I'm ok passing on TJ. He sucks at defense, I question how good of a center he is, and he is now on the wrong side of 30. Maybe if they retain $2M.

Some good names going for cheap so far and some players the Pens could have used. Not huge misses but the pool is dwindling.

My greatest fear is that JR thinks Jankowski and ERod are solid 3C and 3RW material. They were both healthy scratches last year for a reason.
- Hockey66

At least to reporters that's exactly what he's saying.

One thing he seems to differ on than most of the board is that this is the 3rd line. They seem to want this line and the Blueger line to be equal with the score dictating which plays more. If they are protecting a lead, it's the Blueger line, needing a goal, it's the other.

I like this plan on using all 3 lines, but tend to agree the current McCann line needs to be strengthened.

The Penguins have allowed their cap situation to kill them another year. It isnt about paying guys like Crosby/Malkin/Letang or anything like that, it's secondary guys that are killing us.

I know people here like Tanev, but he isnt worth the $3.5M we pay him. Paying some like Fast for a bottom 6 role for that contract is a lot smarter than $3.5M for 6 years to a career bottom 6 guy. Paying a guy like Duclair last season or two seasons ago like I advocated for makes a lot more sense than trading for a guy like Matheson. Even guys like ZAR (who i think is absolutely useless) shouldnt be on this roster.

I feel a lot of people (including me) overreact to Rutherford's trades and a lot of us underreact to Rutherford's contracts and cap management. It has been very frustrating to see a lot of solid players that could help us out get signed to other teams for reasonable contracts.

Speed was never part of Hornqvist's game, so slowing down just doesn't matter. Johnson slowing down does, he scored 14 goals on an offensive juggernaut. What makes anyone think he isn't going to continue to regress.

Johnson is more enticing at 50% value. Hell most players are. It just isn't happening. Besides I would still take Hornqvist at 50% over Johnson at 50% value. On a side note, we will all be whining about the PP this year unless in the unlikely scenario one of the new guys this year steps up.
- Thunderbolt

Well if you consider Tanev for Johnson a somewhat 50% in the savings... there you go.

The Penguins have allowed their cap situation to kill them another year. It isnt about paying guys like Crosby/Malkin/Letang or anything like that, it's secondary guys that are killing us.

I know people here like Tanev, but he isnt worth the $3.5M we pay him. Paying some like Fast for a bottom 6 role for that contract is a lot smarter than $3.5M for 6 years to a career bottom 6 guy. Paying a guy like Duclair last season or two seasons ago like I advocated for makes a lot more sense than trading for a guy like Matheson. Even guys like ZAR (who i think is absolutely useless) shouldnt be on this roster.

I feel a lot of people (including me) overreact to Rutherford's trades and a lot of us underreact to Rutherford's contracts and cap management. It has been very frustrating to see a lot of solid players that could help us out get signed to other teams for reasonable contracts.
- SuperHenderson13

In fairness, you can't judge any contract given this season with contracts given in previous years. Fast would have done better in a non-covid scenario.

The Penguins have allowed their cap situation to kill them another year. It isnt about paying guys like Crosby/Malkin/Letang or anything like that, it's secondary guys that are killing us.

I know people here like Tanev, but he isnt worth the $3.5M we pay him. Paying some like Fast for a bottom 6 role for that contract is a lot smarter than $3.5M for 6 years to a career bottom 6 guy. Paying a guy like Duclair last season or two seasons ago like I advocated for makes a lot more sense than trading for a guy like Matheson. Even guys like ZAR (who i think is absolutely useless) shouldnt be on this roster.

I feel a lot of people (including me) overreact to Rutherford's trades and a lot of us underreact to Rutherford's contracts and cap management. It has been very frustrating to see a lot of solid players that could help us out get signed to other teams for reasonable contracts.
- SuperHenderson13

Fast got 2 Million because it is a flat cap world. He gets 3 or more easily if the cap is 88 Million as it was projected to be. Tanev may be 500k overpaid. Big whoop

Can we all stop pretending that Matheson was acquired in a vacuum? Like Matheson was picked up for a conditional 7th and we just added his contract to the cap?

Hornquist was a 3rd line winger who on this team, with the intended makeup was dead weight. He probably had negative value around the league as Tyler Johnson, similar cost and term couldn't be given away FOR FREE

So, a spare part winger making 5.3 million was exchanged for a spare part defenseman making 4.8 million for the 3rd pairing defense. One has upside, the other we've probably exhausted all value out of

The "cap mistake" was made 2.5 seasons ago when Horn was extended when we were going for the "3peat"

Speed was never part of Hornqvist's game, so slowing down just doesn't matter. Johnson slowing down does, he scored 14 goals on an offensive juggernaut. What makes anyone think he isn't going to continue to regress.

Johnson is more enticing at 50% value. Hell most players are. It just isn't happening. Besides I would still take Hornqvist at 50% over Johnson at 50% value. On a side note, we will all be whining about the PP this year unless in the unlikely scenario one of the new guys this year steps up.
- Thunderbolt

His most common linemates were Palat and Cirelli. The year before he was playing with Point and Kuch. Big difference in QoT there. He went from being in the top 6 and playing with elite talent to being in the bottom 6 playing with middle six talent.

The thing that sucks about this free agency is you see all of these awesome value signings.. and then we just go and blow our load on Jankowski and Erod. There were better options at awesome prices and it doesn't even seem like we tried at all.

Fast got 2 Million because it is a flat cap world. He gets 3 or more easily if the cap is 88 Million as it was projected to be. Tanev may be 500k overpaid. Big whoop

Can we all stop pretending that Matheson was acquired in a vacuum? Like Matheson was picked up for a conditional 7th and we just added his contract to the cap?

Hornquist was a 3rd line winger who on this team, with the intended makeup was dead weight. He probably had negative value around the league as Tyler Johnson, similar cost and term couldn't be given away FOR FREE

So, a spare part winger making 5.3 million was exchanged for a spare part defenseman making 4.8 million for the 3rd pairing defense. One has upside, the other we've probably exhausted all value out of

The "cap mistake" was made 2.5 seasons ago when Horn was extended when we were going for the "3peat"
- TheGame316

Definitely agree with that. The extension was a mistake.

His most common linemates were Palat and Cirelli. The year before he was playing with Point and Kuch. Big difference in QoT there. He went from being in the top 6 and playing with elite talent to being in the bottom 6 playing with middle six talent.

The thing that sucks about this free agency is you see all of these awesome value signings.. and then we just go and blow our load on Jankowski and Erod. There were better options at awesome prices and it doesn't even seem like we tried at all.
- j.boyd919

Also was a shortened season, so can't compare goal totals from the past two seasons to now. You'd have to go by GPG or something.

I'm not as big on the Zucker trade anymore

I think I'd rather have kept Gally and let his contract expire and still have the 2021 1st and Addison

5.5 Million in space gets us a winger for the top 6 in this market

I'm not as big on the Zucker trade anymore

I think I'd rather have kept Gally and let his contract expire and still have the 2021 1st and Addison

5.5 Million in space gets us a winger for the top 6 in this market
- TheGame316

Yea but who the hell knew this was happening. We gotta stop with this hindsight.

Hoffman at 1 year 4 Million would be gold

Put Hoffman in the top 6 and roll a 3rd line of McCann Jankowski Kapanen
- TheGame316

I'd like to snag Hoffman. I could see him working well with Geno and Zucker. Then Rust or Kap with Sid and Guentz and so on haha.

I'm not as big on the Zucker trade anymore

I think I'd rather have kept Gally and let his contract expire and still have the 2021 1st and Addison

5.5 Million in space gets us a winger for the top 6 in this market
- TheGame316

Are you trolling now? You just argued that you can't compare this year with past years. We needed a LW to replace Guentzel in order to be competitive. Your alternative basically gives up on the season.

Jeff Schultz > Justin Schultz

I'm not as big on the Zucker trade anymore

I think I'd rather have kept Gally and let his contract expire and still have the 2021 1st and Addison

5.5 Million in space gets us a winger for the top 6 in this market
- TheGame316

It’s easy to say things are not as good as we thought after Covid. I still think Zucker was a good acquisition despite the cost it took. But....So many good options out there to sign and we stick to Rodrigues and Jankowski (even though I thought both are at good prices).
Is it safe to say Nobody expected contracts to be this low?

Jeff Schultz > Justin Schultz
- Blackstrom2

I was hoping Justin Would play well for you guys. Not anymore lol

I was hoping Justin Would play well for you guys. Not anymore lol
- Barnaby36

I hope so too. But I think he is going to be trash.

Are you trolling now? You just argued that you can't compare this year with past years. We needed a LW to replace Guentzel in order to be competitive. Your alternative basically gives up on the season.
- Hockey66

When Jake was out last season for me there was zero chance at a Stanley Cup

I would have kept my powder dry, and been a seller and stockpiled for 2020/2021

It was to our benefit? that Covid happened and we got Jake back for the playoffs. All 4 games of it

It was a know when to fold em moment and GMJR went all in. I like Zucker, but in hindsight it was a bad move at the time and it looks worse now that there are so many wingers out there that could be had for free

It’s easy to say things are not as good as we thought after Covid. I still think Zucker was a good acquisition despite the cost it took. But....So many good options out there to sign and we stick to Rodrigues and Jankowski (even though I thought both are at good prices).
Is it safe to say Nobody expected contracts to be this low?
- Barnaby36

ERod and Jank aren't stopping us from doing anything else. Their cap can "poof" disappear in full just by being sent down

I would have loved Fast at 2 million, but who says he comes here for that?

I hope so too. But I think he is going to be trash.
- Blackstrom2

Give him a chance

Liking or not liking Johnson isn’t the point of what Tojo was saying though. The point is that Johnson can be classified as an unmovable contract now so a team like the Pens can realistically demand salary retention or other assets to take it on if we were to acquire it.
- Victoro311

I agree completely on that. His contract isn’t moveable as proven by the league. I also imo don’t think he’s really that worth it as a player. Either they have to trade someone else, retain money, or add a high pick. I think horny was a similar situation. There was no trading him for just a cap dump.

Give him a chance
- 668710

That's what ya'll said about JJ.

For all we know Sceviour was the cost in moving Hornqvist

Florida seemed to be the ones concerned with the Hornqvist risk, perhaps Sceviour was the cost of taking on that risk? who knows, were you there? I wasn't

You can't look at every other bargain out there and assume that the Penguins could have had the same player for the same price. When players are willing to take discount contracts, there are lots of teams bidding for them and the player generally has his pick of places to land, Would I have taken Pat Maroon for 800k, hell yes, but he wasn't going anywhere but Tampa for that price

Penguins are offering 1 year deals because we have Marino needing a contract next year and nobody coming off the books and a flat cap

Hindsight is 20/20. If I knew Covid was going to crash the NHL market, I would have traded everyone I could last year at the deadline, Not signed Tanev, Not resigned Petts, not traded for Zucker and gone into this offseason with 25-35 Million in capspace and rebuilt the entire team

But hindsight isn't 20/20
- TheGame316

I said that Sceviour was a cost in response to saying he wasn't acquired to fill in for ZAR and I can certainly look at every other bargain, that was a better signing than what the Pens did, that filled needs the Pens need, and think at least one of them would of signed with Pens. That not even close to far fetched.

Still time to get a middle 6 winger though and that's what I want. One more producing RW, there's still quite a few left not signed yet.

If we could land Hoffman I’d consider trading Petterson. I like Petterson, but LD appears to be one of the deepest positions on the team.

I’d try to get at least one more year out of that deal though, 2 x $4 mil AAV. I feel like Matheson and Marino could make a solid second pairing, and we could fill out the 3LD spot with either Rikki or POJ. If Matheson struggles maybe POJ can eventually move up to 2LD.

A lot of hypotheticals, but I think it at least has the potential to work.
- MaxHyjinx

I would want to wait mid season if at all possible to trade petts for cap space. Or hopefully Matheson can kill it much like schultz in a sheltered role and get some trade value but I think of that happens jr will just be extra hot n’ horny to trade petts. Here’s hoping Marino is good enough to carry matheson.

That's what ya'll said about JJ.
- Blackstrom2

I think only 1 person said that

Hall to the Sabres

Sabres looking like a poor man's Maple Leafs.