some sort of attempt to get under the cap ceiling

Team: 2019-20 Pittsburgh Penguins

Initial Creation Date: Jul. 30, 2019

Published: Jul. 30, 2019

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

a few assumptions:

1) Marcus Pettersson gets signed long-term. Contract projection is cribbed from EvolvingWild's predictions.

2) Ray Shero reeeeeally likes his old players that he's drafted/traded for. Bryan Rust is the name that's been going around for quite a while now re: "how do the Penguins get under the cap?". Shero drafted Rust in the 3rd round back in 2010. Blake Coleman would essentially take Rust's place on the PK. As for Rust's actual place in the lineup, frankly, Dominik Simon should be playing higher up in the lineup. He's pretty dang good at driving possession (bit of a Carl Hagelin-lite, if you will).

3) Dale Tallon actually wants Erik Gudbranson back. I find it really hard to see anybody taking on Jack Johnson's contract, but Gudbranson's contract only has 2 years left, and the first Gudbranson trade was part of the whole "Computer Boys" saga, and I would not be surprised if Tallon continued his attempts to undo everything the Computer Boys did by trading back for Gudbranson. Mark Pysyk's got 1 year left on his contract and can competently play PK/hopefully prop up Johnson.

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