Agreed for the most part, except Frolov. I believe he has the potential, with a change in venue, to be a very good player. He's somewhat inconsistent at times but his talent level and other attributes (hustle, two-way capability) outshine [the other alternatives to Whitney] on that list. The other guys are bigger question marks for sure, and their salaries will reflect it ultimately.
I don't know what the love for Tanguay and Higgins is about this week. They would be better than Feds probably, but should be absolute last-resort type players in everyone's mind because they have consistently underachieved in recent years, on some very talented lines. Higgins has a better shot to excel than Tanguay IMO but they both suck compared to guys like Whitney or Frolov. Probably Zherdev too, who is sort of an enigma but has shown signs of good play, unlike Tanguay especially. Moreover neither Higgins nor Tanguay is anything like a typical Shero player. Frolov, OTOH, is much closer to a Shero type player because he handles his business on both sides of the ice and has very good skills.
I haven't seen t hat hustle that you are talking about from Frolov on a consistent basis, Zip. He won't hustle for 15-20 games at a time, only to come alive and pull the Petr Sykora trick of racking up stats in a short period to make himself look way better at the end of the year than he actually was.
People like Tanguay and Higgins because combined their salaries might be 2 million, and if they pan out they would be the bargains of the century. It would allow us to focus somewhere else, which is what I would like to do. I think our defense needs to be reloaded, and I'd like to use cheaper options on the wing to put together a stud blue line.
Did you ever watch any of these guys? Not to be a dick, but it doesn't seem that you have. Like Jig said, if you saw Whitney and someone told you he was 29 or 30 instead of 38, that would be everyone's flavor of the month. But because he's older, all of a sudden he isn't a good option. I know from watching him, the guy has 2 or 3 years of game left. He would make our 1st line better, and our powerplay lethal. 30 goals and 60+ points is in the realm of possibility.
Whitney is the more consistent of any one there. Frolov and Zherdev are highly skilled, but both are inconsistent and Zherdev is said to have some attitude issues. No one is saying that they aren't highly skilled, just that there's a lot of factors that we as a team can't control.
There's going to be a couple teams that will like Frolov's upside and will give him upwards of 4 million a year.
No I've never seen any of these players play ever.
I'm not denying Whitney's consistency or that fact that hes the most well rounded of the bunch, but if we get him -- we get him for 2 years tops and then we're left looking for his replacement. My rationale for going younger is to get a young guy like say Zherdev and have him grow in our system so we can keep him around for more than a couple seasons. And again, I'm not saying "don't get Whitney" I'm more along the lines of if we get him -- don't over value him AND if we get him, we could still pluck away one of these other guys who are more of a risk.
My rationale for going younger is to get a young guy like say Zherdev and have him grow in our system so we can keep him around for more than a couple seasons.
But it doesn't hold up to scrutiny. If we got Zherdev, it would be because he signs a cap-friendly deal. That won't last long if he is successful with us (and if he isn't no one will want to keep him around), and then you'll find that he is UFA after one or two years wanting +4 million, leaving us in the same situation as we will be in if Whitney signs for two years for isntance. Ie.... needing a new winger while an UFA walks/retires.
Unless you deal for someone young enough to still be RFA at the end of the deal, the 'long term' element doesn't matter.
But it doesn't hold up to scrutiny. If we got Zherdev, it would be because he signs a cap-friendly deal. That won't last long if he is successful with us (and if he isn't no one will want to keep him around), and then you'll find that he is UFA after one or two years wanting +4 million, leaving us in the same situation as we will be in if Whitney signs for two years for isntance. Ie.... needing a new winger while an UFA walks/retires.
Unless you deal for someone young enough to still be RFA at the end of the deal, the 'long term' element doesn't matter.
Thats all very possible, but what if Zherdev matures and sees that playing Pittsburgh is a great fit and takes a friendly cap hit to continue playing on one of the best teams in the league while on the line of one of the best players in the world? Yes, stranger things have happened
I do get what you're saying though and you're right.
If Zherdev comes back to the NHL, we might get him for 3 million for one year. But after that he'll be a UFA (7 accrued seasons including the lockout) and will follow the money. And I don't think anyone here is ready to give him more than one year initially.
I'd rather have Whitney for that money because he's won a Cup and is a veteran whose wheels aren't about to fall off. He'll want a NTC and we should give him one. If he plays well, we won't trade him, and if he sucks no one will trade for his 35+ cap hit anyway. Then again, I don't want to give him more than 2 years.
Thats all very possible, but what if Zherdev matures and sees that playing Pittsburgh is a great fit and takes a friendly cap hit to continue playing on one of the best teams in the league while on the line of one of the best players in the world? Yes, stranger things have happened
I do get what you're saying though and you're right.
Thats a pipe dream. Zherdev only cares about money he has proven that a few times now.
Basically giving Sid a goal scorer, and hopefully Kunitz can be Malone Ver 2.0 on Malkins wing.
I expect a great deal more from Kunitz next season, as i think he was simply playing at 75% most of the season. Kunitz is just fine for Sid's wing.
Sid just one the Rocket Richard and damn near won the Art Ross with tin cans playing on his wing. A healthy Kunitz is a step up from anything Sid played with last year.
The correct course of action is to get a winger for Geno. In fact, Geno should be at the table with Shero saying "yay" or "nay" to possible FA winger pick-ups, if you ask me.
Just get someone who speaks Russian and isn't quite as useless as Poni was last year and we're golden.
