I dont see Kessel due to the reason he demanded out was conflict with Sully
Parise maybe, but he is beyond the back half of his career and on borrowed time only bright spot would be he isn't getting paid 3.125 mil like Carter.
Puljujarvi is a definite imo just would need to get a contract figured out before other teams swoop in
Pysyk is extremely high risk coming off an Achilles injury as those are never easy to return from just ask Pacioretty.

Good takes. I forgot about how kessel asked out so he probably isn't an option. I think we should PTO Pysyk before signing him. Just to make sure he can still skate and play without any issues with his ankle

IMO give Puljujarvi somewhere between 1-1.2 as an actual contract that is maj. incentive laden (Basiacally bonus driven) and play him L1 or L2 and bump everyone down accordingly (I believe L1 would be best so that he isn't as counted on defensively plus Sid finds a way to elevate players put on his line with him and Jake)

Agreed I just would be very timid about what to offer him given that injury is not easy to bounce back from

It's a shame about Pulj hip surgery because I would actually love to give him a shot on this team. Let him do the dirty work on Malkin's line. If he can't hang worst case scenario you have a good 4th liner.

Did he have the surgery in the offseason?

I think like very end of June? He would be able to play at some point during the season I imagine - just not sure how that would work contract wise or what condition he'd be in. Or how effective. He's still young so it's probably not going to effect him THAT much - but who knows. I think he's worth a shot though

So I just read about it after looking..... This seems to be a similar surgery that my best bro had roughly around the same age that Puljujarvi is now. He says he wishes he would've done this years earlier cause he can actually move without pain (he played hockey not at NHL but still skating is skating at the end of the day).

Again as you said not sure how it would affect the contract negotiations given he won't even be skating for 4 months and then it'll be another month or two before being game ready, but 25 years old and with our prospect situation still think it would help diminish the overall high risk as when he is playing who would he be blocking from coming up?

Interesting. Yeah I feel like sometimes getting a surgery like this to fix a nagging injury actually has the player come back even better. Especially at his younger age. I was looking at Puljujarvi for a bit but got nervous when I saw he had surgery. But the more I think about it it's probably not that big of a deal.

And I agree. It's not like he's some old guy that would be blocking some great prospects. Just like Nylander/Poulin/Puustinen. I don't want to say it's no risk - because anybody coming off surgery has some risk. But I can't really think of a reason not to do it. I guess the actual worst case scenario is you can just bury him in the minors - which doesn't seem that bad. But best case is a serviceable 25 year old who does the little things well and can play up and down the lineup. He scored at a 42 point pace in 20-22 when he played with McDavid - not too bad for a good forechecker and great defender. Maybe give him a shot in the top 6 like you said which would move Rust down and improve the depth

Kind of my thoughts as well....... Like even when he first came back he would be more serviceable than JC77.

Oh without a doubt haha. I might be more serviceable than Carter haha. And he's probably not any worse than Johnsson/Hinostroza/Pitlick or any of the other bottom 6 guys they got this offseason. And most likely equal or better than any of our prospects too. Give him a shot with Guentzel/Crosby or Smith/Malkin and let him do the forechecking and defense. Ya never know. If it doesn't work then 4th line or 13th forward. Like you said, it's not like he's blocking anyone great

And if prorated cap you can get him on a multi year type deal I think it would be worth the risk......... Also if were in a position come near the deadline and he hasn't signed anywhere yet I'd reach to PK88 and see if he'd sign a one year deal to win one last cup and put him with Geno and bump Smith down a line. Could also make a trade with Ari to bring back Zucker either I'd be okay with tbh

That could work. Honestly at this point he'll probably just take league min anywhere I'd imagine. But that's just a guess. Either way - I agree, I think he'd be worth the risk of throwing a low amount at him.

If Kane comes in for like league min I'd have no issues. I know a lot of people don't like that idea - another old guy lol. But I think it'd be worth it as well. I'd gladly take Zucker back at the deadline as well - not sure how they would get him under the cap though.

Puljujarvi def worth risk given the high possible reward if he is finally healthy (hip pain sucks and hampers a lot of your movement) if he even comes close to symbolizing the player that EDM took 4th overall people will be crying cause Pens stole a gem.

Kane anywhere from league min-2ish mil I feel is worth the risk because of the type of player he is (if he's fully healthy he is one of the most lethal passers in the game and his shot is not that bad either big reason why he is 2nd highest scoring US born player). If you put him and Geno together and they're both healthy you can get an extreme defensive first forward on that line and they'd become a 20+ goal scorer with ease. Again similar risk to Puljujarvi has they are coming off eerily similar injuries and surgeries just Kane isn't a spring chicken anymore at 34 YO.

The Zucker at the TDL would have to be prorated cap with how much time is left in the season and also retention on ARZ part (which gets them more picks so doubt they'd really say no to it as long as they have retention ability).

Just imagine we can make all 3 work out under cap constraints and Puljujarvi and Kaner meet max potential on their returns. I could see the whole league crying of how the league favors the Pens if it did

Agreed.

I get what you're saying about Kane - age and injury aside he would still be a good value at a low AAV like that. The guy still obviously has talent. The only reason I'm saying league min for Kane is that's the only way I see him fitting under the cap. Unless there's another way?

Even still with Zucker it would be tough though right? If ARI retains half - that's 2.65mil. The prorated amount would most likely have to be under 1mil no? I don't feel like doing the math haha - just seems like it would still be difficult.

Haha you're not wrong. That would be something special and there would be a lot of salty fans. I'd make an ACGM with Kane and Pul but I know everyone is going to spam "Kane would never sign for that little" haha. Although I just realized Kane and Pul both play RW exclusively - so that might cause an issue if you wanted them on the same line

Yeah in looking at even with prorated cap hits for what I think they would sign for it would be unlikely to get all 3...... unless somehow Carter ends up incapacitated that would open up some doors (Tonya Harding anyone?). I also saw the Kane and Puljujarvi thing of playing RW, which given that and the cap situation give me Puljujarvi signed 2x1,000,000 (2 years to prove healthy off injury at which point he can test UFA waters or if he likes the 412 can sign a longer higher AAV deal if proves well) and a Zucker deadline deal and we are big time cooking (also already checked the prorated on Zucker would be 683K ish)

Guess it was too good to be true. It always comes back to Carter haha - he's crippling the team right now. I'd probably take that for Pul. Send Pitlick down and they'll be cap compliant. If Puljujarvi doesn't work out then you can send him down and his full cap hit should be buriable(if that's a word) I believe.

And cool - appreciate the info! If they're in a solid playoff contention spot and could squeeze Zucker back in, I think that would be amazing.

Actually just realized I messed up the calculations.... as long as we are under the cap prior to the season starting.......... which we have to be to be compliant then the Pens could have the cap space come TDL to make all 3 happen ( the previous calculations I did with our current projected cap hit which is 79K over cap)

See my latest quote to my own

Ah - I gotcha. But that would be assuming Kane and Pul don't sign until the deadline?

I did it as projected cap hit being right at the cap prior to days remaining...... so as long as the Pens do not go over the cap at any point for projected cap hit then they can sign whenever..... which the deals I did were 2x1,000,000 for Puljujarvi and 1x3,000,000 for Kane.. even then at the TDL with acquiring Zucker the Pens would have about 2 mil left in prorated cap..... As long as Im assuming this sites calculations correctly....... which the additional 2 mil in space at that point would be in case Im wrong

Where is the additional cap space coming from? I'm so lost lol

As you go through the year you accrue cap..... to attempt to simplify it the most I skipped to the TDL 48 days left in the season. I put the expected cap hit for the season prior to the time remaining to the current cap which is 83,500,000. I then put in Puljujarvi signed at 2x1mil and then Kane 1x3Mil and then traded for Zucker half retained and it said I had about 2 mil left in cap space. Where it came from no idea just know thats what it said it was lol.

I'm not saying you're wrong - that just makes zero sense to me lol

It makes zero sense to me as well, but I believe it is calculating the cap space based on them signing at the TDL after digging into it more, so probably still holds true can afford 1 of Puljujarvi/Kane and then acquire Zucker at the deadline.

Add this to reasons not to become a GM way too much math calculations to even think about how to best construct your roster given the cap confinements, but able to go over the cap if you make it to a certain point of the year.