Boqvist is not being qualified and will be a UFA. Id like him as a bottom pair option RD. He is never healthy but if he could have a full season learning from fellow Swede Karlsson, he could still become a very good player.
- MacPatty

He'd be perfect. BOQVIST and BRÄNSTRÖM. If we could ate least trade Graves that is...

He'd be perfect. BOQVIST and BRÄNSTRÖM. If we could ate least trade Graves that is...
- Barnaby36

Dubas has said he is not going to attach assets to trade a bad contract. That means a Graves trade is highly unlikely

Dubas has said he is not going to attach assets to trade a bad contract. That means a Graves trade is highly unlikely
- PittsPens

Damn it. One of the worst contracts for us I've seen In a while.

July 1 is like Xmas for hockey fans -- but this year our best case scenario is socks.

Yohe's article:

* Top priority is find a 1LW to play with Sid. They're looking for a player they think will work well with Sid but also will sign a short-term "show me" deal, hence could wait for players that are passed over on July 1.

* Some interest has popped up in Smith, so a trade may be possible this summer.

* They're still considering POJ but also have some other options in mind.

July 1 is like Xmas for hockey fans -- but this year our best case scenario is socks.
- MickV

Hey I miss the days of Sox’s and underwear for Xmas. Now I gotta deal with it myself

Yohe's article:

* Top priority is find a 1LW to play with Sid. They're looking for a player they think will work well with Sid but also will sign a short-term "show me" deal, hence could wait for players that are passed over on July 1.

* Some interest has popped up in Smith, so a trade may be possible this summer.

* They're still considering POJ but also have some other options in mind.
- MickV

Lol, top priority is a top line left winger, but we are going to wait for the scraps to fall through... If that is our approach for our top priority, Sid should be asking for a trade.

I guess we trade one of smith, Jarry, or Acciari today and sign Debrusk.

I guess we trade one of smith, Jarry, or Acciari today and sign Debrusk.
- Brownsoldier

If we're talking Xmas here, that's pretty much all I want
1) Smith for Laine
2) Sign Debrusk
3) ????

Reinhart for only 8.6 sounds like an absolute steal for Florida. And Bertuzzi staying at 5.5 but getting 4 years, good for Chicago.

I guess we trade one of smith, Jarry, or Acciari today and sign Debrusk.
- Brownsoldier

Yohe says no long-term or big money contracts, hence no DeBrusk.

Yohe's article:

* Top priority is find a 1LW to play with Sid. They're looking for a player they think will work well with Sid but also will sign a short-term "show me" deal, hence could wait for players that are passed over on July 1.

* Some interest has popped up in Smith, so a trade may be possible this summer.

* They're still considering POJ but also have some other options in mind.
- MickV

1 and 2 make no sense. If you can trade smith, there's more than enough room to spend on a legit 1LW. There aren't many open spots on our roster, so where else are you going to spend? LD and LW should get 95% of whatever cap is available.

July 1 is like Xmas for hockey fans -- but this year our best case scenario is socks.
- MickV

Funny..... and true lol.

Lol, top priority is a top line left winger, but we are going to wait for the scraps to fall through... If that is our approach for our top priority, Sid should be asking for a trade.
- MacPatty

Yohe also confirmed what I posted yesterday: Dubas is prioritizing the future, not the current team.

Yohe also said if it wasn't for Sid, Dubas would go into full rebuild mode now, but Sid doesn't want to leave and they don't want him playing on a terrible team. Hence, Dubas will do what he can to keep them able to compete for a WC spot, but he's not going to sign long-term deals, trade picks, etc.

1 and 2 make no sense. If you can trade smith, there's more than enough room to spend on a legit 1LW. There aren't many open spots on our roster, so where else are you going to spend? LD and LW should get 95% of whatever cap is available.
- buckster2342

Without moving Smith out, they only have about $6M to spend on a 1LW and 2LD, so those would have to be cheap(ish) players.

If they can move Smith maybe things change a bit -- but remember, Dubas is not prioritizing this year's team, he wants to rebuild. Almost the entire roster will be gone in 3 years. He doesn't want to lock into players now that will inhibit his ability to do a 100% makeover of the team then. So I think he'd only do a longer-term deal if he can get a younger player that will still be in his prime for at least another 5 years or so.

Yohe says no long-term or big money contracts, hence no DeBrusk.
- MickV

But isn't that a subjective definition of long-term and big money. Would 4 yrs, $20 really be long-term or big money?

If we're talking Xmas here, that's pretty much all I want
1) Smith for Laine
2) Sign Debrusk
3) ????
- Rocco115Pitt

Sid extension

Yohe also confirmed what I posted yesterday: Dubas is prioritizing the future, not the current team.

Yohe also said if it wasn't for Sid, Dubas would go into full rebuild mode now, but Sid doesn't want to leave and they don't want him playing on a terrible team. Hence, Dubas will do what he can to keep them able to compete for a WC spot, but he's not going to sign long-term deals, trade picks, etc.
- MickV

I agree with your assessment, but I don't agree (with Dubas) this is the year to do it. Taking cap dumps for 2nd round picks....meh. Just wouldn't have done it this year.

They had the money to add a better 3C and find a top 6 wing that wouldn't demand 7 year contracts. FWIW, I agree with not signing 7/8 year deals. I fully understand why they didn't keep Jake.

Maybe Hayes will surprise me. Not holding my breath. Sid still has to agree to deal.

But isn't that a subjective definition of long-term and big money. Would 4 yrs, $20 really be long-term or big money?
- Rocco115Pitt

Exactly. A 4 year deal shouldn't inhibit the rebuilding plan at all.

Yohe also confirmed what I posted yesterday: Dubas is prioritizing the future, not the current team.

Yohe also said if it wasn't for Sid, Dubas would go into full rebuild mode now, but Sid doesn't want to leave and they don't want him playing on a terrible team. Hence, Dubas will do what he can to keep them able to compete for a WC spot, but he's not going to sign long-term deals, trade picks, etc.
- MickV

It's just so stupid. You have a top 5 and top 40 center in the league. You have 2 1RD caliber defensemen. And you have a handful of quality supporting pieces with Rust and Peterson. We finally had some cap space to make a play.

Dubas has had a great canvas to work with if he had some brains and some balls. You can both go for it and begin to stockpile assets. Right now Dubas is in no man's land.... Not good enough to make the playoffs, not bad enough to get good draft picks.

Let's hope your assessment there is wrong.

But isn't that a subjective definition of long-term and big money. Would 4 yrs, $20 really be long-term or big money?
- Rocco115Pitt

They would have to trade Smith to even be able to fit that under the cap this year, which again they're trying to do but not sure it's even possible they pull that off today.

Based on what Yohe and others have written, they prefer to go after a LW on about a 2-year deal -- but who knows, maybe if they can trade smith they'll go after a bigger fish, but DeBrusk doesn't seem like what they're after. He's going to sign somewhere today for more term than they want to give.

Anyway, I'm just relaying the info in Yohe's article and from others I've read that are all consistent on this -- but Dubas will of course do whatever he wants.

They would have to trade Smith to even be able to fit that under the cap this year, which again they're trying to do but not sure it's even possible they pull that off today.

Based on what Yohe and others have written, they prefer to go after a LW on about a 2-year deal -- but who knows, maybe if they can trade smith they'll go after a bigger fish, but DeBrusk doesn't seem like what they're after. He's going to sign somewhere today for more term than they want to give.

Anyway, I'm just relaying the info in Yohe's article and from others I've read that are all consistent on this -- but Dubas will of course do whatever he wants.
- MickV

I hear you, we only know what's going on based on speculation and reporting. That's what I find funny from the reporting though, Dubas is prioritizing the future and not this current team, but also wants to make this team just competitive enough for Sid, but won't waste futures or sign long term deals, but also has to know how long Sid plans on staying here to determine when the full tear down begins....it's all conjecture and conflicting statements, and tbh quite maddening.

Just going to hold out hope and try to enjoy the day haha

Without moving Smith out, they only have about $6M to spend on a 1LW and 2LD, so those would have to be cheap(ish) players.

If they can move Smith maybe things change a bit -- but remember, Dubas is not prioritizing this year's team, he wants to rebuild. Almost the entire roster will be gone in 3 years. He doesn't want to lock into players now that will inhibit his ability to do a 100% makeover of the team then. So I think he'd only do a longer-term deal if he can get a younger player that will still be in his prime for at least another 5 years or so.
- MickV

That Graves contract is such a killer because that should be the 1LD

I agree with your assessment, but I don't agree (with Dubas) this is the year to do it. Taking cap dumps for 2nd round picks....meh. Just wouldn't have done it this year.

They had the money to add a better 3C and find a top 6 wing that wouldn't demand 7 year contracts. FWIW, I agree with not signing 7/8 year deals. I fully understand why they didn't keep Jake.

Maybe Hayes will surprise me. Not holding my breath. Sid still has to agree to deal.
- madmike71

Fingers crossed on Hayes. Besides a a deal here or there, I hope Dubas makes some runs after young RFAs on some bridge deals. Robertson from Toronto seems like a good place to start.

Speaking of Yohe....

He said a couple of days ago that the Pens have shopped both Jarry and Smith and found no takers. Obviously things could change depending how things shake out today. Just means no other team looks at either of those guys as "plan A" or even "plan B" guys.