Is Gardiner signed anywhere yet?

Is Gardiner signed anywhere yet?
- MattStrat

Nope. Capfriendly has a full list of players signed and unsigned btw

either way it’s one of the worst contracts of free agency.
- j.boyd919

Truth is if he just does what he did last year, he's worth 3.5M, so it may not be a horrible contract. By problems are:

1) We had guys who could give us that same value for cheaper, so the money could have been used elsewhere. I you're spending money, it should be somewhere that improves you.

2) That was the first year he hit those numbers and played a full season, in a contract year, so a drop of is possible.

3) Some grit guys, once they get paid, have been known to lose their edge. There are Hornqvist's who don't care, but others aren't as reckless with their bodies after cashing in.

So he COULD live up to that number, but there's some risk he won't and it was a risk they didn't need to take.

Chucky might have a more elite one timer than Geno. It really is dirty. This may be the first time that two PP units actually looks good in Pitt. I’m serious too

Schultz, Galchenyuk, Crosby, Guentzel, Simon/McCann

Letang, Malkin, Hornqvist, Rust, Bjugstad
- WSCTeton17

There’s no reason to split up the PP. Just run Schultz on the left wing wall and have Letang feed him one timers. The no. 1 PP plays 1:30 per PP anyways

I would expect Gudbranson to regress a bit. I could be wrong but I definitely expect him to regress back to being bad at hockey given his history.
- j.boyd919

My thing is we can’t have Johnson with Schultz and that means promoting Peterson to the second pairing and probably sticking Johnson with Gudbranson. Is Gudbranson actually good or was he just in a really good situation for his game with Pettersson. I don’t think we’ll find out one way or another with him strapped to the Johnson anchor.

Truth is if he just does what he did last year, he's worth 3.5M, so it may not be a horrible contract. By problems are:

1) We had guys who could give us that same value for cheaper, so the money could have been used elsewhere. I you're spending money, it should be somewhere that improves you.

2) That was the first year he hit those numbers and played a full season, in a contract year, so a drop of is possible.

3) Some grit guys, once they get paid, have been known to lose their edge. There are Hornqvist's who don't care, but others aren't as reckless with their bodies after cashing in.

So he COULD live up to that number, but there's some risk he won't and it was a risk they didn't need to take.
- Tojo.

What makes it a horrible contract is the extra 4 years they paid for a bottom 6 player that wasn’t very good away from Lowry. I don’t hate the player and think he can be useful on the ice but (frank)ing A. 6 years is brutal. Had it been 6 years at 2-2.5 I’d be a little happier. Adding years is supposed to bring the AAV down and it didn’t in this case, IMO.

Given that Panik signed for 2.5, I’d much rather have Panik than Tanev.

But yeah I agree with you, I don’t think it was a necessary contract to sign. There were/are more pressing issues on the defense.

Nope. Capfriendly has a full list of players signed and unsigned btw
- WSCTeton17

Indeed it goes.

https://www.capfriendly.com/browse/free-agents

Quite true. But I'll accept Guds on the 3rd pairing, playing at the level he did last year, if we get JJ gone.

An overpaid but above average 3rd pairing is something I think we all will happily accept.
- Guile

Same. I have to expect some regression, but maybe not back to being one of the worst. If they replaced JJ with a cheaper D, I can pay Gudbranson if he plays somewhat like he did last year.

Next year is probably when we need to really cut salary with Murray, Galchenyuk, Schultz, Kahun, McCann, and Simon all up. That's when I'd move Gudbranson who will be easier with one year. This year, he's saving space while hopefully continuing to play decent.

Oh dear, Ben Lovejoy is still available....

Oh dear, Ben Lovejoy is still available....
- MattStrat

Is he terrible? I thought he'd be a better option for the price he might command than Jacko and Gudbranson.

What makes it a horrible contract is the extra 4 years they paid for a bottom 6 player that wasn’t very good away from Lowry. I don’t hate the player and think he can be useful on the ice but (frank)ing A. 6 years is brutal. Had it been 6 years at 2-2.5 I’d be a little happier. Adding years is supposed to bring the AAV down and it didn’t in this case, IMO.

Given that Panik signed for 2.5, I’d much rather have Panik than Tanev.

But yeah I agree with you, I don’t think it was a necessary contract to sign. There were/are more pressing issues on the defense.
- j.boyd919

Yeah, I agree with everything you said here it wasn't necessary. At least he can live up to his number just by doing what he did last year.

Since his relative was even, I'd assume he went from playing with good to bad players and that he won't drive a line but won't drag it down either, and we have plenty of bottom six guys that do drive possession.

Splitting hairs, but a horrible contract to me is when you can't live up to your number. But I agree, I'd like this deal better at fewer years or at least a million less where him being the same player created value and if he fell back a bit you broke even.

Yeah, I agree with everything you said here it wasn't necessary. At least he can live up to his number just by doing what he did last year.

Since his relative was even, I'd assume he went from playing with good to bad players and that he won't drive a line but won't drag it down either, and we have plenty of bottom six guys that do drive possession.

Splitting hairs, but a horrible contract to me is when you can't live up to your number. But I agree, I'd like this deal better at fewer years or at least a million less where him being the same player created value and if he fell back a bit you broke even.
- Tojo.

The term doesn’t matter. The window is 3 years. After that nothing will matter

What makes it a horrible contract is the extra 4 years they paid for a bottom 6 player that wasn’t very good away from Lowry. I don’t hate the player and think he can be useful on the ice but (frank)ing A. 6 years is brutal. Had it been 6 years at 2-2.5 I’d be a little happier. Adding years is supposed to bring the AAV down and it didn’t in this case, IMO.

Given that Panik signed for 2.5, I’d much rather have Panik than Tanev.

But yeah I agree with you, I don’t think it was a necessary contract to sign. There were/are more pressing issues on the defense.
- j.boyd919

I'm not a fan of the price or the term, but I will say this, he did not drag down Lowry or Copp. In fact, they saw a slight increase in possession numbers across the board. There has to be something in his game that helps if that is the case.

So who does everyone think is getting moved? Rust or Bjugstad? I'm not mentioning any other players because I just don't think guys like Hornqvist, JJ or Gudbranson are going anywhere.

So who doesn't everyone think is getting moved? Rust or Bjugstad? I'm not mentioning any other players because I just don't think guys like Hornqvist, JJ or Gudbranson are going anywhere.
- Rinosaur

Hornqvist shouldn't be moved. The concussions derailed what was a great start and as long as he had a solid summer of training he could easily pot close to 30 goals next season.

I think Rust is the obvious answer. I know he plays both wings, but Bjugstad plays center and wing, which GMJR covets a lot more. Plus, he is a slightly cheaper option that a middle team would be able to accommodate.

I don’t see the Pens as worse. Kessel could put up the points but his time was done. Pens add 3 young fast wingers instead of Kessel. I actually think the team is better now. People on these boards are judging the player as bad because of his contract which is biased. Adding a fast, good PK, good forechecking, 3rd in the league in hits (286), 3rd in shots blocked in the league by forwards, with a great never ending motor is a great addition to this team.

Contract too many years and too much money? Slightly, look at Hagelin who just signed a 4 year contract and turns 31 this summer. Tanev will be younger than Hagelin is now when he starts starts his 4th year of this contract. Also only $.75 million more than Hagelin so we are not talking some great overpay when getting his first 3 1/2 seasons at a younger age than Hagelin. I would argue Tanev brings more to the table than the 31 year old Hagelin. Not the $4 million cap hit Hagelin that helped win two Cups but the Hagelin going forward ages 31-35 while we get 27-32. Honestly as long as he can play at a good level another 3-4 years I would be fine because that is our window.

Pens are a better team today with Tanev than without. All the Jets fans loved him so I know we will also. Overpayed or not he will be a nice addition to our team.

Hornqvist shouldn't be moved. The concussions derailed what was a great start and as long as he had a solid summer of training he could easily pot close to 30 goals next season.

I think Rust is the obvious answer. I know he plays both wings, but Bjugstad plays center and wing, which GMJR covets a lot more. Plus, he is a slightly cheaper option that a middle team would be able to accommodate.
- burgh4life87

What makes you think that multiple concussions in one season to a 30 year old player who has had a long career of past concussions is something that he’ll just bounce back from?

The term doesn’t matter. The window is 3 years. After that nothing will matter
- jchst22

I disagree. The term matters if they decide to try and trade him (that’s why I call it a horrible contract). If he becomes expendable (which he should, because he’s a bottom 6 forward), his contract length could make it difficult to move.

There are a lot of really difficult contracts to move on the Pens if they have to.

JJ
Guddy
Hornqvist
Tanev

Not to mention whatever raises he’s going to give McCann and Bjugstad. Having contracts like the above 4 means that players with better value to the Penguins have to be moved to compensate for poorly constructed contracts.

While the depth looks good now at the moment, solid guys like Rust, Simon, etc. are going to have to be replaced because GMJR gave too much term to lesser players.

I don’t see the Pens as worse. Kessel could put up the points but his time was done. Pens add 3 young fast wingers instead of Kessel. I actually think the team is better now. People on these boards are judging the player as bad because of his contract which is biased. Adding a fast, good PK, good forechecking, 3rd in the league in hits (286), 3rd in shots blocked in the league by forwards, with a great never ending motor is a great addition to this team.

Contract too many years and too much money? Slightly, look at Hagelin who just signed a 4 year contract and turns 31 this summer. Tanev will be younger than Hagelin is now when he starts starts his 4th year of this contract. Also only $.75 million more than Hagelin so we are not talking some great overpay when getting his first 3 1/2 seasons at a younger age than Hagelin. I would argue Tanev brings more to the table than the 31 year old Hagelin. Not the $4 million cap hit Hagelin that helped win two Cups but the Hagelin going forward ages 31-35 while we get 27-32. Honestly as long as he can play at a good level another 3-4 years I would be fine because that is our window.

Pens are a better team today with Tanev than without. All the Jets fans loved him so I know we will also. Overpayed or not he will be a nice addition to our team.
- MalkinCrosby

Looking at this contract in a nutshell may not be as bad but when you factor in the term and aav of Hornqvist, Tanev, Guddy, and JJ... they are all bottom of the roster players that add up to 16m+. That is where these contracts start to bite the Penguins. Having that much money tied up in bottom roster players is silly. You could get players that provide similar production for.. oh, I dunno... 7-8m total? Which would have given them 8-9m to add a legit top of the roster player.

There’s no reason to split up the PP. Just run Schultz on the left wing wall and have Letang feed him one timers. The no. 1 PP plays 1:30 per PP anyways
- j.boyd919

Except that we just split up the PP by moving Phil...

What was the last year where we didn’t see two units at some point in the season?

1) your second unit is stronger against weaker killers

2) if one unit goes stale you still have a highly skilled second unit

3) less chance for your PP unit to get tired which can lead to short handed chances against or can effect their next shifts (yup, even the pros need breaks)

4) we have the personnel to run 1A and 1B units

5) less odds of your best players deferring to others. Let Malkin be the man on his own unit

6) when Geno misses time as he always does it doesn’t change your 1A unit

7) since we finally have the personnel to ice two solid units there’s nothing to suggest that we wouldn’t score just as often

I’m not saying they’re all dynamite reasons, but to say “there’s no reason” is pretty ignorant imo

new blog

Truth is if he just does what he did last year, he's worth 3.5M, so it may not be a horrible contract. By problems are:

1) We had guys who could give us that same value for cheaper, so the money could have been used elsewhere. I you're spending money, it should be somewhere that improves you.

2) That was the first year he hit those numbers and played a full season, in a contract year, so a drop of is possible.

3) Some grit guys, once they get paid, have been known to lose their edge. There are Hornqvist's who don't care, but others aren't as reckless with their bodies after cashing in.

So he COULD live up to that number, but there's some risk he won't and it was a risk they didn't need to take.
- Tojo.

We have no player that plays like Tanev. Name me anyone on the Pens that has all Tanev’s dimensions? Fast, good forechecking, 2 plus minute PK, good short handed goal scorer, near the top in hits (3rd), near the top in blocked shots for forwards (3rd). Honestly we have nothing like this guy and he is a great addition whether he can get 14 goals again or not. I will be happy with 10-15 goals and 25-30 points while bringing all those added dimensions.

I agree it is a risk but I think Tanev was the kind of player needed to get back to playing the fast forechecking style that won us our last two Cups. Rutherford went away from that for a while but has added a lot of youth and speed to the team recently with McCann, Kahun, Galchenyuk, and Tanev. That just added 4 fast wingers to get back to the style that Sullivan likes to play.

Except that we just split up the PP by moving Phil...

What was the last year where we didn’t see two units at some point in the season?

1) your second unit is stronger against weaker killers

2) if one unit goes stale you still have a highly skilled second unit

3) less chance for your PP unit to get tired which can lead to short handed chances against or can effect their next shifts (yup, even the pros need breaks)

4) we have the personnel to run 1A and 1B units

5) less odds of your best players deferring to others. Let Malkin be the man on his own unit

6) when Geno misses time as he always does it doesn’t change your 1A unit

7) since we finally have the personnel to ice two solid units there’s nothing to suggest that we wouldn’t score just as often

I’m not saying they’re all dynamite reasons, but to say “there’s no reason” is pretty ignorant imo
- WSCTeton17

Yeah... no.

I don’t remember who to give credit to but someone yesterday was 100% on the 💰 when they said that Pitt may not be a great landing spot for all these free agents and that they may just want to play somewhere else. The core is older than other cores and the GM is prone to making unwise decisions. I don’t think we can just assume that Panik (who signed for 2.75 not 2.5 so for the love of sweet baby Jesus stop saying 2.5) or anyone else would’ve come here for what they went to others for because maybe they just didn’t want to come here

The chance to play with Crosby or Malkin is one thing, but what happens to the players don’t mesh well? When talking about the Crosby/Malkin bump people are quick to point out all of these players (like Perron) who didn’t pan out and got shipped out of town. News flash in case you didn’t already know: these guys are people with families. They WANT to put down roots and stay in one place for a long time

Take Donskoi for example: he could’ve gotten the same money in Pitt, so are there maybe some reasons that he might not want to come here? He’s penciled in as 2RW over in COL and he’s more likely to stay in their top 6 than ours, they’ve got a younger core, they’re on the rise, Denver doesn’t suck, he may just prefer the west coast. Could be more reasons too, that’s just off the top of my head