Cap increase won't ease Penguins' dilemma

[Irishjim]

 

If you watched the TV show Lost (and we all agree the final season was terrible), you were familiar with the recurring numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42. These numbers were part of an equation predicting mankind's extinction.

 

No one's predicting Pittsburgh's extinction, but the Penguins' next GM will have his own set of numbers to worry about. They are 2, 3 and 16. 

 

What are they? The current 2014-15 cap hit rankings for Evgeni Malkin ($9.5 million US), Sidney Crosby ($8.7 million) and Kris Letang ($7.25 million). While attending Game 2 of the Montreal/Boston playoff series, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the "rough estimate" of next year's ceiling is between $69-70 million.

 

Letang and Malkin's extensions -- which kick in next season -- will eat slightly more than $4 million of whatever jump there is from this year's $64.3 million limit. Those three players could combine for 35 per cent of Pittsburgh's space.

 

Even as the cap rose from its initial $39 million in 2005-06 to almost double that now (with some teams predicting even higher numbers), you don't see many situations with Pittsburgh's upcoming structure.

 

 

[Polaris922]

As has been shown in @B21 's previous thread there's room to breathe. We'll see what happens.

[B21]

As has been shown in @B21 's previous thread there's room to breathe. We'll see what happens.

 

Plenty o'room to breathe.  I don't see how this is not obvious to some people.  For better or worse, the top 6 forward spots and our 3rd line center are set for next season barring a trade (which - if it happens - you would think would be done to free up cap space). 5 of our top 6 spots on D are also pretty much accounted for (again barring a trade that would free up cap space).  At the end of the day just under $16,000,000 to spend on 3rd/4th line forwards and depth on D is not that bad.

 

Do Flyers fans think every team has to have a 4th line center with a 5 year / $22.5 million deal with a full NMC?   

[Polaris922]

Plenty o'room to breathe.  I don't see how this is not obvious to some people.  For better or worse, the top 6 forward spots and our 3rd line center are set for next season barring a trade (which - if it happens - you would think would be done to free up cap space). 5 of our top 6 spots on D are also pretty much accounted for (again barring a trade that would free up cap space).  At the end of the day just under $16,000,000 to spend on 3rd/4th line forwards and depth on D is not that bad.

 

Do Flyers fans think every team has to have a 4th line center with a 5 year / $22.5 million deal with a full NMC?   

 

 

I'll be watching closely...  as you will too I'm sure.  @nossagog!!   

[B21]

I'll be watching closely...  as you will too I'm sure.  @nossagog!!  

 

Indeed. I wish trading were as easy as some make it out to be.  "Yeah - we'll just dumb this guy and the rest of his 17-year deal..." 

 

I think there is a market for just about anyone on the Pens except Fleury and Scuderi.

[flyerrod]

I think there is a market for just about anyone on the Pens except Fleury and Scuderi.

Do you really believe there is anyone out there foolish enough to take on Kris Letang's salary? If so, I think you picked the wrong day to quit sniffing glue........

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WAwuSK36Gw

[nossagog]

Do you really believe there is anyone out there foolish enough to take on Kris Letang's salary? If so, I think you picked the wrong day to quit sniffing glue........

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WAwuSK36Gw

 

I really hate agreeing with Flyers fans, but FlyerRod  is correct in this case.  Any attempt to move Letang would be almost impossible, and he's the contract that really hurts.  I don't mind either of the contracts for Crosby or Malkin,  but the Letang contract kind of bother's me. 

 

At the deadline, I wanted to see them move Orpik, while they had the chance to get something for him, and they didn't. Now they'll get nothing.

[B21]

Do you really believe there is anyone out there foolish enough to take on Kris Letang's salary? If so, I think you picked the wrong day to quit sniffing glue........

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WAwuSK36Gw

 

Yup. I'm not saying they are going to get a Doughty or Suter but he's certainly tradeable for a fair return.  The question is health.

 

You have to play the "projection" game due to injuries and the lock-out but....

 

10-11: 8/42/50

11-12: 15/48/63

12-13: 11/73/84

13-14: 23/23/46 (He gets a pass for this year...)

 

The comparables are Karlsson (who is making $725,000 less) and Subban who - if you beleive the rumors - is looking for around $8,000,000.

 

If you don't like the winger who plays D - that's OK.  But if you want one, this is what they cost.

[mojo1917]

At the deadline, I wanted to see them move Orpik, while they had the chance to get something for him, and they didn't. Now they'll get nothing.

 

might not be so bad, Pouliot, Doumolin , and Depres could make your defensive unit better with their mobility, and Depres isn't a sissy.

 

If there was a guy to "let walk" i  think Brooks was / is it,  his game has eroded to the point where is intangibles of toughness and leadership don't increase his value,  how much of his declining play was injury ? 

[Polaris922]

@flyerrod

@nossagog

@B21

I agree with B... Letang's health is more the issue than his salary. I can think of a few teams easily that would be interested. (Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Dallas, etc etc...) The stroke will diminish the return but he's still a marketable commodity. Without the health concern there would be a line to talk about him.

[mojo1917]

Without the health concern there would be a line to talk about him.

 

yep, also why would Pgh trade him , or entertain the thought ? in the right mix of players a guy with his abilities is very useful. 

[Polaris922]

yep, also why would Pgh trade him , or entertain the thought ? in the right mix of players a guy with his abilities is very useful.

I don't think they'd trade him. I certainly don't think he'd get the deserved return so soon after his stroke. I agree he's a very valuable commodity, and as I've said before, prior to this season they lose more games when he's hurt than any other single player in their lineup. Perhaps that's an indication of how important a puck carrying defenseman can be.

[nossagog]

might not be so bad, Pouliot, Doumolin , and Depres could make your defensive unit better with their mobility, and Depres isn't a sissy.

 

If there was a guy to "let walk" i  think Brooks was / is it,  his game has eroded to the point where is intangibles of toughness and leadership don't increase his value,  how much of his declining play was injury ? 

 

If its due to an injury, he's been injured for  a couple of years now.   He still makes that big hit every so often, but the day in and day out physicality so no longer there.

 

yep, also why would Pgh trade him , or entertain the thought ? in the right mix of players a guy with his abilities is very useful. 

 

And that is great for the regular season,  a mobile fast moving defenseman, which the Pens have been thriving at. But once the playoff's come, that is not as much  factor.  Once the defenses tighten thing up, and the systems are in full force, it much easier to neutralize players like him.

 

Sadly, in the end, I look at the money that could be freed up by Orpik and Letang, and think with all that, I can get a decent top shelf defensive player, or a pair of physical wingers that can play on the 1st/2nd lines.    In the end, with all the talk about the need for speed, the Pens really need to get physical up front, and not just on the fourth line that gets 6 mins a game.