As a pens fan i would make that trade. Schultz wants a raise over his current $5.5M salary and perhaps he will round back into form if he is not saddled with the likes of a Jack Johnson. He has a booming shot and could potentially be on the #1 PP. He had 51 points when not paired with JJ. But the pens cant afford him and letang and pettersson.
As for Murray, no one can figure out if sullivan wins out on the goalie situation or not. Murray is sullivans guy. Rumor had it Murray wanted an 8 year/$64M contract. Pens will hard pass on that (I hope)
How about Murray and Schultz for a 3rd and pearson or even a RD like Wood?
- i'mjustafan
If I'm the GM of Detroit I'd probably make this deal, but maybe not for the obvious reasons.
Schultz is a UFA and, IMO, he's probably a $2 million to $2.5 million player in terms of his actual on-ice value. He's a billion times better than Jack Johnson, but unfortunately that will only get you to "slightly below average NHL defender." Plus he's 30.
He would have to take a pretty steep pay cut for me to feel comfortable signing him, which he's probably not going to do. Surely there's at least one dumb NHL GM out there willing to drop $4+ or even $5+ million on the guy -- and even if nobody is offering more than $3 million, why take a huge pay cut to play in Detroit when you can take the same huge pay cut to play on a team that's actually good?
So assuming Schultz is a complete bust, that makes the trade effectively Murray for a 3rd rounder and a minor leaguer.
I probably take that deal, let Schultz walk, and qualify Murray at his current salary ($3.75 million). Probably the highest I'm willing to go on Murray is $4 million AAV on a 3-year deal.
If he takes it, fine. We get a middle-of-the-road goalie at maybe a slightly inflated but not terrible price without giving up much.
If he gets offer-sheeted, that's also fine. Let him walk. Worst case there is they get a 2nd round pick as compensation, which would effectively make the trade a 2nd for a 3rd + a minor leaguer, which is at worst a wash.
