I can’t put into words how awful this would be

I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of Blueger and ZAR either being selected or traded. Tanev on the other hand would love to keep and just play him higher in the lineup. Can re-sign Gaudreau and Zohorna to replace Blueger and ZAR. Plus I believe Blueger and ZAR are both arbitration eligible. So they may command more than they really are worth in a flat cap world.

Exactly. Where is all this money coming from??

U know what 3.5M for 4 more years(Tanev’s contract) would get us in this flat cap?? In this year FA market?? When all teams are cash strapped.

And yes, Blueger and ZAR both need new contracts. Both are RFA.

So what, we are gonna sign Blueger to 1.5M-2.5M per and ZAR to 1.5-2M per. So our 4th line will be the highest paid 4th line in the league. By far.

And we just let OConnor, Zohorna, Angello rot away and never get consistent time and never find out what they really got.

And by the way, OConnor is 6,3, 210 pounds, hits and can score. Angello is 6’5, 215 pounds and fights. And Zohorna is 6’6, 230 pounds and has great hands(obviously, he’s European).

Pens need size right?? There u go. We have it. Give them a shot. All played well last season too.

if they're attempting to win another cup with sid and geno this is not the way to go. arguably their most consistent line is terms of their roles, and this plan gets rid of them for nothing. hextall would be dragged out of his office if he did this lolll. i can see ZAR gone because of the cap but they'll get blueger signed and tanev is the motor this team needs and he brings a physical game

Like I said, I’m a huge fan. Of ZAR too. But do u know what 3.5M for 4 more season would get us in this FA market(And that’s just Tanev’s contract)?? With this flat cap and most teams cash strapped.

that's exactly why zucker is almost a lock to be moved (5.5M). ZAR is replaceable but that whole line is not replaceable. easily their best shutdown unit too so i dont really like this idea

This aint it

Ya, I agree. I would rather Pettersson amd move PO-Joseph up. But something has to be done with the cap.

Tanev’s one of the most important players on this team. As much as I like ZAR and Teddy, yes we could replace them. However, Tanev is not a guy we can find an adequate replacement for. He’s worth every penny. Now at some point just like with Horny, the contract will be bad but we aren’t there yet. Yes we do need to get bigger but we need a bigger guy who can play a little. The players you named are depth pieces. Maybe one of them proves their a full time NHLer but we can’t have a line of those guys

Again, I’m a Tanev fan!! He’s great!! But Blake Coleman would cost less and similar player as Tanev and better goal scorer. Look at their stats. And Coleman’s a 20 plus goal a season scorer.

You don’t think Coleman is going to get paid big? He’s going to be one of the top free agent wingers

We’ll see. Not in this FA market. Every team is cash strapped. He won’t get 3.5M for 4 seasons. A 14M contract.

I bet if it’s 4 years. It will be 2.5M per. A 10M contract. I bet 3M for 3 years though. That would be a 5M less contract.

I could see him taking a 1 year cheap deal on a team he can jump in the top 6 on and is a contender and boost his value. With the expansion draft and a lot of teams losing bad contracts after this year, it would make sense.

by judging from your ACGM here. You got Coleman with it. I'd rather have Tanev.

Honestly, you just shipped off a lot of good players and didn't bring much back.
That "4th" line actually played 3rd line minutes. Especially in the playoffs where they were the best line on the ice.

You want to add size, try the 3rd line. Not that it matters, as long as coach stick check is around, they won't hit anyone and won't play the bigger players even though it's painfully obvious what needs to happen.
You want change that's where it has to start.
Because in games where your best winger was being purposefully tripped into the boards at high speed and knocked to the ice every other shift, he couldn't manage to insert a 6'6 winger to go throw his weight around. It's not like he doesn't hit.

Instead you got a 5'10 guy like ERod who is no where to be found. These are just some facts.
It really amazes me that he learned under Torts. He must have been his flunky student or something. Because he sure as hell didn't learn the part where hockey is a physical game, although he did learn the part of chasing players out the door that have significant impacts on the team.

It’s just like I said in the description. I’m a fan of the buzzsaw line. But 3.5M for 4 more years(Tanev’s contract) can get the Pens a top 6, big FA agent signing this offseason. That’s a 14M contract. With the flat cap and most teams cash strapped, It’s definitely gonna be a buyer market.

And what.?? They resign Blueger to a 2M-2.5M contract. And ZAR to 1.5M. That’s an expensive 4th line.

Yes, they play 3rd line minutes, but what’s wrong with having OConnor/Gaudreau/Angello, Zohorna playing real 4th line minutes. It’s a lot cheaper and u need to get those guys ice time and get them in the line-up.

Angello and Zohorna are both 25 years old. And OConnor is 23. They need ice time. They are NHL players. All 3 proved it this season.

Angello had 51 hits in 19 games. And limited minutes too.

The Pens need size and the organization wants size. There u go. OConnor-6’3, 210. Gaudreau, 6’0, 190. Angello-6’6, 220(and fights) and Zohorna, 6’6, 230.

You can even go Zohorna/Gaudreau/Angello and be a huge 4th line. Zohorna is European and isn’t a typical 6’6, 230 pound American hockey player. But he’s not gonna get pushed around. Just like how they didn’t push around Jeff Carter. He’s too big.

And spend the savings on the 3rd line, a back-up goalie and I would like L.Schenn as the 3rd pairing RHD instead of resigning Ceci. A tougher, better defensive D-man, and better offensive d-man actually.

It solves the problems in my opinion. The other option is to have the most expensive 4th line in the NHL and play them 3rd line minutes and have a weak 3rd line again.

Dude, that jackass coach wouldn't play OConnor, Angello or Zohorna when he could have to begin with. What makes you think he will play them now?

Not to mention the fact that losing Blueger is a hugh blow. They lose a great bottom 6 center there.
And for what? A backup goalie? Are you F kidding me. That's not a solution, that's shooting yourself in the foot.

I think you vastly over estimate the forward market. The fact that all you could come up with was coleman in doing this says enough in itself.
You are roughly 1 million over the cap you brought in coleman. He's not a top 6 player.
This is not a better team. If you want to work on saving cap, It starts with moving Matheson. Who is a disaster in his own zone. He gave up 8 goals in 5v5 play in the playoffs.
Can we say next.....

Not roughly over 1M. I had Zohorna as an extra forward. And the 4th line being OConnor/Gaudreau/Angello.

The 4th line changed to Zohorna/Gaudreau/Angello isn’t over at all.

Granted it would only be a 21 man roster. But most likely Geno is gonna start the season on LTIR.

Pens need to get those guys ice time and get them in the line-up.

Angello and Zohorna are both 25 years old. And OConnor is 23. They need ice time. They are NHL players. All 3 proved it this season.

Angello had 51 hits in 19 games. And limited minutes too.

You can even go Zohorna/Gaudreau/Angello and be a huge 4th line. Zohorna is European and isn’t a typical 6’6, 230 pound American hockey player. But he’s not gonna get pushed around. Just like how they didn’t push around Jeff Carter. He’s too big.

And spend the savings on the 3rd line, a back-up goalie(1B goalie) and I would like L.Schenn as the 3rd pairing RHD instead of resigning Ceci. A tougher, better defensive D-man, and better offensive d-man actually.

Again, imo Gaudreau did fine centering that 4th line when Blueger was out. And is a lot cheaper.

Zohorna/Gaudreau/Angello can play real 4th line minutes. And use the cap space on the 3rd line, a back-up goalie and a 3rd RHD.

Doesn’t have to be B.Coleman, C.Driedger and Luke Schenn. They will have cap relief not having to sign Blueger to a 2M-2.5M contract, ZAR to a 1.5M-2M deal, and get out of 4 more years of a 3.5M, 30 year old, 4th line wingers contract.

Or we have the highest paid 4th line in the NHL and a weak 3rd line again.

1st, off we know that having 1 extra skater doesn't work. 21 will never work you need 22 at the least, and with how this team goes through defense 23 is almost mandatory.
2nd I'm not arguing if they can play, or should get time. I'm just giving you facts. He won't play them. There was no reason all playoffs, against a much bigger NYI team to play ERod. Like no reason for that at all. Do you think he'd put in a guy like Angelo, who I agree, will hit. No he didn't. He didn't put in Zoho, nothing. You got ERod till he got hurt then you god Gaudreau. I'm not knocking Gaudreau, but he was not what that team needed. They needed a big body that would get in the mud. He refused to do that.

This is why I have said, it has to start with the coach.

The last point I'm making here is that you refer to them as the 4th line. But I keep saying they are getting 3rd line minutes.
They aren't a 4th line. That is your 3rd line. Period. The very harsh reality is, the 3rd line without Carter was the 4th line, and that's OK.
If they wanted to make those changes they should start there. Which is why I like the idea of putting Poulin on the "3"LW with Carter and you put someone at RW with some size like Angelo or Caulfield.
Run with it. They don't have to do a ton. They can grow into their role. You save the legs of 37 year old Carter.