It will be so rich if Pittsburg misses the playoffs the first year of Dufas. It would be epic meltdown with the Dufas cult members.

they just swapped out a few players for 1 at the same cap hit.
nice work. i wouldnt care about the age at this point. take a couple more shots at a cup.

we all know the Pens will make it farther than the leafs in the playoffs.. its the only way
- senstroll

If I had to compile a list of teams most likely to win a cup in the next 10 years...The Penguins would be in the bottom 3.

Makes sense for them.

At 10M though it only further signifies the impending doom of the Pittsburgh Penguins in a couple years, but when they signed the core they prepared for that anyways so good move.

They are going to roll out a 6M 39 year old Malkin, 38 year old 6M Letang, 10M 36 year old Karlsson,a bunch of mid 30s support players to 3-5M deals and IF Crosby decides to stick around to that mess a 38 year old Crosby that likely gets like 9M
- Santo_44

Nah, Crosby is a legit franchise hockey player, he'd probably play for free if it meant he had a good shot at the cup.

While true, the core has given them 15 years of excellence.

If they want to stick together you make it happen, fans stay happy too.

They will be a very bad team for a long time in a few years, there is no avoiding it.
- Santo_44

Yeah I don’t get that mindset for a sports team. To me, you need to stay competitive, and that means moving people out at times. Can you imagine the haul that the Penguins would get by trading Crosby to a contender at trade deadline!? Trading Malkin at trade deadline!? They would very quickly restock the shelves with prospects, youth, and hope for the near future. To me this can be a win win. Penguins say to Crosby, look you’re worth 9Mil, but on a 1yr contract we will give you 11Mil if you are open to a trade at deadline. There are lots of different options beside riding the Dinosaurs into the sunset.

If I had to compile a list of teams most likely to win a cup in the next 10 years...The Penguins would be in the bottom 3.
- Santo_44

well this changes everything

Smith, at 32, is maybe questionable - particularly at that $5m tag for 2 years, but it still expires next year when he's played a season at 33 - he's not crippled, the contract isn't overly long, and he did just score 26 - so even if he starts to slow down a bit, you should still see 20-25 goals, 50 points, and some good battle out of him. He's been in the cup finals twice and won it once - so it's not like he's devoid of experience, too.

Graves is a big, tough guy who can skate decently. What did Luke Schenn do for Morgan Rielly in Toronto? Graves is better than Schenn and Karlsson is better than Rielly. There could be a match there that works well for them.

I like Acciari. I'm awfully meh on Nieto - but he makes like $900k, so his addition is really some grit and battle on the 4th line.

At the end of the day, they had two real options in front of them - rebuild or go for it. It's too late to retool - the cupboards are bare, and the rebuild would have required their own personal Muskoka-5 to waive their NMCs - so the Karlsson acquisition is the equivalent of Gladiator's famous line, "Are you not entertained?"

Honestly I don't think they do it - I just don't think there's enough gas left in those tanks - especially Letang and Malkin - but talents and skills like those guys have? Muster up enough for one more go? Boston was awfully good last year for a cripplingly old team.
- Monkeypunk

I wonder if they’ll lower the ice time for guys like Letang and Malkin throughout the year (neither one has anything left to prove career talent wise) and save their energy for the postseason.

As for the defensive pairings I know it’s early but NHL line combinations show Graves with Letang (which makes sense since Letang might need some strong defensive help these days) and Karlsson with Pettersson on the second pairing. Don’t know much about Pettersson but it seems somewhat decent defensively stats wise, good enough to cover Karlsson though?

I think a 3rd and project prospect is most likely.

Petry is regressing, 2.5M is likely all a team signs him for free for.
- Santo_44

Of course you do.

Kiermaier to the 10 day IL

but its nice to have Varsho to fill. he so good with da glove

Y’all are insufferable. Such bitter, homer takes.

Y’all are insufferable. Such bitter, homer takes.
- Brownsoldier

Generalize much?

Of course you do.

- Scabeh

its 35 year old Jeff Petry

Y’all are insufferable. Such bitter, homer takes.
- Brownsoldier

We have people telling us JT is screwed at 32.

Perfectly reasonable to expect some serious decline from 37-40 year olds over the next 3 years.

It will be so rich if Pittsburg misses the playoffs the first year of Dufas. It would be epic meltdown with the Dufas cult members.
- leafersince62

It's possible. It's also possible that the Dubas haters will have a new excuse on why he sucks if the pens do well and the leafs miss or fail early in the playoffs again. Lots of fun storylines to come.

I am hopeful it's a ECF pens vs leafs

It's possible. It's also possible that the Dubas haters will have a new excuse on why he sucks if the pens do well and the leafs miss or fail early in the playoffs again. Lots of fun storylines to come.

I am hopeful it's a ECF pens vs leafs
- Aaron_85

With Boston and TB likely regressing a bit, I think 1st is wide open.

Very well could be Leafs vs Pens 1st round.

Would be awesome.

It's possible. It's also possible that the Dubas haters will have a new excuse on why he sucks if the pens do well and the leafs miss or fail early in the playoffs again. Lots of fun storylines to come.

I am hopeful it's a ECF pens vs leafs
- Aaron_85

I just don't see the Penguins being a factor. They missed the playoffs last year, couldn't nail down the final spot, losing to a cellar dweller. Letang and Karlsson on the same team? Someone's not getting the puck. The Pens are a team in decline and putting another older, but skilled player on the team isn't going to fix it. It should have been a tear down year, but now they're going to die a longer death. They aren't going to be in the same league as the Devils, Rangers and Hurricanes. They'll be fighting off the Islanders, Capitals and Columbus for a wild card spot.

Of course you do.

- Scabeh

Friggen guy.

With Boston and TB likely regressing a bit, I think 1st is wide open.

Very well could be Leafs vs Pens 1st round.

Would be awesome.
- Santo_44

Thinking that the Leafs and Panthers will battle for first. Tampa and Boston are good enough to get in the 3 and 4 spot. Still, Buffalo, Ottawa and Detroit won't be far behind. Even the Habs are on the move upwards. Not an easy division. Could be 2 wildcard teams coming out of the Atlantic as wildcard teams in the first round.

Thinking that the Leafs and Panthers will battle for first. Tampa and Boston are good enough to get in the 3 and 4 spot. Still, Buffalo, Ottawa and Detroit won't be far behind. Even the Habs are on the move upwards. Not an easy division. Could be 2 wildcard teams coming out of the Atlantic as wildcard teams in the first round.
- PrinceLH

Ottawa takes Bostons spot

Y’all are insufferable. Such bitter, homer takes.
- Brownsoldier

The former truth has nothing to do with the latter half-truth.

Thinking that the Leafs and Panthers will battle for first. Tampa and Boston are good enough to get in the 3 and 4 spot. Still, Buffalo, Ottawa and Detroit won't be far behind. Even the Habs are on the move upwards. Not an easy division. Could be 2 wildcard teams coming out of the Atlantic as wildcard teams in the first round.
- PrinceLH

Panthers had a deep run but I do not think Bob is vezina bob for the whole season, or even part of the season.

Panthers likely are a bubble team again.

Detroit is still ass, I would argue maybe even worse than last year.

Buffalo is a WC. could be an 85 point team, could be a 105 point team.

Send are competitive I think.

This is the best chance the leafs have had at 1st in a few decades.

Ottawa takes Bostons spot
- drexel

If their goaltending holds up, possibly. The last few years, they've had horrible starts and picked it up in the second half of the season. They need to be over .500 by American Thanksgiving, to have an opportunity to push for a playoff spot. Boston has superior scouting and coaching, so I still think they have the best shot at 4th spot. Tampa and Florida probably play for 2nd in the Division.

Panthers had a deep run but I do not think Bob is vezina bob for the whole season, or even part of the season.

Panthers likely are a bubble team again.

Detroit is still ass, I would argue maybe even worse than last year.

Buffalo is a WC. could be an 85 point team, could be a 105 point team.

Send are competitive I think.

This is the best chance the leafs have had at 1st in a few decades.
- Santo_44

until they trade Willy for Pageau

I'm guessing that Florida has a hangover to start the year. Many of their key players were severely beaten up trying to win the Cup. Some of those injuries will still be lingering around to start the season. Gudas is gone and some of the players who raised their game to career levels, will probably revert back to their career totals. Tampa, like Boston, needs a retool, but traded too many picks and prospects away to bring relief to their rosters. I'm guessing that Ottawa and Buffalo will be on their tales most of the year. Toronto could win the division with a lesser point total than last year. Boston's career year will be a distant memory by Christmas.

If I had to compile a list of teams most likely to win a cup in the next 10 years...The Penguins would be in the bottom 3.
- Santo_44

Im not sure this impacts the sarcasm of his comment.

Kiermaier to the 10 day IL

but its nice to have Varsho to fill. he so good with da glove
- senstroll

Ugh
poopty.