The one thing letang brings is speed to the backend. Numerous times we have seen him catch a player or use his speed to get the puck out of the zone. I truly think that's the only think that will be missed

He is inconsistent. He is a defenseman a la MAF. Pressure can unglue people. Maybe in a different setting with a less high strung coach either one would do well. I really don't know. But for now what I see are two thoroughbreds who have their head up their ass waaaay too often. I have seen both play like the best but far too often it's bad decision after bad decision. Where is the learning?

MAF at 5 million is annoying. Letang at 7 Million will hurt the team with his play and his wallet. No to Letang. No way, no how.
- powerhouse

i respectively disagree and hope shero is of the same opinion.

I hate to sound like a Flyers GM from the 90s, but if we don't resign players we need to consider players who are large and have footspeed. I can imagine Briere and Crosby trying to get around Chara in the 2014 playoffs.

I agree we need some defensive defensemen. Hopefully we can get young, larger ones.

Again size isn't everything (Murray) but we could really use some punishing large forwards and defensemen.

Looks like Dupes was coloring the menu.
- canadianpenfan

"My client can play on any line and stay between the lines on the menu. That will cost you extra, Ray."

"My client can play on any line and stay between the lines on the menu. That will cost you extra, Ray."
- akane13

that made me

I doubt it will be easier. Letang is a top 10 d man. Martin was steady for most of last year but atrocious the year before. I'd move Martin OR orpik before moving letang. I trust shero. He made all the right moves last year and the team underperformed. If he moved letang the team will remain a cup contender. But I strongly believe that future blogs will talk about the deal being a mistake
- ChrisMS

Chris I agree with you to a point. You keep Letang, but for the right price. He's totally worth $6M/year (MAYBE $6.5M)on this team. Anything above that you have to look for a trade.

There's no quaestion here that Letang is a great defenseman. Enough with some of this bull$hit of "he pretends to be a defenseman". He's good and worth $6M in Pittsburgh.

I dont care how its spelt really,but dont keep him over Letang thats just nuts
- top shelf 15

Got it the first 5 times you said it. Thanks for the input.

Chris I agree with you to a point. You keep Letang, but for the right price. He's totally worth $6M/year (MAYBE $6.5M)on this team. Anything above that you have to look for a trade.

There's no quaestion here that Letang is a great defenseman. Enough with some of this bull$hit of "he pretends to be a defenseman". He's good and worth $6M in Pittsburgh.
- Orpik44

say 6.5 mil... reminds me of when I bought my house. I had a cap... and they wouldn't go below 2000 above that number... it was the best house on the market and I loved it (love it) I found a way to make it happen... losing letang for, say .5 mil a year, if he takes 7mil. that would be a tragedy

The NMC would be a deal breaker to me.... Even if he signs for $7 mil, it will always be a movable contract. He will always get his points, and he will always have his skating and skill.

If Pouliot or Maatta or whomever becomes the real deal, then you can move out Letang for that roster spot and for cap room. But a 7 year NMC just hamstrings you.

This is my final deal that I would offer as Shero:

6 years - $6.75 million, with a full NMC that kicks in on the third year.


The problem from Letang's side though, is that he has been decently underpaid for probably 3 years out of his current 4 year deal. I can't imagine that he would want to give too much of a discount to the Pens.
- rival22

Im not too sure on this, but doesnt the NMC only restrict the ability to bury the caphit in the minors ala Redden? It would have to be a NTC in order to hamper the ability to trade him which I have not heard anybody talk about to this point. Does anybody know if there are any other differences between a NMC and/or a NTC?(Or if I am off base on what a NMC means to Letang)

That's the question I've been asking is entire season while Paul Martin has proven to be a ridiculously good player at a ridiculously great value. The haves are going to probably take advantage of a have nots in this case. I'm just glad that the Penguins are dealing from a position of strength.
- HopintheCordoba

He's evening things out now. This year he was awesome. The first he was just OK and last year horrible. If he can maintain his level of play next season, I'll agree with you

I would not go over 6.5 for letang... but then something needs to be done via trade with someone else...

Im not too sure on this, but doesnt the NMC only restrict the ability to bury the caphit in the minors ala Redden? It would have to be a NTC in order to hamper the ability to trade him which I have not heard anybody talk about to this point. Does anybody know if there are any other differences between a NMC and/or a NTC?(Or if I am off base on what a NMC means to Letang)
- Rawdog9755

NMC includes the NTC part

say 6.5 mil... reminds me of when I bought my house. I had a cap... and they wouldn't go below 2000 above that number... it was the best house on the market and I loved it (love it) I found a way to make it happen... losing letang for, say .5 mil a year, if he takes 7mil. that would be a tragedy
- ChrisMS

Sounds like your house was the Evgeni Malkin of the market.

Im not too sure on this, but doesnt the NMC only restrict the ability to bury the caphit in the minors ala Redden? It would have to be a NTC in order to hamper the ability to trade him which I have not heard anybody talk about to this point. Does anybody know if there are any other differences between a NMC and/or a NTC?(Or if I am off base on what a NMC means to Letang)
- Rawdog9755

NMC means no movement, so besides traded, he couldn't be waived either. Sort of semantics for a player like that, who wouldn't get waived anyway plus the fact that you can't bury contracts in the minors anymore.

He is inconsistent. He is a defenseman a la MAF. Pressure can unglue people. Maybe in a different setting with a less high strung coach either one would do well. I really don't know. But for now what I see are two thoroughbreds who have their head up their ass waaaay too often. I have seen both play like the best but far too often it's bad decision after bad decision. Where is the learning?

MAF at 5 million is annoying. Letang at 7 Million will hurt the team with his play and his wallet. No to Letang. No way, no how.
- powerhouse

I agree. That would suck. I'd trade Fleury's salary, bring a goalie with a $3-4M cap hit max. (Halak/Elliott/Hiller) and re-sign Letang at $6.5M max. If we can't reach a deal at 6.5M, deal him.

I agree. That would suck. I'd trade Fleury's salary, bring a goalie with a $3-4M cap hit max. (Halak/Elliott/Hiller) and re-sign Letang at $6.5M max. If we can't reach a deal at 6.5M, deal him.
- Orpik44

I'd give Halak a shot... however he's a UFA after 2013 and will probably want Fleury money in a starting role.

Sounds like your house was the Evgeni Malkin of the market.
- Ryan_Wilson

Chris Davis = Reincarnated Babe Ruth?

"My client can play on any line and stay between the lines on the menu. That will cost you extra, Ray."
- akane13

say 6.5 mil... reminds me of when I bought my house. I had a cap... and they wouldn't go below 2000 above that number... it was the best house on the market and I loved it (love it) I found a way to make it happen... losing letang for, say .5 mil a year, if he takes 7mil. that would be a tragedy
- ChrisMS

If he agreed to sign a deal without a NMC/NTC, I'm OK with it The NMC would kill us. If he wants to be a new Brian Campbell, I'll gladly take it.

Sounds like your house was the Evgeni Malkin of the market.
- Ryan_Wilson

NMC includes the NTC part
- Ryan_Wilson

Thanks for the clarification. I would say that right there is the death nail in him sticking around. If Shero is going to pay close to top dollar, he is at least going to want the ability to move the contract if it turns out to be a bad one.
The more i think about it the more I am ok with moving on from Letang if we can get a reasonable package back. It was only 3 years ago we were wondering what was going to happen with Gonch leaving and Letang stepped into that void nicely(and Gonch left for nothing). Time for one of the guys in the minors or Despres to step up, and go through the growing pains Letang did. I only wish we had seen more of Despres this year(similar to the minutes Letang was playing in Gonch's final year) so that the transition would be a bit smoother than it is going to be.

Sounds like your house was the Evgeni Malkin of the market.
- Ryan_Wilson

thank you! It's really nice, amazingly well kept up, good location. My brothers looking right now in the same price range and I really lucked out. People wanted to move quickly.

The one thing letang brings is speed to the backend. Numerous times we have seen him catch a player or use his speed to get the puck out of the zone. I truly think that's the only think that will be missed
- drummer829

It won't be missed if the Penguins replace him with a defenseman who doesn't give up those opportunities to the other team as often as Letang does.

Sounds like your house was the Evgeni Malkin of the market.
- Ryan_Wilson

Jesse Pinkman knows a thing or two about how to buy a house on the cheap.

Chris Davis = Reincarnated Babe Ruth?
- canadianpenfan

Here's a little factoid: Babe Ruth's father ran a tavern in Baltimore, it's location, the now center field at Camden Yards.