Niskanen rejects qualifying offer

[KG]

Given the salary cap, paying a guy like Niskanen $2.5 million or whatever isn't a bank breaker (that's near league average salary, I would think)...I'm certainly not concerned with holding spots open for guys like Strait and Bortuzzo and Lovejoy or even Engelland to be honest in exchange for getting rid of Niskanen...one or two of them is worth a late pick, Lovejoy would clear waivers if he put through them I'd think...I'm not concerned about making room for the best that can do it...

Sure, ideally, we move Martin (or accomodate him system-wise) but failing that...in a pinch, I could catapult any of those four guys I mentioned and not lose much sleep to be honest...maybe you don't want to, but it's a business, sometimes you have to make a tough decision like that...

I don't think the Pens would have trouble moving Lovejoy for like a 6th round pick to a team like Carolina that really needs dmen. same with Engelland. don't think either would clear waivers. They are dmen and it's the NHL off-season......GM's just love them some dmen, regardless of pedigree!

Agreed. Moving a depth defensman won't be an issue....The d will have a different look to it next year IMO...

[no name]

I think this organization is at the point that sending a one-way contract to WBS is not an issue. Waivers and potential is what will be in play here. Unfortunately this means we might see Despres start in WBS if someone can't be moved. I'd hate to lose Bortuzzo or Strait, and even Lovejoy, for nothing. But if it comes fown to it, Lovejoy has the least upside and might clear.

No team is going to make an offer for one of thoes guys. Other teams got guys in their system just like them.

[brwi]

I think this organization is at the point that sending a one-way contract to WBS is not an issue. Waivers and potential is what will be in play here. Unfortunately this means we might see Despres start in WBS if someone can't be moved. I'd hate to lose Bortuzzo or Strait, and even Lovejoy, for nothing. But if it comes fown to it, Lovejoy has the least upside and might clear.

No team is going to make an offer for one of thoes guys. Other teams got guys in their system just like them.

They have guys similar in their systems with zero NHL experience and these are d-men we are talking about. There are some very weak bluelines in the NHL(Carolina, Jets, Oilers, Isles, Ducks,TB, etc) looking to improve and the price of acquiring dmen is off the charts. Why do you think guys like Martin and Dan Hamhuis get 5mil/yr when they become UFA's? Or Scuds getting 3? How just awful dmen like Andy Sutton and Bryan Allen manage to still draw NHL paychecks?

[SteelCityFan]

Given the salary cap, paying a guy like Niskanen $2.5 million or whatever isn't a bank breaker (that's near league average salary, I would think)...I'm certainly not concerned with holding spots open for guys like Strait and Bortuzzo and Lovejoy or even Engelland to be honest in exchange for getting rid of Niskanen...one or two of them is worth a late pick, Lovejoy would clear waivers if he put through them I'd think...I'm not concerned about making room for the best that can do it...

Sure, ideally, we move Martin (or accomodate him system-wise) but failing that...in a pinch, I could catapult any of those four guys I mentioned and not lose much sleep to be honest...maybe you don't want to, but it's a business, sometimes you have to make a tough decision like that...

I couldn't agree with this more. The thought of losing out on Niskanen to hold a spot for Lovejoy, Bortuzzo, Strait, or even Engelland (who I'm a big fan of) seems ridiculous. Niskanen was a first round pick for a reason. Things didn't work out for him in Dallas, and we get him as a throw in on the James Neal deal. He got to Pittsburgh, got some of his confidence back and surprised everyone with how well he played. I still don't think we've seen him play his best hockey yet.

[Sarcastic]

I still don't think we've seen him (Niskanen) play his best hockey yet.

That's what I think and why I would feel stupid if we lost him now. The guy keeps getting better and better.

[DelPen]

All these defensemen.... and what if Morrow makes the team this year? Not that much of a stretch when you remember how well he played in camp last year.

There is no way Morrow makes this team. Not with 8 defensemen who need to pass through waivers already signed, another RFA who will most likely get signed and there's also Despres who is better than half those guys and I'm not sure he even makes the team due to the waiver issues.

[Malkamaniac]

Despres has a better chance of Morrow making the team next year imo.

[DelPen]

So Barret Jackman just signed a 3 year contrat with a cap hit of $3.17 million. Jackman should be getting payed more than Niskanen because A) he's a UFA instead of an RFA so his options were wide open and B) Jackman is better than Niskanen. Hopefully they can get a 3 year $8 million deal done, a cap hit of around $2.67 million would be great from the Pens perspective.

[mikey287]

Well, let's not take the bubbly off ice just yet...that's a little home cookin' there for Jackman...a career Blue, wanted to stay, got the NTC...comparing a defensive, physical UFA d-man who took a hometown discount to an offensive RFA won't really work come comparable time...

[GreenPen]

Is this supposed to bad?

The Pens had the softest defense between Martin, Z, and Niskanen.

Wouldn't mind filling it with physical d.

[RisslingsMissingTeeth]

Even though I desperately want Martin moved, I still think the issues last year were way less about having physical D men and way more about Byslma's offense-at-all-cost system crapping the bed. Martin is still worthless and if we can't trade him, he is a 7th rotation at best. Just because you have an overpaid player doesn't mean you have to play him if playing him is a liability to the team which Martin clearly is. Nisky proved his value when most weren't doing so. I also agree that this is his low-end potential-wise while M&M are on the far south side of their past potential.

[sil]

Is this supposed to bad?

The Pens had the softest defense between Martin, Z, and Niskanen.

Wouldn't mind filling it with physical d.

I was surprised this morning when I found out that Niskanen was third on our D in hits last year.

[Froggy]

Is this supposed to bad?

The Pens had the softest defense between Martin, Z, and Niskanen.

Wouldn't mind filling it with physical d.

I was surprised this morning when I found out that Niskanen was third on our D in hits last year.

probably more due to the fact that he was healthy all year more than anything else

[Bioshock]

Niskanen is a good defensemen that i want around for a while. He's one of the few UFA's that's come in and flourished under Disco's system of puck retrieval. Also, as time has worn on, he's becoming a more physical presence and more effective on the PP. Yeah, we have players that are supposedly better than he is but are they really? Michalek and Martin have both suffered terribly in this system and Letang lost his collective mind during the playoffs. You could really make the argument that Niskanen was our third best guy on the blue line this season behind Letang and Orpik and he will only cost you roughly 2.5 million to keep per season.

I think this guy was a 1st round pick for a reason and is finally in the right place to have his career take off. I'll bet, in a few years when his next contract is coming up, we will all be thinking, "Wow, can't believe we had this guy for two years at 2.5 million per season."

[BurghersAndDogsSports]

Our defense is just a tough call overall. Niskanen is not bad but there is a price threshold for a decent player with no standout skill (physical, pk, size, pp specialist).

He certainly wasn't a problem last year but even in the playoffs our staff wasnt confident in guys like Engellend to carry big minutes despite how awful we were playing on d or on the pk.

that's why I expect big changes. Martin, ZM, lovejoy gone if someone will take them and Matth N only here at the right cost. Orpik probably needs a lesser role.

No point keeping something here that doesn't work. We can't win the cup as constructed.

HCDB and his puck moving system seems to require exactly the opposite of what they thought they needed. They need stay at home defense to lear pucks and allow the offense to press when needed.....and wingers who can keep the puck in the zone.

Just not sure I want to give 2.5 to him.