The run-it-back do-almost-nothing lineup for next year (just sign RFAs to reasonable contracts) is about an $80M cap hit:

doc - sid - rust
bunting - geno - rak
smith - eller - puust
nieto - acc - jp
poulin/pono

petts - ek
poj - letang
lud - st.i
graves

jarry
blomqvist

So that leaves $8M to do something without making any trades, which presumably would be to find a bona fide 1LW. If they can trade Smith, they'll have $13M. If they could somehow trade Graves, then maybe it's possible to really remake the team.

The run-it-back do-almost-nothing lineup for next year (just sign RFAs to reasonable contracts) is about an $80M cap hit:

doc - sid - rust
bunting - geno - rak
smith - eller - puust
nieto - acc - jp
poulin/pono

petts - ek
poj - letang
lud - st.i
graves

jarry
blomqvist

So that leaves $8M to do something without making any trades, which presumably would be to find a bona fide 1LW. If they can trade Smith, they'll have $13M. If they could somehow trade Graves, then maybe it's possible to really remake the team.
- MickV

The biggest issue with Graves us that they'll either be 1) taking another bad contract in return or 2) adding a sweetener, and a substantial one at that. Option 2 isn't really what you wanna do at this stage, so they're gonna have one bad contract one way or the other.

The biggest issue with Graves us that they'll either be 1) taking another bad contract in return or 2) adding a sweetener, and a substantial one at that. Option 2 isn't really what you wanna do at this stage, so they're gonna have one bad contract one way or the other.
- jmatchett383

Yeah, that's why I wrote "somehow trade Graves" since it's not clear that there is an acceptable trade out there for him -- but you never know, NHL GMs often do strange things.

I envy the level of partying that goes on after a cup win for those guys. All time bender.
- Victoro311

hahaha I know, man and when they Caps clinched it, and hoisted it, in Vegas that must have been next level.

Yeah, that's why I wrote "somehow trade Graves" since it's not clear that there is an acceptable trade out there for him -- but you never know, NHL GMs often do strange things.
- MickV

I think the best thing for the Penguins wrt Graves is to hope this year is an abberration. I mean, he was never GREAT...but Mike Matheson had a much better second season after a pretty abysmal first year with the Pens.

Poulin has been called up.

I think the best thing for the Penguins wrt Graves is to hope this year is an abberration. I mean, he was never GREAT...but Mike Matheson had a much better second season after a pretty abysmal first year with the Pens.
- jmatchett383

Problem with Graves even from his time with the Avs and devils is he has no skill set that’s well above average. He’s always been average or below average at everything. Can’t really expect out of nowhere his skating, aggressiveness, awareness and puck skills are gonna pop. So best case he’s an average #4…. That to me is a solid steady bottom pair dman.
Matheson always had elite skating and good puck skills to work with to put something together.
I think you could get rid of Graves with a 3rd rounder attached pretty easily which I don’t consider a premium asset by any means.

Poulin has been called up.
- MickV

Cool. He needs to drop Jake first period. Make an impression. Go straight at him, if he doesn’t want to go that’s his problem.

I think the best thing for the Penguins wrt Graves is to hope this year is an abberration. I mean, he was never GREAT...but Mike Matheson had a much better second season after a pretty abysmal first year with the Pens.
- jmatchett383

A lot of D struggle in their first season in a new system, so yes that should improve in year 2, but my worry with Graves is more that he has constantly lost one-on-one battles, and I have no reason to expect him to suddenly improve on that at age 27.

Cool. He needs to drop Jake first period. Make an impression. Go straight at him, if he doesn’t want to go that’s his problem.
- Grinder47

Hell yes.

Problem with Graves even from his time with the Avs and devils is he has no skill set that’s well above average. He’s always been average or below average at everything. Can’t really expect out of nowhere his skating, aggressiveness, awareness and puck skills are gonna pop. So best case he’s an average #4…. That to me is a solid steady bottom pair dman.
Matheson always had elite skating and good puck skills to work with to put something together.
I think you could get rid of Graves with a 3rd rounder attached pretty easily which I don’t consider a premium asset by any means.
- pens4life-66

Graves and a third for Brian Dumoulin.

Poulin has been called up.
- MickV

Awesome glad it's finally happened.

I think with both Rackell and Graves, they can hope for bounce back seasons. I don't think it's ideal, but from where they are at it's pretty much all they can do. It's also not impossible both work out, particularly Rackell who has been better here and has a history of just being inconsistent year to year.

I think someone said a third to move Graves? He's got five years left, that doesn't seem like enough.

Tojo’s moment has finally arrived!

A lot of D struggle in their first season in a new system, so yes that should improve in year 2, but my worry with Graves is more that he has constantly lost one-on-one battles, and I have no reason to expect him to suddenly improve on that at age 27.
- MickV

His gap control is atrocious lol

I was disappointed when Marshall said yesterday that Yager wouldnt be ready for the NHL next year and would go back to Juniors. Was hoping he'd be ready for the big show.

Poulin has been called up.
- MickV

Funny enough I think Vasily Ponomarev would have been called up, but he got injured. Glad he is finally getting his chance.

I was disappointed when Marshall said yesterday that Yager wouldnt be ready for the NHL next year and would go back to Juniors. Was hoping he'd be ready for the big show.
- SuperHenderson13

I don't think Juniors is going to help his game at all. There really shouldn't be a bunch of competition on the right wing. Don't see why they couldn't put him on the 3RW with Eller and maybe DOC on the LW. Have Poulin-Pusty on the 4th line. That and feed Yager PP one timers.

Funny enough I think Vasily Ponomarev would have been called up, but he got injured. Glad he is finally getting his chance.
- 123Kid

Hopefully not just another Sullivan Cuck like DOC.