Ryan Wilson: Nick Spaling Arbitration Figures Released
Spaling Arbitration Figures Released
- Ryan_Wilson

David Booth, Peter Mueller, Lee Stempniak, Brian Gibbons, David Moss, Mike Santorelli, Patrick Eaves and Daniel Winnik are all bottom 6 forward options that are under 1.5M and are more appealing to me than Nick Spaling.

I think you're underrating Spaling a bit. He's a better player than Eaves, and Santorelli right off the bat, and I'd say Gibbons as well in terms of a bottom 6 guy. He's at least as good as the rest I'd say. It's also worth noting that he's the youngest of the listed bunch and probably hasn't reached his ceiling yet. So in talking about talent, I think you're underrating.

If you're talking about contracts, then it bears repeating that UFA contracts and market forces have little to bear on these RFA negotiations, and nothing to bear on arbitration awards.

The number of people bashing Spalling before he even plays is baffling to me. He knows hes not worth 2.85 but this is the process. He knows he has to start super high because hes going to lose like .5-1 million from the arbitrator. People have to realize the current cap situation. 30-40 point players are going to cost you between 2-4 million now.

If the deal ends up around 2.2-2.3 I think its a very fair contract
- gdsmack267

precisely. I wonder how many have gotten a decent look at him before they claim they'd rather have Santorelli at any cost than Spaling at just over 2 mil.

I still think Martin and Sutter package to Detroit for Nyqvist might be the best move.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I guess I should have emphasized "package" more. There would obviously be more involved...

Point being if we would give up a ransom for Kane...why wouldn't give the same ransom for someone like Nyqvist?

The number of people bashing Spalling before he even plays is baffling to me. He knows hes not worth 2.85 but this is the process. He knows he has to start super high because hes going to lose like .5-1 million from the arbitrator. People have to realize the current cap situation. 30-40 point players are going to cost you between 2-4 million now.

If the deal ends up around 2.2-2.3 I think its a very fair contract
- gdsmack267

The thing is Spaling had his higher number of points last year mainly due to PP duties. He won't be getting PP time with us....MAYBE on the 2nd PP but who knows.

Anyway, I want to see him play for the Pens and will be "satisfied" with a $2M contract.

Give him 2 mil for a year and call it a day. There is a chance he does perform well and if he doesn't then you can always let him go in the offseason next year. The team does have cap room, so it's not like 2 mil would handcuff the team. Still can't be worse than scuderi's contract

I think you're underrating Spaling a bit. He's a better player than Eaves, and Santorelli right off the bat, and I'd say Gibbons as well in terms of a bottom 6 guy. He's at least as good as the rest I'd say. It's also worth noting that he's the youngest of the listed bunch and probably hasn't reached his ceiling yet. So in talking about talent, I think you're underrating.

If you're talking about contracts, then it bears repeating that UFA contracts and market forces have little to bear on these RFA negotiations, and nothing to bear on arbitration awards.
- Morris

Thank you Edmonton guy for making more sense than a bunch of Penguins fans in this thread.

Spaling is a projection - the Penguins think he can be more than he was in Nashville with better talent and a more conducive system around him, PP minutes or not.

Booth, Setoguchi, Stempniak - those are all known commodities. Spaling was acquired and will sign a contract not because of what he's done, but based on what they believe he will do. On top of that nobody wanted Booth or Stempniak, and no one wants Setoguchi even still. Why? Because they're no longer top 6 options, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they can be valuable bottom 6 performers, or that they want to.

Is Spalding a sure thing? No. But they see something there, and paying $2 or $2.2 mil a year for that short-term isn't a bad deal.

Give him 2 mil for a year and call it a day. There is a chance he does perform well and if he doesn't then you can always let him go in the offseason next year. The team does have cap room, so it's not like 2 mil would handcuff the team. Still can't be worse than scuderi's contract
- drummer829

Agreed.

How much do you think Sutter will make?

I'm expecting something like $3.3M for 2 years.

oh hello

oh hello
- BulliesPhan87

HAIIIIIIII

HAIIIIIIII
- Guile

pls don't shout, it hurts my cranky old man ears

I guess I should have emphasized "package" more. There would obviously be more involved...

Point being if we would give up a ransom for Kane...why wouldn't give the same ransom for someone like Nyqvist?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Any other thoughts on this? Yoo hoo... Hello... where are you guys that hounded me thinking I meant Sutter and Martin for Nyqvist straight up...haha.

Would ya'll throw a Sutter + Martin + Despres/Dumoulin/1st package together for a young guy like Nyqvist (or insert other young budding star top 6 winger) ?

well! if Dirk Hoag says its an overpayment then WTF was GMJR thinking! I think taking a flyer on a spaling for 2 milish and seeing what he can do away from trotz and the preds is worth it more than signing many of the players you named,with exception of gibbons.

Winnik @ $1.3M + Stempniak @ $0.9M >>>> Spaling @ $2.2M
- Barnaby36

when seeing in writing like that... I'm glad they traded for spaling. no sarcasm intended.

well! if Dirk Hoag says its an overpayment then WTF was GMJR thinking! I think taking a flyer on a spaling for 2 milish and seeing what he can do away from trotz and the preds is worth it more than signing many of the players you named,with exception of gibbons.
- ChrisMS

Don't you miss that on the Penguins?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXAq0JAdnIM

Jaromir Jagr @ his best

Agreed.

How much do you think Sutter will make?

I'm expecting something like $3.3M for 2 years.
- Barnaby36

I was thinking around the 3.5 range for 2 years. 2 years would be just long enough to have a 3rd line C prospect develop like sundqvist

Don't you miss that on the Penguins?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXAq0JAdnIM

Jaromir Jagr @ his best
- Barnaby36

I miss Jagr like Tampa misses St. Louis. At least they got good assets more him.

I miss Jagr like Tampa misses St. Louis. At least they got good assets more him.
- ChrisMS

I wanted to see Jagr playing with Malkin and Crosby. He's probably the best I've seen as far as moves go. I'm big on Kovalev as well.....

Why do they have to get old?

Give him 2 mil for a year and call it a day. There is a chance he does perform well and if he doesn't then you can always let him go in the offseason next year. The team does have cap room, so it's not like 2 mil would handcuff the team. Still can't be worse than scuderi's contract
- drummer829

Really? Where? The Pens have $6.43 Million with 3 or 4 roster spots to fill depending on whether they are comfortable with a full roster or leaving a spot open. I'm not sure where this cap space is magically coming from. Atleast $5.5 million of that is going to Spaling (2) and Sutter (3.5) according to most of you. Trading Scuderi is a pipe dream at this point, it isn't happening. I don't want to go into the season with $300K in cap space, which is where things are headed and that's if the cap hits for Spaling and Sutter don't go over the projected 2 and 3.5. That leaves little to no room for any acquisitions come deadline time.

Good to see Malkin is having fun this offseason...

I think the Pyatt example is a good one to throw out to illustrate exactly why Spaling is a better option than someone like Pyatt. Pyatt was a guy that we took a fly ball on because he was the definition of value. Signed him and his excellent size for under a mil on the off chance he could turn out to be a power forward hound dog on the bottom 6. However, Pyatt is for all intents and purposes an ox. Huge, but castrated. No bite or sand paper to his game and plays like he's four inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter than he is, which made him a waste of space.

On the other hand, Nick Spaling has a decent frame which he actually incorporates into his game. He's a strong checker and uses his body to get to the dirty areas. On top of this, he has some semblance of offensive upside and is still quite young. He's also a good to very good PKer, which could eliminate the need to have Adams in our line up at all, which is an added bonus. Even though I'd want him at 1.5, to me, the combination of his play, potential, and not having to play Adams makes the 2 mil stomachable. I think he'll excel in a 3rd line shut down roll in a way that none of the other "options" would have.

He's a gamble, but all things considered the risk really not all that big.
- Victoro311

I like your way of thinking. Craig adams is a year removed from being kicked up into some sort of management position in the organisation. Why not move Craig up now and use his cap space to compensate Spaling for his PK prowess

Good to see Malkin is having fun this offseason...


- cap1681

Comrad Stalin!

I wonder if he was already questioned by a reporter about the Neal trade.

I like your way of thinking. Craig adams is a year removed from being kicked up into some sort of management position in the organisation. Why not move Craig up now and use his cap space to compensate Spaling for his PK prowess
- intelligentscorpio

In the perfect world Scuderi and Adams ask to retire now..

I wanted to see Jagr playing with Malkin and Crosby. He's probably the best I've seen as far as moves go. I'm big on Kovalev as well.....

Why do they have to get old?
- Barnaby36

Choose the golden chalice?

Choose the golden chalice?
- ChrisMS

reminds me of this

Really? Where? The Pens have $6.43 Million with 3 or 4 roster spots to fill depending on whether they are comfortable with a full roster or leaving a spot open. I'm not sure where this cap space is magically coming from. Atleast $5.5 million of that is going to Spaling (2) and Sutter (3.5) according to most of you. Trading Scuderi is a pipe dream at this point, it isn't happening. I don't want to go into the season with $300K in cap space, which is where things are headed and that's if the cap hits for Spaling and Sutter don't go over the projected 2 and 3.5. That leaves little to no room for any acquisitions come deadline time.
- PensFan1103

Their roster is set:
Kuni-Sid-dupuis
Hornqvist-Malkin-Bennett
Spaling-sutter-downie
Comeau-Goc-Adams
Ahl guy

Letang-Martin
Ehrhoff-maatta
Scuderi-despres
Bortuzzo

They have absolutely no more spots except for the 13th forward