And thankfully it's not an open market next season for Neal. RFA's come with a price tag. this is not like Malones situation. It's more like Dustin Penner getting a offer sheet from the Oilers after the cup year. Edmonton paid out thier nose and did not get return results.
Keep in mind Neal is an RFA. Bobby Ryan is the comparable if he gets ~35 goals and goes to arbitration. $5 million with term would be fair; $4 million or less is a steal.
What are you peoples thoughts on GM's understanding that part of the production is playing with Geno on a top line in the league? I one sense it shows he can be part of that line, but you remove Geno and I think Neals production (assists especially) tapers off.
Also for Neal and agent, you found something that is working great. Lets assume he likes DB and the Org (we always hear players like the approach of the Org top to bottom) and the city. Playing on this team, this or other lines, he could be looking at a HOF career. No, i am not saying neal is a HOF'er yet. But if I were him with how this year is going....You need to consider 5-5.5 here in the burg. You win a cup or two (compete in the least). You juice your stats playing with Art Ross winners. If he chases $6.1M or something for a worse team with no Geno is it really the best move long term? How much if at all does that factor in.
All in all I think the cap goes up, we move $ off the blue line and we sign Neal for 5.25-5.5
I'm with yah.. Go ask Kevin Stevens to his Career after he was traded to LA. And he had a good year with us the year after his injury. So that's not an excuse.
If we have to move a defenseman to sign him, so be it, we've got a deep and talented defensive prospect pool with several guys that are ready or near ready.
all depends on the season. He hits 40-50 goals he has to look at 5-5.5 even if he's an RFA, he'll get that in arbitration easily. Any long term deal that he signs the average value will have to be around 6-6.5 He's 25 years old.
He's a product of playing with Malkin. Plain and simple. Take Malkin away like last year...and he's nothing short of completely average.
Right now, he's the equivalent of Staal in performance and importance. I'd love 5 year $4.5 a year for both. VERY fair contracts. I hope he realizes that its difficult for us to give out big contracts...we're tight enough as it is.
This is figuring in that Sullivan and Mac are gone next year and we can get Asham back for the same price. Then again we don't know what the salary cap is going to do...could go up or down...and I think we need to retain Niskanin.
So for 2012-13, I'd like to see...
CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR
FORWARDS
Chris Kunitz ($3.725m) / Sidney Crosby ($8.700m) / Pascal Dupuis ($1.500m)
Free Agent ($1.500m) / Evgeni Malkin ($8.700m) / James Neal ($4.500m)
Matt Cooke ($1.800m) / Jordan Staal ($4.000m) / Tyler Kennedy ($2.000m)
Arron Asham ($0.775m) / Joe Vitale ($0.550m) / Craig Adams ($0.675m)
Dustin Jeffrey ($0.575m)
DEFENSEMEN
Paul Martin ($5.000m) / Zbynek Michalek ($4.000m)
Brooks Orpik ($3.750m) / Kristopher Letang ($3.500m)
Deryk Engelland ($0.566m) / Matt Niskanen ($1.750m)
/ Ben Lovejoy ($0.525m)
GOALTENDERS
Marc-Andre Fleury ($5.000m) / Brent Johnson ($0.600m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,654,167; BONUSES: $0
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $607,832
Resignings:
Neal: $4,500,000 / 5 years
Asham: $775,000 / 2 years
Vitale: $550,000 / 3 years
Niskanin: $1,750,000 / 2 years
Free Agent: $1,500,000 / 1 year
Not much left in cap space...so I guess it depends on the FA...or if Jeffery is ready to take that spot.
After that year...THEN some big decisions come in. Dupuis, Cooke, Crosby, Staal, TK, Adams, Orpik, and Tanger...
I'd love to keep Dupuis at the same price. Cooke too...if he doesn't retire (love him or hate him we can't allow him to go to another team). Crosby will get resigned...hopefully for the same (or ideally less if concussions continue). Staal gets a .5-1mil raise. Bye TK if you aren't traded. Adams, you served your duties well...on the fence with ya. Tanger is a must. On the fence about Orpik given our current defense. Things can certainly change.
He's a product of playing with Malkin. Plain and simple. Take Malkin away like last year...and he's nothing short of completely average.
Right now, he's the equivalent of Staal in performance and importance. I'd love 5 year $4.5 a year for both. VERY fair contracts. I hope he realizes that its difficult for us to give out big contracts...we're tight enough as it is.
This is figuring in that Sullivan and Mac are gone next year and we can get Asham back for the same price. Then again we don't know what the salary cap is going to do...could go up or down...and I think we need to retain Niskanin.
So for 2012-13, I'd like to see...
CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR
FORWARDS
Chris Kunitz ($3.725m) / Sidney Crosby ($8.700m) / Pascal Dupuis ($1.500m)
Free Agent ($1.500m) / Evgeni Malkin ($8.700m) / James Neal ($4.500m)
Matt Cooke ($1.800m) / Jordan Staal ($4.000m) / Tyler Kennedy ($2.000m)
Arron Asham ($0.775m) / Joe Vitale ($0.550m) / Craig Adams ($0.675m)
Dustin Jeffrey ($0.575m)
DEFENSEMEN
Paul Martin ($5.000m) / Zbynek Michalek ($4.000m)
Brooks Orpik ($3.750m) / Kristopher Letang ($3.500m)
Deryk Engelland ($0.566m) / Matt Niskanen ($1.750m)
/ Ben Lovejoy ($0.525m)
GOALTENDERS
Marc-Andre Fleury ($5.000m) / Brent Johnson ($0.600m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,654,167; BONUSES: $0
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $607,832
Resignings:
Neal: $4,500,000 / 5 years
Asham: $775,000 / 2 years
Vitale: $550,000 / 3 years
Niskanin: $1,750,000 / 2 years
Free Agent: $1,500,000 / 1 year
Not much left in cap space...so I guess it depends on the FA...or if Jeffery is ready to take that spot.
After that year...THEN some big decisions come in. Dupuis, Cooke, Crosby, Staal, TK, Adams, Orpik, and Tanger...
I'd love to keep Dupuis at the same price. Cooke too...if he doesn't retire (love him or hate him we can't allow him to go to another team). Crosby will get resigned...hopefully for the same (or ideally less if concussions continue). Staal gets a .5-1mil raise. Bye TK if you aren't traded. Adams, you served your duties well...on the fence with ya. Tanger is a must. On the fence about Orpik given our current defense. Things can certainly change.
Orpik and Letang will need to be resigned the year after all the others u named, along with Malkin
Neal has 3 years left to being a UFA. I don't see Shero giving him a long term-deal at this stage (aka 5-6 years) especially since he is an RFA and this is his first hot year, unless of course it's at a bargain.
I don't see Neal giving a bargain just for a long term deal.
Shero will either get him for $4.5 per for 3-years bringing him into UFA.
OR...
He will offer him 5 years at $5.0M.
You look around the league and there just aren't many 40 goal guys out there... Neal hit his stride at the right time and he's playing with the best playmaker in the league = inflated cap hit, but it's not a bad problem to have.
Yeah... I feel like ~5 million is about right. Hopefully for some term, too. And, if you're Shero, you don't even flinch or second guess signing off on that deal. Neal is going to be a productive player for this team for some time, I hope. I know a lot of people are a little taken aback at his production but, really... this is simply what happens when the GM actually goes out and gets the right kind of complimentary player for the team's two big guns. Easily my favorite trade by Shero... and I'm a huge Goose fan, too.
Not to toot my own horn but I remember saying in a "Neal expectations" thread in the offseason that he'd be a near lock as a 30-40 goal player for the Penguins this season, health permitting. He was a guy I kind of followed a little bit while he was in Dallas and I could just tell he would be a great fit between one (or both) of the team's superstars. Most said I was being extremely unrealistic, though. And I suppose that's fair based on how slow of a start he had with the team.
Yep, agree... another thing is that Neal brings a lot to the ice every night even when he's not scoring, unlike a Cammalleri type. He has size, speed, determination, and he isn't afraid to step up for his teammates too.
I think Neal wants to be here long-term and I would hope that Shero doesn't want to get rid of our only legit sniper. $5M/year for a long term deal seems just about right.
I've changed my mind now. I agree with the guy who said 15 years, 1M hit.
Shero: So Lou, knowing that you didn't sneak it by them the first time... what would your recommendation be for Neal? Should I go really long on the years?
Lou: I can tell you but you have to give me a conditional draft pick first.
if neal's success was just a product of playing with Malkin than why did ruslan redotenko only have 11 and 16 goals with him. And why did Petr Sykora stay below 30. Come on, give the man some credit. His shot is as good as it gets. He is worth at least 5 mil in this day and age so if we want to keep him, give it to him
