For Guile.
I was pretty much kidding about Boll, but if they did sign him it would just be great to watch all you family oriented hockey fans whine about it. "I don't want my kids to watch fighting on ice" you know like you guys and all your friends say to each other at little league practice. I was however in favor of shipping Fehr out to clear his cap space and signing Downie for cheap since his overall awesomeness was too much for the family friendly folks in Arizona I'm sure he would be cheaper than Fehr. He is undoubtedly a more skilled player than Fehr, and much more entertaining to watch. This cup run wasn't even that fun, nothing epic happened.
- Grinder47

I think the average fish has more common sense than you do but it's funny to read.

washington resigned Wilson
- martox

Resigned means quit, it's re-signed, it's not just you the entire internet does it.

Resigned means quit, it's re-signed, it's not just you the entire internet does it.
- Dcoms

nah I actually knew that. just to lazy to do the - since I was on a phone sry about that

Didn't Chiarelli trade Johnny Boychuk for pretty much nothing as well? And subsequently didn't his team start a nosedive because of that gaping hole on defense. He didn't want to break up his top pair in Chara and Sedenberg and forgot that players start to lose their ability as the get older. Chiarelli has made some terrible terrible moves right across the board.
- Dcoms

Which is why I'm not giving Shero as much credit. He got to be the beneficiary of the bonehead move this year.

If Murray is the full time starter and plays as well as he did this year there's zero chance his agent would let him sign a bridge deal and leave that kind of money on the table. If Murray plays 65 games next year and establishes himself as a legit elite level #1 he's getting 6M+ whether it'sin Pittsburgh or with another team through a offer sheet. Also you post suggested trading Kunitz now so his salary would already be off the books.
- jaydogg1974

How often do players leave via offer sheet? Rarely. I don't think 1+ season is enough to call any goalie "elite". You pay $6M to goalies with something of a track record of top 10 performance over at least 2 years, not a middling save percentage over 1+ year.

And yes, I know that Kunitz was mentioned in the first scenario as coming off the books, but I figured that was a given and didn't need to be re-stated. Still, if Fleury is traded with no salary coming back and the 3 FAs are allowed to walk, that is $15M to find a back-up goalie, give Murray and Dumo raises, and replace 1 LW (Sheary), 1 C (Sund), and a D (Pouliot). More than enough and then some.

If Fleury is still on this roster there is no chance of this happening. 50/50 starts next year, which is not a bad thing. I am of the mindset of not just giving away a goaltender of Fleury's caliber. Dallas comes to mind the most when I think about this. They are a strong goalie away from being a dominating team. Can you imagine that roster with a healthy Ben Bishop or even Fleury. Im all for improving this team if the right deal comes along, but not at the sake of making another team legitimate Cup contenders!
- Weisenheimer

M'eh, they're in the West, chances are it won't matter. But if we did meet them in the Finals, imagine the head games!

Highlights and news from Pens development camp. http://thehockeywriters.com/
Looks like Prow and Guentzle are stealing the show.
- Dcoms

Thanks for the link
That Guentzel goal was nasty. Really excited to see how he progresses this season.

I think the average fish has more common sense than you do but it's funny to read.
- Dcoms

Doubt it. I can make my own fishing lures, pole and line from things found on the forest floor and then catch and eat the fish. I would say I have more common sense.

Highlights and news from Pens development camp. http://thehockeywriters.com/
Looks like Prow and Guentzle are stealing the show.
- Dcoms

I'm excited about Prow and Bengtsson. They're at the top of the D prospect food chain, though Erixson obviously would be the first callup early in the season.

Jake Guentzel is a good reason not to pursue left wingers. He'll be ready soon, and he'll bring the speed and tenacity of Sheary and Rust but at another level in terms of skill. Just slick.

What good would it do to have if start in WBS? If he plays well there isn't a chance in hell he would clear waivers and would never help the team.
- jaydogg1974

Because we have 6 dmen that are better than he is so there's no room for him until we have an injury.

Which is why I'm not giving Shero as much credit. He got to be the beneficiary of the bonehead move this year.
- Guile

Every team should be calling Chiarelli and offering him trash for gold.

Doubt it. I can make my own fishing lures, pole and line from things found on the forest floor and then catch and eat the fish. I would say I have more common sense.
- Grinder47

Maybe that's what you should be doing then? Just eat the fish raw right after you pull it out of the water I bet? Are you really a bear?

Every team should be calling Chiarelli and offering him trash for gold.
- Dcoms

Its Ryan Wilson's wet dream

In a Matt Cullen interview, he said "I had a chat with Jim Rutherford and he said he wants me back and was going to take to clear some cap space".

I think it's at least a little interesting because it's pretty much been expected we were going to stand pat. So maybe JR is willing to move someone....Fehr makes some sense because Sundqvist for all intents and purposes is ready. Wilson will be on the roster next year. So we have Sundqvist, Cullen, and Porter (as a 13th fwd) as guys that can move around in the bottom 6 as needed.

I like Fehr and think he will be better next year....I just cant think of anyone else that makes sense. Kunitz would need a replacement because we cant just assume Wilson can handle it. Fleury doesn't seem to be going anywhere right now.

And even at that, Fehr's biggest usefulness is that he is good injury insurance against someone like Bonino. Is it worth all that to save $2M?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I think sundqvist is ready, but I don't think he's as good as Cullen or Fehr. I think he's good enough to be a 4th line center in the NHL right now, but not at the level Fehr/cullen can give us. I'm open minded on trading Fehr because he looks like the only salary that we are able/willing to trade easily. But he does bring a lot to our lineup that sundqvist will not.

Anyway forward depth for us may be important if we suffer a D injury or Pouliot flops. Trade from strength to boost a weakness.

I think sundqvist is ready, but I don't think he's as good as Cullen or Fehr. I think he's good enough to be a 4th line center in the NHL right now, but not at the level Fehr/cullen can give us. I'm open minded on trading Fehr because he looks like the only salary that we are able/willing to trade easily. But he does bring a lot to our lineup that sundqvist will not.

Anyway forward depth for us may be important if we suffer a D injury or Pouliot flops. Trade from strength to boost a weakness.
- sditulli

IMO Sundqvist would be a good option to start with the big club on the cheap if Fehr weren't on the team. To me, Sundqvist and Fehr are almost the exact same player. My hope for Sundqvist is that he progresses this year to the point that Fehr's 2 mil contract is expendable next offseason, but at the moment I'd rather have Fehr and his cap hit than Sundqvist

lucic looking at signing for 7 years 7 mil av

lucic looking at signing for 7 years 7 mil av
- martox

If he signs that contract with the Oilers, it will just compound the stupidity of Chia. No chance in hell he is worth that salary. One of the most overrated guys in the NHL.

IMO Sundqvist would be a good option to start with the big club on the cheap if Fehr weren't on the team. To me, Sundqvist and Fehr are almost the exact same player. My hope for Sundqvist is that he progresses this year to the point that Fehr's 2 mil contract is expendable next offseason, but at the moment I'd rather have Fehr and his cap hit than Sundqvist
- Victoro311

Say Fehr and Sundqvist are the same player to me is like saying Gadreau and marc arcobello are the same player. Stylistically they have similiarities, but Fehr is the superior player and I believe by a wide margin next year. Sundqvist isn't old craig adams bad of a 4th line player, but I don't think he's a plus 4th line player like fehr. I also think fehr can be in the 15-20 goal range next year. I don't think Sundqvist can put up any offense at all at this point in his career.

We can survive with sund on the 4th line, but he won't be nearly as effective. Maybe we basically agree. Fehr is worth the money, but expendable if we needed to move salary

Funny thing about Guentzel I think 3-4 months ago I posted about how we haven't had many flops (zeroes....not pouliot types) in the first 3 rounds in years. Guentzel was a guy I thought was a flop because I hadn't hurt much about him. Turns out he might be the best of the bunch.

If he signs that contract with the Oilers, it will just compound the stupidity of Chia. No chance in hell he is worth that salary. One of the most overrated guys in the NHL.
- madmike71

Well lets hope they sign him at it then

lucic looking at signing for 7 years 7 mil av
- martox

LOL ... what an overpayment. Edmonton stupidity would continue.

If he signs that contract with the Oilers, it will just compound the stupidity of Chia. No chance in hell he is worth that salary. One of the most overrated guys in the NHL.
- madmike71

How does ownership look at this guy and actually think he's doing a good job

Say Fehr and Sundqvist are the same player to me is like saying Gadreau and marc arcobello are the same player. Stylistically they have similiarities, but Fehr is the superior player and I believe by a wide margin next year. Sundqvist isn't old craig adams bad of a 4th line player, but I don't think he's a plus 4th line player like fehr. I also think fehr can be in the 15-20 goal range next year. I don't think Sundqvist can put up any offense at all at this point in his career.

We can survive with sund on the 4th line, but he won't be nearly as effective. Maybe we basically agree. Fehr is worth the money, but expendable if we needed to move salary
- sditulli

What an over exaggeration. Johnny Hockey is at the beginning of his prime and Marcobello is 27 years old. Sundqvist is at the beginning of his prime and not a natural talent like Gaudreau, so one can say also still developing, where as Fehr is in decline. These aren't close to comparable cases.

I think you're underrating Sundqvist's potential and overrating Fehr. At face value, Sundqvist is nothing more than a 4th liner right, but you have to remember that he's young and still developing. I mean, the kid became better in front of our eyes this season after his second call up. It's not outlandish to think Sundqvist could be a pretty darn good 4th liner next year.

I agree Fehr is the better player right now and probably will have had the better career out of the two when its all said and done, but Fehr is in his twilight. A lot of people on here think that Fehr will have a huge bounce back season next year. I think he's just old and this is the natural progression of his career. By 2017-2018 Sundqvist will be the better option, I will place money on that.

lucic looking at signing for 7 years 7 mil av
- martox

The other day speculation was $6million and I thought that was ridiculous... 7mil for 7 years is pure stupidity... Contracts like these are the root to work stoppages in professional sports.

The other day speculation was $6million and I thought that was ridiculous... 7mil for 7 years is pure stupidity... Contracts like these are the root to work stoppages in professional sports.
- hipcheck_goalie

It's not official yet so we'll have to wait and see.

Still... With a stagnant cap, Lucic is no more than a 5 mil player.....at best. I wouldn't want him on my team, but I sure as hell wouldn't want him for any longer than 3 years.