Pens specific: Offseason

[JustAsking]

No team boards, but this is mainly for Penguin fans I suppose. I apologize in advance for name butchering:

This is how I see the off season and next season breaking down.

Offense:

The only UFA I think the Pens should resign would be Cooke. Poni if the price is right, on a one yr deal, but probably not. The Penguins are still built down the middle, and I'm not one calling for a Malkin trade as I see the rumors flying about. With the money saved from not resigning Guerin and Feds, the Pens very easily could sign a top line winger. You still have to plan that Sid and Malkin will make their line mates better. I expect Tangradi to be given a shot on the top two lines or moving Staal up and having Letestu playing on the 3rd line.

Kunitz - Sid - FA
???/Staal/Poni - Malkin - Tangradi
Cooke - Staal/Letestu - Kennedy
Rupp/Goodard - Talbot - Adams


Defense:

I think Gonchar pretty much played himself off the team. I would resign Eaton and Leopold. Part of the Gonchar savings could be used for the top line winger. I am not sure of the pairings, but I see the 6 starters as:

Orpik, Letang, Gogo, Eaton, Leopold, Lovejoy.


Goalie:

We are kind of stuck with Fleury at the moment, but I have no confidence in him anymore. He consistantly gives up an early goal (his first shot he faced in the NHL was goal) and can never rebound back. 3 of the 4 losses to the Habs he gave up within 2-3 minutes of the game. When he is on, he is on, but we need a consistant goalie. This team is good now. I call him the anti-brodeur. Brodeur makes average teams great, Fleury is making great teams average (I think he had the lowest GAA and save% for a SC winning goalie in decades) However, I don't think the Pens have any better option at this moment. Curry will not be an NHL goalie and I don't have much knowledge on Thiessen (is that his name).


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If the Pens are able to land Volchenkov instead of Eaton or Leopold that would be ideal. Which could happen I suppose. Guerin/Feds = 4 million for a FA winger. Gonch/Eaton frees up 7 million for Volchenkov (he'll command over 5 million per I'm assuming), so that is possible.

 

[miamiforlife81]

No way Poni should be brought back. He had just 3 goals in 27 games as a Penguin and was a -8, and rarely showed any effort.

Unless he's resigning with Carolina, Ray Whitney could be a nice option for the top line, and could probably be signed for around 4-5 million, maybe less. Frolov and Kariya are also out there are UFA wings.

Volchenkov would be a dream, but yes letting Gonchar walk is a good idea.

 

[Burns80y]

Here are my thoughts on the current Pens FA's

UnRestricted
Guerin- Lose him
Fedotenko- Lose Him
Cooke- Keep Him
Ponikarovsky- Lose Him
Gonchar- Lose Him
McKee - Lose Him
Leopold - Don’t care either way wouldn’t mind having him back
Eaton- Keep Him
Lovejoy - Keep Him
Engelland - Possible 2 way deal

Restricted
Chris Conner- 2 way deal
Nick Johnson- Keep Him

Lines

FA/Dup/Kunitz/Tangradi/Johnson/? - Sid
FA/Dup/Kunitz/Tangradi/Johnson/? - Malkin
Cooke - Staal - Kenedy
Rupp - Superstar - Adams

Orpik - Tanger
Eaton - GoGo
Lovejoy - Leopold

 

[JustAsking]

I totally forgot about Dupuis. I agree with Poni he should go (I said if the price was right for one yr, but probably not).

Dupper would be fine on any line.. I would put him with Sid and not sign FA winger. I would focus on Volchenkoc this off season.

I really like the Staal-Malkin-Tangradi line (a bunch of giants on the ice)

 

[Burns80y]

I totally forgot about Dupuis. I agree with Poni he should go (I said if the price was right for one yr, but probably not).

Dupper would be fine on any line.. I would put him with Sid and not sign FA winger. I would focus on Volchenkoc this off season.

I really like the Staal-Malkin-Tangradi line (a bunch of giants on the ice)

I think that Staal as winger diminishes his value defensively. He is great at the role he is in now and i think that it will be easier to find a guy to fill what he could provide offensively as a winger than it will be to find a center to replace what he does defensively. Just my 2 cents.

 

[The Croz Man Cometh]

Malkin - Crosby - Tangradi
Dupuis - Staal - Kunitz
Cooke - Letestu - Kennedy
Rupp - Talbot - Adams

Orpik - Letang
Hamhuis - Goligoski
Lovejoy - Eaton

Flower
Johnson

No crazy changes. But that leaves room at the deadline for something.

 

[pixburgher66]

malkin won't be moved to sid's line permantly. i just don't see it happening. and i HOPE tangradi becomes a top line winger, but i'm not sure you can put a lot of eggs in our developmental basket. i really think that gonchar is GONE and i'm not all that torn up about it. after his injury(ies) he just hasn't really been the gonch of old. he's been out-performed offensively (tang started to hit the net at the end there) and defensively (by every Dman on the team...) and is demanding wayyyy too much money.

 

[JustAsking]

Malkin - Crosby - Tangradi
Dupuis - Staal - Kunitz
Cooke - Letestu - Kennedy
Rupp - Talbot - Adams

Orpik - Letang
Hamhuis - Goligoski
Lovejoy - Eaton

Flower
Johnson

No crazy changes. But that leaves room at the deadline for something.

Man I'm like a blade grass regarding this subject I guess... I dig those lines. Minus no Volchenkov.

 

[The Croz Man Cometh]

Man I'm like a blade grass regarding this subject I guess... I dig those lines. Minus no Volchenkov.

For the age of Volchenkov and how much he has been through, he is going to wear down quick as he ages.

I would prefer Hamhuis who is cheaper and will most likely fit the Pens system better.

And Malkin should be a winger. His faceoff abilities are horrible and not getting any better.

 

[Urkie]

For the age of Volchenkov and how much he has been through, he is going to wear down quick as he ages.

I would prefer Hamhuis who is cheaper and will most likely fit the Pens system better.

And Malkin should be a winger. His faceoff abilities are horrible and not getting any better.

I love Volchenkov but this is exactly the reason Ottawa hasn't re-signed him yet. The worry is that he will eventually wear down and this season he started to show some signs of it with the amount of injuries he had.

I'd say it would be better for you guys if you signed Hamhuis or Z. Michalek.

 

[The Croz Man Cometh]

I love Volchenkov but this is exactly the reason Ottawa hasn't re-signed him yet. The worry is that he will eventually wear down and this season he started to show some signs of it with the amount of injuries he had.

I'd say it would be better for you guys if you signed Hamhuis or Z. Michalek.

That is what makes it tough to sign a guy like that. He is still a great player but in a couple years, what is he going to play like and how are the injuries going to affect him.

 

[TOX1]

^^^ This why we need team only sections here.

 

[scottflyers88]

none of you guys really upgraded the team.

 

[The Croz Man Cometh]

none of you guys really upgraded the team.

At least we aren't being unrealistic with our expectations. I am glad no one has said Sign Kovalchuk or anything like that.

With the cap, it is hard to improve every year with big signings.

 

[scottflyers88]

true although most just posted lines and got rid of gonchar. at least in yours you had hamhuis.

 

[ELYEAH82]

none of you guys really upgraded the team.

Addition by subtraction on defense. Replacing Guerrin and Poni is an upgrade as well, it surely cant get worse than Poni.

 

[scottflyers88]

yea i am so glad the flyers did not get him like i wanted.

 

[TOX1]

yea i am so glad the flyers did not get him like i wanted.

+1

 

[Burns80y]

none of you guys really upgraded the team.

I got rid of some of the older guys and added in some younger ones. I also kept everything internal which i doubt will happen. I think an FA or 2 will be brought in but i have no idea who.

 

[scottflyers88]

worth a guess.