Salary Cap: We are looking for nuclear Kessels. And whales. Beam me up, Scotty Bowman

[JackFr]

Ill happily lay off Kessel if anyone can give me an alternate situation where we bring in wingers who aren't either old or slow. I can't see Oshie excelling here, or Sharp, or Eriksson.

My list as it stands is:

Kessel
Van Riemsdyk
Saad
Boedker
Marchand
Skinner
.......
Oshie
Eriksson
Sharp

 

[pensfan71]

Most here want kessel so much, but if we get him, by this time next year most will want him gone. If he doesn't score 40+ goals and seems out of shape most will be saying how stupid it was to trade a future top d for him.

I'm not saying I don't want him, but I just see this happening (101/102%).

The guy pots 30 on the Leafs with Bozak...I'm sure he'll hit 30-40 with Geno

 

[Ugene Magic]

Most here want kessel so much, but if we get him, by this time next year most will want him gone. If he doesn't score 40+ goals and seems out of shape most will be saying how stupid it was to trade a future top d for him.

I'm not saying I don't want him, but I just see this happening (101/102%).

The issue is the fact they expect more than what he is or has done.

I do believe you are right some will.

Kessel is a 30+ goal scorer and 50/80 point producer. Best to curb your expectations within those realms.

 

[pensfan71]

Coyotes didn't qualify John Moore. Decent option to look at.

Very interested

Why do people want to sign Tikhonov

Cause we hate Sutter and this is one step closer to making him leave

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Why do people want to sign Tikhonov

I don't, really. If he wants 2-3m, that's a big risk for a 2-3 year deal.

Pens have no idea if he can play in this league.

 

[AgentM]

So in terms of non-star moves:
- Plotnikov - Is he a slam dunk to sign or were those just rumors?
- Thikonov - Is he interested in Pittsburgh at all?
- Niclas Anderson - Any chance he sees the NHL or is he just an AHL defenseman?
- Who in FA can we sign to improve our physicality and/or team speed?

 

[Pete Gas]

Wouldn't it make more sense for Kessel to play with Sid? since Sid is a better passer and playmaker than Geno and Geno is more of a take the puck in himself type of guy

 

[Bennett Brauer]

This market was supposed to be weak, but these buyouts and non tendered RFA's are making it stronger.

 

[Nakawick]

Kunitz, Pouliot, Scuderi, Bennett, 3rd 2016 for Kessel, 2016 2nd

Offer sheet Saad for $5.5mil, 6-7 yr.

Sign Plotnikov and Tikhonov.

Trade Sutter for picks.

https://www.hockeyscap.com/armchair-gm/team/9518

Great, but we are putting uber amounts of faith in that unproven bottom six and 2nd and 3rd pair D. Just saying, I don't think we hoist Stanley with that lineup.

 

[clefty]

Moore was only non-tendered to avoid him from filing for arbitration. This happens from time to time, and the players in question always re-sign.

I assume this is also the case with Yannick Weber and Riley Nash.

 

[Pensin7]

...

Now look at Pittsburgh.
Crosby has averaged 32 goals the last 2 years. Malkin 25, Kunitz 26, Neal/Horn 26, Perron 22. This is a team that offensively should be able to get it done. We do not need another elite elite player. Seriously. Go get someone like Oshie, Eriksson, JVR, Skinner, whatever. We do not need 40 goal 80 point players. There are skilled guys out there that will not cost a ton (compared to Kessel) and will have a very manageable cap hit. I'd much rather have Eriksson and Oshie for what... 8.15m then 8m for Kessel and a 900k scrub.

I get that Kessel is the "sexy" choice. But he's not a need. We need players who can play with our stars... but who are not necessarily stars themselves.

Now imagine we could trade Kunitz (+?) and Sutter (+?) and get Oshie and Eriksson. This below is only around 41m on forwards. Add in the rest of our current contracts (and a few guesses on the cheap guys) and it's around 62m. Lots of cap space to fill those holes and give Eriksson, Perron and Maatta their extensions next summer.

...

The Penguins have lost 7 of their last 8 playoff games (all to the NYR.)

In those 7 losses, they scored 7 goals... total.

The answer is a couple of defensively responsible, average skating guys, that can punch in a few goals here and there, as opposed to an elite level, speed demon, goal scorer?

Kessel is a game changer. Oshie and Eriksson... not so much.

The problem has been, if Sid and Geno can't make it all happen, no one else will.

At the very least, Kessel adds a third name to that list of folks that can make post season wins happen.

I know I'd feel more confident in them paying Kessel and say... Comeau 9.5m than Eriksson and Oshie 8.15m... PLUS whatever that extra 1.35m would buy! No?

 

[drpepper]

Eriksson has looked horrible for the past two years and will be a 30 year old pending free agent making $4.5M. He should be a last resort. Plus even if Sweeney has gone crazy both Lucic and Hamilton went to Western conference teams. Pens aren't likely to get a good deal.

I am currently trying to figure out ARI's game plan. They traded Gagner and didn't qualify Arcobello. They currently have Hanzal (who can't stay healthy), Strome, Domi (if he's not at wing), Chipchura, and Vitale for center depth. I wonder what other moves they are going to make.

 

[penzweiser]

I don't, really. If he wants 2-3m, that's a big risk for a 2-3 year deal.

Pens have no idea if he can play in this league.

I agree, I would just roll with spaling and Sundqvist. Dupuis on the third line should be rock solid and if we put Bennett or plotnikov there it will already have the makings of a real good line.

If we are going to upgrade that center position I would much rather add Fehr. Personally though, I would rather really upgrade the top 6 of we get Kessel. Try to add stewart for a few years at 2.5-3.5. If our third line needs more help you could always swap stewart and Bennett/Plotnikov, stewart can play that role effectively too.

 

[pensfan71]

Wouldn't it make more sense for Kessel to play with Sid? since Sid is a better passer and playmaker than Geno and Geno is more of a take the puck in himself type of guy

Horny and Sid are magic though. You'd be doing another Iginla situation and forcing Kessel or Horny on their off wing which is not their natural positions.

Geno worked with Neal quite well, draws in defenders, leaves the shooter wide open. Kessel will burn you with the amount of space Geno will open up for him

 

[pensfan71]

Eriksson has looked horrible for the past two years and will be a 30 year old pending free agent making $4.5M. He should be a last resort. Plus even if Sweeney has gone crazy both Lucic and Hamilton went to Western conference teams. Pens aren't likely to get a good deal.

I am currently trying to figure out ARI's game plan. They traded Gagner and didn't qualify Arcobello. They currently have Hanzal (who can't stay healthy), Strome, Domi (if he's not at wing), Chipchura, and Vitale for center depth. I wonder what other moves they are going to make.

Domi at center is just begging for trouble. He'll get decked by centers like Kopi, Carter, Getzlaf and Kesler so often he'll be on his ass for most of the shift. Better max out his talents on the wing

 

[drpepper]

Horny and Sid are magic though. You'd be doing another Iginla situation and forcing Kessel or Horny on their off wing which is not their natural positions.

Geno worked with Neal quite well, draws in defenders, leaves the shooter wide open. Kessel will burn you with the amount of space Geno will open up for him

Malkin and Neal worked because Neal does his best work off-puck leaving Malkin to do his thing with the puck.

Kessel tends to do his best work with the puck as does Malkin.

If Kessel can work just as well off-puck and pass the puck to Malkin, they should be fine. If Kessel can't work off-puck or won't pass the puck to Malkin, it will look much closer to Malkin-Ovechkin or Malkin-Dupuis on a line.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I agree, I would just roll with spaling and Sundqvist. Dupuis on the third line should be rock solid and if we put Bennett or plotnikov there it will already have the makings of a real good line.

If we are going to upgrade that center position I would much rather add Fehr. Personally though, I would rather really upgrade the top 6 of we get Kessel. Try to add stewart for a few years at 2.5-3.5. If our third line needs more help you could always swap stewart and Bennett/Plotnikov, stewart can play that role effectively too.

I think Sundqvist will be a big difference maker by the end of next season.

Sundqvist, Dupuis, BB, Spaling, Plotnikov and Rust have a nice mix of everything a bottom six needs. Speed, size, skill, grit. I really have no desire to see them sign any fwd FAs aside from Frolik. Maybe MSL if nothing else works out.

Stafford, Stewart, Fehr etc are all guys I don't want long term cap dollars tied into.

 

[Darth Vitale]

If we trade for Phil I think that you should change your username to "The Kessel Run"

Hey Agent M, what's up? Haven't seen you around in a while (could be because I'm in a perpetual HFB haze). If we get Kessel without selling the farm I will indeed consider a name change. Your suggestion has merit.

I hope we still have a shot at our version of the above after July 1.

And how.

This is ****ing great!

That is classic. Thank you for a much needed laugh.

Not true. There is a dominant and a recessive testicle. If the recessive one goes, the dominant one makes more than enough testosterone for a normal male. If you lose both, then yes you get heavy doses of test and hormones. But all in all, most testi cancer survivors don't need significant drug treatments.

Well possibly it's different for testicular. I am going off of first-hand knowledge of people who had a case of prostate cancer they didn't catch early enough, and it spread to different areas down there... and one of the treatements was basically a hormone type deal where they try to shut down the testosterone because that particular type of cancer feeds on it (that's my highly unscientific word). Different peopel react differently to that in terms of body weight and stuff. I thought testicular might be a very similar kind of scenario where they try to regulate stuff with hormones to prevent the spread of the disease.

The ****? $5.5M is fair market value for Saad.

He's a Chicago boy now. He wants to stay with the Hawks / give them a chance to stay together just like Sid and Geno did here. He wants more Cups. Can't say I blame him.

Kunitz, Pouliot, Scuderi, Bennett, 3rd 2016 for Kessel, 2016 2nd

Offer sheet Saad for $5.5mil, 6-7 yr.

Sign Plotnikov and Tikhonov.

Trade Sutter for picks.

https://www.hockeyscap.com/armchair-gm/team/9518

So someone answer me this: isn't it up to the player whether or not he accepts an offer sheet? And then IF he is interested, his team is given a chance to match? I mean theoretically we could offer him twice the salary but he could still say "screw you, I'm staying in Chicago for less money" right? Because I think he would. Anyway I don't think we have the compensatory picks lined up for next year do we? He's in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd round pick territory and I think we're missing our 2nd next year? Because Winnik?

 

[drpepper]

Domi at center is just begging for trouble. He'll get decked by centers like Kopi, Carter, Getzlaf and Kesler so often he'll be on his ass for most of the shift. Better max out his talents on the wing

I don't disagree about Domi.

In which case their center depth right now is Hanzal, Strome, Chipchura, Vitale which especially with Hanzal's injury issues seems very thin.

 

[The Greatest 101]

MJ really loves PCH line.If we get Kessel,he will play with Geno.

 

[mpp9]

It would be hilarious watching teams choose between marking Sid or Geno/Kessel. Sid facing easier matchups would be terrifying.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Malkin and Neal worked because Neal does his best work off-puck leaving Malkin to do his thing with the puck.

Kessel tends to do his best work with the puck as does Malkin.

If Kessel can work just as well off-puck and pass the puck to Malkin, they should be fine. If Kessel can't work off-puck or won't pass the puck to Malkin, it will look much closer to Malkin-Ovechkin or Malkin-Dupuis on a line.

Kessel is a very gifted playmaker, but for some reason never gets any credit for it.

Probably because he's a fat homeless guy who eats too many cookies.

 

[pensfan71]

It would be hilarious watching teams choose between marking Sid or Geno/Kessel. Sid facing easier matchups would be terrifying.

Good god...give me Kessel already...I'll drive him to the airport...hell I'll drag him there...I'll pay for his ticket...and cab...

 

[Boocock]

Good god...give me Kessel already...I'll drive him to the airport...hell I'll toedrag him there...I'll pay for his ticket...and cab...

FTFY - because we better get ready for an overuse of it now.

 

[pensfan71]

Kessel is a very gifted playmaker, but for some reason never gets any credit for it.

Probably because he's a fat homeless guy who eats too many cookies.

This...no matter who he plays with, Sid and Geno are going to have to learn to share the puck with him. So there will be growing pains, but it'll be worth it. Besides, its much easier to adapt to Geno's style of play than Sid's IMO