Buffalo does stuff to make themselves cap compliant like taking bad contracts

Pens will most likely say no. Hextall has been very vocal about ceasing what JR used to do in trading away all our the futures unless it's too good to pass up. One year of a terrible dman we can't afford doesn't fall under that.

Canucks accept that

I just saw something earlier that said pens were interested lol, I don’t really know what his value is

Be careful about reading "rumors" on this board lol

Pens organization has said the 2nd round pick isnt apart of their trade assets.

And that’s just not me wanting to have something to cheer for in this years draft. Like u said, Hextall and Burke have been very vocal about wanting to draft “their type of players” into the system and not trading away high draft picks.

And to be completely honest, I don’t even certainly agree with. Of course during the offseason and near draft time, I’m hoping the Pens draft the players Im high on, are highly ranked and have their high picks.

But in reality, if u are gonna go for it, go for it. Once Sid/Geno/Letang are gone and retired. Acouple seasons of tanking and 2-3 top 5 picks and your system should be reloaded and a top system in the league. And you trade all your assets on the current team and collect prospects too.

People Don’t realize that even without our 1st round picks in forever. The pens still have a deep NHL system. As far as NHL depth. Angello, Lafferty, Zohorna, OConnor, PO-Joseph, Maniscalco, Riikola, W.Reilly all with NHL experience and NHL depth in the system.

The system is light at the top. But still have Poulin, Legare, Puustinen, Bjorkqvist, Judd Caulfield, Svejkovsky, R.Ansons, and both goalie prospects all drafted by the Pens and look like/should be future NHL players.

If u win a SC or get to the finals, no one cares about the draft picks.

Hextall is willing to go for it and has been given the green light to do whatever is necessary. He will trade futures, but only in the right deal as he's said. But yeah, the Pens have done well in their system considering not having any major picks.

And there have been no real rumors about Risto. People have been making up so much crap on here about Pens rumors. About the only real rumors the Pens have had so far has been their interest in Andersen.

Buffalo will have to retain if we trade for Risto. Pens are up against the cap, even if Seattle drafts Zucker, we have two big RFAs to sign 1st.

I’m beginning to think Seattle takes ZAR rights though.

Yeah. It will either be ZAR or Zucker. Pens have a lot of work to do and have to move out plenty of space. They have to sign a middle six forward, a bottom six forward, a third pairing RD and improve their goaltending. The key priorities are a big physical middle-six forward and goaltending. There have been previous rumors to have interest in Zadorov, but I don't know they can make that happen financially.

EDIT: Not to mention extend Blueger and ZAR if they don't lose either of them in the draft.

U think?? Not really though. Acouple tweaks. Back-up vet goalie, resign Blueger/ZAR. Resign Gaudreau(1M for 2 seasons would probably do it. 1.25M for 2 seasons, 2.5M total contract at most). And a 3rd pairing RHD like Luke Schenn for 1.2M again. Just like Ceci.

If Ceci gets 2M plus the Pens should let him walk.

L.Schenn is bigger, more physical, better defensively, and better offensively in my opinion.

Ceci made a lot of mistakes this season and got away them. Not trying to knock him, he played great and had a great season. Especially for being everyone’s whipping boy as a FA signing. But my heart stopped every time he made a pass through the crease or across the defensive zone in front of net. He got away with a lot of mistakes that I even saw. I could imagine how many they caught on tape/game film.

That would leave us with

Guentzel/Sid/Rust
McCann/Geno/Kappy
Poulin/J.Carter/Gaudreau
ZAR/Blueger/Tanev

And still Lafferty, Angello, Zohorna, OConnor has depth

Dumoulin/Letang
Pettersson/Marino
Matheson/Schenn(or vet 3rd pairing RHD)

And Still Riikola/Ruhwedel, Friendman, PO-Joseph as depth.

And probably some cap space still too if Seattle takes Zucker. To sign maybe like Granlund for that 3rd line.

And Geno will probably be on LTIR to start the season. Coming off surgery. They might be able to swing some cap circumvention with that.

I don't believe Poulin or Legare will be ready. They need time in the AHL to get used to pro speed.

Gaudreau shouldn't cost more than $800ish.

ZAR will probably come in close to $2M and Blueger just over $2M.

It's still unknown the exact route they will take on the goalie side. The could move Jarry out and bring in an upgrade, bring in a vet who will likely cost more than DeSmith or even spend the money on someone like Andersen to play with Jarry.

Here's the bare-bones of what the starting point looks like:
https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/466737

Keep in mind, this is the starting point. Some of these pieces will get moved out.

I don’t think so man. We’ll see though. I’m predicting ZAR-1.25-1.75M for 2-3 season. If 2 seasons, closer to 1.75M and 3.5M total contract. If 3 seasons, it could be 1.25M and a 3.75M total contract.

I predict Blueger being 2.25M-2.75M. And I think even at 2 seasons he could be 2.25M per. A 4.5M total contract.

Blueger 2 seasons at 2.25M( 4.5M total contract) and ZAR 1.25M for 3 seasons(3.75M total contract).

DeSmith will probably have to be traded if they don’t believe in him. Which sucks.

He’s definitely proven to be a very capable NHLback-up-1B goalie. And who knows, if he was healthy in the play-offs and was able to give Jarry a night off, or got hot and took over, things could have gone differently against the Isles.

But he would have to be carried on the roster all season if he was our 3rd goalie. No way he would clear waivers if he tried to put him to the practice squad.

His contract is too good for a proven NHL back-up. NHL backups make 2M-4M atleast.

I would love to see the Pens sign W.Simmons and have the 3rd line be Poulin/Carter/Simmons.

I think Poulin could and would really benefit from starting off playing with 2 vets as linemates. I think that would speed up his development and he would fine in the NHL then. And the Pens would still have Gaudreau as depth for that 3rd line.

What did you do with Dahlin and Joker?

I think Simmonds would be a terrible idea, no offense lol. If they're going to go that route I think Folingo would be a good get to play next to Geno. The link to the model with Zucker taken by SEA, I showed it gives the Pens a little over $3M to fill out the forward group and it's pretty well known they want a middle six guy which will certainly cost them north of $3M, so moving out one of Pettersson or Matheson would make just enough room to make that happen, sign two more bottom six forwards and and RD. That's not a lot of room.