Roman Polak eh? I don't know. I kind of feel like the Pens exposed him as a pylon when he was a part of the Sharks cup run. Grigorenko definitely worth a look on another team though. Don't worry about Bonino, just keep an eye out for the next 3rd line center bargain (1.9M cap hit, what were the Canucks thinking?). He wants that Brandon Sutter money which is why it's best to let him walk. Actually, Hornqvist to the Canucks might make some sense. A big RW for the Sedins?

I like signing Grigorenko. I feel he can play C or W and that versatility is super useful when trying to fill your roster in the future. If a better 3rd center comes along you just move him over and it works.

Shear is a 25 yr old RFA, meaning we own his rights. Why would we NOT resign him, even if it's just trade him? What do you think he's going to make? and why $3.5m to Polak? There's a few FA D that would cost less and still do the job, and what do you do with 22yr old RFA Pouliot?

These guys are restricted ... there's NO reason not to sign them. They are assets that belong to the Pens and can be traded for other assets.

And yet you bring back 38yr old Kunitz at $2m. What if Sheary would sign for $3m? That's what you gave Kunitz, Sheary's $6or700k he made last year, plus a few hundred thousand ... what if he gets $4m ?



Why would we trade for either or both of the Sedin's?? That's $7-14m in 1-2 36yr olds ... but moving on from Sheary who out scored them both in fewer games played? We don't need to sell the future for today, because the future is playing and winning Stanley Cups.

I think you misread. Pengwinzer was claiming Sheary can't be retained because of Hagelin and Hornqvist. I was suggesting Hornqvist could be a bad contract that gets packaged to the Canucks given that he's the type of big sandpaper RW the Sedins need. Maybe the Canucks get pick(s) because they're wise to the cap dump. Maybe they even pay up because they believe they can also win now (like the Sutter/Bonino trade). Just a matter of the NTC.

The word is that Sheary is going to be closer to $4M so I don't know how the Pens can get that done without trading Hagelin or Hornqvist, which they may do. If you feel that Sheary signs for something like $3M per, then yes, drop Kunitz and sign him. I'm good with that.

As far as not resigning RFAs - its not that I wouldn't resign them, its just that in the context of the starting roster on day 1, I'm not including them because on day 1 they aren't going to counting against the cap.

Polak wouldn't be so bad, but he is mainly included here as a $3-4M placeholder for the D man that we need, which the Pens could possibly obtain via a trade and not the FA market.

I think the only way Sheary gets that much is if he takes us to arbitration, in which case he hits the trading block and Haglen name should already be up there. Sheary had great numbers playing with Sid. WHO DOESN'T. He also struggled for all but the last 7 games of the playoffs. Even at $4m, many teams in the league wouldn't mind giving up assets to get him. Go get those assets.

Then why not go get that $3-4m D-man you want. You're the GM in this scenario.

I think we can fill that last spot with $2m, and hope Pouliot comes around, with Ruhwedel there as well. Giving a guy $3-4m is probably going to take a multi-year contract that makes keeping Pouliot cruel, and silly. He needs to play to keep his value up. That's what the did with Despres and Bort and those guys fetched them some nice piece in trade. Defensmen are ALWAYS avalable at the deadline. You just might have to give up assets to get them. In free agency the choose you, and as the back-to-back champs I think everyone over the age of 30 wants to sign hear for 1-2yrs.

Yeah, when I read "Actually, Hornqvist to the Canucks might make some sense. A big RW for the Sedins?" it kinda sound like trade "a big RW for the Sedins" since you didn't mention what would be coming back.

Bonino out performed Sutter and he's making $4.3m for the next 4. If we can get Bonino for that much I sign him rather than hunting for the next Bonino ... when he's only 29.

The rumor I heard from Mark Madden was 4 yrs at $4m per. You KNOW what you got in Bonino. Next guy is hit or miss and when do and where do you find him? I don't think you risk at this point in the Crosby/Malkin Era, age 29/30 with multiple concussions, etc. 33 or 34 might be the breaking point and that's also when Malkin, Kessel, and Letang's contract ends.

As long as Bonino doesn't want a NMC I'd have already have signed him to that rumored deal ... I'd sweeten it by $0.25m MAX if he gets bid up.