Salary Cap: Salary Cap & Roster Building | Countdown to Free Agency (Cap Details + Links in First Post)

[Corvidae]

I do think their area of greatest need is on defense at the moment, but I don't really think losing Sheary - and/or Sprong, who may or may not even be an NHL regular this year - and replacing him in the lineup with Skinner can be construed as a bad move. That is, assuming the deal would revolve around Sheary+Sprong.

If they move Sprong it really has to be in a deal for a young, long-term defenseman. They need one and I can't see any other way of making it happen. They had a few nice picks but I wouldn't put any eggs in the draft basket.

Having Guentzel, Kessel and Skinner on 3 separate lines for a year would be insane forward depth. You could run with:

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Skinner-Malkin-Rust
Hagelin-Brassard-Kessel

That's an absurd top-9. It's soft, yes, but it's downright absurd.

Plan on seeing a lot of 7-6 games until the playoffs when goony grab time comes back. Then plan to see mostly 2-1 loses.

 

[orby]

What kind of salary are you talking about to retain Jeff Skinner long term?

He is on $5,725m now. Guess it would likely go up from there but I don't know how far?

If I had to guess what he'd command assuming he has a good year this year, probably something like $7 mil x7. That gets more feasible if there is no one on the Pens roster whose name rhymes with Shmris Shmletang at the start of the 2019-2020 season.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Plan on seeing a lot of 7-6 games until the playoffs when goony grab time comes back. Then plan to see mostly 2-1 loses.

Why is that team only going to be scoring 1 goal in the playoffs? If that team can't score in the playoffs, you're pointing the fingers at Crosby, Malkin and Kessel. That means that they ****ed up.

That top-9 is the Penguins top-9 from 2016 with replacing Sheary with Guentzel, Kunitz with Skinner and Bonino with Brassard. The 2016 team torched other teams offensively.

 

[Dick Sledge]

I would be excited if we acquired Skinner. As long as we don't lose Kessel.

A young left wing who's capable for 30 goals and 60 points on the Canes should surely entice Pens fans.

If we can acquire him without gutting our current roster sans Sheary I would be all for it.

 

[Pens1566]

I want no part of Skinner. Soft as a kitten, one year left before UFA, will cost us something I'd rather not give up (unless it's Sharry). Not what we need at all.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I would be excited if we acquired Skinner. As long as we don't lose Kessel.

A young left wing who's capable for 30 goals and 60 points on the Canes should surely entice Pens fans.

If we can acquire him without gutting our current roster sans Sheary I would be all for it.

The Penguins would probably be losing Kessel in next offseason if the Penguins acquire Skinner. So you'd have both Skinner and Kessel for 1 year, but that's probably about it.

I have a question for people who watch Skinner more often than me. How "soft" is Skinner actually? He's 5'11" and 200 lbs, so he's not tiny like Sheary is. I'm not talking about bone crunching hits or anything like that, but is he a guy that gets muscled off the puck easily? I feel like Skinner has partially developed the "soft" tag because he has gotten a bunch of concussions off of hard hits.

 

[Dick Sledge]

The Penguins would probably be losing Kessel in next offseason if the Penguins acquire Skinner. So you'd have both Skinner and Kessel for 1 year, but that's probably about it.

My assumption is that Kessel doesn't play out his full contract here either way.

But adding Skinner while keeping Kessel is pretty damn all in for that 3 in 4 dynasty.

 

[OnMyOwn]

That's bad news for the Pens because they don't need him and shouldn't give up the assets likely required to get him.

If you looked at the team last year and thought they needed to go out and get a small skilled winger, we watched different teams. He's a good add for anyone in a vacuum but really not what the Pens should use cap space/assets on right now since they're very low on both.

If they could somehow move forwards for forwards without losing picks/prospects/D and balance the cap with enough room to address their needs on D, then I'm all for it. I just don't see that as being possible and no Carolina does not want Sheary and Hunwick.

I'm not sure it would be a bad thing to add him if you get rid of sheary. He essentially replaces him and is much much better. You could run

Guentzel - Crosby - Horny
Hags - Malkin - Kessel
Skinner - Brassard - Rust

The cap went up some and you'll lose Sheary's cap hit. Get Carolina to retain a bit and it would work ok. Use the rest of the space on depth D. Hell, trade Letang and you wind up with a lot of space and assets gained.

 

[davemess]

Probably between $6.5 million and $7 million,.

That seems reasonable. I just don't see how adding another forward salary at that level is going to work, unless Kessel is going either this summer or next.

Guentzel is going to need an extension next summer and I would be shocked if it ends up being below $5m.

Brassard & Hagelin come off the books next summer I guess but those 2 are going to need to be replaced. Only way financially that works is if we can replace them internally at a reasonable rate (maybe Sheahan & Zar are ready to step into those roles but its a gamble)

Last few years we have been able to load up with expensive contracts because we have always had 3 or 4 guys playing on rookie deals that are hugely out performing their $..... that just wont continue.

 

[Gurglesons]

I'm not sure a Jake-G-Kessel line is designed to play to Geno's strengths. Unless he can go God mode for 100 games straight and manage not to get killed doing the lion's share of work hoing to the net, along the boards, and in the corners.

If you want Jake with Geno, then Rust needs to be the RW. Geno will need more 200 foot help, not the team's biggest 200 foot passenger.

Either way, those saying we “can’t afford Skinner” are wrong. We are likely losing Hags and Brassard. You move Sheahan up to 3C, hope that one of our prospects is able to play 4C and you make sure you have a solid base of wingers to help off set the lack of center depth.

 

[Andy99]

Source: Penguins interested in potential Chris Kunitz return

Don’t get excited all at once people....don’t spill your coffee

 

[Empoleon8771]

That seems reasonable. I just don't see how adding another forward salary at that level is going to work, unless Kessel is going either this summer or next.

Oh, Kessel would 100% be leaving next summer if you bring in Skinner. That's not even a question in my eyes. I also think that's worth it, though. I think you'd be able to get most, if not all, of the assets you traded for Skinner by trading Kessel next off-season. Not only that, but you also get a playoff run with all of Kessel, Brassard and Skinner, which has a lot of value.

In the end, it would probably turn out to being like Kessel and Sheary for Skinner and having all of Brassard, Kessel and Skinner for a playoff run. I don't think that's a bad trade off.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don’t disagree with that although I think you might have to have a garbage bottom 6 to keep them together past this upcoming season. What I object to is the idea that you should keep Sheary over Rust because defense doesn’t matter for wingers.

If you are comparing an elite offensive talent like a Kessel or even Skinner vs Rust totally agree but not Sheary vs Rust. Rust plays a more complete game, can be plugged into nearly any role, and produces about as well offensively as Sheary, even if Shearys upside is higher. That doesn’t mean you don’t trade Rust, but you better find a replacement for what he brings to the roster and Sheary ain’t it.

And it is much easier to find a Rust and underpay them than it is to acquire a player like Skinner.

The Pens can be creative and they would only like need to find a mil or two to resign him.

 

[Corvidae]

I'm not sure it would be a bad thing to add him if you get rid of sheary. He essentially replaces him and is much much better. You could run

Guentzel - Crosby - Horny
Hags - Malkin - Kessel
Skinner - Brassard - Rust

The cap went up some and you'll lose Sheary's cap hit. Get Carolina to retain a bit and it would work ok. Use the rest of the space on depth D. Hell, trade Letang and you wind up with a lot of space and assets gained.

You're suggesting that you'd get rid of Sheary and magically that would be enough for Skinner, and then with more magic they'll move Letang for some assets? Whoa, sign me up. Their good stuff for our bad stuff.

 

[orby]

I would take Kunitz at the league minimum for the fourth line. That's it.

 

[Andy99]

Either way, those saying we “can’t afford Skinner” are wrong. We are likely losing Hags and Brassard. You move Sheahan up to 3C, hope that one of our prospects is able to play 4C and you make sure you have a solid base of wingers to help off set the lack of center depth.

It depends on Jake’s raise and how much we re sign Rust for and Murray will need a raise the following year...and what about re-signing Shultz...the answer is “maybe” we can afford him, but the issue is we will have a hard time if we’re giving up cheap talent on ELCs and under team control, like Sprong...

I also think if we sign him and intend to move on from Phil, it will lessen Phil’s trade value because teams will know we have to trade him...

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Source: Penguins interested in potential Chris Kunitz return

Don’t get excited all at once people....don’t spill your coffee

 

[Corvidae]

I would take Kunitz at the league minimum for the fourth line. That's it.

Only if they also sign Oprik. If you want to get the gang back together go big or go home.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't want to be that guy, but trading both Rust and Sheary for Skinner with no salary retained and then signing Kunitz for close to league minimum works with the cap. You'd be left with a lineup like this:

Guentzel-Crosby-Sprong
Skinner-Malkin-Hornqvist
Hagelin-Brassard-Kessel
Kunitz-Sheahan-ZAR

I don't like the 4th line personally, but that's because of ZAR more than Kunitz.

 

[Gurglesons]

It depends on Jake’s raise and how much we re sign Rust for and Murray will need a raise the following year...and what about re-signing Shultz...the answer is “maybe” we can afford him, but the issue is we will have a hard time if we’re giving up cheap talent on ELCs and under team control, like Sprong...

I also think if we sign him and intend to move on from Phil, it will lessen Phil’s trade value because teams will know we have to trade him...

An extra million or two for a 30 goal scorer that plays on the LW that has at least five years of elite play is worth having to be creative. You can move Maatta, Letang, Kessel, etc and we don’t know if the cap continues to rise.

You also have potential WBS prospects being worthy of 3rd and fourth line roles or perhaps even a undrafted signing fitting into our D that allows us to lose one of the contracts for a player like Rust or Maatta. What if Oleksiak signs for 2 x 3 and has a Niskanen like resurgence to push Maatta out of the top four.

You make the move for Skinner and worry about the consequences.

 

[OnMyOwn]

You're suggesting that you'd get rid of Sheary and magically that would be enough for Skinner, and then with more magic they'll move Letang for some assets? Whoa, sign me up. Their good stuff for our bad stuff.

Not what I said, but ok. Only said get rid of Sheary, didn't say that was the trade or that he would even go to Carolina. I'm talking in general as far as making cap room....same with Letang.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I would take Kunitz at the league minimum for the fourth line. That's it.

I'd like him on the 4th line but we all know that isn't where he'd end up.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'd like him on the 4th line but we all know that isn't where he'd end up.

If you'd pull off someone like Skinner via trade, the risks of Kunitz playing higher in the lineup dramatically fall. If the Penguins acquire a legit top-6 LWer, I'd be more interested in Kunitz.

 

[Pancakes]

The Penguins would probably be losing Kessel in next offseason if the Penguins acquire Skinner. So you'd have both Skinner and Kessel for 1 year, but that's probably about it.

I have a question for people who watch Skinner more often than me. How "soft" is Skinner actually? He's 5'11" and 200 lbs, so he's not tiny like Sheary is. I'm not talking about bone crunching hits or anything like that, but is he a guy that gets muscled off the puck easily? I feel like Skinner has partially developed the "soft" tag because he has gotten a bunch of concussions off of hard hits.

He's really good with his edges and around the net. He battles.

If anything, he battles too much because he keeps getting concussed. He's a bit like a young Crosby that way, albeit with nowhere near Crosby's strength along the boards.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Source: Penguins interested in potential Chris Kunitz return

Don’t get excited all at once people....don’t spill your coffee