2010-2011 Pittsburgh Penguins

[whitmer_87]

It's only May 13th, and I'm not done talking hockey.





I think Gonchar, Feds, Poni, and Guerin are all gone. Hoping we can keep Cooke, Leopold, and Eaton. Bring up Lovejoy, Letestu, and possibly Tangradi. Need to sign at least one decent forward...but our cap space is limited.

Thoughts?


http://www.penguinpoop.com/2010/pittsburgh-penguins-2009-2010-salary-cap-numbers/

[Merman1983]

Haven't done much research on this yet, but:

Agree about Feds (KHL?), Gonch, Poni, and Guerin (retirement).

I'd really like to keep Cooke unless his career year forces some team to throw over 2 million at him. I'm a huge Cooke fan but I think that a healthy Max or even someone like Letestu can fill that role on a team that is strapped for cap space. Add to that the fact that he is 31 and has taken a pounding in his career. If they can get him at 2 years and something like 1.5-1.75 per, I'm for it, though

As far as leopold/eaton, I'd keep one or the other, but not both. They are similar and both could probably be had for 2 million a year. A month ago, I would have said keep leopold but he wasn't the same guy after coming back from that head injury. Maybe he rushed bacK? I still think he offers more to the team as he can be one of the point-men on the PP (with either gogo or letang on the other point), and he has about the same defensive game as eaton.

I would take the Gonchar money and go for a defensive defenseman type. Volchenokov/Hamhuis are a pipedream and I wouldn't want 4-5 million per tied up in them anyway but a guy like Willie Mitchell can be had for cheaper. I'd also throw a million at shot-blocker type (think Mckee but better). I'd throw money at a defensive minded guy who can be half of a shutdown pair before acquiring another forward.

Tangradi absolutely has to step up and be a top 6 guy by the middle of next year. Maybe Ray Whitney takes 2-2.5 per to play for a contender and try for another cup? The guy can still flat out score and would be a monster upgrade over Guerin or Kunitz. He may be looking for one last big cashout in though.

the Blackhawks are going to be in alot of cap trouble next year and are going to be unloading some forwards. One guy I absolutely love on their team is Patrick Sharp. I think he's score 30 on Sid's line and hes a good penalty killer with a caphit of 3.9 million per year. Problem is, we don't have much to trade and can't afford to move any more prospects at this point which is what they would be looking for.

I really think we'll be looking at a similar roster next year though. Having 27 million of a 50 million dollar cap tied up in Sid/Malkin/Staal/Fluery makes it hard to bring in talent elsewhere.

[whitmer_87]

I'd take Leopold over Eaton because of the age difference, and I think Lovejoy is ready to be an NHL player.

Patrick Sharp would look awesome in a black and gold sweater. A guy that can score, keep up with Sid, and, as you said, kills penalties. That would be a dream.

Wonder if Shero might move some people in order to open up some cap space. Dupuis is a guy who played well down the stretch, and might be of interest to some teams. I think he has blown his load as a Penguin too. Don't see him getting any better or even maintaining the level of play he closed out the season with. Maybe we can deal him for that shot blocking d-man you were talking about or even a prospect. Don't really see it happening, but you never know I guess.

[Brinker]

Extend sid now. Eaton isn't sexy but he's solid- Extend for 2years

[whitmer_87]

Extend sid now.

Sid is under contract until 2012-2013. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, but for now we have to worry about getting some people around him so we can make another run at the cup.

[Merman1983]

Scanning over the UFA listing of defenseman, some other guys Shero should consider: Andy Sutton (he's an expert after all), Zbynek Micalek, or Colaiacovo. Maybe try to trade a mid-level prospect or a draft pick (do we have any left?) for a guy like Greg Zanon.

Brinker I agree Eaton is solid and I've always liked him but I think this team needs a true shutdown guy. Eaton really isn't a guy I want running out there against a teams top line for an entire 7 game playoff series.

[Merman1983]

Here's one offseason plan. Obviously I may be off on some salaries as defenseman have been known to be overpaid. Hopefully teams get caught up in the Volchenkov/Hamhuis bidding war and we get some under the radar guys. This is assuming a 59 million dollar cap and some maybe a discount or two along the way to play for a contender:

Forwards
Kunitz (3.75)-Sid (8.7)-Lombardi (2.75) (may have to go cheaper here, someone like Armstrong, ugh)
Tangradi (.-Malkin (8.7)-Bertuzzi (1.5)
Cooke (1.75)-Staal (4.0)-Dupuis (1.4)
Rupp (.85)-Adams (.55) -Kennedy (.85) (move talbot for a mid round pick to free up space)

Letestu (.5)

Total - 36.15

Defenseman
Orpik (3.75) Letang (3.5)
Micalek/Mitchell (3.0) Leopold (1.75)
Colaiacovo (2.25) Goligoski(1.5)
Lovejoy (.7)

Total - 16.45

Goalies
MAF - (5.0)
Johnson (.6)

Total - 58.20

Leaves Shero with .8 million of wiggle room, maybe more if he can move a contract like Goligoski's. If Cooke gets a big offer elsewhere Talbot or Letestu take his spot for a bit of cap savings Any thoughts on this? I realize some of my salaries may be off but I like this roster alot better than what we ended last season with. Ray may have to get creative with a trade or two in a surplus area to get some guys under the cap.

I really think next offseason is when we really can make a major move if we stand pat this year. Kunitz's albatross of a contract will come off the books then and I expect Goligoski to definitely be moved if he hasn't improved since his contract takes a bigtime jump.

[Merman1983]

Minor signing but Pens resign Engelland. He was solid in limited time last year and at 28 still could develop into a physical stay at home type:

http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=529597&navid=DL|PIT|home

They are probably going to let Lovejoy and Engelland duke it out for a spot on the bottom pairing and carry the other as a 7th. It's a two way contract so they can ship Engelland back and forth if need be. Still hoping we spend some money on a blueline FA or two.

[P4P]

Sharp would be a huge addition, but what kind of numbers would he want?  Wouldn't be surprised if we kept old man Guerin.  Wouldn't be surprised at all. 

[Merman1983]

Sharp would be a huge addition, but what kind of numbers would he want?  Wouldn't be surprised if we kept old man Guerin.  Wouldn't be surprised at all. 

Sharp signed a 4 year extension in 2008 and has a cap hit of about 3.8 per year. He's under contract for the next 2 years so he'd have to be acquired through a trade. The Blackhawks are going to have to move salary after this season and there's been rumors or Sharp, Versteeg, or Byfuglien being moved. Byfuglien = Poni, so fuck that. Sharps worth every penny IMO but it probably won't happen.

I'm hoping Matthew Lombardi flies under the radar and we snag him. He's a Bylsma type, forechecker with speed and I think he'd score 25 with Sid or Geno. He's a center but I'd play him at wing on Geno's line so he can take faceoffs too.


I hope they don't bring back Guerin unless it's for under a mil. He'd honestly have to be scratched every 3rd or 4th game if you wanted him to be more than the walking corpse he was in this years playoffs so they can't afford to pay him what they did this year. Unfortunately I agree with you and could see them resigning him if they can't score on the market. I'll be pissed if it happens though.