Different scenarios. Adams was useless when he gave out that contract. Kunitz, on the other hand, was a really good player when we gave him his and is still useful, we just have to deal with the tale end of the contract when he's not as useful anymore and being overpaid. Its the last year of his contract, and if the pieces fall that way, I don't mind paying Kunitz 4 mil to play fourth line minutes because our cap situation affords that luxury. We don't really have a replacement for him anyways at this time.

And no, Boedker can't fit under the cap. He's a great fit, but he's done nothing to merit a 5 mil contract anyways. Not the kind of player I'd do backflips over to try and fit under the cap.
- Victoro311

Yes I don't see anyone UFA we can really sign that would be better than Kunitz (without giving up term). So a draft pick trade won't make sense.

AV's are stupid but they have Iggy for vet experience and they need D not Offense. Desperately! They have Ratatenen as a top prospect but they will need him and all the picks they have. PHX same situation. 1 year of Kunitz doesn't do much for those teams.

Its easy to say yeah Id take a 1st or 2nd for MAF and a bag of pucks for Kunitz.....but you also have to ask what you give up....no body here ever does.

Lets package Honrquest, MAF and BB for Sam Bennett and a 1st.....stupid.
- sammy87

I agree cgy would be stupid to take that ...you should all save yourselves the trouble of typing any Bennett trade proposals because he isn't going anywhere ...especially not for couple old guys and a lesser Bennett

Woah... Sprong with a shoulder surgery, out 7 months


http://penguins.nhl.com/club/m_news.htm?id=886356
- Guile

Well, I guess his defensive liabilities aren't the only reason in which he won't be ready for the start of the season. He truly want's an option unless his defense got better. Now, we are essentially talking the full year. Won't be back until mid December-January, then he has to get in shape - probably in the Q.

I agree cgy would be stupid to take that ...you should all save yourselves the trouble of typing any Bennett trade proposals because he isn't going anywhere ...especially not for couple old guys and a lesser Bennett
- Redmile247

We certainly have people here have no idea on player value when it comes to Penguins. I think most people do, but we have others who simply don't have a single idea. I shake my head every time at them. Then again, Calgary has those people too. Those suggesting we send you MAF for a fifth and Wideman. Yep, those people have no clue either.

Well, I guess his defensive liabilities aren't the only reason in which he won't be ready for the start of the season. He truly want's an option unless his defense got better. Now, we are essentially talking the full year. Won't be back until mid December-January, then he has to get in shape - probably in the Q.
- Oneonta Penguin

Silver lining: We won't have to deal with protecting Sprong from expansion. He won't meet the experience requirements.

Silver lining: We won't have to deal with protecting Sprong from expansion. He won't meet the experience requirements.
- Victoro311

Very true.

I'm pro-hockey trade for Kunitz. Not sure if one exists but if you find a scuderi-daley deal then do it. I'm very scared of giving term this year. Following year we have a ton of UFA/RFA guys and I'm not sure who we will want to resign and at what costs. Since we don't need cap room this year I wouldn't dump Kunitz for a pick in order to sign a UFA
- sditulli

Dude. Let's not devalue Kunitz THAT much to compare to Scuds.

Damn, I was looking forward to seeing him possibly start the year with the Pens. Hopefully everything will go okay and there will be no setbacks.
- acdc1206

He skated too close to Beau Bennett and some of the mojo rubbed off.

I don't understand why people keep insisting that the cap forces the Pens to trade Fleury, the cap has no effect on the decision at all because they can easily fit both Fleury & Murray and return the entire team minus Lovejoy & Cullen if they want to, even the impending expansion draft shouldn't have a great deal of impact on the decision because there's over a year and 3 prime trade time frames before the draft will happen, if someone blows you away during the off season and the deal improves the team then by all means you do it but if the offers aren't great and don't help the team then you stand pat and see if they improve at the next 2 trade periods, if the offers are already low then there should be no fear of diminishing value, if the current deal doesn't help the team then getting a little less really shouldn't matter. What is going to be the biggest factor in the decision is Fleury's willingness to play in a time share and battle for the net, if Fleury and his agent ask for or demand a trade then that forces their hands to have to make a move now but that the only thing that should force them to make a move quickly.
- jaydogg1974

Because we need cap space dude. 5.75 million for a backup goalie is an awful amount to spend. Notice, we won't have money to resign Lovejoy; looks like Schultz won't be qualified ... why is this?

Easy concept to grasp, its easier to deal MAF now, then the other two spots. The closer we get to the expansion draft, the less return you get ... and teams know you are in a bigger bind. If Calgary comes knocking and offers two second rounders, you do the deal quickly.

I'm pretty sure he wants to start and not be a backup. If that is the answer, he would accept a deal that allows him to be a starter somewhere else. This shouldn't even be in question or even a discussion now. I can't believe there are still those who don't get the big picture on this. Not a hard concept.

Because we need cap space dude. 5.75 million for a backup goalie is an awful amount to spend. Notice, we won't have money to resign Lovejoy; looks like Schultz won't be qualified ... why is this?

Easy concept to grasp, its easier to deal MAF now, then the other two spots. The closer we get to the expansion draft, the less return you get ... and teams know you are in a bigger bind. If Calgary comes knocking and offers two second rounders, you do the deal quickly.

I'm pretty sure he wants to start and not be a backup. If that is the answer, he would accept a deal that allows him to be a starter somewhere else. This shouldn't even be in question or even a discussion now. I can't believe there are still those who don't get the big picture on this. Not a hard concept.
- Oneonta Penguin

Schultz was NEVER being qualified. I am one of his biggest fans here, and even I won't humor over four mil for him.

He skated too close to Beau Bennett and some of the mojo rubbed off.
- PensFan1962

was actually a collision with bennet that hurt him. bennet also out 20000000 months

kunitz for grabner

We certainly have people here have no idea on player value when it comes to Penguins. I think most people do, but we have others who simply don't have a single idea. I shake my head every time at them. Then again, Calgary has those people too. Those suggesting we send you MAF for a fifth and Wideman. Yep, those people have no clue either.
- Oneonta Penguin

Every fan base has them ...they look at trades that will help their team out but not look at the trade from other teams perspective ...why would cgy trade Bennett for a couple 30 year old a when they are rebuilding ...why would Pitt a cap team trying to win trade flower for zero cap relief ...what a difference a year makes though, a year ago fleury was the starter probably didn't think he would lose his job and wideman was 4th in defence scoring with no idea he would be suspended for a large portion of the season

Now that we for sure won't be seeing Sprong next year in the NHL, I think it just became imperative that we finagle our way into acquiring a top 6 winger. Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist and Kunitz-Malkin-Rust with Wilson as the X factor seem like solid fall back options but I would like to see at least one of these units improved.

I knolove landing him is beyond likely and Vesey to Boston is all but a done deal, but I'd like to see The Old Man bring out the full court press on Vesey.

Silver lining: We won't have to deal with protecting Sprong from expansion. He won't meet the experience requirements.
- Victoro311

He could still play next year though. I thought he only needed like 10 games next year to count as a season and count towards the experience requirements for expansion protection.

Now that we for sure won't be seeing Sprong next year in the NHL, I think it just became imperative that we finagle our way into acquiring a top 6 winger. Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist and Kunitz-Malkin-Rust with Wilson as the X factor seem like solid fall back options but I would like to see at least one of these units improved.

I knolove landing him is beyond likely and Vesey to Boston is all but a done deal, but I'd like to see The Old Man bring out the full court press on Vesey.
- Victoro311

JR has snagged a few of these good "free" asset players like Vesey. Dunno if he can get him but I don't doubt for a second that telling any player you have an open shot to be Sid or Malkins left winger is not one of the most enticing thing you could hear after salary.

I love how the Vegas roster will be built only of Pens JR can't protect.

Drug test day... Anyone suggesting trading Murray yesterday will be asked to piss in a cup. This is how the cap should work. You replace guys who are older and cost more with guys who are younger and have high ceilings!!! You don't trade a guy that's learning while winning a Stanley Cup as a rookie...
- lloyd095

Trading Murray is not giving him away.

Why does no one consider that Murray could return someone of equal age with equally high ceiling. Goaltender position is still perfectly solid for the next 5-7 years.

We could get a young star first line LW or top 4 defenseman at least for Murray right now.

The counter will be cap space but there's two points on this:

1.) Acquiring that young stud player in the trade allows us to easily trade Kunitz and save $3.75M .....which was going to be about what we would save by trading Fleury (after factoring in the cost of a veteran backup)

2.) Murray is going to get paid as soon as the end of next season, maybe even more than Fleury. A bridge contract is unlikely unless Murray faulters which in and of itself is problematic. Fleury's contract after his current one is up, will go down. Over the long haul the dollar savings are minimal or even in favor of being cheaper to keep Fleury. 5-7 years is a long time to work out a contingency plan for the end of Flower.

I love watching the games on the NHL network when I get home....of course, its only their wins I can not wait to watch the quest for the cup tonight, it should be epic. As I am typing Crosby just scored on the 4-3 PP against Tampa in game 3. Its going to be a great summer boys

Silver lining: We won't have to deal with protecting Sprong from expansion. He won't meet the experience requirements.
- Victoro311

Pretty sure the auto protect applies for any player with less than 3 full seasons experience at nhl/ahl level. He would be safe anyways. Murray might also since next year will be his 3rd full year and wont be technically completed till after the Expansion draft.

kunitz for grabner
- martox

I know that's sarcasm, but I'd take a chance on Grabner with a cheap "prove it" deal. He'd fit right in with this team.

I love watching the games on the NHL network when I get home....of course, its only their wins I can not wait to watch the quest for the cup tonight, it should be epic. As I am typing Crosby just scored on the 4-3 PP against Tampa in game 3. Its going to be a great summer boys
- Thorny

I watched game 6 against Wash last night. I got chills when Bones scored that game/series winner.

Trading Murray is not giving him away.

Why does no one consider that Murray could return someone of equal age with equally high ceiling. Goaltender position is still perfectly solid for the next 5-7 years.

We could get a young star first line LW or top 4 defenseman at least for Murray right now.

The counter will be cap space but there's two points on this:

1.) Acquiring that young stud player in the trade allows us to easily trade Kunitz and save $3.75M .....which was going to be about what we would save by trading Fleury (after factoring in the cost of a veteran backup)

2.) Murray is going to get paid as soon as the end of next season, maybe even more than Fleury. A bridge contract is unlikely unless Murray faulters which in and of itself is problematic. Fleury's contract after his current one is up, will go down. Over the long haul the dollar savings are minimal or even in favor of being cheaper to keep Fleury. 5-7 years is a long time to work out a contingency plan for the end of Flower.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Because Matt Murray has less of a sample size in the NHL then when Corey Schneider was traded from Vancouver. I don't think people grasp that Corey only yielded a first round pick and that is it. He was more of a name and had a bigger sample size than what Murray has. I think people believe we land an impact stud for Murray when history suggests we wouldn't. We would be trading a more known commodity with a smaller sample size that won a Cup for someone that hasn't been picked yet and won't be a member of this roster for at least two years. My guess he would land a pick somewhere 20-25ish. You trade Fleury, take the second round pick and whatever else and worry about Murray in a year.

Now that we for sure won't be seeing Sprong next year in the NHL, I think it just became imperative that we finagle our way into acquiring a top 6 winger. Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist and Kunitz-Malkin-Rust with Wilson as the X factor seem like solid fall back options but I would like to see at least one of these units improved.

I knolove landing him is beyond likely and Vesey to Boston is all but a done deal, but I'd like to see The Old Man bring out the full court press on Vesey.
- Victoro311

Agree whole heartedly we need another top 6 option. Hornqvist, Kunitz, Sheary, and Rust are more complimentary wingers. I don't think its sustainable to for Sid and Geno to carry those lines for a full season. Particularly, would like to see someone with more of a finishing touch.

Because Matt Murray has less of a sample size in the NHL then when Corey Schneider was traded from Vancouver. I don't think people grasp that Corey only yielded a first round pick and that is it. He was more of a name and had a bigger sample size than what Murray has. I think people believe we land an impact stud for Murray when history suggests we wouldn't. We would be trading a more known commodity with a smaller sample size that won a Cup for someone that hasn't been picked yet and won't be a member of this roster for at least two years. My guess he would land a pick somewhere 20-25ish. You trade Fleury, take the second round pick and whatever else and worry about Murray in a year.
- Oneonta Penguin

Well, that's just like, your opinion, man.

Seriously though we just disagree on Murray's value. Corey yielded a 9th overall which is more significant than saying 'just a first round pick'. Plus he was older, cost more money, and just sh*t the bed in his two playoff games.