2024-2025 Season Random Penguins Fodder

[BigMcK]

At this point in his career with clearly declining production, is Letang worthy of the "A" on his jersey if he is back next season? He doesn't really show leadership on the ice, maybe in the locker room? I didn't notice an article about how hard he trains in the off-season like previous years.

If his ice time is limited and the "A" removed, that is a serious ego blow and he may not want to stick around.

[Daniel]

Using draft capital should be for long term investments, not short term gains.

Like acquiring a young top4 LHD or two, or someone for 2C down the road. Something that matters.

Ditching bad contracts for the sake of getting rid of them does nothing in isolation. Clearing out either Karlsson or Letang - for a return, like a 1st and or good prospect or young player - I can get behind. It would have a bunch of moving parts, like a 2nd rounder going out, but at the core would be shipping out the right now and not particularly useful for us (Letang/Karlsson) for futures (pick/prospect/player) in some configuration. But the invested picks should be there to facilitate the return, the return can't be salary dump.

If it were one bad contract, I'd say you are correct. But essentially, the Penguins have 4 bad contracts that will make it difficult for them to maneuver....Graves, Karlsson, Jarry, Letang, in that order for me.

With the cap going up, it sucks to have dead money, but I'd start looking at buying out Graves. Again, with multiple bad contracts, and 3 of the 4 on defense, just carrying him on the roster all year to do nothing isn't very viable. Graves actually got worse this year. Went from a +10 to a -11, from 14 points to 4 points, and the defense was just as bad as season 1. Bite the bullet, take the cap hit for the next 8 years. With the amount of youth that SHOULD be filtering in and out of this lineup, the first 4 years of 2.4M, 3.4M, 3.4M, and 3.6M won't be that hard to work around, and 4 more years of 695k won't kill them either. Minnesota dealt with several years of 12M-14M in dead cap from Parise and Suter, and they're still making the playoffs. Dubas needs to make it work.

I keep hearing that Karlsson has value in the trade market as long as the Penguins retain. I think they need to pull the trigger on this. Rumor I heard is that Dubas would retain up to 3.5M, and that at 6.5M there would be teams interested. I'll believe it when I see it, and I would not expect it to happen until after his July 1st bonus is paid by the Penguins.

Jarry, I think there could potentially be someone that takes a risk on him. Not banking on it, but with salary retained or a bad contract coming back, I think there is a possibility he's dealt. I also think there is a possibility he's on the opening night roster next season.

Letang is no longer a #1 d-man. That's the big issue. I didn't see much of the game against Boston, but looking at TOI stats, Letang was 4th among the d-men in TOI with just over 17 minutes. That's the first game I think Sully has done that. I'd like to see him do that for the last game as well. Problem is, if Karlsson's moved and Letang isn't a #1 anymore, who is #1 for the Penguins? Can they get someone like Byram and pair him with Timmins and have that work as a first pairing? Don't know what the options are here.

Graves and Jarry have 3 years after this and I'd rather not have that contract go for 6 years with a buyout. I'd rather eat the cap hit and 3 years later when the Penguins are hopefully ready to compete, make some nice moves.

I think Letang should be the #1 guy until someone knocks him back and if he can't handle the demotion, trade him. Him and Karlsson will be tradeable just based on reputation.

[Daniel]

I've posted this before, and it's weird for us as Pens fans to contemplate, but the Pens need to worry about getting to the salary floor next season. Right now, Puckpedia has them at $71 million in salary on the books for 12 forwards, 5 d-men, and 2 goalies. And the salary floor is $70.6 million. That doesn't include RFAs like Tomasino, Timmins, Dewar, etc., but none of those guys should be that expensive and would be displacing guys listed on the roster currently by Puckpedia (e.g., Kolyachonok or Puustinen), so their total salary won't go up much by signing those RFAs.

And I think most of us agree that they should try to trade Karlsson. Even if they retain $5 million on him, that still might put them under the floor if he goes out.

So, I wouldn't pay to get rid of Graves or Jarry. If they do get rid of either of them, they'll probably need to sign some reasonably expensive free agents to bring the salary total up or get paid to take on some bad contracts. If someone wants Graves for "future considerations," then, sure, trade him. But I wouldn't attach a pick to move him.

The amount of cap space makes it even less likely that they give up good assets to trade Graves and/or Jarry. They can just bury them at WBS or the nacho stand and play an ELC replacement to take their spots.

The alternative could be including Graves or Jarry in a larger trade package that would involve another "bad contract" coming back. Though, from what I imagine will happen, they'll deal Ned, returning with Jarry next year and pair him with either Larsson or Blomqvist and allow Murashov to take the reigns in Wilkes.
FLAFAN, your last point about Letang/Karlsson and the #1 defense pairing will be the crux of the offseason.

Graves contract isn't horrible and another team might think they can improve him but. yeah, they might need another contract back. Get a Kevin Hayes type contract back and bury him on the 4th line/13th forward and be done with it. Not really sure what to do about Jarry since I think his issues are mental. Maybe an Edmonton or a Seattle or another small out of the limelight kind of area might actually work for him.

[Cow_Master66]

Letang won’t be traded and certainly won’t be stripped of the A.

[DelPen]

Seems like the best option for all teams and players.

[Pruezy11881]

Letang had successful closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO; small hole in the heart). The expected recovery time is four to six weeks.

Any chance he can 'retire', but be put on LTIR?? LOL

[KG]

Letang had successful closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO; small hole in the heart). The expected recovery time is four to six weeks.

Any chance he can 'retire', but be put on LTIR?? LOL

Pretty crazy the recovery time for heart surgery is only 4-6 weeks. I think he needs to not officially retire to be put on LTIR since his contract is over age 35+. Not positive though. That contract was another Hextall doozy.

[Victor]

Seems like the best option for all teams and players.

I believe it was their only option other than carrying 3 goalies in the AHL. Murashov was the only one of that group that played ECHL games this season.

Edit: Taylor Gauthier appears to be in the WBS roster as well.

[FLPensFan]

Letang had successful closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO; small hole in the heart). The expected recovery time is four to six weeks.

Any chance he can 'retire', but be put on LTIR?? LOL

Pretty crazy the recovery time for heart surgery is only 4-6 weeks. I think he needs to not officially retire to be put on LTIR since his contract is over age 35+. Not positive though. That contract was another Hextall doozy.

I guess this explains why Kral was recalled.

[Daniel]

Seems like the best option for all teams and players.

I believe it was their only option other than carrying 3 goalies in the AHL. Murashov was the only one of that group that played ECHL games this season.

Edit: Taylor Gauthier appears to be in the WBS roster as well.

I imagine that's to give them 4 goalies for the playoffs, nothing more. It'll be Blomqvist/Larsson unless Murashov or Gauthier are needed. Also, Wheeling is in the playoffs so they likely want to get Murashov some playoff experience.

[Victor]

Letang had successful closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO; small hole in the heart). The expected recovery time is four to six weeks.

Any chance he can 'retire', but be put on LTIR?? LOL

He can certainly follow the Logan Couture route. The post says retirement, but he says that his "career of playing hockey" ended. He still 2 years left at 8M AAV, so it will probably be moved to LTIR.

[Victor]

[Michael74]

Mario did his in 67 games however. It's really not all that close in context.

[Pens4Life]

Poulin also recalled on emergency basis.

[BigMcK]

Hedges need trimmed. The back fence needs new slats. New smoker needs to be seasoned. Garage needs to shed some pounds of unused items.

Really have no excuse to delay chores due to hockey playoffs.

Next off-season will be the same, but with different chores...

Yard sale, Garage sale. Lot sale, Estate sale. ???

[KG]

I guess the day after the season in the NHL isn't like the NFL "Black Monday" where a lot of coaches get fired.

Sully, that was directed at you...

[KG]

Have to think KD and EK will be working on a trade this off-season. Which they should. Retain, get maximum return. We have the cap space.

[Pitts]

Yeah, I feel like Karlsson knows what's up.

[100565]

Yeah, I feel like Karlsson knows what's up.

KD press conference post deadline gave me a feeling the makings of a trade are already there. I expect him to be traded July 2.

[Daniel]

Yeah, I feel like Karlsson knows what's up.

KD press conference post deadline gave me a feeling the makings of a trade are already there. I expect him to be traded July 2.

Lately this has become a franchise where good defensemen go to die.

[Pitts]

Mike Sullivan understands he is not above the speculation regarding his future that will soon also encircle several of his players.

https://triblive.com/sports/mike-sulliv ... xt-season/

[Daniel]

Mike Sullivan understands he is not above the speculation regarding his future that will soon also encircle several of his players.

https://triblive.com/sports/mike-sulliv ... xt-season/

I'd like to know how many NHL coaches who have missed the playoffs 3 straight years and have gone almost a decade without winning a playoff series come back for more failure.

[FLPensFan]

Mike Sullivan understands he is not above the speculation regarding his future that will soon also encircle several of his players.

https://triblive.com/sports/mike-sulliv ... xt-season/

I'd like to know how many NHL coaches who have missed the playoffs 3 straight years and have gone almost a decade without winning a playoff series come back for more failure.

I think 25-26 tells us a lot about how Dubas "really feels" about Sullivan. I don't think he'll be fired before or during the season. But, if he gets to next summer and a new contract extension hasn't been announced...then I could see him fired before 26-27 season and Kirk MacDonald step in. Give Sullivan one more year to figure it out, especially if Dubas gets aggressive this summer as is rumored...but also give MacDonald one more year to grow as an AHL coach. He's been great from what I have heard so far, and seen with player development.

[Antonio]

No. Don't give Sullivan another **** day. Christ there is absolutely zero he is going to show or create or invent or prove or whatever that he has not had ample time to do 1000x in the last 3500 goddamn days. They WON'T of course, but he should not be given another minute of time.

[largegarlic]

I wonder (hope?) that Sullivan might leave on his own if there's a job opening that he likes. He's seemed so defeated and out of answers in so many press conferences and interviews this season that I can't imagine he's having much fun. He's not likely to walk away from getting paid millions per year, but if he could hop straight to a different team that might be closer to contending than the Pens, I would think that would be tempting.