Off Season Moves Thread

[meow]

Darren Dreger seems fairly certain the Pens and Blues are going to pull off a significant deal, one that will shake up both clubs.

This is the guy who also reported Malkin wants out. Take it with a grain of salt.

That was Elliot Friedman

[Jim]

Ok, so they get Kunitz, Dupuis, Scuderi, Spalling and Pouliot for Kessel and a 1st

I am fine with keeping Dupuis.

[Kicksave]

Maybe we see Oshie to PIT with a young prospect like Rattie and Brandon Sutter going the other way. (Via @DarrenDreger)

I like the sounds of this. More balance, probably cheaper cost.

I thought the reason they were trading Oshie was to cut cap cost...Sutter gives them less than a million in space.

Although, I think that would be a fantastic trade.

[beachboy76]

Darren Dreger seems fairly certain the Pens and Blues are going to pull off a significant deal, one that will shake up both clubs.

This is the guy who also reported Malkin wants out. Take it with a grain of salt.

I could be wrong here, but I don't recall Dregger getting in on the Malkin wanting out talk. I thought it was Friedman who mentioned it casually in a radio conversation -- and even then, not as a rumor, but as a means of thinking out loud.

I've always known Dregger to be pretty spot-on and reputable.

Dreger didn't report anything about Malkin wanting out, it was Freidman.

So I guess take whatever lilpgh2 reports with a grain of salt?

[Avyran]

I give lilpgh my full vote of confidence for trustworthiness.

[meow]

New guy, coming out hard.

[mikey]

Yeah, let's all just count to ten here...

[beachboy76]

New guy, coming out hard.

Haha, it was just a zinger.

[meow]

New guy, coming out hard.

Haha, it was just a zinger.

[Gaucho]

I snickered.

[Jim]

The idea of having a pure sniper in Kessell on Crosby's wing makes me salivate with excitement. Then I step back and think of the reality, and while there's one real thick layer of great, there are a bunch of layers of bad to real bad.

1. Cap hit: His $8 million per year cap hit extends for another seven years, I believe. Add that to the Crosby, Malkin, Letang, and Fleury cap hits and this team is going to be exactly what they've stated they don't want to be: a two line team with a drastic drop-off and zero depth. Doesn't sound like a recipe for success.

2. Asset cost: Toronto does not have to trade Kessel. There likely is a decent market for Kessel. Those two factors combined mean Kessel isn't coming at a discounted price. If Rutherford wants Kessel, he's going to have to part with, as a start, one of Maatta or Pouliot, Kapanen, and next year's first rounder. And, again, that's likely just the start of it. There will be other pieces. If they expect Toronto to eat a part of Kessel's salary or take on a burdensome contract, such as Scuderi's, they'll want even more in return than the starting point (plus other pieces) mentioned above. How, exactly, are they going to fill the roster now, and more importantly in the future, given that they're trading away so much young talent? Doesn't sound like a recipe for success.

3. Age effect: Looking at points one and two make this deal a bad enough idea alone. Combine them and you'll see that not only are they setting themselves up for failure by means of cap hell, but now they're also losing some of the guys who factor to be cheap talent for years to get him. I am all about sustainability right now. This team NEEDS to start layering their stars. In Crosby, Malkin, Letang, and Fleury, they have a bunch of upper-20s stars. They'll be exiting their prime soon, and while they'll still be highly productive, having a new wave of young players -- obviously not quite as good as those mentioned above, but very good none-the-less -- will allow this team to be successful this year and for the long haul. You know, kind of the way Chicago has been, how Detroit was for so long, etc. This trade will empty a gas tank that already was near "E." Doesn't sound like a recipe for success.

4. Roster impact: I've alluded to this already, but adding Kessel is going to make this team very top heavy, as the balance of the roster will have to come cheaply. Given that many of the team's top, young, cheap players will be gone in such a deal means the roster will not only come cheaply, but likely won't be very good, either. Having a top-heavy, two-line team is not the way of success in the NHL. The teams that have repeatedly gone deep int he playoffs have rolled four lines capable of scoring. If we thought last year's roster was lacking in depth, we haven't even seen the start of it. Get used to quad-A players, has-beens, and never-will-bes filling out the bottom half of the roster. And get ready for a continued trend of early playoff exits. Doesn't sound like a recipe for success.

Kessel might be the best player on the market, but he's a homerun for a team that needs more in the way of doubles. This team needs a winger or two that are young (25 or younger), affordable (under $5 million), and talented. They're not growing on trees, and they won't come cheaply. But it is a much easier proposition to trade up-and-coming talent for young, proven talent that can help now and for years to come. The names of Hertl and Skinner have been mentioned, and these are perfect examples of what this team needs. It won't be easy to accomplish, but then again if it was easy to accomplish, it likely wouldn't be worth it.

Sorry for the long post, but this whole Kessel thing has had me thinking for the last 16 hours or so, and if it happens, barring a miracle where Rutherford fleeces Toronto, I will not be in the least bit happy. And those aren't words you often hear from my mouth about the Penguins.

A lot of this makes perfect sense and is quite logical, but...

If a team is top heavy but they are consistantly getting things done, then you don't need to have $4M/$5M players on the 3rd line. Conversely, when the top lines are so-so you need considerable depth. I am not saying that a solid 3rd line is not necessary, I am just saying that if the top 6 is a "BAM" top 6 then it takes a lot of pressure off of the performance/dominance of the 3rd and therefore you don't need to spend as much there.

And if anyone blames not winning on their 4th line then they have bigger problems to work through than top 6 salary structure.

[Jim]

Darren Dreger seems fairly certain the Pens and Blues are going to pull off a significant deal, one that will shake up both clubs.

This is the guy who also reported Malkin wants out. Take it with a grain of salt.

I could be wrong here, but I don't recall Dregger getting in on the Malkin wanting out talk. I thought it was Friedman who mentioned it casually in a radio conversation -- and even then, not as a rumor, but as a means of thinking out loud.

I've always known Dregger to be pretty spot-on and reputable.

Dreger didn't report anything about Malkin wanting out, it was Freidman.

So I guess take whatever lilpgh2 reports with a grain of salt?

There is only a small amount of posts here that get the facts wrong. One needs to give people a break for a brain-fart from time to time.

lgp however, dang! People get the facts part wrong ALL THE TIME! If you can't get the facts right how is anyone to take your opinions seriously?

[llipgh2]

Darren Dreger seems fairly certain the Pens and Blues are going to pull off a significant deal, one that will shake up both clubs.

This is the guy who also reported Malkin wants out. Take it with a grain of salt.

I could be wrong here, but I don't recall Dregger getting in on the Malkin wanting out talk. I thought it was Friedman who mentioned it casually in a radio conversation -- and even then, not as a rumor, but as a means of thinking out loud.

I've always known Dregger to be pretty spot-on and reputable.

You're right. My bad. For some reason I got them confused.

[llipgh2]

Darren Dreger seems fairly certain the Pens and Blues are going to pull off a significant deal, one that will shake up both clubs.

This is the guy who also reported Malkin wants out. Take it with a grain of salt.

I could be wrong here, but I don't recall Dregger getting in on the Malkin wanting out talk. I thought it was Friedman who mentioned it casually in a radio conversation -- and even then, not as a rumor, but as a means of thinking out loud.

I've always known Dregger to be pretty spot-on and reputable.

Dreger didn't report anything about Malkin wanting out, it was Freidman.

So I guess take whatever lilpgh2 reports with a grain of salt?

3 posts. Yawn...

[beachboy76]

Darren Dreger seems fairly certain the Pens and Blues are going to pull off a significant deal, one that will shake up both clubs.

This is the guy who also reported Malkin wants out. Take it with a grain of salt.

I could be wrong here, but I don't recall Dregger getting in on the Malkin wanting out talk. I thought it was Friedman who mentioned it casually in a radio conversation -- and even then, not as a rumor, but as a means of thinking out loud.

I've always known Dregger to be pretty spot-on and reputable.

Dreger didn't report anything about Malkin wanting out, it was Freidman.

So I guess take whatever lilpgh2 reports with a grain of salt?

3 posts. Yawn...

It's hilarious how offended some are getting over a little zinger.

You may say that you weren't bothered by it with your *yawn*, but it prompted you to post about it.

Also, yes, because I only have 3 posts, it clearly means I'm nothing, I don't matter, I'm clueless, etc.

Great attitude around here.

[llipgh2]

It's hilarious how offended some are getting over a little zinger.

You may say that you weren't bothered by it with your *yawn*, but it prompted you to post about it.

Also, yes, because I only have 3 posts, it clearly means I'm nothing, I don't matter, I'm clueless, etc.

Great attitude around here.

Now who can't take a zinger...

[Silentom]

[meow]

[beachboy76]

It's hilarious how offended some are getting over a little zinger.

You may say that you weren't bothered by it with your *yawn*, but it prompted you to post about it.

Also, yes, because I only have 3 posts, it clearly means I'm nothing, I don't matter, I'm clueless, etc.

Great attitude around here.

Now who can't take a zinger...

I'm taking it just fine, worry you not.

[Avyran]

I foresee this turning out well.

Comparisons for possible Sutter contract: Fisher at 2 years, 8.8 million; Soderberg at 5 years, 4.75.

[llipgh2]

Nope, I'm good. Done.

[Jim]

... and I was worried things would get bad when I got here...

[meow]

Nope, I'm good. Done.

Not you, lli. You are the coach. You're the coach and you're the point guard, you're the two forwards, the center, and you're the other guard.

[llipgh2]

Not you, lli. You are the coach. You're the coach and you're the point guard, you're the two forwards, the center, and you're the other guard.

Role Models.

[shmenguin]

so any guesses on who this person is? ziggy stardust? kenny melvin? who else wouldn't want to use their old name?