Generally, government workers tend to favor dems because (historically) dems grow government and repubs try to shrink it. However, for several decades now, both parties grow government. Dems just grow it a little faster.

I think I remember reading something like 80% government workers vote dem.

Beyond that.... The pandemic is literally drowning in politics down here. It's quite disgusting because it's having a HUGE psychological impact on EVERYONE. Economically it's pure tragedy. People are being ruined financially and decisions are being made on possibly wildly fictitious numbers.
- madmike71

From a conservative bias, i would say conservative constituents "want" them to shrink it. I would say the republicans do a piss poor job of it, and really only mitigate the rate of expansion. which i am also generally un-happy with lol

Yes. Won't increase unless revenues go up. So looking at 2 more years of 81.5M and then 2 of 82.5M I believe.
- Tojo.

Geez. I really hope that spells the end for JJ in a Pens uniform before next season starts. So looking at capfriendly the Penguins currently have a projected cap hit to start the 20/21 season at $68,275,175 leaving $13,224,825 to fill out the roster.

UFAs: Schultz, Marleau and Sheary

RFAs: Murray, Jarry, McCann, Rodrigues, Angello, Lafferty, Simon and Riikola.

I think the only certainty I can see is the Pens letting Schultz and Marleau walk.

Likely scenarios:
-Rodrigues either doesn't get qualified and they let him walk, or his rights are moved if they can get anything for him.

-Angello and Lafferty are re-signed at two-way contracts which won't affect much.

-Flat cap IMO makes it likely Murray will not be a Penguin come the start of next season. Those that hoped maybe they could retain both him and Jarry just had their dreams shot down IMO.

The unknowns:
-Bjugstad. Moving him, if they can, would allow the Pens to keep quite a bit.

- Sheary. It's easy to think the Pens will just let him walk, but they obviously have an affinity for him and may let others walk to keep him.

-McCann. I think his future is contingent upon Sheary, but my guess is a modest raise for a one to two year bridge deal. Maybe around $2M.

-Riikola. I think his future depends on both JJ and POJ. No JJ I believe secures him a spot, but faith in POJ signs his trade out of town.

Geez. I really hope that spells the end for JJ in a Pens uniform before next season starts. So looking at capfriendly the Penguins currently have a projected cap hit to start the 20/21 season at $68,275,175 leaving $13,224,825 to fill out the roster.

UFAs: Schultz, Marleau and Sheary

RFAs: Murray, Jarry, McCann, Rodrigues, Angello, Lafferty, Simon and Riikola.

I think the only certainty I can see is the Pens letting Schultz and Marleau walk.

Likely scenarios:
-Rodrigues either doesn't get qualified and they let him walk, or his rights are moved if they can get anything for him.

-Angello and Lafferty are re-signed at two-way contracts which won't affect much.

-Flat cap IMO makes it likely Murray will not be a Penguin come the start of next season. Those that hoped maybe they could retain both him and Jarry just had their dreams shot down IMO.

The unknowns:
-Bjugstad. Moving him, if they can, would allow the Pens to keep quite a bit.

- Sheary. It's easy to think the Pens will just let him walk, but they obviously have an affinity for him and may let others walk to keep him.

-McCann. I think his future is contingent upon Sheary, but my guess is a modest raise for a one to two year bridge deal. Maybe around $2M.

-Riikola. I think his future depends on both JJ and POJ. No JJ I believe secures him a spot, but faith in POJ signs his trade out of town.
- Rinosaur

Not many teams, especially teams that players will want to play for (hello, NJD and Buffalo), will have lots of money to spend. It's totally possible that no team will offer Matt Murray what he's expecting, and he may have to settle for resigning at a modest raise.

Not many teams, especially teams that players will want to play for (hello, NJD and Buffalo), will have lots of money to spend. It's totally possible that no team will offer Matt Murray what he's expecting, and he may have to settle for resigning at a modest raise.
- jmatchett383

The issue there is it's still either Jarry or Murray. The Pens fit a lot under the cap this year with all the LTIR they had. Even if they gave Murray a one or two year bridge deal at lets say $4.5M, that then means Jarry is on his way out and I think they choose Jarry who may cost them less than $3M given the circumstances.

I think we will see a lot of players elect to take those one/two year bridge deals and hold out for the cap going up, so what we once projected as maybe a $3/$3.5M payday for Jarry may have just shrunk a little.

Not many teams, especially teams that players will want to play for (hello, NJD and Buffalo), will have lots of money to spend. It's totally possible that no team will offer Matt Murray what he's expecting, and he may have to settle for resigning at a modest raise.
- jmatchett383

Yeah I was thinking along the same lines of this myself. Teams and most of their owners have lost barrels of money this year plus the flat cap for a few years. I think contract amounts and terms are going to be effected by the state of the world going forward.

Yeah I was thinking along the same lines of this myself. Teams and most of their owners have lost barrels of money this year plus the flat cap for a few years. I think contract amounts and terms are going to be effected by the state of the world going forward.
- MattStrat

We'll see a lot of bridge deals for FAs of all talent levels, but that still doesn't change the Penguins Murray/Jarry situation. The Pens can ill-afford to spend $7M to $8M on their goaltending tandem. One of them is going.

We'll see a lot of bridge deals for FAs of all talent levels, but that still doesn't change the Penguins Murray/Jarry situation. The Pens can ill-afford to spend $7M to $8M on their goaltending tandem. One of them is going.
- Rinosaur

Perhaps we might see GMJR find a trade partner for Murray after the playoffs? He does enjoy making a splash in the off season, and maybe someone desperate for a goaltender will overpay for a 2-time Stanley Cup winning goalie. I wouldn't be sad if he was traded for a defenseman, RW, or some decent draft picks. God knows Pittsburgh draft picks are a rare sighting these days.

-Rodrigues either doesn't get qualified and they let him walk, or his rights are moved if they can get anyth

-Flat cap IMO makes it likely Murray will not be a Penguin come the start of next season. Those that hoped maybe they could retain both him and Jarry just had their dreams shot down IMO.
- Rinosaur

Rod asked out of Buffalo once he started getting scratched and has a 2.2 M qualifier. I don't see him returning.

I see one scenario where it would make sense to keep Murray because of the flat cap. If Bjugstad is dealt, they have no significant salary set to expire, no cap raise, and Marino, Blueger, and ZAR up. They'd be in the same situation they were this off-season with Pettersson where they had to dump salary and took a while to find a deal.

Can they dump a contract to Seattle? Possibly, but how many teams with more to offer will want to do that? Unless you can guarantee they take Hornqvist, you're screwed.

So the safest way to make sure you don't have to do something stupid to sign Marino is to have some salary set to expire. So it might be wise to give Murray one more year then let him walk into FA or keep around.

Rod asked out of Buffalo once he started getting scratched and has a 2.2 M qualifier. I don't see him returning.

I see one scenario where it would make sense to keep Murray because of the flat cap. If Bjugstad is dealt, they have no significant salary set to expire, no cap raise, and Marino, Blueger, and ZAR up. They'd be in the same situation they were this off-season with Pettersson where they had to dump salary and took a while to find a deal.

Can they dump a contract to Seattle? Possibly, but how many teams with more to offer will want to do that? Unless you can guarantee they take Hornqvist, you're screwed.

So the safest way to make sure you don't have to do something stupid to sign Marino is to have some salary set to expire. So it might be wise to give Murray one more year then let him walk into FA or keep around.
- Tojo.

If they can move Bjugstad and/or JJ, then they can probably wiggle both Jarry and Murray with a bridge deal for both.

Perhaps we might see GMJR find a trade partner for Murray after the playoffs? He does enjoy making a splash in the off season, and maybe someone desperate for a goaltender will overpay for a 2-time Stanley Cup winning goalie. I wouldn't be sad if he was traded for a defenseman, RW, or some decent draft picks. God knows Pittsburgh draft picks are a rare sighting these days.
- simethos

Moving Murray shouldn't be difficult. There are more than a couple teams I think would be a fit.

-Buffalo - I'm not sure if Ullmark is viewed as their future or just a good backup, but I doubt Hutton gets a long-term extension.

-Nashville - Next year is Rinne's last and my guess is he'll likely retire. So if they can find a way to squeeze in Murray's contract I think they'd be a great fit.

-Calgary - Given Rittich's age, I don't know what their plans are for him, so might be worth exploring.

-Carolina - Reimer and Mrazek are UFAs after next season, so maybe if they can move one of those guys? Not sure they're a great fit, but it might be worth looking into as a fit.

-Ottawa - They're going to be a contender in a few years and I don't know if they have any goalies in the pipeline, so that's just a stab in the dark.

-New Jersey maybe?

If they can move Bjugstad and/or JJ, then they can probably wiggle both Jarry and Murray with a bridge deal for both.
- Rinosaur

Basically if they can't fit Murray, they can't fit Marino next year. So they can fit Murray. Might not be the best move for next year, but with no cap raise and everyone trying to shed salary they better have a plan for that because they can't repeat with Marino what happened with Pettersson and just hope soneobe takes a guy like Anaheim did with Gudbranson to get out of it.