Penguins Re-Sign Defenseman Matt Niskanen: 2 yr, $4.6m

[IanMoran]

Good signing

[Pens15]

So I assume you guys are all sold on Niskanen as a fixture in the top 4 then?

[Big Easy Pens Fan]

Josh Yohe ‏@JoshYohe_Trib

Niskanen: "I'm not happy to be in Pittsburgh. I'm super happy. Pittsburgh does things the right way, and I want to be a part of it there. I knew immediately it was the right place for me. I would have considered a longer deal if it were in the cards. But two years is fine. I'm happy with that."

I guess this explains the discount.

BEPF

[jogr4909]

Josh Yohe ‏@JoshYohe_Trib

Niskanen: "I'm not happy to be in Pittsburgh. I'm super happy."

I'm super happy the Goligoski trade worked out like this for Pens. Top 6 40 goal scorer and top 4 D pairing all signed up. excellent.

[IanMoran]

So I assume you guys are all sold on Niskanen as a fixture in the top 4 then?

It wouldn't be a bad signing even if he was just a 5th d but, tbh I think I'm fine with him on the second pairing

2 possible scenarios? :
Letang - XXXX
Niskanen - Orpik
Despres - Engo / Lovejoy

OR keep Martin and go for a cheaper defenseman I guess
Letang - Orpik
Martin - XXX
Nisky - Despres

Either / or I'd be fine with

[Bioshock]

So I assume you guys are all sold on Niskanen as a fixture in the top 4 then?

Depends on who Shero brings in. As of right now, yes.

[mikey287]

You just have to be careful...because Niskanen has shown that he can be one of the worst players in the league if not used correctly...the fact of the matter is, he had the easiest job on the Pens blueline last year (along with fringe NHLers like Engelland and Lovejoy) and while he did fine in that role as a #5, that doesn't mean he can do as well as a #4 (see: Andrej Meszaros from Ottawa to Tampa Bay). Niskanen was rather sheltered all season long, which is fine to get your confidence back, but you can't be 100% sure of top-4 minutes until you see it...and that's not to say that he can't, but you have to be careful...hockey fans in general have the "what have you done for me yesterday?" mindset, so Niskanen was "awesome" as a #5 but might be "garbage" as a #4. It happens all the time...I think the same thing happens with Martin this coming season also...but that's neither here nor there...

[Pens15]

So I assume you guys are all sold on Niskanen as a fixture in the top 4 then?

It wouldn't be a bad signing even if he was just a 5th d but, tbh I think I'm fine with him on the second pairing

See, that's where I disagree. I wouldn't be thrilled with paying him 2.3M to play bottom pair. Maybe if he was all we had, it'd be fine. But not when we have all these cheap young guys knocking on the door.

[jogr4909]

Bring in bryan Allen for D. Get Parise, Doan, and Konopka as forwards; Let's go !

Forrget about Suter, bye bye Martin.

[mikey287]

So I assume you guys are all sold on Niskanen as a fixture in the top 4 then?

It wouldn't be a bad signing even if he was just a 5th d but, tbh I think I'm fine with him on the second pairing

See, that's where I disagree. I wouldn't be thrilled with paying him 2.3M to play bottom pair. Maybe if he was all we had, it'd be fine. But not when we have all these cheap young guys knocking on the door.

Just two very elementary points for context sake, not even to make an argument. But under the current salary cap situation, every roster position has an expected value of just over $3.5 million. So paying 2/3 of that for a #5 d-man is not bad. Two, these cheap players knocking on the door...there may be a good reason we haven't answered the door for starters, and secondly for being "younger" and "cheaper" we would potentially sacrifice effectiveness for an age difference of what? 18 months? And a buck and a quarter or a buck and a half? That's cutting corners where corners should remain sharp...

[IanMoran]

You just have to be careful...because Niskanen has shown that he can be one of the worst players in the league if not used correctly...the fact of the matter is, he had the easiest job on the Pens blueline last year (along with fringe NHLers like Engelland and Lovejoy) and while he did fine in that role as a #5, that doesn't mean he can do as well as a #4 (see: Andrej Meszaros from Ottawa to Tampa Bay). Niskanen was rather sheltered all season long, which is fine to get your confidence back, but you can't be 100% sure of top-4 minutes until you see it...and that's not to say that he can't, but you have to be careful...hockey fans in general have the "what have you done for me yesterday?" mindset, so Niskanen was "awesome" as a #5 but might be "garbage" as a #4. It happens all the time...I think the same thing happens with Martin this coming season also...but that's neither here nor there...

Not just a hockey type of thing... see William Gay's transition for 3rd "AWESOME" corner to most hated man in Pittsburgh lol

[IanMoran]

So I assume you guys are all sold on Niskanen as a fixture in the top 4 then?

It wouldn't be a bad signing even if he was just a 5th d but, tbh I think I'm fine with him on the second pairing

See, that's where I disagree. I wouldn't be thrilled with paying him 2.3M to play bottom pair. Maybe if he was all we had, it'd be fine. But not when we have all these cheap young guys knocking on the door.

Just two very elementary points for context sake, not even to make an argument. But under the current salary cap situation, every roster position has an expected value of just over $3.5 million. So paying 2/3 of that for a #5 d-man is not bad.

I think a lot of contracts are misread because of how much cap has increased. 2.3 mill in 2012 = roughly 1.2 mill in 2004

[DesertPenguin]

The only knock i've had on Niskanen is that hes on the small side and isn't overly physical.

However, this past season he seems to have fit perfectly into what Byslma wants to do and played the type of game that makes you not notice him much on defense (a good thing!). While we spent the entire season calling out every mistake made by Martin, Michalek and even Orpik and Letang, Niskanen just continued to do a solid, if unspectacular, job of playing his game.

I'm perfectly happy with him filling a top 4 role this season, but I'd like to see the minutes get distributed a little more evenly among the six. Last season the average time on ice per game for our 7 NHL defensemen was:

Letang - 24:50
Martin - 23:00
Orpik - 22:33
Michalek - 21:38
Niskanen - 17:56
Engelland - 16:08
Lovejoy - 13:50

Id like to see Niskanen come in right around 20:00. Its less than what Michalek was playing, but more than what he was asked to do last season. Spread those extra minutes to Despres and I think we are good. Lovejoy, when we used him, was clearly not trusted to even the level Engelland played, and I think his time has passed. Id Rather see Strait or Bortuzzo up in Pittsburgh this season than Lovejoy.

[Bioshock]

Seth Rorabaugh ‏@emptynetters

Niskanen on Crosby's contract: "It’s about winning and having a winning team and he wants to have good players around him."

[mikey287]

So I assume you guys are all sold on Niskanen as a fixture in the top 4 then?

It wouldn't be a bad signing even if he was just a 5th d but, tbh I think I'm fine with him on the second pairing

See, that's where I disagree. I wouldn't be thrilled with paying him 2.3M to play bottom pair. Maybe if he was all we had, it'd be fine. But not when we have all these cheap young guys knocking on the door.

Just two very elementary points for context sake, not even to make an argument. But under the current salary cap situation, every roster position has an expected value of just over $3.5 million. So paying 2/3 of that for a #5 d-man is not bad.

I think a lot of contracts are misread because of how much cap has increased. 2.3 mill in 2012 = roughly 1.2 mill in 2004

That's exactly right. Contracts don't exist in a vacuum when you have a salary cap.

[Bioshock]

I'm all for this contract. Did you See Niskanen's comments on how he wished it could have been longer but it wasn't in the cards? Yeah, Shero is gonna gut this blue line. Everyone here now besides Letang won't be in this city in 24 months.

[pcm]

I don't know about Orpik. I bet he stays around for a while, slowly dropping down the depth charts as he moves into more of a veteran depth / mentor for the young guys role

[Puffymuffin]

I'm all for this contract. Did you See Niskanen's comments on how he wished it could have been longer but it wasn't in the cards? Yeah, Shero is gonna gut this blue line. Everyone here now besides Letang won't be in this city in 24 months.

Niskanen might stay as well, he likes it here and is a good player, unless a few of the young guns actually step up big time he'll be here.

[penny lane]

Matt Niskanen has found his home! We're super happy too! Great trade last year, by GM Shero; with Matty and James Neal. I still remember his bio or game day q & a; he wore sweatpants to high school.

[Rylan]

Niskanen and Michalek prove that where you play absolutely matters. You have to be happy and confident to succeed and they both teetered in opposite directions. Niskanen was considered to be a bust and terrible in Dallas, but comes to Pittsburgh and thrives. Meanwhile, Michalek was solid in Phoenix and comes to Pittsburgh and falters a bit.

I am extremely excited for this deal.

As for not being here in 24 mos. I think its more of a prove yourself being more than a one year wonder before I invest a long term contract with you.

[IanMoran]

I'm all for this contract. Did you See Niskanen's comments on how he wished it could have been longer but it wasn't in the cards? Yeah, Shero is gonna gut this blue line. Everyone here now besides Letang won't be in this city in 24 months.

Shero's always been a fan of short term 1-3 year deals on EVERYONE but his "core." Nothing really here, he likes flexibility

[Willie Kool]

Good contract. I really like Niskanen's game.

And if you feel up to it, there's an opening on this team for a power play quarterback...

I think he has definitely shown potential. He has a good shot and seems pretty confident and comfortable on the point.

[PghSkins]

Nine consecutive posts without something negative. Is that some sort of a record?

There was a Pirates game to prepare for.

Also, WOO HOO!

[Pens4Life]

Good re-signing,great to see him back

[TheGhostofGoulet]

Entering this summer, Niskanen was a restricted free agent. If both sides hadn’t reached an agreement by noon on Sunday, he would have become an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team he wanted.

Not that it matters now, but I don't think that is correct.