The Kesseless Pens

I really like the name of this post lol although you didn't put any notes with your thoughts...

I guess I'll just start with what I see first: it's already been announced that the league cap won't be $83MM so this roster already doesn't make sense.
I think Blueger might command a bit more given his production this past offseason.
Pettersson likely gets a much bigger raise than this.
GMJR said he thinks this is the best defense they've had (with Maatta scratched) so sending him out I get & moving Phil for a D I get.
Why does Vancouver want another LD when they have Hutton, Edler, and Hughes? Juolevi is also waiting in the wings. So VanCity passes.
Keith elects not to waive his NMC for Pitt. Subban would make more sense.
I think Ottawa would want more to take on JJ if they even took him at all. Rumor has it they want to re-sign Ceci. Look for them to take on Hossa's contract from AZ should they decide to buy.
I think your cap hits for Gus and Zucc are in the right ballpark (maybe they get a bit more?) . Zucc will be 32 at the start of next season
What happens the next season when Murray wants 6.5 and Schultz wants 6+? What if McCann puts up 25-30 goals? Y'all just walk away from 2 of the 3?

Where was this announced? link please

none of this works. First you are over the cap. Second a lot of those trades just don't make sense. They don't need to give up much to get rid of JJ. Maatta brings back a 2nd, and only a second.
That chicago trade is awful. There is no way in hell they are moving 2 of their top 3 RW, especially for that return. Nor are they going to play Jake on his off wing all season.

-Fair enough on Vancouver, but I'm sure they can find a similar move on another team.

-For a team like Ottawa going through a major rebuild and needing to fill out roster spots, paying JJ $2.75Mish isn't that bad. A rebuild like what they're doing is going to last at least three years before they starting trying to realistically make the playoffs. Adding ZAR and the 2nd rounder while retaining cash I think is enough to make it happen, but who the heck really knows.

-Blueger's sample-size is very small and I think a two-year bridge deal like that is fair.

-Pettersson? I mean how much more could he really command? For all intents and purposes he's really just finished his rookie year. If it was more, I couldn't imagine it being much more than a few hundredK.

-We don't know what Keith would do, but I have to think if he waived his NMC he wouldn't mind going to a team like the Pens. I'd love Subban and I definitely think that's a possibility, but I was trying to look at more financially feasible options so the Pens can spend on replacements.

-Yes, the McCann and Murray issues are coming down the pike. It will be easier to move Gudbranson a year from now, especially if he picks up where he left off and the Pens can try to free up some space by moving him. Hornqvist, if he goes back to normal, will also be more moveable.

Overall the Pens are looking at two to three year window right now, adding guys like Zucc and Gus may actually extend that. Also, I appreciate you disagreeing like a normal person. People who just say, "wrong!" "NOPE!" etc... I don't even bother responding to. None of us here are GMs, so we are all going to be off on something.

I don't think it was officially announced, but I do remember reading they said it's possible the original projection may be less.