That's entirely speculative. No one knows what Scuderi's NTC is.
- jfkst1

Agreed. I think he understands he is the next one on the chopping block if there's more moves to be made.

Should be a very interesting playoff race and playoffs as well next year for the Metro.
- Pens_Burgh

Yup. Rangers, Pitt, NYI will all be heavyweights and then there are the BJs who killed last season after they got healthy, the Caps who just seem playoff bound, and the Flyers who, while far from a lock, are a team that I can see make the playoff too.

Without going into what is in the hands of police, would you be worried as a Hawks fan?

There was a blog yesterday about their changes & where they are at, didn't realise that they only snuck into the playoffs by 3 points last season. Their team is nowhere near as good as it was & without Kruger even worse & over the cap still????

So when can we say they are a team in transit - not even mentioning the current news of the day?
- Aussiepenguin

Hawks fans should be worried.

If he gets charged, he'll be distracted and a distraction for the team. Can't imagine he'd be playing if he gets charged since he'll be suspended by the league. If it's like Voynov situation Hawks won't get cap relief right away either.

they won't make the playoffs...

That's entirely speculative. No one knows what Scuderi's NTC is. http://www.generalfanager.com/players/1622
- jfkst1

sorry, five



http://isportsweb.com/201...b-scuderi-trade-unlikely/

Yup. Rangers, Pitt, NYI will all be heavyweights and then there are the BJs who killed last season after they got healthy, the Caps who just seem playoff bound, and the Flyers who, while far from a lock, are a team that I can see make the playoff too.
- RAGSareDANGERus

Yeah man it's going to be an absolute blood bath. You're analysis was spot on.

Yup. Rangers, Pitt, NYI will all be heavyweights and then there are the BJs who killed last season after they got healthy, the Caps who just seem playoff bound, and the Flyers who, while far from a lock, are a team that I can see make the playoff too.
- RAGSareDANGERus

I'm still unconvinced the blue jackets are a force. After seeing the isles play well for stretches at the end of nonplayoff seasons, I'm not sure the blue jackets are actually for real.

rangers will be good, they didn't lose much this offseason, Isles hopefully will take another step and I think the caps and pens should be fighting for a top spot.

Here's the thing though (and I know I'm gonna get ripped for this) but I'm still picking the pens as a team that misses the playoffs because their defense is so young. I could well be wrong, but I just see that as a red flag.

A second seems like a high price to pay to love scuderi. Though Franson could be the guy who puts is over the top.

Scuderi contract is structured right. He's only owed 3 this and 2.5 next. So for non cap teams it's a much better contract.

A second round pick would be close to the costs of acquiring a Franson level dman at the deadline so I might prefer to hold onto it now.

Next offseason trading scuderi should be very likely with ony 1 million retained tops. For a cap floor team maybe less.

With only Maata/Peron contracts up for extension next year and talk of cap hikes we might have the money to add that defenseman next year.

sorry, five



http://isportsweb.com/201...b-scuderi-trade-unlikely/
- ChrisMS

While that isn't a poorly written or researched article, it's hardly from a reputable source. I seriously doubt that kid knows more about Scuderi's contract status than NHL Numbers, General Fanager, Cap Geek (R.I.P.), and War on Ice.

id be curious to see if we have the best overall analytics of any team in the NHL..

I'm still unconvinced the blue jackets are a force. After seeing the isles play well for stretches at the end of nonplayoff seasons, I'm not sure the blue jackets are actually for real.

rangers will be good, they didn't lose much this offseason, Isles hopefully will take another step and I think the caps and pens should be fighting for a top spot.

Here's the thing though (and I know I'm gonna get ripped for this) but I'm still picking the pens as a team that misses the playoffs because their defense is so young. I could well be wrong, but I just see that as a red flag.
- Isles_since_6

Letang, Maatta, Cole, Lovejoy, and Scuderi are currently 5 of their top 6 defensemen baring prospects beating any of those guys out. If they go in with 5 of those 6 guys, those guys are all veterans.

I'm still unconvinced the blue jackets are a force. After seeing the isles play well for stretches at the end of nonplayoff seasons, I'm not sure the blue jackets are actually for real.

rangers will be good, they didn't lose much this offseason, Isles hopefully will take another step and I think the caps and pens should be fighting for a top spot.

Here's the thing though (and I know I'm gonna get ripped for this) but I'm still picking the pens as a team that misses the playoffs because their defense is so young. I could well be wrong, but I just see that as a red flag.
- Isles_since_6

I could see the Pens missing the postseason, but I think it would have to do with injuries. No Metro team can afford to take significant injuries because the division is that strong.

id be curious to see if we have the best overall analytics of any team in the NHL..
- YouMeAndDupuis9

In terms of predicting the best possession teams, TBL is probably a likely candidate. LAK will be good at it again. NYI are also very good. Though PIT has to be up there as long as Scuderi isn't getting significant time.

read this, it'll make it worse.

http://bleacherreport.com...s-after-terrible-contract
- Isles_since_6

Basically similar to what I was saying the day of and the day after the trade was made. Apparently it's fine to keep overpaying as long as he keeps making changes since the team is going to suck anyway.

So the elephant in the room, Rob Scuderi.

I brought this up a while ago, would anyone else here deal ANA's 2nd rounder with Scuderi to NJ or wherever would take him? Give us back a 5-6th, no salary retention either. That would allow us to sign Franson on one year deal. We got that pick for free. We dealt our third we got from compensation for it. Why not? We still have ours correct? Or no? Anyways I would still do it. Take a look below. Feast your eyes.

Perron Crosby Kessel
Kunitz Malkin Hornqvist
Dupuis Bonino Ferh
Plotnikov Cullen Bennett

Letang Maatta
Cole Franson
Dumoulin Pouliot
Lovejoy Clendening Andersson etc
- Pens_Burgh

absolutely. 2nd rounder or even a sundqvist would be totally worth moving Scuderi, but ONLY if they already know they'll be able to sign Franson for ~ Scuderi money. otherwise, it's probably worth it to just keep him as a 7th dman to cycle in and out to try to keep the dudes fresh.

Since the Pens look like they are now able to find cheap, effective veterans on the bottom two lines, it becomes much less important to have a Sundqvist waiting in the wings.

keeping the guys with high ceilings is absolutely still important. but Sundqvist's value comes more as probability of success than with ceiling of success.

it's clear that the Pens now are fully buying into the "advanced" type stats. just go all in, at this point. having Franson over Scuderi could be the final cherry on top that they need.

He will get hurt in the first month and will be on the sidelines on and off the rest of the year

A second seems like a high price to pay to love scuderi. Though Franson could be the guy who puts is over the top.

Scuderi contract is structured right. He's only owed 3 this and 2.5 next. So for non cap teams it's a much better contract.

A second round pick would be close to the costs of acquiring a Franson level dman at the deadline so I might prefer to hold onto it now.

Next offseason trading scuderi should be very likely with ony 1 million retained tops. For a cap floor team maybe less.

With only Maata/Peron contracts up for extension next year and talk of cap hikes we might have the money to add that defenseman next year.
- sditulli

A guy like Franson would probably cost more at the deadline. Like the blog says, why wait and overpay at the deadline? We won't have the cap space for a legit top 4 either at the deadline with Scuds on the roster. Kill 2 birds with one stone.

Also we will have Maatta, Perron, Plot and BB to extend next year. Maatta is the only guarantee, the rest depend on performance.

We will more than likely need to move Kunitz after the season to make more room. There's our second round pick back that we traded. Obviosuly depending on performance, but I'd say a 2nd-3rd to dump Kunitz to a contender.

Need to replace Franson? No problem, sign the next guy looking for a 1 year deal on a contender. Maybe Clendening steps up, maybe Andersson? You never know.

IMO our best bet for the present and the future would be to move Scuds + ANA 2nd for a 6th to NJ. IF it were possible, of course.

absolutely. 2nd rounder or even a sundqvist would be totally worth moving Scuderi, but ONLY if they already know they'll be able to sign Franson for ~ Scuderi money. otherwise, it's probably worth it to just keep him as a 7th dman to cycle in and out to try to keep the dudes fresh.

Since the Pens look like they are now able to find cheap, effective veterans on the bottom two lines, it becomes much less important to have a Sundqvist waiting in the wings.

keeping the guys with high ceilings is absolutely still important. but Sundqvist's value comes more as probability of success than with ceiling of success.

it's clear that the Pens now are fully buying into the "advanced" type stats. just go all in, at this point. having Franson over Scuderi could be the final cherry on top that they need.
- poopmouth

I'd keep Sundqvist. He'll most likely replace Bonino when his deal is up. Give him a year in the AHL. I think Sundqvist is more valuable to how our team is built than a second. That pick could take years to get where Sundqvist is at.

Also this trade would happen just like the Sutter one did. Sign and trade.

absolutely. 2nd rounder or even a sundqvist would be totally worth moving Scuderi, but ONLY if they already know they'll be able to sign Franson for ~ Scuderi money. otherwise, it's probably worth it to just keep him as a 7th dman to cycle in and out to try to keep the dudes fresh.

Since the Pens look like they are now able to find cheap, effective veterans on the bottom two lines, it becomes much less important to have a Sundqvist waiting in the wings.

keeping the guys with high ceilings is absolutely still important. but Sundqvist's value comes more as probability of success than with ceiling of success.

it's clear that the Pens now are fully buying into the "advanced" type stats. just go all in, at this point. having Franson over Scuderi could be the final cherry on top that they need.
- poopmouth

The final cherry. Love that one.

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fehr is out until dec so getting Cullen is just insurance in case Wilson rust aren't ready, but I believe they are. I would start these lines game 1 and then change due to slumps. As you know I am a big fan of trying new things out not just the status quo

perron sid kessel
plot geno horn
kuni bonino duper (if healthy)
sund Cullen Bennett
Wilson/rust

To the person who questioned giving up a 2nd to move Scuderi... BLASPHEMY!

That 2nd we got came from a vast overpayment for Sutter, and a 3rd rounder we got for nothing... Therefore, we shouldn't have any real attachment to that 2nd rounder, and if it can get rid of Scuds, do it. I'll even throw in Bartley's left and right nuts for the trade.

Doing that means we can likely get Franson to a few year deal... since he apparently CANNOT get the big money we thought, 4 mil and 4-5 years might be all it takes coming from a contender.

fehr is out until dec so getting Cullen is just insurance in case Wilson rust aren't ready, but I believe they are. I would start these lines game 1 and then change due to slumps. As you know I am a big fan of trying new things out not just the status quo

perron sid kessel
plot geno horn
kuni bonino duper (if healthy)
sund Cullen Bennett
Wilson/rust
- nh4442

Gonna scratch Sund from your lines... he has almost no AHL experience, and I really think this Cullen signing says they are taking their time with Sundy. Lets put in Conner Sheary instead, natural LW and hes ready for a shot.

Gonna scratch Sund from your lines... he has almost no AHL experience, and I really think this Cullen signing says they are taking their time with Sundy. Lets put in Conner Sheary instead, natural LW and hes ready for a shot.
- Guile

I can sign off to that

I doubt we need cap room next year to sign our guys so kunitz trade isn't a sure thing.

Scuds will come off the books someway next year either a trade witha bit retained or bought out. Maata will likely cost $3 million more. Peron looks like a 4-5 a year winger to me so not a huge increase. Cullen we replace the same way we got him or resign at 800. Bennet if he performs and gets expensive either means he replaces peron at less or we can trade him instead of paying up. If the cap increases by 3 and scuderi is off the books with cap savings of 2 we should be ok with the cap.

Trading kunitz would just mean we realize we need to sign a 3d and need cap space for that.

Signing Franson by moving scuderi means Franson woild need to agree to a pay cut which is possible.

Sundqvist probably takes Bennett or Cullen spot next year at a small savings

I doubt we need cap room next year to sign our guys so kunitz trade isn't a sure thing.

Scuds will come off the books someway next year either a trade witha bit retained or bought out. Maata will likely cost $3 million more. Peron looks like a 4-5 a year winger to me so not a huge increase. Cullen we replace the same way we got him or resign at 800. Bennet if he performs and gets expensive either means he replaces peron at less or we can trade him instead of paying up. If the cap increases by 3 and scuderi is off the books with cap savings of 2 we should be ok with the cap.

Trading kunitz would just mean we realize we need to sign a 3d and need cap space for that.

Signing Franson by moving scuderi means Franson woild need to agree to a pay cut which is possible.

Sundqvist probably takes Bennett or Cullen spot next year at a small savings
- sditulli

Bennett even with a breakout year.. will get a bridge deal type not too expensive. His life has been injuries, and unless another team wants to bet hard on him, he can't get a ton without more than 1 year of high level play.

Cullen is a 1 year than hes retiring unless someone else wants him, no offense to him, but if Fehr wasn't starting on LTIR, we almost no chance we would have signed him.

Spot on on the Maatta raise, likely going up to about 4 mil, possibly a bit less depending on how this season goes.

Scuderi better be (frank)ing gone... or hell, someone break his pinky finger (would have said leg, but hes a nice guy... just the finger, non repairable, LTIR until his contract is up).

Perron, I like him, I think hes gonna put up 30 goals this year... but its gonna be hard to see us keeping him without getting rid of Scuds, Kunitz, and or Duper.

To the person who questioned giving up a 2nd to move Scuderi... BLASPHEMY!

That 2nd we got came from a vast overpayment for Sutter, and a 3rd rounder we got for nothing... Therefore, we shouldn't have any real attachment to that 2nd rounder, and if it can get rid of Scuds, do it. I'll even throw in Bartley's left and right nuts for the trade.

Doing that means we can likely get Franson to a few year deal... since he apparently CANNOT get the big money we thought, 4 mil and 4-5 years might be all it takes coming from a contender.
- Guile

Wait until the TDL and you can probably get Dan Hamhuis for Scuderi and a 2nd.