The Penguins suffer from an overabudance of riches at center. It makes no sense to resign Staal for $4mm plus to play 3rd line center so the sensible thing to do is to trade him. The challenge is that Pittsburgh has almost no cap room.
The trade that I would propose is J-Bo, and Krepps (solid, cheap, young 3rd line center) for Staal, Letang and Sydor (unwanted, throw in to balance cap impact). This allows the Penguins to go for the cup this season by adding a true, No. 1 puck moving D-man, who will play 26 minutes plus and solve the transition from defense to offense problem, as well as acquiring a 3rd line center replacement. It allows the Panthers to build for the future by acquiring the big, two center they need.
The Penguins suffer from an overabudance of riches at center. It makes no sense to resign Staal for $4mm plus to play 3rd line center so the sensible thing to do is to trade him. The challenge is that Pittsburgh has almost no cap room.
The trade that I would propose is J-Bo, and Krepps (solid, cheap, young 3rd line center) for Staal, Letang and Sydor (unwanted, throw in to balance cap impact). This allows the Penguins to go for the cup this season by adding a true, No. 1 puck moving D-man, who will play 26 minutes plus and solve the transition from defense to offense problem, as well as acquiring a 3rd line center replacement. It allows the Panthers to build for the future by acquiring the big, two center they need.
As much as I'd ****ing love to see JBo in a Pens uniform, I don't know if Shero would bite after He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named and the UFA to be fiasco this summer. Again, just to reinforce my view, I would rather Staal not be moved at all before we see what he's truly capable of (meaning keep him around for at least a few years), but there are rumblings of him being really unhappy with his current situation in Pittsburgh as the 3rd line-shutdown center. I don't know how true those rumors ring, but if they're true, they're probably a pretty big issue for it to have been leaked. That being said, I would hope--for the good of Staal and the team--Shero would be able to package him and some other assets to a team where he'd be allowed to grow and show what he's really capable of. Oh yeah, and getting JBo in return would be awesome, hehe.
Long-story-short, I don't think Staal will be a Penguin after this season, barring some kind of revelation in Staal's mind as far as his salary cap value, seeing as how his agent is asking ~5mil a year.
The Penguins suffer from an overabudance of riches at center. It makes no sense to resign Staal for $4mm plus to play 3rd line center so the sensible thing to do is to trade him. The challenge is that Pittsburgh has almost no cap room.
The trade that I would propose is J-Bo, and Krepps (solid, cheap, young 3rd line center) for Staal, Letang and Sydor (unwanted, throw in to balance cap impact). This allows the Penguins to go for the cup this season by adding a true, No. 1 puck moving D-man, who will play 26 minutes plus and solve the transition from defense to offense problem, as well as acquiring a 3rd line center replacement. It allows the Panthers to build for the future by acquiring the big, two center they need.
We have 3 centers that are capable of playing the 3rd line, well...
Talbot, Kennedy, & Zigomanis
If we needeed anything, its wingers. Most on this board have had their eveys on 2 wingers in particular. Horton & Booth
I think that the trade would have to revolve one of those 2 players rather than J-Bo.... unless its a package involving both one of those wingers and J-Bo, I don't see Shero doing anything. Problem is, we don't even have the cap space to aquire both if we wanted. Lastly, we have an over-abundance of Dmen once Whitney and Gonchar come back so a trade revolving just JBo and a throw-in is mute..
The Penguins suffer from an overabudance of riches at center. It makes no sense to resign Staal for $4mm plus to play 3rd line center so the sensible thing to do is to trade him. The challenge is that Pittsburgh has almost no cap room.
The trade that I would propose is J-Bo, and Krepps (solid, cheap, young 3rd line center) for Staal, Letang and Sydor (unwanted, throw in to balance cap impact). This allows the Penguins to go for the cup this season by adding a true, No. 1 puck moving D-man, who will play 26 minutes plus and solve the transition from defense to offense problem, as well as acquiring a 3rd line center replacement. It allows the Panthers to build for the future by acquiring the big, two center they need.
Nice try, sneaking Letang in there.
He'll be better than J-Bo - you heard it here first. Suck it, SRH.
The Penguins suffer from an overabudance of riches at center. It makes no sense to resign Staal for $4mm plus to play 3rd line center so the sensible thing to do is to trade him. The challenge is that Pittsburgh has almost no cap room.
The trade that I would propose is J-Bo, and Krepps (solid, cheap, young 3rd line center) for Staal, Letang and Sydor (unwanted, throw in to balance cap impact). This allows the Penguins to go for the cup this season by adding a true, No. 1 puck moving D-man, who will play 26 minutes plus and solve the transition from defense to offense problem, as well as acquiring a 3rd line center replacement. It allows the Panthers to build for the future by acquiring the big, two center they need.
What about something like Whitney, Letang, Staal, and Sydor for a sign and trade Bouwmeester, Horton, and whatever else?
We would have Gonchar, Bouwmeester, and Goligoski, then once Gonchars gone we have Bouwmeester, and Goligoski. All we really need is 2 offensive defensemen anyway. Bouwmeester will be about 6M for 5 years, and Horton 4M for ??? years.
What about something like Whitney, Letang, Staal, and Sydor for a sign and trade Bouwmeester, Horton, and whatever else?
We would have Gonchar, Bouwmeester, and Goligoski, then once Gonchars gone we have Bouwmeester, and Goligoski. All we really need is 2 offensive defensemen anyway. Bouwmeester will be about 6M for 5 years, and Horton 4M for ??? years.
I don't know if that necessarily makes the team better though. It seems like you are doing a lot of disrupting to be in the same spot. Just my opinion.
I don't know if that necessarily makes the team better though. It seems like you are doing a lot of disrupting to be in the same spot. Just my opinion.
You're right but i think that Horton and booth can really help, though. They'd definitely improve the forwards for now and the future.
As for J-Bo, his salary demands might come back to haunt us as long as we have Whitney on our books. We can' have 3 PP quarterbacks taking up so much of our cap-space, not including Letang's pay-raise next year.
You're right but i think that Horton and booth can really help, though. They'd definitely improve the forwards for now and the future.
As for J-Bo, his salary demands might come back to haunt us as long as we have Whitney on our books. We can' have 3 PP quarterbacks taking up so much of our cap-space, not including Letang's pay-raise next year.
In the scenario above Whitney was going to Florida.
In the scenario above Whitney was going to Florida.
Although many may regard J-bo better than Whitney, you have to consider the fact that Ryan is signed to a long cap-friendly contract whereas it remains to be seen with JBo. It might be best to keep Ryan since JBo will probably demand a very hefty contract. Considering that the pens will be at the top of the cap, if they intentd to keep the team competitive and the team intact, Whitney may be the better option.
Therefore, it's probably best to avoid swapping JBo for Whitney in any type of proposals.
He'll be better than J-Bo - you heard it here first. Suck it, SRH.
Oh no you din't.
And to be serious for a moment here, you know damn well as I do that Letang has a long way to go. JayBo is a true #1 defenseman, on any team anywhere, at 23. His development is textbook example of how to nurture a young talented top pairing 2-way defender - by focusing on the defense part first before getting to offense. We all know JayBo has natural offensive talent, it was his defense that needed work.
So that was what he and Florida did. In his first 5 seasons JayBo worked on his defense at the expense of his offense. The guy is fantastic positionally and is remarkably defensively aware. Add those to his ridiculous skating and passing and that's a young Niedermeyer there.
Letang may very well get there someday. But I say it's unlikely. You heard it here first, docto.
And to be serious for a moment here, you know damn well as I do that Letang has a long way to go. JayBo is a true #1 defenseman, on any team anywhere, at 23. His development is textbook example of how to nurture a young talented top pairing 2-way defender - by focusing on the defense part first before getting to offense. We all know JayBo has natural offensive talent, it was his defense that needed work.
So that was what he and Florida did. In his first 5 seasons JayBo worked on his defense at the expense of his offense. The guy is fantastic positionally and is remarkably defensively aware. Add those to his ridiculous skating and passing and that's a young Niedermeyer there.
Letang may very well get there someday. But I say it's unlikely. You heard it here first, docto.
Therefore, how much do you expect him to get on PayDay?
Although many may regard J-bo better than Whitney, you have to consider the fact that Ryan is signed to a long cap-friendly contract whereas it remains to be seen with JBo. It might be best to keep Ryan since JBo will probably demand a very hefty contract. Considering that the pens will be at the top of the cap, if they intentd to keep the team competitive and the team intact, Whitney may be the better option.
Therefore, it's probably best to avoid swapping JBo for Whitney in any type of proposals.
Never said it was a good idea. I was just saying, if you are going by the scenario stated above, Whitney's contract isn't on the Pens payroll.
I am also of the camp of people who believes that Whitney should be here long term.
There is no need for Bouwmeester. The defense has held its own so far and will get better when Gonchar and Whitney come back. Gonchar is an elite defenseman anyways. By the way, I think Goligoski is going to be better than Letang. So I;d rather see Letang traded if there was a choice.
BUT...we can keep Letang at a rookie contract for another season after this one so he is valuable, and I definately do not want to trade Goligoski (the next Gonchar ). Gonchar and Whitney are the highest paid defensemen on the team so one of them would have to go to make cap room (especially in trading for Bouwmeester).
Talbot, Zigomanis, Kennedy are great 3rd/4th line centers.
There is no need for Bouwmeester. The defense has held its own so far and will get better when Gonchar and Whitney come back. Gonchar is an elite defenseman anyways. By the way, I think Goligoski is going to be better than Letang. So I;d rather see Letang traded if there was a choice.
BUT...we can keep Letang at a rookie contract for another season after this one so he is valuable, and I definately do not want to trade Goligoski (the next Gonchar ). Gonchar and Whitney are the highest paid defensemen on the team so one of them would have to go to make cap room (especially in trading for Bouwmeester).
Talbot, Zigomanis, Kennedy are great 3rd/4th line centers.
We need wingers.
I don't really agree with this, and it's not just you that has said something along those lines. Goligoski is playing VERY well right now, surprisingly well. Both Goligoski and Letang have very high upsides, but even with the extra year in the NHL, Letang is still younger and still pretty raw. Kris went from the Qmjhl almost directly to the NHL, while Goligoski went from the USHL to the NCAA to WBS and finally to the NHL. The main concern with Goligoski has been his size, but the experience is there. He took a slower route to the NHL than Letang, so the reason for his play that perhaps eclipses that of Letang so far in '08-'09 might not have much to do with pure talent level.
