This signing pretty much leaves the Pens with no cap space.

Actual looks like they are over cap even circuits just slightly

Look, @pharrow, that is not a valid plan my guy. First of all, Murray is NOT a sure thing right now. If not for DeSmith last year we don't even make the playoffs. He is insurance and he is WAY better than Jarry at this moment. It's not even close actually. They gave Jarry that contract because they thought he would be better than he is at this point in his career.

To clear cap space (which should have been done before July 1st so we could have gotten some legit FAs, but that's another topic), they have to either BUY OUT Johnson's garbage deal, or trade Rust/Bjugstad. Those moves would have better served the team earlier in the summer, but since GMJR is a bumbling scrub at this point in his career, he failed to pull the trigger in time to sign anybody that would move the needle. The Tanev deal was the worst signing of the summer so far and it was his only dip into a tremendous FA class. This deal for ZAR is actually fine all around, but GMJR has left himself with no cap room to actually improve the team.

Deal I like the most? Rust for Honka. Pettersson is a MUST sign at this point with absolutely no help being signed or traded for on the back end. He could be the most important signing of the entire offseason now, tbh.

But DeSmith is the back up right now 100%. Which Murray will start this season, the good one or the one who let's up endless soft goals? If it's the latter we NEED someone back there who can win games. Casey has proven that.

Everyone commenting here has no idea what they are talking about. You are all a bunch of nimrods. Pens fans are the absolute worse.

Lol I know exactly what I'm talking about there guy

you clearly don't watch the games. No one watches DeSmith play and says, oh he's so great. Lets get rid of a player who plays 82 games a year so we can keep a guy who plays 30 and doesn't even play all that well.
That's just stupidity on your part.
He's not some great goalie. He's expendable. If they could keep him sure. But that's not the real issue. The issue is cap comes from somewhere and if they had to fit under right now, bye, see ya. Don't let the door hit ya on the butt on the way out.
They would be fine with Jarry in net.

You are over hear desperately trying to justify trading out other people to keep a mediocre at best back up goalie. What's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Believe me if the choice is between Jarry as the back up and keeping a 1st or losing a good player and Losing DeSmith. DeSmith can jump off a cliff.

This isn't even remotely true.
DeSmith is not the reason the Penguins made the playoffs last year. I don't even know where you get that nonsense from.
And giving up players who are regulars in the line up to keep a mediocre backup goalie shows how ignorant your opinion is.

Its entirely true youre good at espousing your opinion but entirely incapable of backing it up.

If he hadn't played super well in Murray's absence they do not make it. He crushed it in the middle of the year. If jarry is our back up we dont make the playoffs. It's also not "giving up" anyone you get a legit return in draft capital or elc cheapness. Either way you get cap relief. Desmith is signed to a great deal for a backup goalie. We need a strong backup.

We also need more room than getting rid of him will provide regardless of your poor math bro. I'm quite informed, your analysis is flawed and arrogant. No offense but you referring to my well thought out and researched opinion as ignorant shows your lack of knowledge. Use your head and look at the numbers.

Casey desmith doesnt crush it and get us points in the middle of the season we dont make the playoffs. Check the gamelogs replace those with ****ty numbers n we far out.

Dude is an undrafted free agent. Most underrated part of last season is how he saved it.

To make legit cap room they need to buy out Johnson and trade rust or bjugstad. That's saves over 6 m in two moves.

Idiots. You're all idiots.

Okay you are being a little fast and loose there. DeSmith isnt worth a first or worth losing a good player for. But paying a first to dump a bad player and refil that position while keeping the better goalie is a good option. With Jarry as backup playing 25-30 games pens would win maybe 10 if his play is the same as last years level. DeSmith would get 15+. He had stretches of playing really well. Also you are making out like the 600k cap difference will be the crucial value it wont, Pens will be over by more than that and moves will need to be made.

This is such an ignorant comment. If his play is the same as last year. He played 2 games last year. One an OT lose to boston where he had a .946 save % and the other the team played like absolute garbage in front of him.
Two years ago he went 14-6 and you are over here saying "he might win 10 games" what a bunch of pompous BS.

@pharrow I understand that you like Jarry more than DeSmith and it couldn't be more obvious. It is nearly impossible to have a debate with you because you don't care about stats or anything logical that goes into a debate. What @vmark said about not having DeSmith last year and they don't make playoffs, is 100 percent accurate. DeSmith has put "Murray like" numbers up in the NHL (obbviously in a smaller portion) and is reliable as a backup - Jarry is not reliable at this point in time therefore is the goalie that is expendable. Paying a backup 1.25 is not overpaying. If they didn't want him, they would have waited until this summer and let him walk. They made up their mind as to who they wanted as their backup, and it isn't Jarry.

As for your solution of just sending guys to the minors to clear cap space - this is not the way you run a team and clear space. In order to move a bad contract (Johnson) they will need to give a team an incentive (Rust/Bjugs/Jarry) to take it. If it was easy to get rid of, it would have been done already.

yeah ok arm chair GM LOL

Look at ZAR thinking like Lebanc! Good for him