Ryan Wilson: Dubas explains the now and hints at the future Dubas explains the now and hints at the future

Seemingly the lowest universal expectations for the Pens in a while, since before Sid was drafted, but I'm still just as excited for the season to start as most other years haha. I think this team might be better than a lot are giving credit for, might end up being better than the last two year's teams. However, I do think too many other teams in the east either stayed elite'ish or improved the rosters from last year. So, missing the playoffs by a small amount of points is my most likely season outcome prediction.

Weekes reporting that Shesterkin turned down a 8 year x 11 mill per offer from the Rags. That's wild. Hopefully he signs for more haha.

Weekes reporting that Shesterkin turned down a 8 year x 11 mill per offer from the Rags. That's wild. Hopefully he signs for more haha.
- MattStrat

I can’t fathom turning down a contract like that. He’s a goalie, what does he think he’s gonna get? Does he hate New York that much? If moneys not an issue, which at 8x11 it’s not, New York is awesome.

I can’t fathom turning down a contract like that. He’s a goalie, what does he think he’s gonna get? Does he hate New York that much? If moneys not an issue, which at 8x11 it’s not, New York is awesome.
- Victoro311

Hahaha yeah, its crazy. He'd be the highest paid goalie of all time if he accepted that. I've read things, no idea if true or not, that he wants to be highest paid player on team. That title currently goes to Panarin at 11.6 mill per. Shesterkin is the best player on the team in my opinion. However, tying that much cap into one goalie is insane.

Hahaha yeah, its crazy. He'd be the highest paid goalie of all time if he accepted that. I've read things, no idea if true or not, that he wants to be highest paid player on team. That title currently goes to Panarin at 11.6 mill per. Shesterkin is the best player on the team in my opinion. However, tying that much cap into one goalie is insane.
- MattStrat

Yeah goalies are the running backs of hockey. You just don’t have the same value as a goal scoring forward for a variety of reasons. If you’re offered a contract to be the highest paid goalie of all time it’s silly to decline it because you’re comparing it to what a star forward makes.

Yeah goalies are the running backs of hockey. You just don’t have the same value as a goal scoring forward for a variety of reasons. If you’re offered a contract to be the highest paid goalie of all time it’s silly to decline it because you’re comparing it to what a star forward makes.
- Victoro311

I disagree because an elite goaltender can carry a team to the Stanley Cup and give them a chance, whereas an elite running back can't carry a team to the Super Bowl the same way.

Maybe you are comparing the totality of the goalie position to the totality of the running back position, but I think an elite goalie can prop a team up much more than an elite running back.

I disagree because an elite goaltender can carry a team to the Stanley Cup and give them a chance, whereas an elite running back can't carry a team to the Super Bowl the same way.

Maybe you are comparing the totality of the goalie position to the totality of the running back position, but I think an elite goalie can prop a team up much more than an elite running back.
- j.boyd919

Goalies can often carry you to the cup, but how often is it the truly elite, highest paid goalies doing it?

Bobrovski - Has been wildly inconsistent and considered the worst contract in the sport before the last two years.

Hill - Was a backup level goalie who went on a run. Has now established himself as a starter but not considered big money elite.

Keumper - Has had 2-3 really good seasons and a lot of mediocrity around it.

Vasilevski - Exception here, top goalie making top money for 2 years.

Binnington - was a great goalie on a cheap contract.

Caps, Pens, Hawks all won without a big ticket elite goalie. There is little correlation between spending a ton of money on goaltending and winning cups. Its really just getting the most bang for your buck across your roster.

Goalies can often carry you to the cup, but how often is it the truly elite, highest paid goalies doing it?

Bobrovski - Has been wildly inconsistent and considered the worst contract in the sport before the last two years.

Hill - Was a backup level goalie who went on a run. Has now established himself as a starter but not considered big money elite.

Keumper - Has had 2-3 really good seasons and a lot of mediocrity around it.

Vasilevski - Exception here, top goalie making top money for 2 years.

Binnington - was a great goalie on a cheap contract.

Caps, Pens, Hawks all won without a big ticket elite goalie. There is little correlation between spending a ton of money on goaltending and winning cups. Its really just getting the most bang for your buck across your roster.
- MacPatty

I think the larger lesson is you need value somewhere to win the Cup. Or just use LTIR to get a lot of extra cap space. Goalie is a place you can find it, but you have to hit lightning in a bottle with an unproven guy.

Even in a case like the Pens, sure, Murray was cheap, but they were paying Fleury good starter money. They got contributions from rookies like Rust, Guentzel, Dumo, Sheary etc.

You can hope Pickering replaces Petts, but that still leaves you short a top four defenseman. If you want to put your best foot forward to compete next year, you keep Pettersson.

However, if you still want to obtain futures, he'd get a big return. Just have to do better replacing him then Graves. I don't see any other LHD pushing for a tol four job from the system.

You can hope Pickering replaces Petts, but that still leaves you short a top four defenseman. If you want to put your best foot forward to compete next year, you keep Pettersson.

However, if you still want to obtain futures, he'd get a big return. Just have to do better replacing him then Graves. I don't see any other LHD pushing for a tol four job from the system.
- Tojo.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think it's a good strategy to repeatedly let good players play on the last year of their deals. I'm either extending them or trading them in the summer. Let another GM work the contract/extension into his plans. Judging by those comments, he's going to repeat the Guentzal process and get a lesser return.

I understood his aversion to giving Jake that big extension, but I don't view Petts in the same light. He won't get a huge deal. Something like 5x5? That should be an easy deal to make for such a solid (if unspectacular) player.

If Graves didn't turn out to be such a turd, I'd be fine with turning him over for futures. That contract is going to sting for 4 more years.

I disagree because an elite goaltender can carry a team to the Stanley Cup and give them a chance, whereas an elite running back can't carry a team to the Super Bowl the same way.

Maybe you are comparing the totality of the goalie position to the totality of the running back position, but I think an elite goalie can prop a team up much more than an elite running back.
- j.boyd919

Well it’s more so the position market. Goalies being elite for an extended period of time almost never happens so the position is devalued. It’s almost the same concept as RB because their shelf lives are so short and non pedigreed guys step up and become plus players at the position all the time. Again, that’s a phenomenon we see in goalie at NHL. Yes there’s a big difference that you pointed out that a goalie can stamp your ticket to a Cup finals in a way a RB can’t if they’re really on their game, but consistency, shelf life, and depth of talent at the position seem to make the market values function very similarly

This is completely random and inconsequential but I just learned that the Coyotes didn’t move to Utah. Utah is technically an expansion franchise that were given all of the Coyotes hockey assets. The coyotes still exist as an entity and are scheduled for disbandment in 2029 if they haven’t resumed hockey operations by then.

Just thought it was weird and interesting. I thought the team just moved

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think it's a good strategy to repeatedly let good players play on the last year of their deals. I'm either extending them or trading them in the summer. Let another GM work the contract/extension into his plans. Judging by those comments, he's going to repeat the Guentzal process and get a lesser return.

I understood his aversion to giving Jake that big extension, but I don't view Petts in the same light. He won't get a huge deal. Something like 5x5? That should be an easy deal to make for such a solid (if unspectacular) player.

If Graves didn't turn out to be such a turd, I'd be fine with turning him over for futures. That contract is going to sting for 4 more years.
- madmike71

How great would it be if Graves pulled a Paul Martin and became that version of himself?

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think it's a good strategy to repeatedly let good players play on the last year of their deals. I'm either extending them or trading them in the summer. Let another GM work the contract/extension into his plans. Judging by those comments, he's going to repeat the Guentzal process and get a lesser return.

I understood his aversion to giving Jake that big extension, but I don't view Petts in the same light. He won't get a huge deal. Something like 5x5? That should be an easy deal to make for such a solid (if unspectacular) player.

If Graves didn't turn out to be such a turd, I'd be fine with turning him over for futures. That contract is going to sting for 4 more years.
- madmike71

The trade value difference isn't much between trading during the off-season and the deadline. The teams that set the deadline market would rather have a player be on another team's cap most of the year, they aren't the ones worried about making the playoffs most of the time. The bigger return would have been to trade Pettersson last year when a team could get two playoff runs with him.

I think he'll get more than that on the open market. 5x5 yes Pens need to snatch that up. But he'll be paid like a top pair defender that can play with stars that's still on his prime for several years.

Is this what the Bruins are without all world tending?

This is completely random and inconsequential but I just learned that the Coyotes didn’t move to Utah. Utah is technically an expansion franchise that were given all of the Coyotes hockey assets. The coyotes still exist as an entity and are scheduled for disbandment in 2029 if they haven’t resumed hockey operations by then.

Just thought it was weird and interesting. I thought the team just moved
- Victoro311

Semantics by the NHL for sure

It was part of the deal with Meurello, that he still could retain his right to be an NHL owner while alleviating the mess that was Arizona for the forseeable future. (Although, I think that has changed as Meurello has walked away from the process as far as I know)

The trade value difference isn't much between trading during the off-season and the deadline. The teams that set the deadline market would rather have a player be on another team's cap most of the year, they aren't the ones worried about making the playoffs most of the time. The bigger return would have been to trade Pettersson last year when a team could get two playoff runs with him.

I think he'll get more than that on the open market. 5x5 yes Pens need to snatch that up. But he'll be paid like a top pair defender that can play with stars that's still on his prime for several years.
- Tojo.

Look at the $$ Hronek got in Vancouver. That's the 1B "Can play with a star Dman" market going forward

Petts would probably want 6 per for 7 or 8 years. Might be his last kick at the can

The trade value difference isn't much between trading during the off-season and the deadline. The teams that set the deadline market would rather have a player be on another team's cap most of the year, they aren't the ones worried about making the playoffs most of the time. The bigger return would have been to trade Pettersson last year when a team could get two playoff runs with him.

I think he'll get more than that on the open market. 5x5 yes Pens need to snatch that up. But he'll be paid like a top pair defender that can play with stars that's still on his prime for several years.
- Tojo.

Hard to see him get above $6M and with the cap going up, $6M is still good value for the remainder of his prime. I could see Dubas wanting to keep his options open in case he gets an offer too good to pass up, but I’d be shocked if Petterson doesn’t get an extension.

Game day, giddy up.

Look at the $$ Hronek got in Vancouver. That's the 1B "Can play with a star Dman" market going forward

Petts would probably want 6 per for 7 or 8 years. Might be his last kick at the can
- RoloTahmasee

Yeah, at that age, this is going to be his highest paid contract. He will want to maximize earnings and term.

Season opening day....dead as a doornail around here...

Yeah, at that age, this is going to be his highest paid contract. He will want to maximize earnings and term.
- MattStrat

Pettersson is going to want 8 years at $7M I expect. I wouldnt pay that, but some team might.

If they are going to trade him, I hope it is sooner than later. Im not anti Karlsson, but I'd rather trade him, get some assets and re-sign Pettersson with that money.

Ive said it before, but the Sens need to be all in this year and they just brought in Ulmark (a fellow Swede) who they are hoping to extend. If we wanted to trade Karlsson, I expect Ottawa would be very willing to pay.

Pettersson is going to want 8 years at $7M I expect. I wouldnt pay that, but some team might.

If they are going to trade him, I hope it is sooner than later. Im not anti Karlsson, but I'd rather trade him, get some assets and re-sign Pettersson with that money.

Ive said it before, but the Sens need to be all in this year and they just brought in Ulmark (a fellow Swede) who they are hoping to extend. If we wanted to trade Karlsson, I expect Ottawa would be very willing to pay.
- MacPatty

Sens only have like 800k in cap space, though. Not much wiggle room for taking on a 10 mill cap hit player....

How many goals is Reilly Smith scoring on the Pens tonight?