Gurglesons
Registered User
You’re not paying a guy $4.5 M to be a third pairing guy… that’s second pair material
I mean. When you've already paid the guy 4.5 million. You're kinda stuck.
You’re not paying a guy $4.5 M to be a third pairing guy… that’s second pair material
I'll take that bet.Just remembered that Jeff Carter has likely played his final game here after tonight. So that's something.
I say likely because I know there's still a chance this moronic franchise brings him back
Way too much money spent on the 4th line, IMO.Here is what I would try to run into next year with. This is wildly unrealistic given the amount of trades involved. But you get the idea..
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Way too much money spent on the 4th line, IMO.
I'm not sure LA would do that trade, but the other ones seem plausible. Trenin would be great.Here is what I would try to run into next year with. This is wildly unrealistic given the amount of trades involved. But you get the idea..
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I'm not sure LA would do that trade, but the other ones seem plausible. Trenin would be great.
I'm not sure LA would do that trade, but the other ones seem plausible. Trenin would be great.
The kind of lineup I'd be shooting for to start next year is:
O'Connor-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Rakell
DeBrusk-Wennberg-Puustinen
Lafferty-Eller-Acciari
Poulin-Nieto
Pettersson-Karlsson
McNabb-Letang
Graves-St. Ivany
Ludvig
Nedjelkovic-Blackwood
I think DeBrusk and Wennberg would be great additions for L3, and L4 would benefit as well from Eller being pushed down and Lafferty being brought back. I also think DeBrusk can slide up to Crosby's wing if he bounces back into his top-6 sniper form.
I wouldn't think this team would be wildly better than what they have this year, but a big change in coaching staff could really make this team good if they'd actually do it IMO.
DeBrusk and Wennberg are exactly the type of low compete, mid forwards I do not want to add.
If we are targeting that type of player either focus on size or forechecking.
This was part of the issue we ran into this year.
I can see that argument with DeBrusk, but I don't see center as a position where the Penguins need to focus on size or forechecking. Wennberg would bring the same things Eller brings to the table, it just adds another legitimate 3C caliber player.
I can see saying no to DeBrusk for that, but I don't think centers have the same requirements as wingers.
I'd rather spend the money to beef up the top 9, and just demote Eller/Acciari to be two-thirds of the 4th line with someone cheap like Puljujarvi on their wing.I think I'd rather pay money to get players that can actually eat minutes versus what we've done the past few years. We could utilize Trenin and Lizotte in 3rd line roles and we are kinda stuck with Eller and Acciari.
The principle idea would be to have 4 lines that can run 12+ minutes each and players that are built to forecheck and add size. More DOC / Bunting types versus the skilled 30-40 pt players we continue to target.
I'd rather spend the money to beef up the top 9, and just demote Eller/Acciari to be two-thirds of the 4th line with someone cheap like Puljujarvi on their wing.
Ideally, I'd also love to move on from Graves. Whether or not he'll ever be a "fit" on this team, that's too much money to allocate to a 3rd pairing defender. You can get similar performance out of someone making half that amount, for much less term.
Yeah, I don't want another Eller.
Ideally we'd get out of Eller and run Trenin as our 3C and a Lizotte type as our 4C.
The Penguins won 2 cups with 2 Eller types of centers in their bottom-6 with Bonino and Cullen.
How about something like: Smith cap dumped as much as possible. If cap dump can't be fully achieved, at least moved out in a deal where the Pens free up 3 million or so of his salary. Jarry moved for another goalie who has term (Georgiev a la @Gurglesons example would be a fine type of move). Ned re-signed. If Ned is priced out, go with Blomqvist as a backup or sign a vet and allow Blomqvist the option to be a potential mid season call up (because the backup is cheap at 1m or so).
Guentzel/Debrusk (whichever the Pens can get) - Crosby - Rust
Bunting - Malkin - Rakell
DOC - Henrique (3-4 m or so for 1-2 yrs)- Bemstrom (re-signed 1m or so)
Nieto - Eller - Poolparty
MP - Ek
Gostisbehere or OEL seem like decent options if they make it to FA. Would also be ok with a more defensive option here like Mcnabb- Letang
x - St Ivany. the x here I'm not sure about. I'll think on it.
Georgiev
Ned/Blomqvist or cheap UFA/Blomqvist
Not opposed to trades for younger players either but will have to think on what would be possible there.
I don't really see any issue with Graves-St. Ivany as the 3rd pair. They will need to get another top-4 LD to play with Letang, but they should have the cap space to do that. I don't mean him specifically, but I'd want to target a Cole caliber of defenseman to make the D pairs:
Pettersson-Karlsson
Cole-Letang
Graves-St. Ivany
Ludvig
The Penguins have paid all of Schultz, Maatta, Matheson and Pettersson $4 million or more while playing them on the bottom pair.
I don't think that was the intention of any of those players. I think we all know that.
....and frankly with the exception of the really bad Pettersson season, Graves doesn't seem to have the upside of moving up and out of that third pairing to any sort of effectiveness.
Not the biggest problem but should be addressed if possible.
I don't think that was the intention of any of those players. I think we all know that.
....and frankly with the exception of the really bad Pettersson season, Graves doesn't seem to have the upside of moving up and out of that third pairing to any sort of effectiveness.
Not the biggest problem but should be addressed if possible.
Debrusk can be kinda maddening that's true.I want nothing to do with Debrusk. Rather take a risk on a cheap contract like Arvidsson or Tuevo over Debrusk if we are going that route.
Did Puustinen die? I notice people aren't slotting him in their hypothetical lineups.