I'm thinking that Lovejoy is arbitration eligible, i dont howd that work out but im thinking hed get around .9, i dont know the specifics on how arbitration works through with what kind of contract they get..
Zigomanis could potentially center a third line, his defense isnt horrible and can hold his own, I def. think he could get close to a mil.
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot is working right now but it certainly won't help Malkin's shot at a scoring title next year when Fedotenko pulls his disappearing act and Talbot plays like a 4th liner. It works now because those two games elevate their game in a big way in the playoffs.
We might not have any options though.
That's what I'm essentially saying. It works now, but for it to work for 82+ games is a long shot...a very long shot.
I personally think Kennedy with Malkin next year is a better option, with Ray finding another complementary peice for that line.
I don't think Scuderi is going to get 4 million anywhere. He's played well but he's been our third line pairing for a good part of the year. I think he'll probably be offered a contract in the 2.5 mill range which might even be a little steep for us. At 2 million or less though if possible it's a no-brainer for me. He's way too valuable on the PK and in the defensive zone in general.
Also agree that we should be more likely to spend more on Crosby's wing than Malkins in general. Malkin likes to do it himself more than Crosby and loves to shoot. Crosby likes to set players up more and has better on ice vision than anybody. With a legit scoring threat on his wing that's pretty scary. Right now Crosby is the goal-scorer on his line, but that's not the way it should be IMO.
1. Trade Staal to Chicago for Ladd/Versteeg and Byfgulien (i like this guy for some reason). Getting Versteeg would require Dupuis as well
2. Re-sign Scuderi
3. Sign Kovalev
4.Make sure Dupuis is gone.
5. Let everyone else walk
1. Trade Staal to Chicago for Ladd/Versteeg and Byfgulien (i like this guy for some reason). Getting Versteeg would require Dupuis as well
2. Re-sign Scuderi
3. Sign Kovalev
4.Make sure Dupuis is gone.
5. Let everyone else walk
I'm ok with this. We're still deep down the middle and we get some wing help for both of our star centers. We've got plenty of center depth and Max is more than capable of being an effective 3rd center.
Also, I agree that Caputi makes the team. We need winger help too much for him not to. It's really a shame that Tangradi got hurt or else we could have thrown him to WBS for the playoffs. I think he'll end up being down there for most, if not all of next year.
I'm also a big fan of bringing Kovy back to play with Geno. Who knows if he's really interested, but I'm interested in him so that should count for something...
My only gripe is with the tossing out the 5th story window of Dupuis. What did he do to make everyone hate him all of the sudden? Solid 4th line guy, as 4th line guys go.
I'm ok with this. We're still deep down the middle and we get some wing help for both of our star centers. We've got plenty of center depth and Max is more than capable of being an effective 3rd center.
Also, I agree that Caputi makes the team. We need winger help too much for him not to. It's really a shame that Tangradi got hurt or else we could have thrown him to WBS for the playoffs. I think he'll end up being down there for most, if not all of next year.
I'm also a big fan of bringing Kovy back to play with Geno. Who knows if he's really interested, but I'm interested in him so that should count for something...
My only gripe is with the tossing out the 5th story window of Dupuis. What did he do to make everyone hate him all of the sudden? Solid 4th line guy, as 4th line guys go.
Dupuis makes wayyyyy ntoo much for his role, what is it? 1.4 mil?
1. Trade Staal to Chicago for Ladd/Versteeg and Byfgulien (i like this guy for some reason). Getting Versteeg would require Dupuis as well
2. Re-sign Scuderi
3. Sign Kovalev
4.Make sure Dupuis is gone.
5. Let everyone else walk
I'm ok with this. We're still deep down the middle and we get some wing help for both of our star centers. We've got plenty of center depth and Max is more than capable of being an effective 3rd center.
Also, I agree that Caputi makes the team. We need winger help too much for him not to. It's really a shame that Tangradi got hurt or else we could have thrown him to WBS for the playoffs. I think he'll end up being down there for most, if not all of next year.
I'm also a big fan of bringing Kovy back to play with Geno. Who knows if he's really interested, but I'm interested in him so that should count for something...
My only gripe is with the tossing out the 5th story window of Dupuis. What did he do to make everyone hate him all of the sudden? Solid 4th line guy, as 4th line guys go.
Dupuis isnt good enough for top 6, and makes too much to play the 4th line. Out the window he goes.
I think that Kovalev would be interested in coming back to Pittsburgh. This would be a great move for this team. He should be able to accept the 3.5M that Satan ate this season. I would consider resigning Fedotenko if he accepts the same money. If he asks more, then he can go sign with someone else. I think that a guy like Caputi can play next to Malkin and Kovalev.
I hope that Guerin can accept a 1.5-2M contract. If he does, then that's perfect for Crosby's line.
I was the biggest basher of Scuderi. I took everything back and want him re-signed. His offensive skills created this dislike that I had of him, but right now, he's a huge part of this team going forward.
If you are going to play Kovalev with Malkin, you want the other winger to be Talbot. Kovalev can create on his own, so can Malkin, but Malkin tends to be lazy at times defensivly, and Kovalev from what i know of tends to turn the puck over alot. Talbot would be a geat piece for that line when things go the other way. Then again, same with TK but TK+Staal+Cooke is an amazing 3rd line when they are playing up to par. Best third line in the league arguably.
Trade Dupuis for a late pick or marginal prospect.
Sign Fedotenko at the same salary he made this year.
Sign Scuderi for 5.4 over three years.
Sign Kotalik for 6.0 over two years.
That is brutal, Staal is not a winger, and he had a fluke year his rookie year on wing. He is a pure C, nothing more, nothing less. Taking Staal off C and putting him to W takes away alot of his big time defensive game. Wingers should be fast, that is not Staal's forte. You take away an awesome piece for the 3rd line, and put him at W where he's not good at. It's ruining 2 lines IMO.
Trade Dupuis for a late pick or marginal prospect.
Sign Fedotenko at the same salary he made this year.
Sign Scuderi for 5.4 over three years.
Sign Kotalik for 6.0 over two years.
Unless the cap goes down significantly, that team works.
I think Caputi will play over Minard.
Jeffery could eventually be the 4th line center.
I think that top 6 is soff...Kunitz is the only tough guy and he isnt even that big. That why I proposed Staal and Dupuis for Ladd and Big Buff. But Kotalik might do well here.
If you are going to play Kovalev with Malkin, you want the other winger to be Talbot. Kovalev can create on his own, so can Malkin, but Malkin tends to be lazy at times defensivly, and Kovalev from what i know of tends to turn the puck over alot. Talbot would be a geat piece for that line when things go the other way. Then again, same with TK but TK+Staal+Cooke is an amazing 3rd line when they are playing up to par. Best third line in the league arguably.
I think Tyler Kennedy would fit well with Malkin. Of course that move would hinder on the Kennedy-Staal connection, because that has been pretty solid when together. Staal very well might need Tyler Kennedy on his line to produce.
How I see things shaking out is that we have guys in the AHL that are ready for some NHL mins. If Kennedy gets moved up a line, Caputi can be put in his spot on the 3rd line. Jeffrey played quite well in his time here, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the team finding a spot for him, much the way Talbot performed in such a fashion that he made the team keep him around.
I think two scoring wingers are in store for this team. Peices that would be in place for me would be
Kunitz-Crosby-Free Agent
Free Agent-Malkin-Kennedy
I would much rather sign Steve Sullivan than Kovalev. He would probably be cheaper, too.
Sullivan is a modern day Theo Fleury, but the reason he would be cheaper is because he's averaged something like 38 played per year over the last 5 seasons.
He's a great player if he could stay healthy, but he can't and he won't.
This guy makes Gaborik look like the Ironman by comparison of games played...
I think Tyler Kennedy would fit well with Malkin. Of course that move would hinder on the Kennedy-Staal connection, because that has been pretty solid when together. Staal very well might need Tyler Kennedy on his line to produce.
How I see things shaking out is that we have guys in the AHL that are ready for some NHL mins. If Kennedy gets moved up a line, Caputi can be put in his spot on the 3rd line. Jeffrey played quite well in his time here, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the team finding a spot for him, much the way Talbot performed in such a fashion that he made the team keep him around.
I think two scoring wingers are in store for this team. Peices that would be in place for me would be
Kunitz-Crosby-Free Agent
Free Agent-Malkin-Kennedy
Crosby's FA wing - Guerin/Knuble
Malkin's FA wing - Fedo/Sammuelsson
I know it's waaaaay to early to be talking offseason w/ an unbelievably important Game 6 coming up... but I would re-sign Zigomanis ASAP.
That's just my quick 2 cents..
I agree with you, 5 UP/Down guy...
Ziggy was a man-beast in that faceoff circle and that alone gives him my vote to come back again next season.
I don't think he'll cost much either considering he didn't even crack the Yotes roster to start the year and he only played 22 games before he got hurt. As far as 4th line centers go, he's a dream at a bargain price.
I think Tyler Kennedy would fit well with Malkin. Of course that move would hinder on the Kennedy-Staal connection, because that has been pretty solid when together. Staal very well might need Tyler Kennedy on his line to produce.
How I see things shaking out is that we have guys in the AHL that are ready for some NHL mins. If Kennedy gets moved up a line, Caputi can be put in his spot on the 3rd line. Jeffrey played quite well in his time here, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the team finding a spot for him, much the way Talbot performed in such a fashion that he made the team keep him around.
I think two scoring wingers are in store for this team. Peices that would be in place for me would be
Kunitz-Crosby-Free Agent
Free Agent-Malkin-Kennedy
Well, we are supposed to use our WBS guys so it's time to start using them. Shero's done a good job giving them pro time, but with the cap possibly going down, no better time o try farm guys then next season.
As for Ziggy people are talking about, we need to keep him. 2 years@1.8M should do it. .900K a year. But i am starting to wonder if it's wise to have a 4th line...cap problems and all. 4th line is like 1.5-2M, when you can use league minimum players for there. Roll 3 good scoring lines, and the defense we have, while the 4th can play perhaps a few minutes. The cap is gonna be hard to get through, so we should cut costs and fill other areas to better the team. Rolling 3 lines instead of 4 will not hurt.
Before Gonchar's injury, I probably would have entertained the idea of dealing Goligoski for a similarly talented offensive threat (ideally to a Western team and in some package for someone like Michael Grabner or Jordan Eberle..both teams' having a need for a PP QB).
However, with Gonchar's latest injury, I dont see Goli going anywhere. The Pens seem to view Goli as their future PP QB as well, as he replaced Gonchar on the first unit.
I'd probably look to try and acquire someone like Cheechoo to take Guerin's spot as well. Not sure how expensive he'd be.
