2024-2025 Season Random Penguins Fodder

[FLPensFan]

The actual money is “not an issue,” a team source said... (Crosby) is unsure exactly how long he wants to keep playing and “doesn’t want to put (the Penguins) in a bad spot” if he signs a longer deal and doesn’t play it out in full, a source close to Crosby said.

The latest in the Crosby rumours making the rounds.

So sign a short term deal…….

I figure that is where 'the actual money' becomes more of an issue. Say Crosby signs 3 years at {just pay the guy}, thinking he'll retire after. After all, Geno and Tanger's contracts end then.

So... After 3 years, Geno leaves the NHL to play a bit with Magnitogorsk before his career is over. Letang signs a two year extension at.. I don't know, 4.5-5M? Crosby is still feeling it and wants to play on with his buddy and chase some records while helping the new guys. He wants to reup for 2 more years, is the money for that deal going to be what he could get right now, signing for 5? That is a consideration.

From what I've read, things will likely work out with the core as follows:
--Malkin will be gone after the 2025-2026 season. They won't sign him to another contract. Whether he plays in Russia or not remains to be seen. He said a few weeks ago in an interview he would like to, but it also depends on where his game is at that point. He isn't going to do it if he isn't still playing at a high level, and he also doesn't want to come in and push a young guy out of the lineup there, just because of his name recognition.

--Crosby will sign a 3 year deal. No idea on terms. Not really important, but what is important is, adding 3 years aligns him with Letang's contract length. If Sid signs a 3 year deal, he'll be 40 during his last season in 27-28. If he wants to sign a new deal for longer, I'm sure they would...but, I doubt Crosby is going to go much further past age 40.

--Letang could also be gone before Crosby's contract ends. He too would be 40 years old in the 27-28 season. The catch with Letang...after next season (when Geno's contract is up), Letang's contract switches from having a full NMC clause, to having a 10 team approved trade list. Hextall left an out for Letang to be moved the same summer Malkin would retire. Letang really hasn't shown much drop off in his game, but, there is a chance he could be moved elsewhere before retiring.

[KG]

I mean I get the loyalty aspect of things, but a player like Letang should not be discussed in the same breath as a Sid or even a Geno. Letang has been very good. But he's not a HOF or top-tier player of his position. Just my humble opinion. He gets his jersey retired but not HOF material.

[FLPensFan]

I mean I get the loyalty aspect of things, but a player like Letang should not be discussed in the same breath as a Sid or even a Geno. Letang has been very good. But he's not a HOF or top-tier player of his position. Just my humble opinion. He gets his jersey retired but not HOF material.

I'm on the fence on Letang and the HOF. Since 07-08, out of all defenseman that have played at least 800 games from 07-08 to last season:
--He ranks 3rd in points by a defenseman in that time, with 740 points. Burns and Karlsson are only guys above him.
--He ranks 10th in games played during that time.
--He ranks 6th in goals during that time.
--He ranks 15th in +/-. Of the 14 players ahead of him in +/-, nobody has more points than Letang. Hedman is closest ranking 4th in +/- with 728 points to Letang's 740 points.
--He's 3rd in playoff points by a defenseman over that period of time, with only Hedman and Duncan Keith ahead of him.
--He's 25th all-time in points by a defenseman.

When you go back to the top 10 point getters from 07-08 to 23-24, Letang has 3 Cups. The 2 guys ahead of him, Karlsson and Burns, have ZERO. Hedman in 4th has his 2 Cups, Josi has none, John Carlson has 1, Doughty has 2, Ryan Suter has none, Yandle has none, and Pietrangelo has 2. So in the top 10, only 6 guys have won Cups, only Hedman, Letang, Doughty and Pietrangelo have multiple.

I think Letang has hit on enough numbers to be a HOF defenseman. He may have never won the Norris, but that's not because he wasn't deserving of strong considerations a couple of years. I think his ranking in regular season and playoff points over his career, his +/- (not a great stat, but it still gives you some indication...Karlsson is a -99 for his career while Letang is a +103), and his 3 Cups get him into the HOF, despite never winning the Norris.

[Antonio]

Letang is possibly one of the lowest hockey iq players ever to suit up but he definitely has a CASE for HoF. Clear cut either way? I would say no, but I could hear and make the arguments for both sides.

[KG]

Hockey HOF is tough to figure. I mean Kevin Lowe is in the HOF. With that bar, Letang is certainly a HOF. If so, then Gonchar is as well. How far do we want to go ?

[100565]

My opinion, since Sergei Zubov is in HOF, Letang makes it too.

Jersey retired, too.

[KG]

My opinion, since Sergei Zubov is in HOF, Letang makes it too.

Jersey retired, too.

Good comp. Similar stats. Letang might get in, in that instance.

[pfim]

My opinion, since Sergei Zubov is in HOF, Letang makes it too.

Jersey retired, too.

Injuries have really killed chances for individual awards for him, tough to win those when you play 65 games a season.

He's been underrated his entire career, he's still a borderline HOFer.

Zubov, to me, was one of the most underrated players as well. Durable, put up points, changed his game when he got to Dallas and became a complete defenseman.

[stonewizard51]

I watched Zubov when he was in the AHL in Binghamton, NY. He had a style there that showed almost a lack of effort skating and then he hit like a freight train. He was fun to watch.

[Pens4Life]

Sid wont be chasing points just for getting those points.. if he feels he isnt on his desired level to play anymore,he wont play, he will retire. I think 3 year deal makes most sense by far.

Letang is no doubt he will be HOF.. he did enough

[FLPensFan]

Oh to have a wise GM...STL has one. They just pulled out the offer sheet on Edmonton.

Oh wait, did I say they pulled out the offer SHEET?? No, no, no....they pulled out the offer SHEETS on Edmonton, sending an offer sheet to both Broberg and Holloway. Edmonton has 7 days to match. Haven't seen the offers yet.





Oh by the way, to accomplish this, STL had to make a trade....with Pittsburgh...to get their 2025 2nd rounder back from the Hayes deal:



UPDATE: Per Friedman, Blues offer sheet Broberg at 2 x $4.58M and Holloway at 2 x $2.29M
(Big overpay on Broberg, hoping he improves. Holloway price is fine. EDM should pass on Broberg and retain Holloway)

And if you want to know why they highly overpaid on Broberg...they had to. No team owns multiple picks of their own. Draft compensation between 2.29M and 4.57M is a 2nd round pick. So if they wanted to offer sheet both of them, one of them had to be offered high enough to use a 1st round pick as compensation. That's why the numbers are what they are...they are just a hair over the limits to get the required compensation.

[KG]

Great to see a couple of offer-sheets thrown around. Edmonton will most likely put Kane on LTIR when the season starts, but yeah that's a hefty price for Broberg.

I really wish offer-sheets were used much more often. It's good for the players too. More often than not they wind up settling on a lesser deal to help the team out.

[Pruezy11881]

Really puts the screws to Bowman to figure out what to do. They don't have the space currently.

[largegarlic]

It seems like Dubas could/should have gotten more to give them their 2025 2nd rounder back. We have to wait another year to get a decent pick in 2026 and are helping them out by allowing them to do this offer sheet, and all we get is swapping a 5th for a 3rd? I think it'd be more fair if we just got the extra 3rd without having to send back a 5th.

[KG]

The 3rd round pick we got in the trade is Ottawa's. Hopefully they have a crumby season.

[Puck-Lurker]

Moving from a 5th to a 3rd... that's like trading Belliveau for Légaré.

Colour me very unimpressed.

[dark_forces]

It seems like Dubas could/should have gotten more to give them their 2025 2nd rounder back. We have to wait another year to get a decent pick in 2026 and are helping them out by allowing them to do this offer sheet, and all we get is swapping a 5th for a 3rd? I think it'd be more fair if we just got the extra 3rd without having to send back a 5th.

I agree. Or, in lieu of the 3rd round pick, request at least another mid-level prospect in return who's further along in their development.

[Cow_Master66]

Curious if these picks were predetermined....I'd have to think the structure is built into the transaction at the time. Unless it's truly just a good faith thing.

[KG]

Moving from a 5th to a 3rd... that's like trading Belliveau for Légaré.

Colour me very unimpressed.

Always take the higher pick. I would have liked to have kept the 2nd this year but I'm not losing sleep over a 5th round pick. The Pens have 8 4th liners that they can trade for a 5th round pick if they want.

Also wouldn't be surprised to see Dubas acquire another 2nd round pick this season. We still have solid cap space to add player with salary.

So basically the Hayes trade winds up being: Hayes +Ottawa's 25 3rd + Blues 26 2nd for a 5th round pick. That's solid IMO.

[Antonio]

I would have liked to see an extra pick there for the fact that we delayed our 2nd a year and helped STL out. Like perhaps the 2nd and 5th for 2nd 3rd and a 4th

[KG]

Since it's offer sheet day...Pens most likely would have interest in RFA Nick Robertson in Toronto. Former Dubas pick, 22 years old, skilled fits the mold in that he's young and can help now.

We could offer him as much as $2,290,457 and it would cost our 3rd round pick this year. Since we don't have our own 2nd round pick we can't offer any higher.

Leafs only have $1,275mill in cap space. They would need to clear space. I'm sure they would love to get out of Kampf, and Jarnkrok contracts. Easier said than done.

Wonder if KD would go down that road. Or just work out a trade for Robertson. He has stated he prefers to go elsewhere.

[Puck-Lurker]

Moving from a 5th to a 3rd... that's like trading Belliveau for Légaré.

Colour me very unimpressed.

Always take the higher pick. I would have liked to have kept the 2nd this year but I'm not losing sleep over a 5th round pick. The Pens have 8 4th liners that they can trade for a 5th round pick if they want.

Also wouldn't be surprised to see Dubas acquire another 2nd round pick this season. We still have solid cap space to add player with salary.

So basically the Hayes trade winds up being: Hayes +Ottawa's 25 3rd + Blues 26 2nd for a 5th round pick. That's solid IMO.

Just saying the trade is anything but exciting. Looking at the 3rd rounders and 5th rounders of the past years.

[FLPensFan]

Overall, picking up an extra 3rd at the cost of the fifth is good. I'm not a fan of moving the 2nd in 2025 for a 2nd in 2026. We now do not possess a 2025 2nd rounder in what is supposed to be a deep draft. I'm sure we can acquire another at the trade deadline, but would have rather had 2 in 2025 than 2026 (maybe we get lucky and 2026 is just as deep).

[Toke]

Cody Glass on his way here.

[Puck-Lurker]

Cody Glass on his way here.

Former 6th overall pick, decent hockey sense and passing, not enough production, 2.5M cap hit... he is 25 and figures in at 6'3.

I'm not excited about this trade, hope we gained something else, or lost some dead weight.