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

[joeyjake5]

Don't see Kessell in Philly, But expect philly to go after some RFAs. They have some cap space to do this and acquired two good picks to bolster their asset pool.
. Saad, Tarensenko, and Hamilton would be their potential targets.

 

[penguins2946*]

Especially with salary retained on the Leafs' end.

I don't even think salary needs to be retained, we just can't be handing out Scuderi and Dupuis contracts for bottom pair D or bottom-6 forwards.

 

[systemsgo]

Kessel to the Flyers would be the worst ever.

 

[nhindian]

Especially with salary retained on the Leafs' end.

Leafs won't retain and take cap dumps, and we need the dumps more than the retention.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I can't remember the last time a GM cut off their nose to spite their face like that, though. It's not that common and I can't see the Leafs getting THAT offended over the negotiations, especially since JR is a pretty well-liked GM in the old boys' club.

 

[Dupree13]

I have to somewhat disagree with the Toronto sports talk guys.

Everything they said does make sense. In theory now is the best time to trade Kessel. But in practice, if you aren't getting offers that you percieve as very good, you don't just pull the trigger on whatever offer is out there merely because now is the best time "in theory" to make a trade.

Bottom line is that there is no gun to their head. They can easily eat their words and bring back Kessel. It's not ideal but better than taking a crappy deal. A lot can change between now and the deadline or next summer. If I was Toronto, better to retreat and try again later, despite the fact that "in theory" now is the best time to trade him.

 

[Fire Shero*]

I don't even think salary needs to be retained, we just can't be handing out Scuderi and Dupuis contracts for bottom pair D or bottom-6 forwards.

Madden made an interesting observation yesterday. He said that the pens have the most expensive third pairing d in the league.

It's not like this team is stacked on the blue line. Scuderi wouldn't start for a lot of teams.

This is very discouraging.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Don't see Kessell in Philly, But expect philly to go after some RFAs. They have some cap space to do this and acquired two good picks to bolster their asset pool.
. Saad, Tarensenko, and Hamilton would be their potential targets.

I could see the Flyers sending an offer sheet, not the 1st time they would go that route

 

[Jag68Sid87]

From where? Kessel literally makes no sense for the Flyers. They have Simmonds and Voracek as RWers and they need to re-sign Voracek to a huge raise after this coming season, why would they move for Kessel?

I think it makes perfect sense. First of all, you know the Flyers are always in the business of making the 'big splash'. Secondly, they hear the rumors about Pittsburgh being the only team in on Kessel, so they're probably attempting to swoop in. This rivalry IS that big.

Now, the Flyers need defense yes but they have a boatload of D prospects that I'm sure the Leafs would have interest in. The Flyers can also ask the Leafs to take back Lecavalier and maybe even Umberger, which would really help the Flyers' cap situation. There is also Luke Schenn's contract. And Arizona has already helped them out.

The Flyers tried Simmonds on LW last season to play with Giroux and Voracek, and I think they liked the combination but lacked scoring depth so they scrapped it. With Kessel, they can go back to it.

The Schenn brothers, an un-signed Michael Del Zotto, Lecavalier and Umberger for cap relief, plenty of D prospects like Travis Sanheim, Samuel Morin, Ivan Provorov (whom Babcock apparently was absolutely pushing Hunter to draft on Saturday), etc.

I could see the Flyers blindsiding us here and getting this done. I think we've sat back and waited long enough. Today is the day to swing a deal. There's absolutely NOTHING in free agency that suggests we should NOT trade for Phil Kessel.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Leafs won't retain and take cap dumps, and we need the dumps more than the retention.

Depends on the return, first off. And I'd also disagree on your premise that dumps are the most important part. That's just board group think going on there.

Fact of the matter is, there's a lot of ways to fit Kessel. The question isn't whether or not it's possible, but whether or not we want to pay the price to make it so. That's a hugely important distinction.

 

[Cherpak]

Especially with salary retained on the Leafs' end.

If JR can pull that off and dump Scuderi/Kunitz then all will be forgiven with the Despres debacle. Its more likely though that we see one or the other but most definitely not both.

 

[Asuna]

Would be sort of funny...from being close to getting Kessel...to getting burned by Kessel 8 times a year.

 

[Dupree13]

I think it makes perfect sense. First of all, you know the Flyers are always in the business of making the 'big splash'. Secondly, they hear the rumors about Pittsburgh being the only team in on Kessel, so they're probably attempting to swoop in. This rivalry IS that big.

Now, the Flyers need defense yes but they have a boatload of D prospects that I'm sure the Leafs would have interest in. The Flyers can also ask the Leafs to take back Lecavalier and maybe even Umberger, which would really help the Flyers' cap situation. There is also Luke Schenn's contract. And Arizona has already helped them out.

The Flyers tried Simmonds on LW last season to play with Giroux and Voracek, and I think they liked the combination but lacked scoring depth so they scrapped it. With Kessel, they can go back to it.

The Schenn brothers, an un-signed Michael Del Zotto, Lecavalier and Umberger for cap relief, plenty of D prospects like Travis Sanheim, Samuel Morin, Ivan Provorov (whom Babcock apparently was absolutely pushing Hunter to draft on Saturday), etc.

I could see the Flyers blindsiding us here and getting this done. I think we've sat back and waited long enough. Today is the day to swing a deal. There's absolutely NOTHING in free agency that suggests we should NOT trade for Phil Kessel.

I have to agree completely. Good breakdown. It would be a VERY Philly Flyers move to acquire Kessel. Jagr Watch Part Duex.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Thank god I don't live in Pittsburgh anymore. The misery circle-jerk would be 24/7-365 if the Flyers get Kessel. I still don't see much reason as to what they can offer as a trade partner, either.

It'd be nice to get him, not the end of the world if we don't.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Man, this board loves to hold on to traumatic trade moments. Do you guys cry every time someone mentions Markus Naslund too? Jesus. Jagr watch was as much about Jagr being the ******* everyone else but us Pens fans knew he was than it was Philly. It's your own damn faults for believing Jardo on anything beyond his own immediate financial interests and ego.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Depends on the return, first off. And I'd also disagree on your premise that dumps are the most important part. That's just board group think going on there.

Fact of the matter is, there's a lot of ways to fit Kessel. The question isn't whether or not it's possible, but whether or not we want to pay the price to make it so. That's a hugely important distinction.

I think we need the dumps way more. We have bad contracts. If a team is willing to a) trade us their best player AND b) take our worst contracts in the same deal, you should jump at the chance.

Besides, we need to get younger. I'm not convinced you can move Kunitz and Scuderi and Dupuis any other way than in this type of deal. I know a lot of people think we could easily dump Kunitz for a pick somewhere, but until it happens I just am not that convinced. In fact, I'm not even convinced that they WANT to move Kunitz....and therein lies a big problem with this team.

Adding Kessel and being forced to dump contracts is a pure win-win situation for this team.

 

[GreatjonUmber]

Which teams are still reported as interested other than the Pens? If the market is that small and the Pens go after other trades/UFAs then the market for Kessel only gets smaller in theory, right?

 

[Shady Machine]

Fitting him in isn't the problem.

Fitting him in and plugging up other holes is.

It's not going to be easy, but it can be done and several posters have shown how we get it done. Our defense will have to be young, but management has publicly committed to that anyway. Whether they are actually true to their word this time remains to be seen.

 

[penguins2946*]

Philly trading for Kessel solely to **** over the Penguins is so stupid and petty that I can't even imagine that they'd do it. They have their own issues to worry about, they're not going to trade for someone they don't need just to screw over the Penguins.

Philly didn't steal Jagr from us either, Shero was cheap and offered him scraps and Philly offered him more money. Jagr ALWAYS goes where the money is.

 

[Cherpak]

It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see Philly swoop in and take Kessel right out from under us. Hextall has long time ties to the organization and fully understands the rivalry. Plus it never hurts to have a player of Kessel's caliber if you can fit him in.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I think we need the dumps way more. We have bad contracts. If a team is willing to a) trade us their best player AND b) take our worst contracts in the same deal, you should jump at the chance.

Besides, we need to get younger. I'm not convinced you can move Kunitz and Scuderi and Dupuis any other way than in this type of deal. I know a lot of people think we could easily dump Kunitz for a pick somewhere, but until it happens I just am not that convinced. In fact, I'm not even convinced that they WANT to move Kunitz....and therein lies a big problem with this team.

Adding Kessel and being forced to dump contracts is a pure win-win situation for this team.

I totally agree with you here Jags.

I just disagree that there wouldn't be an opportunity to do so without a Kessel trade.

 

[JackFr]

If it helps, I just had a dream where the Flyers traded for Jagr and then signed him to a 3-year extension, and then traded for Kessel.

 

[penguins2946*]

It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see Philly swoop in and take Kessel right out from under us. Hextall has long time ties to the organization and fully understands the rivalry. Plus it never hurts to have a player of Kessel's caliber if you can fit him in.

Hextal has a lot more important things to do (like icing a quality hockey team) than screwing over the Pens whenever he gets the chance. The tin foil hats are coming out to justify the Flyers going after Kessel.

 

[MagnusJondus]

Philly just driving the price up for us. Nothing more.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Philly trading for Kessel solely to **** over the Penguins is so stupid and petty that I can't even imagine that they'd do it. They have their own issues to worry about, they're not going to trade for someone they don't need just to screw over the Penguins.

Philly didn't steal Jagr from us either, Shero was cheap and offered him scraps and Philly offered him more money. Jagr ALWAYS goes where the money is.

Which has been obvious to Czechs for years and should have been obvious to us too. It was a clear-cut case of nostalgia screwing people over, not Philly.