The thing isn’t about delivering bone crushing checks, it’s playing completely and totally like you don’t want to break an egg. The Pebs roster is already filled with guys that do that.
- Grinder47

Is that why they were 10th in the league in hits?

Brian Burke says the team's goal is to sign both Letang and Malkin. He expects it to come to head soon.

To be honest I'd like a bone crusher or two on the back end but not like plug mouth breather ones, ones that can actually play smart hockey and transition well with the Pens system...they're rare though.
- MattStrat

Radko Gudas. Hits to hurt and can still handle the puck.

Is that why they were 10th in the league in hits?
- Feds91Stammer

Hits stats are more worthless than CF%.

Agree 100%. These are not hard to f-up.

In other thoughts...what would it take to get Fiala out of MIN?? I heard 1st and prospect...if that's all, I would be all over that. Maybe we can add in a Pettersson/etc to help with the cap room? Either way Demoulin and Zucker making combined $9.5M is way too much and they are UFA end of the season, dump them and use the money better.
- mventres

I'd love Fiala but Minnesota will be taking zero salary back. Even if we threw them an extra 2nd or two they still couldn't take on a contract. Suter/Parise buyouts hit for 12.7 this year and 14.7 the two after that. That's why Fiala is gone to begin with.

I'd love Fiala but Minnesota will be taking zero salary back. Even if we threw them an extra 2nd or two they still couldn't take on a contract. Suter/Parise buyouts hit for 12.7 this year and 14.7 the two after that. That's why Fiala is gone to begin with.
- Pags

I’d rather re-sign Rakell quickly. We should take care of this and sign Malkin/Letang to new deals.

Bringing back Heinen would be a plus.

Brian Burke says the team's goal is to sign both Letang and Malkin. He expects it to come to head soon.
- SuperHenderson13

Did he say this today?

I’d rather re-sign Rakell quickly. We should take care of this and sign Malkin/Letang to new deals.

Bringing back Heinen would be a plus.
- Barnaby36

Rakell is definitely not priority in the group of Geno, Letang and Rakell. Da (frank) you smoking today?

I'd love Fiala but Minnesota will be taking zero salary back. Even if we threw them an extra 2nd or two they still couldn't take on a contract. Suter/Parise buyouts hit for 12.7 this year and 14.7 the two after that. That's why Fiala is gone to begin with.
- Pags

Tha (frank)! Guerin do that?

I’d rather re-sign Rakell quickly. We should take care of this and sign Malkin/Letang to new deals.

Bringing back Heinen would be a plus.
- Barnaby36

So the same team that just lost in the 1st round again.

Tha (frank)! Guerin do that?
- sammy87

Yeah. For two reasons...would have had to protect both for the Seattle draft, and opened 10+ million in space to go all in for the just ended season. Didn't work and now they're F'd for the next 3.

I'd love Fiala but Minnesota will be taking zero salary back. Even if we threw them an extra 2nd or two they still couldn't take on a contract. Suter/Parise buyouts hit for 12.7 this year and 14.7 the two after that. That's why Fiala is gone to begin with.
- Pags

So the buy out essentially saved them a bunch of money for one year? Why even bother to buy them out? I thought it was 2/3 salary over twice the length of contract, or something along those lines.

Did he say this today?
- Barnaby36

Looks like it. He did an interview with Sportsnet

EDIT: Never mind lol. The full quote doesnt paint as rosy of a picture as Taylor's tweet. Burke pretty much said they want them both back... but at the price and term that is right... otherwise, they arent coming back.

Yikes lol.

DKPS said Pettersson's name has been floated as a tradable asset to free up room. Not surprised, but wish they'd look at Dumo instead. I think Pettersson/Marino was a good pairing.

Looks like it. He did an interview with Sportsnet

EDIT: Never mind lol. The full quote doesnt paint as rosy of a picture as Taylor's tweet. Burke pretty much said they want them both back... but at the price and term that is right... otherwise, they arent coming back.

Yikes lol.

DKPS said Pettersson's name has been floated as a tradable asset to free up room. Not surprised, but wish they'd look at Dumo instead. I think Pettersson/Marino was a good pairing.
- SuperHenderson13

"Nothing's changed with regard to our personnel. We want to sign both players," Burke said. "Everyone should be emphatically clear on that. We would like to bring both players back. But they've got to come back at term and contract dollars that make sense. ... And if not, they're not coming back. That's what people should be very clear on. It's not that we're not interested in having them back. We want them back. But they've got to come back at numbers that make sense and don't leave us cap-handcuffed. If that doesn't happen they're not coming back. It's very simple for us. We want them back, they've got to come back at terms that make sense or they won't be back."

"Nothing's changed with regard to our personnel. We want to sign both players," Burke said. "Everyone should be emphatically clear on that. We would like to bring both players back. But they've got to come back at term and contract dollars that make sense. ... And if not, they're not coming back. That's what people should be very clear on. It's not that we're not interested in having them back. We want them back. But they've got to come back at numbers that make sense and don't leave us cap-handcuffed. If that doesn't happen they're not coming back. It's very simple for us. We want them back, they've got to come back at terms that make sense or they won't be back."
- j.boyd919

The key part of the quote for me was him talking about settling Letang before pivoting to Malkin. Clarifying that communication hasn’t stopped with Geno, just isn’t urgent like it is Letang.

Good strategy. Letang was always going to be harder to sign. I’m just worried that at some point time will run out and we’ll end up with neither. Think they need to budge on giving Letang term. Who cares about the back end of the contract which will likely out last Crosby and Malkin’s career anyways.

"Nothing's changed with regard to our personnel. We want to sign both players," Burke said. "Everyone should be emphatically clear on that. We would like to bring both players back. But they've got to come back at term and contract dollars that make sense. ... And if not, they're not coming back. That's what people should be very clear on. It's not that we're not interested in having them back. We want them back. But they've got to come back at numbers that make sense and don't leave us cap-handcuffed. If that doesn't happen they're not coming back. It's very simple for us. We want them back, they've got to come back at terms that make sense or they won't be back."
- j.boyd919

This quote makes perfect sense. As great as Crosby and Letang are, and as helpful as Malkin can be on the power play they aren’t making a run again by themselves.

Kings just traded their 1st for Fiala's rights.

Kings just traded their 1st for Fiala's rights.
- Rinosaur

They have probably one of the deepest prospect pools in the league but are missing solid NHLers. Good trade for them.

I dont blame Guerin for buying out Parise and Suter, but man is that going to sting for the next 3 years.

They have probably one of the deepest prospect pools in the league but are missing solid NHLers. Good trade for them.

I dont blame Guerin for buying out Parise and Suter, but man is that going to sting for the next 3 years.
- SuperHenderson13

They looked like a promising young team last season and expected them to be even a bit better this season anyway... Adding him makes them more dangerous no doubt.

They have probably one of the deepest prospect pools in the league but are missing solid NHLers. Good trade for them.

I dont blame Guerin for buying out Parise and Suter, but man is that going to sting for the next 3 years.
- SuperHenderson13

Tough situation for them.

Tough situation for them.
- Rinosaur

I remember when the sky was falling because Parise and Suter didnt sign here in 2012.

I remember when the sky was falling because Parise and Suter didnt sign here in 2012.
- SuperHenderson13

The sky is perpetually falling

With Letang/Malkin Pens are a bubble playoff team.
- hfc355

Yup. Rip off the band-aid fast...it only hurts for a second. (But I'd keep Letang)

Kings just traded their 1st for Fiala's rights.
- Rinosaur

I thought he’d go for more than a mid first in a meh draft and an OK prospect. I know teams could hold their feet to the fire to an extent but I thought multiple offers would drive the price more than that .

From Lebrun:

“The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to have ongoing discussions with pending UFAs Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. However, sources say things were status quo on both those fronts.

Both players clearly want to stay put but the sense I got Wednesday is that they’re struggling to wrap their minds around what that means as far as the Penguins’ ability to sign them under the salary cap. Pittsburgh has about $23 million to spend and plenty of other holes in the lineup to fill.

There’s still hope on each front, but we’re getting closer to hard decisions here.”