Blowing it up

[Nizzy]

This is what i really think the Roster will look like next year. I just for some reason think getting Parise will be too good to be true so i think we will get Sid another winger instead.

FORWARDS
Chris Kunitz ($3.725m) / Evgeni Malkin ($8.700m) / James Neal ($5.000m)
Pascal Dupuis ($1.500m) / Sidney Crosby ($8.700m) / Bobby Ryan ($5.100m)
Matt Cooke ($1.800m) / Brandon Sutter ($2.067m) / Eric Tangradi ($0.900m)
Craig Adams ($0.675m) / Dominic Moore ($1.300m) / Arron Asham ($0.800m)
DEFENSEMEN
Kris Letang ($3.500m) / Brooks Orpik ($3.750m)
Ryan Suter ($7.500m) / Matt Niskanen ($2.500m)
Deryk Engelland ($0.567m) / Simon Despres ($0.840m)
Robert Bortuzzo ($0.650m) /
GOALTENDERS
Marc-Andre Fleury ($5.000m)
Tomas Vokoun ($2.000m)

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $70,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $66,573,333; BONUSES: $0
CAP SPACE (21-man roster): $3,726,667

So what do we give up for Bobby Ryan then? You really think this right? Suter said he wants to stay in the West.

[Big Easy Pens Fan]

I don't believe Jordan Staal will start producing all star numbers just because he's getting the minutes on the top line, but he deserves the opportunity to play in a more "Offensive" approaching line.

Stall played 62 games last. You extrapolate his 25+25=50 for 82 games and it's 34+34=68. And he will be playing on a pretty good 1st line in Carolina. But, BUT, he will also be seeing the oppositions' top defensive duo, whereas with the Pens that was seldom the case. I'm figuring somewhere around 30+30=60 (not bad, but not "All Star" calibre). And you normally expect a center to dish out more assists than have goals scored, an area which Stall is not prone to do. Stallsy will have an adjustment period to go through when he gets to the 'Canes.

BEPF

[mikey287]

Not an unfair point, BEPF, but he is used to going against pretty stiff competition as it is. Statistcally (whatever that's worth...), he's probably put in some of the worst situations in the entire league...and remarkably comes out on top of it all...this is what I've always been talking about all these years, this guy just gets it, he kicks ass...it might not always show on the scoresheet, but Staal is the bee's knees, ankles and feet...

Whatcha got here is a confangled chart that's Y axis shows the stiffness of competition he faces, and the X axis is the percent of the time he starts in his own zone. Higher on the Y, harder the competition. Farther left on the X, the more you start 200 feet from scoring yourself. Filled in circle means that your team gets more shots on goal than shots against when you're out there. Empty circle means the opposite, you yield more shots when you're out there.



Summation: Staal rules and we're gonna miss him. We're gonna go through more of an adjustment period than he will, in my opinion. Additionally, Engelland sucks donkey nards.

[Big Easy Pens Fan]

Ruutu-Ruutu-Tootoo

Steigy: "The Yosemite Sam line"

A total LOL columbia!!!

BEPF

[pugilist13]

Not an unfair point, BEPF, but he is used to going against pretty stiff competition as it is. Statistcally (whatever that's worth...), he's probably put in some of the worst situations in the entire league...and remarkably comes out on top of it all...this is what I've always been talking about all these years, this guy just gets it, he kicks ass...it might not always show on the scoresheet, but Staal is the bee's knees, ankles and feet...

Whatcha got here is a confangled chart that's Y axis shows the stiffness of competition he faces, and the X axis is the percent of the time he starts in his own zone. Higher on the Y, harder the competition. Farther left on the X, the more you start 200 feet from scoring yourself. Filled in circle means that your team gets more shots on goal than shots against when you're out there. Empty circle means the opposite, you yield more shots when you're out there.



Summation: Staal rules and we're gonna miss him. We're gonna go through more of an adjustment period than he will, in my opinion.

mikey, you ok bro? I'm starting to get worried.

[mikey287]

In what regard? If you're referring to the post-partum depression of losing Staal, then yes, I'll be ok...a little (more) alcohol should do the trick...that said, I'm so delusional, I'm using advanced stats to prove a point...ehh...straight jacket please!

[Big Easy Pens Fan]

Don't get me wrong mikey, we're definately gonna miss #11 and his long stick and the ability to use it effectively as a forechecker. He is the consumate team player, for sure.

BEPF

[joopen]

:lol: In what regard? If you're referring to the post-partum depression of losing Staal, then yes, I'll be ok...a little (more) alcohol should do the trick...that said, I'm so delusional, I'm using advanced stats to prove a point...ehh...straight jacket please!

Don't worry. The defensive prowess and progression of Deryk Engelland will make up for the loss of Staal and Michalek combined. As well as the shipping off of Paul Martin without a replacement.

[pugilist13]

:lol: In what regard? If you're referring to the post-partum depression of losing Staal, then yes, I'll be ok...a little (more) alcohol should do the trick...that said, I'm so delusional, I'm using advanced stats to prove a point...ehh...straight jacket please!

You seem to be in an unusually angry mood today. Its all good, take a deep breath, a cold brew.and walk away from LGP for a bit.

[Big Easy Pens Fan]

I don't believe Jordan Staal will start producing all star numbers just because he's getting the minutes on the top line, but he deserves the opportunity to play in a more "Offensive" approaching line.

Staal played 62 games last. You extrapolate his 25+25=50 for 82 games and it's 34+34=68. And he will be playing on a pretty good 1st line in Carolina. But, BUT, he will also be seeing the oppositions' top defensive duo, whereas with the Pens that was seldom the case. I'm figuring somewhere around 30+30=60 (not bad, but not "All Star" calibre). And you normally expect a center to dish out more assists than have goals scored, an area which Staal is not prone to do. Staalsy will have an adjustment period to go through when he gets to the 'Canes.

BEPF

[Froggy]

so does that chart mean that tangradi is a bigger turd than previously thought?

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Just a general comment regarding the initial post and all the debate going on about what Shero needs to do:

Shero doesn't need to "replace" anything. Teams evolve. As big of a Jordan Staal as I am, it obviously wasn't good enough to make it passed the first round. Teams win cups without the three center mold that we had. Teams need to depth, balance, goaltending and a good system.

Trading Jordan Staal isn't the end of the world. It's world of sports we live in today. Teams adjust and move on. Shero kept us very strong thus far. We still have the top two offensive players in the world as our 1 & 2. Outside of Jordan Staal, because players like that are rarely at 3rd line center, we have as good of a 3rd line center as we could possibly hope for. Sutter can score, win faceoffs and has a solid two-way game.

The Penguins now have $14M in free space. The only real hole we have up front is on the top-six, which Shero will have very little issue filling. Does it have to be a guy like Parise, Nash or Ryan? No, not at all. Would that be nice? Of course it would! It would be great to have four players on our top six capable of putting up 40 goals, but it isn't necessary. If all Shero does is sign a guy like Mikael Samuelsson, or trade Martin for a Kunitz or Glencross-type player, then we should be pretty happy. I'm fairly confident we will see that type of player on our roster this season.

Everything in sports, like in life, is trial and error. The Pens did what they thought would bring success, it didn't work, and now they're obviously not shying away from doing what they must to change their gameplan.

[mikey287]

:lol: In what regard? If you're referring to the post-partum depression of losing Staal, then yes, I'll be ok...a little (more) alcohol should do the trick...that said, I'm so delusional, I'm using advanced stats to prove a point...ehh...straight jacket please!

You seem to be in an unusually angry mood today. Its all good, take a deep breath, a cold brew.and walk away from LGP for a bit.

Ah sorry, I'm not really angry. I'm just trying to make some sense. We got Martin+Kennedy for All Star player proposals, "we should have drafted " nonsense from people that don't know how a draft works, "Engelland could be a #3 d-man" in this league nonsense, and to top it all off...Aerosmith is uncomfortably close to the Rolling Stones in the thread over in NHR! + +

Never mad, just questioning thought sometimes (my own included).

[mikey287]

so does that chart mean that tangradi is a bigger turd than previously thought?

Nah, you can't make that call there...he played 8 minutes a game for like 20 games this year...the expectations should be low. It would nice if he had a better corsi ranking there, but I wouldn't be concerned with that. Small sample size and statistics and that whole noise and etc. Not saying Tangradi isn't a turd or is one...it's just, I wouldn't pluck that information off that chart...

[Froggy]

so does that chart mean that tangradi is a bigger turd than previously thought?

Nah, you can't make that call there...he played 8 minutes a game for like 20 games this year...the expectations should be low. It would nice if he had a better corsi ranking there, but I wouldn't be concerned with that. Small sample size and statistics and that whole noise and etc. Not saying Tangradi isn't a turd or is one...it's just, I wouldn't pluck that information off that chart...

right, i know. i wouldn't be me if i didnt point that out though. also, that chart clearly shows that kennedy is pretty much as good as crosby.

[penny lane]

:lol: In what regard? If you're referring to the post-partum depression of losing Staal, then yes, I'll be ok...a little (more) alcohol should do the trick...that said, I'm so delusional, I'm using advanced stats to prove a point...ehh...straight jacket please!

You seem to be in an unusually angry mood today. Its all good, take a deep breath, a cold brew.and walk away from LGP for a bit.

Ah sorry, I'm not really angry. I'm just trying to make some sense. We got Martin+Kennedy for All Star player proposals, "we should have drafted " nonsense from people that don't know how a draft works, "Engelland could be a #3 d-man" in this league nonsense, and to top it all off...Aerosmith is uncomfortably close to the Rolling Stones in the thread over in NHR! + +

Never mad, just questioning thought sometimes (my own included).

to top it off, our new 3rd center isn't ready for the pgh media~

[Gaucho]

As big of a Jordan Staal as I am...

You damn traitor, you...

Seriously, there's a reason why RS wanted to lock him up long-term. He will be missed.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

As big of a Jordan Staal as I am...

You damn traitor, you...

Seriously, there's a reason why RS wanted to lock him up long-term. He will be missed.

Of course he will be missed and of course I think he was worth that long-term contract. I'm not saying there wasn't a reason. ***sigh***

I'm just saying there's more than one way to win. Jordan Staal isn't the only way we can still compete for the cup and Shero doesn't have to replace him to do it. Shero needs to build a team that has good depth and balance.

[Gaucho]

I didn't say you were saying there wasn't a reason. Never mind.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

I didn't say you were saying there wasn't a reason. Never mind.

My bad...can't always tell on here lol

[Pavel Bure]

Can Steve Ott play wing?
http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/1 ... s-at-draft

[mikey287]

Can Steve Ott play wing?
http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/1 ... s-at-draft

Yes.

[Pavel Bure]

I'd really like him on this team as either a Kennedy replacement on the 3rd line or a switch with Dupuis when that line needs some extra jam. He's apparently pretty good on faceoffs to... usually I'd research this stuff but I'm at work.

[KG]

I'd really like him on this team as either a Kennedy replacement on the 3rd line or a switch with Dupuis when that line needs some extra jam. He's apparently pretty good on faceoffs to... usually I'd research this stuff but I'm at work.

I'd do Kennedy and a prospect/pick for Ott....minimal increase to the cap (1+mill I think...)

[Pavel Bure]

I'd really like him on this team as either a Kennedy replacement on the 3rd line or a switch with Dupuis when that line needs some extra jam. He's apparently pretty good on faceoffs to... usually I'd research this stuff but I'm at work.

I'd do Kennedy and a prospect/pick for Ott....minimal increase to the cap (1+mill I think...)

From that article Dallas is looking for prospects and to get younger. I'd certainly look into it.

Edit: And considering the price for Ribero was a 2nd rounder plus a prospect I'd say Ott should come at a similar if not slightly cheaper price.