Ryan Wilson: Penguins re-sign Jamie Oleksiak Penguins re-sign Jamie Oleksiak

Yay? Yay!

I'm on the fence on this one.

On the one hand, when paired away from Ian Cole, Oleksiak played like a fairly standard #6 defenseman that needed to be significantly hidden to succeed. Paying a bottom pairing defenseman who needs a specific partner to really make a positive impact is not a good idea.

On the other hand, he played really well with Cole and clearly has a lot of room for improvement. The three year term could make him a steal if a full offseason and another season with our coaches/system allows him to blossom into a #5/4 guy.

But my big issue now is that we have over five million invested into the bottom pairing. That's really inefficient use of our cap space. I also don't see Oleksiak and Johnson playing well together, so now we have two sizable contracts for bottom pairing defensemen that may end up being unplayable together. I liked the stability of our blue line when we had a pretty good top four of Letang, Maatta, Dumoulin, and Schultz locked up long term for good to average contracts (Letang and Maatta good, Dumoulin and Schultz average). But now all of a sudden we lost a lot of cap flexibility and our blue line has the potential to be really not good.

I thought he'd get 1.5 for two years. I know Rutherford really likes him. I hope he's right. Not thrilled with JR's summer.

Does anybody know if the Jimmy Hays contract will count against the cap if he starts the season in WB? I though he had a 2 way deal.

edit... Just saw that cap friendly has him at 250k if he's in WB.

500k too much on

Schultz
Rust
Oleksiak

1 million (at least) too much on

Johnson

2.5 million in extra capspace would look pretty nice.... but....

Wow... way too much before proving much

I'm OK with the $$$ but specially the length (3 years). Oleksiak brings physical play and good skating for a mammoth.

Wow... way too much before proving much
- Rinosaur

Yea Ruth is really gambling here on the defense with these long contracts to Johnson and Oleksiak.

Basically the same deal we gave Cole, for, again, a strong showing after trading for him and in the post season.

Fair enough.

Yea Ruth is really gambling here on the defense with these long contracts to Johnson and Oleksiak.
- 668710

At least with Oleksiak he’s gambling on upside. With Johnson he’s gambling that he won’t suck as bad as he has the past five to seven years.

He is solid. He doesn’t make HUGE mistakes and is nearly the only guy on the team that can fight if needed. I like it.

I did think around 2 mil so not too over inflated.

Basically the same deal we gave Cole, for, again, a strong showing after trading for him and in the post season.

Fair enough.
- Guile

Fair money and we won't regret it

He is solid. He doesn’t make HUGE mistakes and is nearly the only guy on the team that can fight if needed. I like it.

I did think around 2 mil so not too over inflated.
- Doogs

Pretty sure GRINDER liked it.

Good deal for both parts.

Pretty sure GRINDER liked it.

Good deal for both parts.
- Barnaby36

Lol, glad it is approved!!!

Team is running into some problems with their defensive prospects. One or 2 of those spots should be filled with a young guy on a cheap contract. Is there any other team with a bottom pairing that makes a combined 5.5 mil?

Team is running into some problems with their defensive prospects. One or 2 of those spots should be filled with a young guy on a cheap contract. Is there any other team with a bottom pairing that makes a combined 5.5 mil?
- drummer829

Coburn - Girardi combine for 6.7m

Kronwall - Jensen combine for 5.5m

difference in these is all 4 players only have 1 year left on their deals.

Coburn - Girardi combine for 6.7m

Kronwall - Jensen combine for 5.5m

difference in these is all 4 players only have 1 year left on their deals.
- Feds91Stammer

Another diference is the cap is going up...yearly.

Pretty sure GRINDER liked it.

Good deal for both parts.
- Barnaby36

Eh... it’s much better for Oleksiak. The risk the Pens are taking on his development is far greater than the risk he’s taking on net career earnings. He’s not that good right now and should be getting paid about a mil less for one less year. If he doesn’t develop much more then he’ll have made out like a bandit.

Eh... it’s much better for Oleksiak. The risk the Pens are taking on his development is far greater than the risk he’s taking on net career earnings. He’s not that good right now and should be getting paid about a mil less for one less year. If he doesn’t develop much more then he’ll have made out like a bandit.
- Victoro311

I'm not happy about this contract. I don't think it's the end of the world or anything, but it's not a good contract. I haven't loved this off-season by JR. The moves and contracts he's doling out are the kind that get you fired or at the very least put you on a very short leash if this season is bad.

Another diference is the cap is going up...yearly.
- Barnaby36

If guentzel has another good year, the pens will have an identical roster next year. Hagelin and some of the increased cap will go to guentzel for his raise and the rest will go to signing 4th line guys.

If guentzel has another good year, the pens will have an identical roster next year. Hagelin and some of the increased cap will go to guentzel for his raise and the rest will go to signing 4th line guys.
- drummer829

Do you believe Hagelin can be re-signed for around $2.5M? He might get better offers on the market but this is what he's worth in my mind.

I'm not happy about this contract. I don't think it's the end of the world or anything, but it's not a good contract. I haven't loved this off-season by JR. The moves and contracts he's doling out are the kind that get you fired or at the very least put you on a very short leash if this season is bad.
- Rinosaur

Could have had mike green for the same money as jj and oleksiak for less term.

Another diference is the cap is going up...yearly.
- Barnaby36

My sources tell me the cap goes up for every team.

Could have had mike green for the same money as jj and oleksiak for less term.
- Feds91Stammer

Pretty much what I wanted.

My sources tell me the cap goes up for every team.
- Feds91Stammer

Source?