J.R. quotes:

Are you still looking to sign a bottom-six forward, particularly a fourth-line center?

"We're working on a couple of things. It gets a little more difficult now with the
- YouMeAndDupuis9[salary] cap space we have. We're still working on it. [With] the signing of [Kevin] Porter and [forward Oskar] Sundqvist coming along, we're okay starting that way too."

This may be an antiquated notion, but are you lacking in toughness at all? You've lost some of your top fighters such as Steve Downie and Simon Despres the last few months.

"Well we won't have as much of it on an individual basis next year. We've looked at it every which way. We feel going with skill level is the way we want to go with more balance in our forwards. We'll have to add some toughness when we feel we need it for certain games or certain stretches of time but right now, based on us looking at what was more important – to have the individual toughness or to have more skill – we're looking at going with more skill and more balance throughout the roster."

Wait. Who is Kevin Porter?

Very pleased Sundqvist is part of Old Man Ruth's plan moving forward next year. Add that to the ELC count. Sundqvist and Plotnikov should add the bite we've lost with Despres and Downie. They may not be as bone headed as those two too, which would be a huge plus. So really, we're right where we were as far as toughness goes but hopefully also more skilled now that we're not going with guys like Adams, Sill, and Lappierre in the bottom 6.

If Mattaa wants 5M next year, where are the Pens finding that cap space? The only expiring big contract this season is Perron, and with what we have in the system I'd think he also needs to be retained.
- Willaged

Well Scuds could be bought out next year with much lower costs than if he was bought out this year.

Kunitz and/or Sutter are taking up another $7M.

It's not for nothing. It's for unloading Scuderi, which is a huge albatross on the team right now.
- jfkst1

You dont give up an asset like Beau to get rid of a bad contract.

Plus what is the end game? What are you doing with the cap space? Find Beau's replacement and a worthwhile defenseman on the FA market and you end up spending more than $4.75M.

Yeah, but the proposal was Bennett AND Scuderi for a third. And unloading Scuderi is a huge benefit to the team.
- jfkst1

Yeah i don't think a lot of people understand that the goodness of beau's cheapness and the badness of scuds's expensiveness cancel each other out.

beau for a 3rd = bad

beau and salary dump scuderi for a 3rd is pretty okay.

I know people don't like talking like this, but players are assets. The goal is to fit as much talent onto the team as possible while staying under the salary cap.

It's entirely possible that a 3.5 million dollar free agent + playing dumoulin instead of scuderi is better for the team than a cheap Bennett and the bad expensive scuderi.

I'm one of Beau's biggest supporters, but if pairing him up with Scuds is the cost of getting rid of Scuds, then i think that's something you'd have to consider.

the reality is that scuds has negative trade value and it'll take positive value going the other way to clear it.

Wait. Who is Kevin Porter?

Very pleased Sundqvist is part of Old Man Ruth's plan moving forward next year. Add that to the ELC count. Sundqvist and Plotnikov should add the bite we've lost with Despres and Downie. They may not be as bone headed as those two too, which would be a huge plus. So really, we're right where we were as far as toughness goes but hopefully also more skilled now that we're not going with guys like Adams, Sill, and Lappierre in the bottom 6.
- Victoro311

One of the guys we signed on July 1...basically Andrew Ebbett 2.0.

Sunqvist, Plot, Rust, Wilson, Farnham, and Kuntiz....theres still a little bit of grit there in potential bottom 6 guys...and I'd argue much more skill than last years bottom 6.

You dont give up an asset like Beau to get rid of a bad contract.

Plus what is the end game? What are you doing with the cap space? Find Beau's replacement and a worthwhile defenseman on the FA market and you end up spending more than $4.75M.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

it's no different than retaining salary in a trade, really.

You dont give up an asset like Beau to get rid of a bad contract.

Plus what is the end game? What are you doing with the cap space? Find Beau's replacement and a worthwhile defenseman on the FA market and you end up spending more than $4.75M.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Believe me, I'd rather it be Sutter and Scuderi for a 3rd. Rutherford would immediately become my favorite person if he did that. Pens are going to have to give up something to unload Scuderi. He's a complete liability on a roster that is in win-now mode.

Yeah i don't think a lot of people understand that the goodness of beau's cheapness and the badness of scuds's expensiveness cancel each other out.

beau for a 3rd = bad

beau and salary dump scuderi for a 3rd is pretty okay.

I know people don't like talking like this, but players are assets. The goal is to fit as much talent onto the team as possible while staying under the salary cap.

It's entirely possible that a 3.5 million dollar free agent + playing dumoulin instead of scuderi is better for the team than a cheap Bennett and the bad expensive scuderi.

I'm one of Beau's biggest supporters, but if pairing him up with Scuds is the cost of getting rid of Scuds, then i think that's something you'd have to consider.

the reality is that scuds has negative trade value and it'll take positive value going the other way to clear it.
- poopmouth

Just tell me who you sign as Beau's replacement + a competent defenseman after that trade. At fair market prices. Then we can see if this trade actually makes any sense..

Just tell me who you sign as Beau's replacement + a competent defenseman after that trade. At fair market prices. Then we can see if this trade actually makes any sense..
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Schlemko and Boyes/Semin/Tlusty/Fehr/Santorelli, etc. would be no more expensive and an overall upgrade.

One of the guys we signed on July 1...basically Andrew Ebbett 2.0.

Sunqvist, Plot, Rust, Wilson, Farnham, and Kuntiz....theres still a little bit of grit there in potential bottom 6 guys...and I'd argue much more skill than last years bottom 6.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Rust isn't gonna give you much bite if we're talking about agitating and putting people in their place. One of his better characteristics is how composed he stays on the ice. He's Mr. calm.

If Farnham see more than three games this year we better be reeked with injuries.

Just tell me who you sign as Beau's replacement + a competent defenseman after that trade. At fair market prices. Then we can see if this trade actually makes any sense..
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Maybe Derrick Rose can take over if beau leaves

Just tell me who you sign as Beau's replacement + a competent defenseman after that trade. At fair market prices. Then we can see if this trade actually makes any sense..
- YouMeAndDupuis9

We aren't really replacing beaus talent in this scenario because he's likely a 4th line player on this roster.

Schlemko and Boyes/Semin/Tlusty/Fehr/Santorelli, etc. would be no more expensive and an overall upgrade.
- jfkst1

I'm not sure that would be cheaper. But it is probably a short term upgrade. May come back to bite you in the ass one day but I suppose the 3rd offsets that a tiny bit.

Now what about a realistic trade...because NJ doesnt have a 3rd next year nor would Scuds waive to go there...

We aren't really replacing beaus talent in this scenario because he's likely a 4th line player on this roster.
- dbell646

or a super cost effective 2nd line winger....hence the debate...

edit: IF we could pull of that trade AND be certain we get a good forward under $2.5M on the FA market AND we get a cheap number 5 or 6 D-man as well under $2M...then I guess the idea isnt crazy. But that's a lot of IFs

I'm not sure that would be cheaper. But it is probably a short term upgrade. May come back to bite you in the ass one day but I suppose the 3rd offsets that a tiny bit.

Now what about a realistic trade...because NJ doesnt have a 3rd next year nor would Scuds waive to go there...
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Most of management's moves have a good chance of coming back and biting them in the ass in the future. That's the risk with going all in. I don't think there's any trade proposal that is happening with him honestly. I'm convinced Scuderi is almost impossible to move with his NTC. Maybe place him on waivers, but that only saves ~$945k from what I've read. Still probably better than having him play in front of a developing player like Dumoulin.

Let's play would you rather:

Semin at $3M for 2 years
or
Bennett at $1M for 2 years

Most of management's moves have a good chance of coming back and biting them in the ass in the future. That's the risk with going all in. I don't think there's any trade proposal that is happening with him honestly. I'm convinced Scuderi is almost impossible to move with his NTC. Maybe place him on waivers, but that only saves ~$945k from what I've read. Still probably better than having him play in front of a developing player like Dumoulin.
- jfkst1

If we lose Dumo on waivers and Scuderi is playing....wow I literally cant even\

We had Niskanen, Martin, Ehrhoff, Orpik, Chorney, Bortuzzo, Strait, Harrington, Morrow, and Samuelsson all leave in the past few years. Doesn't that seem like a lot of pretty good D-man?

Let's play would you rather:

Semin at $3M for 2 years
or
Bennett at $1M for 2 years and Scuderi at $3.3m for 2 years
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I fixed it for you.

If we lose Dumo on waivers and Scuderi is playing....wow I literally cant even\

We had Niskanen, Martin, Ehrhoff, Orpik, Chorney, Bortuzzo, Strait, Harrington, Morrow, and Samuelsson all leave in the past few years. Doesn't that seem like a lot of pretty good D-man?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I'm talking about Scuderi on waivers- not Dumoulin. Dumoulin would get picked up immediately.

I'm talking about Scuderi on waivers- not Dumoulin. Dumoulin would get picked up immediately.
- jfkst1

I know...but my mind started wandering...

If we lose Dumo on waivers and Scuderi is playing....wow I literally cant even\

We had Niskanen, Martin, Ehrhoff, Orpik, Chorney, Bortuzzo, Strait, Harrington, Morrow, and Samuelsson all leave in the past few years. Doesn't that seem like a lot of pretty good D-man?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Niskanen was nutsly overrated. Thought we should have traded him at the deadline cus teams were gonna over value him and we weren't gonna be able to resign him. The contract he got from the Caps verified that. The return would have been crazy comparitive to the player we were actually sending out.

Orpik wasn't really good at the point he left us.

We couldn't move Martin and Ehroff this season. Getting rid of Martin would have conceded defeat which honestly we should have done but we're never gonna do. Hof had his NTC.

Chroney's not actually good. He over preformed in a sheltered bottom pairing role. Guy is an AHL call up. A very serviceable one but this board's infatuation with him is inexplicable to me. He's not an NHL main stay even on the third pairing

Bortuzzo was traded for a much better defenseman. Still don't know how that happened.

Samuelsson was moved for a top 6 winger with some term like we all wanted (straight up for Klinkhammer who was packaged into the Perron deal).

Strait and Morrow were victims of depth chart. Morrow busted so no big deal.

So i really have no problems with any of those guys not being in the org anymore, and the only one I really have an issue with how he left was Niskanen.

Moving Beau in a deal with scuderi for a third is laughable. Carry Scuderi and trade him at whatever point. Moving Beau with Perron is the only thing I would consider and that's if they're getting something decent back. I don't want them gone, but that's kinda where I see a move that would make sense.

Anyone know or understand how scuderi's contract works with waivers?
Like can any team pick him up or does he have to approve the waiver???

Really hope this article didn't make everyone dive back on the Kunitz Bangwagon...


Yes, I think he will be better than the 2nd half of last year, I don't think any of us should except him to come back worse or the same. Now, him being the form at the start of last year, or years prior? ehhhh, maybe. But, I think hes gonna raise his stock enough to be a good trade aspect, and we have a few young guns ready to come up. Our 2nd round draft pick has 1st round level ranking and promise, that guy who tore it up in our AHL whose name I can never remember, and our other "mid 6" type players who should be able to slot up.

Anyone know or understand how scuderi's contract works with waivers?
Like can any team pick him up or does he have to approve the waiver???
- Danny_Devito

I heard that if we place him on waivers, he has to be bought out if not picked up, cannot be sent to the AHL.

Sooo... doubt we'd waiver him this year, or we'd have done so already.