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While we wait for Vegas I answered your questions + Shane Doan |
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While the hockey world waits on the Vegas Golden Knights lets answer some questions
I don't see the need for the team to focus on anything other than playing ability. If you find a guy who does all the things that have made the Penguins the Penguins the past two years and he is also physicaly, fine. That physicality aspect should be the convenient feature you weren't looking for but got anyways. That said, while I was writing this blog the following news dropped.
I could see Jim Rutherford valuing Doan's toughness and Doan willing to saddle up to a two-time defending champion. He's 40 years old and his 5v5 points per 60 went from 1.71 in 2016-17, which is good, to 1.24 this season which is very bad. He went from 28 goals in 2015-16 to six goals in 2016-17. If you want to bring in a guy like Shane Doan you already have the better version of him in Chris Kunitz who wants to come back at a discounted rate. Let's face it the Arizona Coyotes who scrape themselves to the cap floor every year told a player who wanted to play with them "nah, we're good". The Penguins should do the same.
Let's face it the Vegas Golden Knights are doing a big favor to the Penguins by taking Marc-Andre Fleury. They must know that, right? If Vegas isn't asking Pittsburgh for something else then George McPhee isn't doing this right. Fleury is a great personality and would be a good fit for Vegas, but the extent of which people are selling him as a must take player because he'll be the face of the franchise is bit much. Vegas is set up to be fine in net with or without Fleury. They should leverage and extort Jim Rutherford and the Penguins. That doesn't mean they will
Moving on
I would offer him 4 years and 11 million for an AAV of 2.75M. That is a low ball. I would expect his camp to come in around 4 years and 16 million for a 4.0M cap hit. Hopefully, when it is all said and done you get Sheary for four years in that 3.25M AAV range. He had a tremendous regular season. I like his underlying numbers. However, the perceived playoff struggles probably cost him a little bit. He's 25 years old so you are going to get his best remaining years and the risk of him becoming a negative value player is minimal in my opinion.
Honestly, there might not be one. I really don't like the idea of Hornqvist eating up 4M playing in a bottom six role. You have to think Sheary and Guentzel will be a trio that Mike Sullivan goes to on a regular basis. Where does this leave Phil Kessel? Maybe if the Penguins have an offensive minded 3C next year you bump him down and let Hornqvist play with Malkin. I don't like the prospects of giving Hornqvist his next contract and I don't like the idea of losing him for nothing as a UFA. I think you could consider him as a piece worth moving in the right deal.
The Hobey Baker finalist had a good showing in WB/S before he got injured. He had eight points in ten games. I think he has a chance of making the big roster out of training camp but wouldn't be surprised if the team gave him the Jake Guentzel treatment and let him marinate in the AHL for a little bit. I think Aston-Reese's style of play and ability to contribute will play into the question above.
I do have some ideas and one of them ties directly to Phil Kessel, but I will be saving that for another blog.
I would eliminate the coach's challenge. I would not eliminate replay. I despise the fact that NHL coaches have to plan their game strategy around referees screwing up or the potential of referees screwing up. Timeouts can be a very useful thing in game strategy. Coaches shouldn't have to think about instant replay when using them. All reviews should come from the league and they should be done upstairs on 75" 4k televisions and not SEGA Game Gears that are running low on batteries. The league should phone down and stop the game like they did in the Stanley Cup Final on that wrap around goal that beat Matt Murray. They should already be looking at the play and it should streamline the amount of time it takes to make a decision. I would eliminate the offsides repaly. It hasn't helped the game at all. No normal person cares if a player is offsides by a few millimeters, we care when obvious offsides are missed and that is extremely rare.
No.
In Jason Botterill's first trade with the Buffalo Sabres he was able to acquire an NHL talent for an asset that is likely to never play in the NHL. The Sabres defense is one of the worst units in the sport and Beaulieu is an improvement, but not a solution. He's not a great defender but he moves the puck well and contributes to shot generation. Huh, that sounds familiar.
"Letang insurance"
I think they have a few movable pieces (Maatta, Hornqvist) that can be lumped together in an effort to acquire a good defenseman.
I think they are certainly in a position where they can spend a little bit. I wouldn't entertain a player like TJ Oshie because they don't need to spend a premium on a winger who is 30 years old and coming off a career high 23.1 shooting percentage. Kevin Shattenkirk is worth entertaining because of the whole "Letang insurance" concept, but will probably price himself out of Pittsburgh's comfort range.
For sure, but you are going to have to make it worth Vegas' while for them to not just keep that player. Some players that come to mind are Sami Vatanen, Jason Demers, Calvin de Haan, Ryan Strome, Brayden McNabb, and Nail Yakupov are all interesting names left unprotected.
Thanks for reading!
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