Botterill? Is that you?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Haha. I wish; Dream job.

I do a lot of negotiation for my job & the number crunching stuff just comes second nature when I see this kinda stuff.

fairly certain bennet hasnt had a single full season since before he was at denver u, i think i can even recall when in his first game back this year he was clenching his fist or arm like his wrist was bothering him, believe he got checked cleanly against the boards and his arm got pinned inbetween himself and the boards, my point is that unless he surprises the hell out of me this year and doesnt get injured hes worthless, i mean sure he has potential and talent and is good in puck battles, but the sample size is too small

hes already slated to miss the start of the season due to his wrist right?

People are relying too much on Bennett. That is going to come back and haunt. He might have unlimited potential, but potential gets more coaches fired than hired. He has unlimited potential to sit in the pressbox 60 games per year due to a wrist injury. That is the potential I see from Bennett. I will celebrate it he reaches five goals in a season.

Kulemin is a third line player. His skill set screams it. He isn't the two-way 30-goal scoring guy of three to four years ago. That was a fluke. Kulemin-Sutter-Dupes on the third would be a very good one.
- Oneonta Penguin

Bennett living up to 80% of his potential would do wonders for this team. It's just such a question mark. I personally wouldn't label him as injury prone. Both wrist injuries sounded like freak accidents to me (this last surgery was to repair the 2nd one that he didnt let heal fully). But a top 6 forward on his contract is exactly what the doctor ordered.

That said, again, too much uncertainty and I think we need one top 9 wing and one top 6 wing in FA.

fairly certain bennet hasnt had a single full season since before he was at denver u, i think i can even recall when in his first game back this year he was clenching his fist or arm like his wrist was bothering him, believe he got checked cleanly against the boards and his arm got pinned inbetween himself and the boards, my point is that unless he surprises the hell out of me this year and doesnt get injured hes worthless, i mean sure he has potential and talent and is good in puck battles, but the sample size is too small

hes already slated to miss the start of the season due to his wrist right?
- JLT168

BB is indeed a concern.

But, to me, the whole team has been so freakin fragile. Every year, ROOT sports puts up some stat about the massive amounts of Pens man games lost to injury.

Its no longer a coincidence. They team was madeup of soft players.

Hopefully as they reshape the roster, they'll bring in more durable players.

fairly certain bennet hasnt had a single full season since before he was at denver u, i think i can even recall when in his first game back this year he was clenching his fist or arm like his wrist was bothering him, believe he got checked cleanly against the boards and his arm got pinned inbetween himself and the boards, my point is that unless he surprises the hell out of me this year and doesnt get injured hes worthless, i mean sure he has potential and talent and is good in puck battles, but the sample size is too small

hes already slated to miss the start of the season due to his wrist right?
- JLT168

Everyone gets hurt and misses time in hockey. I think Craig Adams (mr. iron man) and Beau Bennett (mr. injury) have the same exact same chance of getting injured at some point next season.

Everyone gets hurt and misses time in hockey. I think Craig Adams (mr. iron man) and Beau Bennett (mr. injury) have the same exact same chance of getting injured at some point next season.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I don't know man. Do you think all of these injuries they have had the past few years are coincidence? Its every freakin year. And its so frustrating. You never see the full lineup from late Oct until the playoffs.

Perhaps something related to the system they were playing? Conditioning? Practice time? Type of player? Something was wrong beyond bad luck.

Are you serious? Dupuis and Crosby led the team with 7 goals each last year in the playoffs. Nobody showed up in the Boston series, but you are right, Dupuis being on the top line made everybody play like crap for that series. Makes sense!! The anti-Dupuis agenda is so outplayed here. It is ridiculous. Please all of you people who seem to hate Dupuis and think he is nothing more than an overrated 3rd liner, please tell me who we can realistically get for Dupuis' cap hit that will produce as much or more than Dupuis.
- PensFan1103

Fun fact....Crosby lead the NHL by 17 pts w/o dupes most of the year and replaced by AHL plugs. Saying that Crosby needs Dupes is null and void at that point. You are referring to the past. Why not look at the present and future?

I don't know man. Do you think all of these injuries they have had the past few years are coincidence? Its every freakin year. And its so frustrating. You never see the full lineup from late Oct until the playoffs.

Perhaps something related to the system they were playing? Conditioning? Practice time? Type of player? Something was wrong beyond bad luck.
- 87_71_11_29

Agree, if it were just 1 player over and over again it's bad luck. But the players are just soft. I don't expect everyone to dress 82 games, but when you have long stretches of 71, 87, 58, and the complimentary players out. When you have so much tied into a few, it just becomes too much to overcome.

A list of some notable RFAs that will hit Free Agency:

Galiardi - CGY
Del Zotto - NSH
Perreault - ANH
Schroeder- VAN
Caron - BOS
McBain - BUF

That is with Pronger's cap hit included. That drops as soon as the season starts as it will be LTIR. So really they have roughly $4.7 million in cap space. Still not a great situation, but they have some wiggle room.
- PensFan1103

Not true......They still have to be under the cap at midnight of opening day.... they can put Pronger on LTIR at 12:00 AM.... but in order to not be in violation of the salary cap they need to be at 69 million at 11:59... which means for any player signed today they need to shed equal salary by the end of training camp because Prongers money doesn't come off the books until after they need to be under the cap.

They can't be 4.7 million over and say well that money doesn't count.... they need to be at 69 million then drop to 64.3 then back fill.

Not true......They still have to be under the cap at midnight of opening day.... they can put Pronger on LTIR at 12:00 AM.... but in order to not be in violation of the salary cap they need to be at 69 million at 11:59... which means for any player signed today they need to shed equal salary by the end of training camp because Prongers money doesn't come off the books until after they need to be under the cap.

They can't be 4.7 million over and say well that money doesn't count.... they need to be at 69 million then drop to 64.3 then back fill.
- Yonk1216

Has Pronger been seen publicly since his injury? I'm curious how he's doing, I was excited when he went to Philly, would have been great to see him fuel the rivalry, but I hate seeing a player just disappear with head injuries.

Fun fact....Crosby lead the NHL by 17 pts w/o dupes most of the year and replaced by AHL plugs. Saying that Crosby needs Dupes is null and void at that point. You are referring to the past. Why not look at the present and future?
- sammy87

Dude, you were the one who tried to say that Crosby's line did nothing in the 2012-2013 playoffs. Then when someone else corrects you, they are referring to the past. Yeah, good argument. Who said Crosby needs Dupuis? I am just saying that Dupuis works there, has proven it in the past and until he proves he can't people should relax with the hypothetical criticism. The odds of the Penguins finding a top line talent that fits into their cap space is highly unlikely. Why not wait and see if Dupuis is or isn't able to keep up and keep some of that cap money and go for someone at the deadline when that cap space stretches a little more?

Thoughts on Del Zotto? Would be a cheap replacement for Niskanen, and has some upside. It seemed like he was mis-used in both NY and Nashville. He was an offensive defenseman on 2 defensive minded teams

Bennett living up to 80% of his potential would do wonders for this team. It's just such a question mark. I personally wouldn't label him as injury prone. Both wrist injuries sounded like freak accidents to me (this last surgery was to repair the 2nd one that he didnt let heal fully). But a top 6 forward on his contract is exactly what the doctor ordered.

That said, again, too much uncertainty and I think we need one top 9 wing and one top 6 wing in FA.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I call it fragile; others call it unlucky - just the same label people call Letang. Regardless, both are injury prone and can't be counted on.

I have little faith in Bennett. If we didn't have the cap problems that we have and need bodies on the cheap, I'd trade him as this wrist thing will hamper him living up to 80% of his potential. I hope he proves me wrong.

Thoughts on Del Zotto? Would be a cheap replacement for Niskanen, and has some upside. It seemed like he was mis-used in both NY and Nashville. He was an offensive defenseman on 2 defensive minded teams
- cap1681

I wouldn't do a thing to the D corp. Let the kids play.

EDIT: At least let it ride till the trade deadline. Adjust then if needed.

Dude, you were the one who tried to say that Crosby's line did nothing in the 2012-2013 playoffs. Then when someone else corrects you, they are referring to the past. Yeah, good argument. Who said Crosby needs Dupuis? I am just saying that Dupuis works there, has proven it in the past and until he proves he can't people should relax with the hypothetical criticism. The odds of the Penguins finding a top line talent that fits into their cap space is highly unlikely. Why not wait and see if Dupuis is or isn't able to keep up and keep some of that cap money and go for someone at the deadline when that cap space stretches a little more?
- PensFan1103

Didn't do much against Boston, and struggled against the Isles. Same result this year w/o him. 2012 embarrassed by Philly, when exactly was this great year where the Dupuis on the 1st line experiment was a tremendous success? I cant find it.

I wouldn't do a thing to the D corp. Let the kids play.

EDIT: At least let it ride till the trade deadline. Adjust then if needed.
- Topshelf Mountain

This team will make the playoffs, most likely as a top 4 contender. Im sure there will be rough times through the season, but putting together a playoff team and a reg season team are 2 different things.

Fun fact....Crosby lead the NHL by 17 pts w/o dupes most of the year and replaced by AHL plugs. Saying that Crosby needs Dupes is null and void at that point. You are referring to the past. Why not look at the present and future?
- sammy87

LOL ... how many points did he generate with Kunitz and insert your random player versus how many points did he generate on the power play with Malkin, Neal, Kunitz. It's pretty obvious that first line wasn't nearly as good this year as it was the previous year. What was the missing piece? Hmmm....

This team will make the playoffs, most likely as a top 4 contender. Im sure there will be rough times through the season, but putting together a playoff team and a reg season team are 2 different things.
- sammy87

Are you agreeing with me?

Didn't do much against Boston, and struggled against the Isles. Same result this year w/o him. 2012 embarrassed by Philly, when exactly was this great year where the Dupuis on the 1st line experiment was a tremendous success? I cant find it.
- sammy87

You are absolutely right, Dupuis has been the problem all along, even still being on the team but not playing last year did the Pens in. We should just waive him. Good lord you are dense.

Didn't do much against Boston, and struggled against the Isles. Same result this year w/o him. 2012 embarrassed by Philly, when exactly was this great year where the Dupuis on the 1st line experiment was a tremendous success? I cant find it.
- sammy87

The first line success this year was tremendous without him in the play-offs right? Crosby sucked ass; the first line couldn't score against Columbus, or the Rags.

I'll have a blog up within the hour hopefully, stay tuned.

I wouldn't do a thing to the D corp. Let the kids play.

EDIT: At least let it ride till the trade deadline. Adjust then if needed.
- Topshelf Mountain

My thought process is that you could sign Del Zotto at between 2-2.5M. Up until this past year, he was a top 4 defenseman for the Rangers. Don't know what made him fall out of favor this past season, but he is only 24. Would add a little bit of veteran presence. It would be a risk, but i could see him putting up similar numbers to Niskanen, at a lot cheaper of a price.

The first line success this year was tremendous without him in the play-offs right? Crosby sucked ass; the first line couldn't score against Columbus, or the Rags.
- Oneonta Penguin

The concern for me with Dupes is age and serious knee surgery. I don't think he'll be the same player. Adding a guy like Horny (Is it too early for nicknames?) will enhance the production for the top line to better levels than with Dupes.

The first line success this year was tremendous without him in the play-offs right? Crosby sucked ass; the first line couldn't score against Columbus, or the Rags.
- Oneonta Penguin

If you compare this year to the 2 previous years, the results are the same with or w/o Dupes on the 1st. IMO Dupes is best served on the 3rd where the Pens have struggled heavily.