From what I hear in my limited connections, Hags is happy here and Sid and he are tight. That may lead him to a cheaper deal to stay. Unless of course they don’t see a need and/or he feels he has a lot left.

I agree that ZAR is a player they should find a spot for. The jaw thing gives him a little more leeway time to get completely back during preseason (like Jordy, and no I don’t know him well enough to call him by his first name...just can’t spell his last). I see a guy like ZAR as a more useful piece than Simon who I see as more offensively talented. The present fit is better as I see him.

I love that you put "top" in quotes hahaha

I actually think this will be a tough game again for the Pens. DET may not be a good team right now, but they're fast and speed is really the achilles heal of AHL teams vs. NHL team.
- Rinosaur

I'm a realist

How does Z’s “retirement” effect? It is similar to the Dupuis thing for the Pens years back. LTIR, but you have to get to the season to have the extra space.
- Doogs

Franzen goes on LTIR in the offseason.

Z goes on LTIR day 1 of the season.

Don't know how much it impacts things with the Franzen thing already being an issue. I know for the most part it has killed their cap flexibility.

I'm not a wings fan, but I have to think it's really more nostalgia than anything. Z was one heck of a (frank)in player, but this is a new Wings team moving in a new direction. I think the more they shed some of the old guard the better these young guys can try and take the HELM and move forward.
- Rinosaur

Lets just way we are anxiously waiting to see who makes the team.

From what I hear in my limited connections, Hags is happy here and Sid and he are tight. That may lead him to a cheaper deal to stay. Unless of course they don’t see a need and/or he feels he has a lot left.

I agree that ZAR is a player they should find a spot for. The jaw thing gives him a little more leeway time to get completely back during preseason (like Jordy, and no I don’t know him well enough to call him by his first name...just can’t spell his last). I see a guy like ZAR as a more useful piece than Simon who I see as more offensively talented. The present fit is better as I see him.
- Doogs

If they can get Hags at a reasonable contract that would be great, but not at $4M again.

Jake is a lock to be re-signed and I'm imagining a four year/$4.5 to $5M deal. I see Hags being something they visit depending on how things shake out with the 3C position and other bottom-six fits.

I've reserved myself to the fact that all three of ZAR, Sprong and Simon could NOT be Penguins by next season if they don't have any real impact. I think the closer we get to the window closing, the Pens will look to sign more players rather than keep chancing some of these younger guys.

Lets just way we are anxiously waiting to see who makes the team.
- Feds91Stammer

Isn't the guy you drafted this year a lock?

If they can get Hags at a reasonable contract that would be great, but not at $4M again.

Jake is a lock to be re-signed and I'm imagining a four year/$4.5 to $5M deal. I see Hags being something they visit depending on how things shake out with the 3C position and other bottom-six fits.

I've reserved myself to the fact that all three of ZAR, Sprong and Simon could NOT be Penguins by next season if they don't have any real impact. I think the closer we get to the window closing, the Pens will look to sign more players rather than keep chancing some of these younger guys.
- Rinosaur

20 goal guys get around $5M. If he hits 30 this season he might creep into the $6-7M range.

20 goal guys get around $5M. If he hits 30 this season he might creep into the $6-7M range.
- Feds91Stammer

That would be a disaster. We'd pretty much be forced into trading him at that point. We lost all of our cap flexibility this summer.

20 goal guys get around $5M. If he hits 30 this season he might creep into the $6-7M range.
- Feds91Stammer

They have a little leverage with him still being an RFA, but yeah, 30+ could eek him closer to the $6M number.

I know playoff performance doesn't factor into arbitration, but I'm sure it gives him bargaining power since he's a beast in the playoffs.

Isn't the guy you drafted this year a lock?
- Rinosaur

Yes and no. Last I have seen he is eligible to play in the AHL right now.

Ideally for me you trade Nyquist now for the best futures package out there.

Forward group would then be:

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha
Athanasiou-Nielsen-Vanek
Rasmussen-Veleno-Zadina
Abdelkader-Helm-Frk/Glendening

With Svechnikov the first call up.

That would be a disaster. We'd pretty much be forced into trading him at that point. We lost all of our cap flexibility this summer.
- Victoro311

I don't think they'd be forced into moving him. I think they'd be forced to sacrifice some quality on the bottom six. Instead of a Brassard-Sheahan tandem, you'd have a Bras-Johnson as an example or even Sheahan-Johnson.

That would be a disaster. We'd pretty much be forced into trading him at that point. We lost all of our cap flexibility this summer.
- Victoro311

Couldn't you keep him and let Hagelin and Brassard walk. Fill a couple spots with ELCs?

Yes and no. Last I have seen he is eligible to play in the AHL right now.

Ideally for me you trade Nyquist now for the best futures package out there.

Forward group would then be:

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha
Athanasiou-Nielsen-Vanek
Rasmussen-Veleno-Zadina
Abdelkader-Helm-Frk/Glendening

With Svechnikov the first call up.
- Feds91Stammer

That Abdelkader contract... woof

That Abdelkader/Helm/Nielsen/Glendening/DeKeyser/Ericsson contract... woof
- Rinosaur

FTFY

Yes and no. Last I have seen he is eligible to play in the AHL right now.

Ideally for me you trade Nyquist now for the best futures package out there.

Forward group would then be:

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha
Athanasiou-Nielsen-Vanek
Rasmussen-Veleno-Zadina
Abdelkader-Helm-Frk/Glendening

With Svechnikov the first call up.
- Feds91Stammer

I’ll take it!

That Abdelkader contract... woof
- Rinosaur

I always begrudgingly liked Abdelkader. The guys you love to have wearing your logo, but what a d-bag if not!!! LMAO

FTFY
- Feds91Stammer

Still paying for Weiss too.

Still paying for Weiss too.
- RafiDRW

Forgot about that one

I always begrudgingly liked Abdelkader. The guys you love to have wearing your logo, but what a d-bag if not!!! LMAO
- Doogs

Meh he's a plug that runs out of position and hits people sometimes. He's not good. He's not tough.

Hags value for his next contract here will be for his PK ability. If that isn’t high enough value then he’s gotta go.

Agreed on the window closing for those guys. I see Spring as in that group as well. I regret them moving Kaspinen (spelling). I wish our conversation would invole him fitting over it being Sprong.

Meh he's a plug that runs out of position and hits people sometimes. He's not good. He's not tough.
- Feds91Stammer

Bummer. I was going off limited viewing. He beats the hell out of the Pens more times than not.

Hags value for his next contract here will be for his PK ability. If that isn’t high enough value then he’s gotta go.

Agreed on the window closing for those guys. I see Spring as in that group as well. I regret them moving Kaspinen (spelling). I wish our conversation would invole him fitting over it being Sprong.
- Doogs

I will never regret moving anything the Pens did in the Kessel trade...ever.

Kapanen was a 1st round pick, who yeah, is better than Sprong right now, but he hasn't been much more than a bottom six player for the Leafs.

Unless someone in the bottom six really outplays Hagelin, I have a feeling he will be back. As much crap as people give Hagelin around here, when you really look at what he brings, it's not something you can easily replace.

Bummer. I was going off limited viewing. He beats the hell out of the Pens more times than not.
- Doogs

I'm guessing you just remember seeing him hit PIT players that already moved the puck up the ice.

Franzen goes on LTIR in the offseason.

Z goes on LTIR day 1 of the season.

Don't know how much it impacts things with the Franzen thing already being an issue. I know for the most part it has killed their cap flexibility.
- Feds91Stammer

Holy sh!t he's still on the books?!

FTFY
- Feds91Stammer

You guys must be counting down the days until the next CBA is negotiated.

Abdelkader and DeK gone.