If Pitts and Tampa don't do their due diligence and trade their older goalies then that would leave LV wide open to steal Murray, Vasilevsky, and say Halak. That is playoff caliber goaltending. They could even trade one of Murray and Vasilevsky for an impact forward or dman. There is no reason what so ever for Pittsburgh and Tampa to be so nonchalant about their goaltending situation. The consequences are dire. The time to act is now, be preemptive. Having to add a sweetner for someone to take MAF next June or worse losing Murray to expansion is a collapse in judgement and intelligence that the team would take years to recover from. Anyone who wants Fleury on the team at the beginning of the season with all that is at stake is a sentimental fool, period.
- Dcoms

We have disagreed for a major part of our times on this board. However, its seems as though we are the lone two who really care about this organization not on a year to year basis, but the future. Everyone else is geared to year to year and the hell with down the road. Otherwise, they would understand the right move to make.

I see another Vancouver situation brewing here. That isn't a good thing.

Bishop has a NMC. MAF can list 18 teams for which he'll allow a trade. There was ONE goalie trade tonight and Calgary hasn't been (in recent years) a preferred destination. You can complain all you want, but Bishop and MAF have most of the control. There's 3 parties involved in a trade for these guys.
- madmike71

Maybe. But JR asked for Calgarys number 6. So he must have spoken to MAF prior to this.

How is it not worth it? They should just not even try to talk to anyone to see where they're at and what they would need to do to make it possible? God your clueless.
- jaydogg1974

You're a hardline don't trade MAF guy AND you want to explore free agency? You're a walking oxymoron

You're a hardline don't trade MAF guy AND you want to explore free agency? You're a walking oxymoron
- Victoro311

Hahahha

Eating Datsyuk's contract is actually very valuable to a team like Arizona, they can now get to the 54M cap floor while only spending 46.5M.
- jaydogg1974

Yay, win for them, they made it to the cap floor, woo hoo! Why bother having a team if you're not going to compete (or at least try) for a championship?

Maybe. But JR asked for Calgarys number 6. So he must have spoken to MAF prior to this.
- PensFan1962

Did JR confirm that? Calgary? We have no idea if that's true. Maybe JR told Calgary that he'll only go through the trouble of asking MAF if the 6th is available.

The only thing you get in return for MAF is a draft pick and cap relief. Why does keeping MAF = exposing Murray? They just buy out MAF and take the cap hit (currently about $1.7 million per year according to general fanager) if its March and he doesnt want a trade or to waive his NMC then and they want to protect Murray.

What is the advantage to trading him now?

To put this in perspective, they pay 1.3 million or so of Scuderi's contract right now.
- PensFan1962

Buying out Fleury? Do you really believe that would be an option? It's also a waste of cap room.

The advantage of trading him now is there are/were options to send him away. Calgary was on the doorstep. You say he only brings back a pick and clears cap space. That is valuable. We have talked about some areas we need to improve on. Right now, as it stands, we have no room to make a decent deal. People talk about sending a second for Yukupov. So, how does 2.5 million become an option for us to use if a second round pick is going back?

Yes, pay 1.3 on Scuderi ... add the 1.7 on MAF and ... that is 3 million per year of cap space filled with players no longer on the roster. I can think of other uses for that.

Is there truly a market at the trade deadline for MAF? I can't think of a worse time to deal him. Even if you deal him away at that point, what happens if Murray gets injured? You have to rely on Jarry or Desmith. Not good. Right now, you trade Fleury and go out and get a competent backup that can hold down the fort. Enroth, Hutton are two examples. Hell, Chad Johnson might be another.

Do you think another team will do us a favor at the deadline? I don't. you would have to be rooting for a starting goalie to be lost for the season in order to get a call. Trade him before the season, guess what - you lost your time to go out and get a capable backup, so that is a fail too.

Nothing positive becomes of this.

You're a hardline don't trade MAF guy AND you want to explore free agency? You're a walking oxymoron
- Victoro311

Yep, I find that interesting and have found it interesting reading his stuff. There is no room to explore FA if we keep MAF. Pretty simple math.

Yay, win for them, they made it to the cap floor, woo hoo! Why bother having a team if you're not going to compete (or at least try) for a championship?
- BestEpisodeEver

I honestly believe the Coyote's rebuild is going quite well.

I honestly believe the Coyote's rebuild is going quite well.
- Victoro311

Maybe they will want a top 6 forward... I heard Kuni is available

I honestly believe the Coyote's rebuild is going quite well.
- Victoro311

Signed Gogo; got Keller and Chychrun ... Dom, Duclair, Rieder, Connor Murphy improving ... OEL seems like he has been around for a decade, but he is only 24 ... some nice pieces there.

Buying out Fleury? Do you really believe that would be an option? It's also a waste of cap room.

The advantage of trading him now is there are/were options to send him away. Calgary was on the doorstep. You say he only brings back a pick and clears cap space. That is valuable. We have talked about some areas we need to improve on. Right now, as it stands, we have no room to make a decent deal. People talk about sending a second for Yukupov. So, how does 2.5 million become an option for us to use if a second round pick is going back?

Yes, pay 1.3 on Scuderi ... add the 1.7 on MAF and ... that is 3 million per year of cap space filled with players no longer on the roster. I can think of other uses for that.

Is there truly a market at the trade deadline for MAF? I can't think of a worse time to deal him. Even if you deal him away at that point, what happens if Murray gets injured? You have to rely on Jarry or Desmith. Not good. Right now, you trade Fleury and go out and get a competent backup that can hold down the fort. Enroth, Hutton are two examples. Hell, Chad Johnson might be another.

Do you think another team will do us a favor at the deadline? I don't. you would have to be rooting for a starting goalie to be lost for the season in order to get a call. Trade him before the season, guess what - you lost your time to go out and get a capable backup, so that is a fail too.

Nothing positive becomes of this.
- Oneonta Penguin

I love trade talk and thoughts of bringing in new blood as much as the next guy, but we just won the friggin' Stanley Cup and have 95% of our roster back for next year. We'll make it to the playoffs again, and who knows how it will turn out. We can tweak as the season goes on, and we won't lose Murray. We'll be fine.

Signed Gogo; got Keller and Chychrun ... Dom, Duclair, Rieder, Connor Murphy improving ... OEL seems like he has been around for a decade, but he is only 24 ... some nice pieces there.
- Oneonta Penguin

Exactly. No idea why anyone would ever rip how the Yotes have done things in terms of building a team. They haven't even had to jeticine Doane who is the Yotes. Most teams when they rebuild have to alienate the fanbase and kick out their fan favorites. Arizona has somehow skipped that step.

I love trade talk and thoughts of bringing in new blood as much as the next guy, but we just won the friggin' Stanley Cup and have 95% of our roster back for next year. We'll make it to the playoffs again, and who knows how it will turn out. We can tweak as the season goes on, and we won't lose Murray. We'll be fine.
- BestEpisodeEver

We have six defensemen. One of them is Pouliot. We needed the cap space.

Buying out Fleury? Do you really believe that would be an option? It's also a waste of cap room.

The advantage of trading him now is there are/were options to send him away. Calgary was on the doorstep. You say he only brings back a pick and clears cap space. That is valuable. We have talked about some areas we need to improve on. Right now, as it stands, we have no room to make a decent deal. People talk about sending a second for Yukupov. So, how does 2.5 million become an option for us to use if a second round pick is going back?

Yes, pay 1.3 on Scuderi ... add the 1.7 on MAF and ... that is 3 million per year of cap space filled with players no longer on the roster. I can think of other uses for that.

Is there truly a market at the trade deadline for MAF? I can't think of a worse time to deal him. Even if you deal him away at that point, what happens if Murray gets injured? You have to rely on Jarry or Desmith. Not good. Right now, you trade Fleury and go out and get a competent backup that can hold down the fort. Enroth, Hutton are two examples. Hell, Chad Johnson might be another.

Do you think another team will do us a favor at the deadline? I don't. you would have to be rooting for a starting goalie to be lost for the season in order to get a call. Trade him before the season, guess what - you lost your time to go out and get a capable backup, so that is a fail too.

Nothing positive becomes of this.
- Oneonta Penguin

Assume we keep MAF and Murray, and add a 3rd line right handed D and some veteran foward depth. Come March-June, Pens are set to shed about $11 million in cap space going into 2017-18 if they buyout MAF, and and they shed $15-16 million if he waives his NTC and goes to Vegas (or elsewhere). They have a number of needs to fill then, but the future looks bright whatever they do. Scuderis 1.1 million goes away this year, by the way. Injuries are always going to happen, but they are in great shape whatever they do with Fluery. The buyout window starts June 14 of 2017, it looks like, and the protection lists are due June 17, so it looks like there is time to buy guys out if needed.

I am not concerned about the Pens future. You can't win the cup every year, but they are in position to be competitive for years to come. The goalie situation is merely a distraction to this overall trend.

Exactly. No idea why anyone would ever rip how the Yotes have done things in terms of building a team. They haven't even had to jeticine Doane who is the Yotes. Most teams when they rebuild have to alienate the fanbase and kick out their fan favorites. Arizona has somehow skipped that step.
- Victoro311

Yeah, they have good parts, but if you're eating dead contracts just to get to the cap floor, they could be spending money on bringing players in who could contribute. Spend (wisely) closer to the cap ceiling, and they could be contenders sooner rather than later.

Yeah, they have good parts, but if you're eating dead contracts just to get to the cap floor, they could be spending money on bringing players in who could contribute. Spend (wisely) closer to the cap ceiling, and they could be contenders sooner rather than later.
- BestEpisodeEver

Why? They could continue to have those good balanced building blocks and keep getting good draft selections to add high impact player. It's my personal opinion that if you don't have a real shot at the cup, you don't sign win now guys. Obviously Yotes management thinks they're turning the corner be caused they signed Gogo.

This is the train of thought that ousted Hinkie from the Sixers.

We have six defensemen. One of them is Pouliot. We needed the cap space.
- Victoro311

Pouliot isn't horrible, needs to take his NHL lumps and figure it out anyway. And they can always squeeze in a 6/7 dman if none of the WBS guys are ready.

Pouliot isn't horrible, needs to take his NHL lumps and figure it out anyway. And they can always squeeze in a 6/7 dman if none of the WBS guys are ready.
- BestEpisodeEver

Dude you can't go to war 6/7 d deep... That's our problem we have no one in WBS. We have to fit more D under the cap.

Assume we keep MAF and Murray, and add a 3rd line right handed D and some veteran foward depth. Come March-June, Pens are set to shed about $11 million in cap space going into 2017-18 if they buyout MAF, and and they shed $15-16 million if he waives his NTC and goes to Vegas (or elsewhere). They have a number of needs to fill then, but the future looks bright whatever they do. Scuderis 1.1 million goes away this year, by the way. Injuries are always going to happen, but they are in great shape whatever they do with Fluery. The buyout window starts June 14 of 2017, it looks like, and the protection lists are due June 17, so it looks like there is time to buy guys out if needed.

I am not concerned about the Pens future. You can't win the cup every year, but they are in position to be competitive for years to come. The goalie situation is merely a distraction to this overall trend.
- PensFan1962

Also, who knows who is even going to own the Pens at that point?

Looking over who is left for two selections of round two ...

I'm intrigued about Boris Katchouk, LW, SSM ... supposedly a agitator that can go up and down the lineup. Taylor Raddysh, a RW from Erie ... was on line with Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat, so he can play with gifted line mates; Carl Grunstrom, 6-0, LW, Sweden ... Dillon Dube, 5-10, C, Kelowna ... supposedly can fly; Givani Smith - 6-1, LW, Guelph - nasty guy that creates space for teammates.

Interested to see who we get.

Why? They could continue to have those good balanced building blocks and keep getting good draft selections to add high impact player. It's my personal opinion that if you don't have a real shot at the cup, you don't sign win now guys. Obviously Yotes management thinks they're turning the corner be caused they signed Gogo.

This is the train of thought that ousted Hinkie from the Sixers.
- Victoro311

Phoenix will be much improved. I think we both envision this.

Dude you can't go to war 6/7 d deep... That's our problem we have no one in WBS. We have to fit more D under the cap.
- Victoro311

The only guy maybe that might be an option is that dude from Sweden that was signed in April, i believe. Absent that, you are right. Prow isn't an option this year at least.

Why? They could continue to have those good balanced building blocks and keep getting good draft selections to add high impact player. It's my personal opinion that if you don't have a real shot at the cup, you don't sign win now guys. Obviously Yotes management thinks they're turning the corner be caused they signed Gogo.

This is the train of thought that ousted Hinkie from the Sixers.
- Victoro311

I guess. Maybe it's just the eating dead contracts thing that irks me. Just that $54M is a big gap from $73M and there's a lot of $$ that could be spent that could help them now. If they keep trying to just get to the cap floor, they'll never be able to compete for a Cup. Maybe there's a long term plan that will get them to be competitive in a few years, I don't know.

Phoenix will be much improved. I think we both envision this.
- Oneonta Penguin

We've been agreeing on a lot lately. Probably makes people think I'm a jack ass...


We should trade Sprong for Yakupov.