Pens sign Staal to a 4 year deal!!!

[wallflower]

Shero is paying for the appreciation Staal will have over the life of the deal. He should enter his prime around 22 and still keep improving for the duration of the deal. Obviously it is a gamble, but that is the way of the most recent CBA. $4M on the UFA market only buys fading guys like Naslund. $3.5M buys Satan.

Staal is an infinitely better deal than the crap on the UFA market.

Pretty much. I think a lot of people are being very short-sighted with this signing. Simply put, it's not necessarily about what he's worth now as what he's going to be worth in a year or two.

[KG]

Shero is paying for the appreciation Staal will have over the life of the deal. He should enter his prime around 22 and still keep improving for the duration of the deal. Obviously it is a gamble, but that is the way of the most recent CBA. $4M on the UFA market only buys fading guys like Naslund. $3.5M buys Satan.

Staal is an infinitely better deal than the crap on the UFA market.

Pretty much. I think a lot of people are being very short-sighted with this signing. Simply put, it's not necessarily about what he's worth now as what he's going to be worth in a year or two.

I hope you guys are right. I think it's safe to say that Shero has a lot riding on that signing...

[DayWalker]

I think the Staal deal gives the Penguins--and any prospective suitor in a trade--a needed dose of cost-certainty. I don't think the new deal necessarily makes him a more tradeable commodity or more likely to be moved at all, but one has to think GM's might bite on his "potential" knowing that he won't have unreasonable RFA demands to make anytime soon.

If the Penguins do decide to keep him for the duration of his contract, he should immediately be shackled to the legs of either Sid or Geno as one of their wingers. Otherwise, enjoy Tyler Kennedy and buckets of **** flanking Franchise 1 and Franchise 1A.

Staal does indeed have an immense upside, but he is never going to pot 30 or more goals as a third-line center playing with third-line-caliber players. Moreover, he simply won't be put in enough goal-scoring circumstances or net enough PP minutes to permit him to truly realize his potential as a center on this team with Malkin and Crosby around. If he can become a guy capable of 30-30 or beyond while being a Selke candidate as a third-line center, I will be the first to post a thread asking for Sid or Geno to be dealt.

Winger or bust, Jordan.

[Zag35]

Maybe with his $4mill, staal can hire a trainer to add about 25lbs of muscle to his frame or he can afford some very high end HGH that wont be detect.

[Jim]

Jordan Staal at $4m a year makes hin UNTRADABLE. No one will want to pay $4M for a guy that can't skate, cahn't carry the puck, can't hit, can't win a faceoff, can't move to a wing... Basically can't do ANYTHING except point back to his rookie year and say, "Look, I did some good back then!!!"

THis deal is the worst thing Shero has done to this point. It makes Eaton at $2M look like a good idea.

[KG]

This is what I don't understand:

Dustin Brown signs a 6 year extension for $19.05MM roughly $3MM cap hit
Staal signs a 4 year extension for $16MM. $4MM cap hit...

Did Ray not use that as a comp?

[SoupOrSam]

This is what I don't understand:

Dustin Brown signs a 6 year extension for $19.05MM roughly $3MM cap hit
Staal signs a 4 year extension for $16MM. $4MM cap hit...

Did Ray not use that as a comp?

I don't know but someone mentioned yesterday at Shero's misuse of funds. I'm starting to actually buy into this even though I believe Staal is an insurance policy. Crosby and Malkin signing for only 8.7 was because they wanted to. He gets no credit for that from me. Regardless of how much I love Fleury one has to admit his signing makes him a very well paid starting goaltender in this league. It is now time to turn the corner. Whitney - ok - maybe he had something to do with that, who knows.

Now let's talk about some of the things that are very debatable:
- The biggest being the Hossa trade. We technically gave away 3 first rounders and a very promising player in EC. Did I personally like it at the time? Yes. But even I knew we had a slim chance at keeping him with what was going to free agency during the offseason. Regardless of if it was a handshake between two men, what was his backup plan for restocking? Yeah the following:
- Satan - if MT was given the long extension that must have been because Shero thought and knew and believed this was his guy. Basing off of that he knows, and if he doesnt needs to be fired for this alone, that Satan is the exact opposite of the player type MT likes. Way to really give your HC a reward. No way is a player Satan's age going to change. Why even sign that? Pay the extra $ and get Naslund. he at least fits more of the mold MT works best with.
- Dupuis signing - no explanation really. Dump that bring up Minard and resign Rutuu. Rutuu at least had some skills imo. Don't really know what to say here.
- Eaton - ?
- Staal - unless this was for insurance I just do not have a single clue how we can possibly afford to be competitive with the amount of money tied up between the "three centers." Staal is a center. Personally imo I do not care what way you turn it. He has been most successful at being a 3rd line center, PK specialist...on THIS team.
- Brooks Orpik - good job getting the deal done. But really you left yourself no choice by continuously striving for offensive defensemen. I mean that's fine and dandy and could work out very well, but when the offense goes to poop because breakout passes aren't involved in the solution, you have yourself some real problems since you'll be spending the majority of your time in your own end.
- Eaton - did I mention him? Appearently the Nils Eckman injury prone expirement was a failure. Why test it again?
- I'm tired of continuing.

Quite frankly I wasn't and still am not ready to crown Shero the savior of Pittsburgh hockey. In fact I would take CP in his last seasons over what I have seen to this point only because I've seen nothing that has wow'd me. Unless we're talking about the wow factor of how one Michael Yeo is still employed by the Pittsburgh Penguins. I wouldn't let him work for Waste Management.

[Daniel]

I think its a bit early to pencil in Staal, Crosby and Kennedy as a 1st line. I think Sykora is due for a raise, whether Shero offers him the 4 million he'll probably get elsewhere remains to be seen. As for Scuderi, did you notice any of the contracts this summer? I would 3-3.5 million a season is more likely than 1. All in all, the major holes remain unchanged, the lack of 1 maybe 2 scoring wingers with even less money to go shopping.

Oh, I was trying to round out the roster, thats all. I agree its too early to pencil in a Staal/Crosby/Kennedy line, but I think by the end of the year, it'll be a nice line (if MT keeps them together).

As for Scuderi, I think his position is a dime a dozen and can be filled by a younger player, that was where I got the million. I should have said, perhaps they sign him or someone replaces him for $1 mil

[Corvidae]

This is what I don't understand:

Dustin Brown signs a 6 year extension for $19.05MM roughly $3MM cap hit
Staal signs a 4 year extension for $16MM. $4MM cap hit...

Did Ray not use that as a comp?

Wow, that makes me even sicker. By that comparison, Staal should make $1.5 million.

[no name]

My only proble with this signing his

WE HAVE NO NEED FOR A KID WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BE A FRANCHISE SECOND LINE CENTER!!!!!! WE HAVE NO WINGERS TO GIVE HIM TO GORW INTO THAT POTENTIAL> HE NEEDS TO BE ON A TEAM WITH CAPIBLE WINGERS AND CAN GET HIM ICE TIME TO HELP HIM GROW> HE HAS NO FUTURE IN PITTSBURGH!!!

yes Staal has that ability but we don;t hve a center position for him to try and grow into and he hasn;t proved to be a capible winger yet.

We need help ont he wings for our 2 number ! line centers we have. let shop Staal and his salary for a Winger who we won;t lose in FA next season. Staal without a 4 million contrat you are going to get a UFA returned in any deal since they might stand to lose Staal in RFA next season.