as trade-offs go, Pouliot is faster, younger, and cheaper with some potential in terms of ceiling.

 

[Rufus]

Buff could help us a lot.


At wing.

Which he doesn't want to play.

And where we have no more money that can be allocated.


Far as D, he's got the same problems as Pouliot, just not as bad and with more consistent offense in a way stronger frame.

Yeah. We're better off riding it out with Pouliot than giving up the only real assets we have for Buff

 

[MtlPenFan]

I cringe every time I look at how much money Kunitz and Scuderi combined make.

That 7M dollars could have been used to make a bona fide cup contender (as long as JR didn't channel his inner crazy with that cap space)

Instead we're the Avalanche of 2 years ago.

 

[billybudd]

And as trade-offs go, Pouliot is faster, younger, and cheaper with some potential in terms of ceiling.

Yeah, no thanks to $5 million bucks more going to a guy with the same pack of problems smoothed out by a few years.

If he'd play wing, I'd sing a different tune on him, but he won't.

 

[Shady Machine]

Just looking at some contract comparables for Byfuglien:

Giordano - 6.75M for 6 yrs at age 32
Boychuk - 6M for 7 yrs at age 31
Phaneuf - 7M for 7 yrs at age 29
Seabrook - 6.875M for 8 yrs at age 31
Johnson - 6M for 7 yrs at age 28
Greene - 5M for 5 yrs at age 32
Green - 6M for 3 yrs at age 29
Sekera - 5.5M for 6 yrs at age 29

I am not interested in 5-8 year term for Buff. I don't think his brand of hockey ages well.

Yup his contract is going to be something like $6.5 x 5 or $6 x 7. Who knows it could be even more.

That's crazy money and term to lock in another guy. At some point, you have too many high cost, long term guys.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I cringe every time I look at how much money Kunitz and Scuderi combined make.

That 7M dollars could have been used to make a bona fide cup contender (as long as JR didn't channel his inner crazy with that cap space)

Instead we're the Avalanche of 2 years ago.

Pretty much. Add Dupuis and Lovejoy and you're at ~$12M, and you've lost essentially zero important pieces of your team. On top of that, we should have either Filip Forsberg or Jacob Trouba instead of Pouliot, as well as Despres.

Perron - Crosby - Kessel
Forsberg - Malkin - Hornqvist
Plotnikov - Bonino - Bennett

Maatta - Letang
Despres - Cole

That's a damn good top-9 forwards and top-4 defense.

 

[MtlPenFan]

I'd like to say looking back is in hindsight...but it's not.

I think most of us here wanted Nisky re-signed long term and on the cheap, with him being a bottom pair d-man at WORST.

With more brains, the Pens could have had a D of:

Letang-Maatta
Nisky-Despres
Cole-Dumo/Chorney/Pouliot

Plus a few valuable assets from Orpik AND/OR Martin trades.

But no. We're just idiots on a message board.

 

[IcedCapp]

If Buff was willing to play wing full time, I'd overpay to both acquire and keep him. If he's hellbent on being a dman, he's just a guy, imo.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Why is Dupuis getting lumped in with Kunitz? Kunitz' career running on fumes is pretty evident. Dupuis? Zero evidence yet.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Why is Dupuis getting lumped in with Kunitz? Kunitz' career running on fumes is pretty evident. Dupuis? Zero evidence yet.

Dupuis is 36, has no place in the top-6 anymore, is an easily replaceable bottom six grinder, has incredibly serious health issues, and has a cap hit of $3.75M.

He's an issue. Not an urgent one, considering the others we're faced with, but an issue nonetheless.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Pretty much. Add Dupuis and Lovejoy and you're at ~$12M, and you've lost essentially zero important pieces of your team. On top of that, we should have either Filip Forsberg or Jacob Trouba instead of Pouliot, as well as Despres.

Perron - Crosby - Kessel
Forsberg - Malkin - Hornqvist
Plotnikov - Bonino - Bennett

Maatta - Letang
Despres - Cole

That's a damn good top-9 forwards and top-4 defense.

Not only are you locked in at that cap hit, but you also have terrible production with at least 3 out of 4 positions. Shero was and is a double weenie

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I'd like to say looking back is in hindsight...but it's not.

I think most of us here wanted Nisky re-signed long term and on the cheap, with him being a bottom pair d-man at WORST.

With more brains, the Pens could have had a D of:

Letang-Maatta
Nisky-Despres
Cole-Dumo/Chorney/Pouliot

Plus a few valuable assets from Orpik AND/OR Martin trades.

But no. We're just idiots on a message board.

If the Pens had some brains they'd also still have Morrow or Harrington because Morrow was used in the Kessel trade, or Morrow could have been a better draft pick. Hell, if he hadn't gone full retirement home we could have re-signed Martin to that contract and still be icing a solid defense without Niskanen.

Walked: Martin, Niskanen, Orpik
Traded: Morrow, Harrington, Despres (and Shero letting that **** fester with Despres contributed along with JR not telling them to **** off over it)

They could have kept 2/3 of the traded category and re-signed 1/3 of the walked group with a guaranteed nice return for Orpik. But no, they had to **** it up at multiple turns.

****ing Shero and his legacy.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Dupuis is 36, has no place in the top-6 anymore, is an easily replaceable bottom six grinder, has incredibly serious health issues, and has a cap hit of $3.75M.

He's an issue. Not an urgent one, considering the others we're faced with, but an issue nonetheless.

He's been anything but throughout his entire tenure here. Obviously he's getting older, but that description is almost insulting to the player in question.

 

[MtlPenFan]

If the Pens had some brains they'd also still have Morrow or Harrington because Morrow was used in the Kessel trade, or Morrow could have been a better draft pick. Hell, if he hadn't gone full retirement home we could have re-signed Martin to that contract and still be icing a solid defense without Niskanen.

Walked: Martin, Niskanen, Orpik
Traded: Morrow, Harrington, Despres (and Shero letting that **** fester with Despres contributed along with JR not telling them to **** off over it)

They could have kept 2/3 of the traded category and re-signed 1/3 of the walked group with a guaranteed nice return for Orpik. But no, they had to **** it up at multiple turns.

****ing Shero and his legacy.

McGuire takes shots at the Pens now every 2nd or 3rd appearance on the Montreal afternoon drive show. Bitter about not being hired, and bitter about his friend Fred's Son being fired.

I swear, he talks about Fred's son like he was the greatest GM to roam the earth. Beyond irritating.

 

[Pens1566]

With that, the most logical lineup is:

Kunitz(ugh)-Crosby-Kessel
Perron-Malkin-Hornqvist
Plonikov-Bonino-Bennett
Sundy/WBS-Cullen-Dupuis

If it's Sundy-Cullen-Dupuis, that's not a 4th line. That's a 3B defensive line. That's more than fine. That's not "banishing" Dupuis to the 4th line at all. With that, they may elect to take it slow with him anyway and keep his minutes limited. We complain about Dupuis being the pet in the Top 6 but in reality, after the medical issues he has had, they will be ensuring his safety. I HIGHLY doubt he sniffs the Top 6.

ETA: With that line up, all Top 9 LW's are interchangeable. If it's Perron-Bonino-Bennett, who gives a ****? That's a hell of a 3rd line!

Yeah, there really is no stigma to apply as "4th line" if it consists of those players. That's 2 1st lines, and 2 3rd lines. Even more so when Fehr comes back.

In a perfect world (one that just accepts Kunitz will play top 6 minutes, because lets face it, he will) I would have preferred a swap of wings on lines 1a and 1b. But that doesn't seem to be the plan if pre-season is any indication. My lines would have been :

Perron Sid Horny
Kunitz Malkin Kessel
Plotnikov Bonino Bennett/Duper
Sund/WBS Cullen Duper/Bennett

Fehr
Farnham
Wilson

You can mix and match a fair bit given Duper and Fehr's ability to play multiple spots. I think in all likelihood, we'll just see both of the wings swapped from lines 1 and 2.

 

[MtlPenFan]

He's been anything but throughout his entire tenure here. Obviously he's getting older, but that description is almost insulting to the player in question.

The guy hasn't played hockey in two years. And he's not getting older: he's old.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Man I would HATE to see Perron traded instead of Kunitz. I realize we can get a better fix for the defense by trading the former, but I'd rather take my chances with whatever D return we could get for the latter.

 

[Al Smith]

Dupuis is 36, has no place in the top-6 anymore, is an easily replaceable bottom six grinder, has incredibly serious health issues, and has a cap hit of $3.75M.

He's an issue. Not an urgent one, considering the others we're faced with, but an issue nonetheless.

I'm curious who has effectively replaced him (his production, his PK, speed, willingness to fight for the puck on the boards/behind the net) in his absence? And who is going to replace him assuming his return this year is a failure? I guess Plotnikov, maybe, but I'd like to see more of him in the NHL.