Comments on: 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins Free Agents

By: Phil Krundle

Phil Krundle — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:57:19 +0000

The PG is reporting that the Penguins are not making an offer to Zigomanis.

Detroit has offered Hossa a 9 year contract which averages out to 4M a year. I bet his “best chance to win the cup” is not locked into a 9 year contract. I think he will decline them in hopes of a short term contract again.

The Pens should offer him a 4M one year contract just to see if he really wants to win the cup.

By: Phil Krundle

Phil Krundle — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:59:41 +0000

The Trib is reporting that the Penguins are trying to sign Guerin, Fedetenko & Sykora before the deadline. The are also working with Scuderi , but think he is going to check free agency. No word on anyone else.

By: tom2112

tom2112 — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:37:36 +0000

Kunitz has had 25, 21 and 23 goals in the last 3 years. Look it up. That’s a goal scorer. Not at the level of a Hossa, but not at that price either.

By: mariorules

mariorules — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:45:52 +0000

Yes, it’s great to see that Shero is already taking care of the RFA’s. And Goligoski is a promising player. But Gonch is still under contract (will become a UFA only in the 2010/11 season), so he may even replace Gonch in the future, eventually. But not until the 2010/11 season, to say the least. I think Gonch still has a lot to give to this team. The guy has ice-cold water running through his veins. Impressive how he can maintain his calm in the worst and in the best moments. Just check his interview during the parade.

Again, IMO, the first players the Penguins need to release to open up huge cap room are Boucher and Satan.

By: McLovin

McLovin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:02:01 +0000

SHERO has started to sign players today! – RFA Alex Goligoski was signed to a three year deal today – no amount or whether it’s a one way or two way contract was announced – but I expect huge things from Goli. He may replace Gonchar eventually this season to open up some cap room.

By: KULT SKATER

KULT SKATER — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:50:14 +0000

I guess calling someone a moron or using the words “you morons” indicates that you have a different opinion. I happen to agree with your opinion more than the others on this subject except for the calling others morons. Most every thinks Shero would do the best job – don’t we?

By: mariorules

mariorules — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:59:31 +0000

Well, for this discussion to go on, one must first know how much will be the Penguins cap for the next season. I have no idea about the exact number, but will probably less than 2008-2009, and that’s a problem.

About Kunitz, I have to agree with tom2112 here. Kunitz made a great play on the defensive zone that allowed Talbot’s 2 on 1, which eventually became Pittsburgh 2nd goal in Game 7. Is that enough reason to keep him? No. But neither is trading him away (remember that he is still under contract) because he only scored 1 goal in the playoffs. There are many examples of players who went bad in the goal department, playoffs-wise, and that doesn’t mean they are not good enough. Hossa (may he rot in hell)is my favorite example: 6 goals in the whole playoffs and zero in the Final (yes!!). It doesn’t mean he won’t get a qualifying offer from Detroit (in which he stated he may even accept a pay cut… how stupid is this guy?) or any other team, for that matter…

So back to the Pens, keeping the defense intact is a good idea. And that includes Scuderi and Gill. But it doesn’t include Boucher. 7th defenseman for most part of the playoffs, and it doesn’t add any depth, IMO. Plus, his current salary of 2.5 million is too high for a 7th defensman. So I guess it’s bye-bye Bouch. In a perfect world, I guess that without his salary and even Gill’s 2.1 million (adding up 4.6), plus getting rid of just a little more in the cap… Jay Bouwmeester is an UFA with a 4.875 million salary. Imagine getting rid of Boucher and replacing Gill with Bouwmeester. Talk about a defense boost.

I agree that Fedotenko “deserve a thought” (as does Sykora), thus keeping the 2nd line (centered by Malkin) intact. But not the case of Zigomanis, though. I think that Guerin can be re-signed, 1 or 2 years, that is if Shero can make him accept a little pay cut Maybe give him alternate captain status, stripping Malkin of the “A” (“stripping” is kind of a strong word, but…). I don’t think Geno would mind, really. It’s not like he can speak English (let alone French) with the refs, anyway And I really think that Guerin can play on the 3rd line RW, along with Staal and Cooke/Talbot. That would open the spot on the 1st line RW, besides Crosby and Kunitz. And because of that is goodbye Satan (same reason as Boucher). I’d really like to see Kovalev (UFA – 4.5 million salary last season – same as Guerin) back at the RW. Again, that is in the “perfect world”.

It all will depend on the cap, and on Shero’s efforts, vision and persuasion. I really trust the guy. And the fact that, just my guess, if that jerk Hossa accepted to go for the Wings, rejecting a long term contract, because of a supposedly “increased chance” of winning the Cup with them (after all, they were the Cup holders at the time), I guess that other UFA’s may think the same about the Pens right now (current Cup holders, baby!).

But back to the “perfect world”, imagine this team:

Kunitz – Crosby – Kovalev
Fedotenko – Malkin – Sykora
Cooke (Talbot) – Staal – Guerin
Talbot (Cooke) – Kennedy – Adams (Goddard)

Orpik – Gonchar
Letang – Bouwmeester
Scuderi – Eaton

Fleury

3 words: Stanley Cup Repeat

By: RBuckle

RBuckle — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:32:15 +0000

Talk about morons! I’m glad your not running the ship.

Scuderi deserves an aggressive signing effort? How much are you willing to pay for this guy who hasn’t shown a thing until this signing year? If you get him for less than 1 million sign him, otherwise you have the top plus/minus guy in the AHL last year, Lovejoy in the wings.

If Gill will take the same offer he’s had for 2 years, keep him, yeah he’s slow, yeah he should of had a bunch of interference penalties, but without his clearing in front, we don’t win the cup. The toll that having a giant whack you in front of the net that many times takes on the other team is never noticed by part time hockey fans. The Penguins just don’t have another big defenseman you need for PK’s.

Kunitz (1 goal in 24 playoff games, 2 goals in his last 34 games overall) a goal scorer? He is a great player – he is a skilled, gooney player and is needed on Crosby’s line, definitely don’t get rid of him, fantastic playoff run, but a goal scorer – HA!

Sykora or Guerin, come in under 2 mil keep ‘em otherwise c-ya. This Bylsma system doesn’t warrant holding onto the soft or old, but if we can get a guy who going to net a few more than most for a low price, keep ‘em.

Feds deserves the aggressive signing effort, Ziggy would also be a perfect fit under Bylsma. These two fit into the fast paced exciting team that’s going to roll through the regular season.

By: tom2112

tom2112 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:00:29 +0000

Thank God fans have no input on these decisions. You morons would run this team into the ground in no time. First of all, no one is going to trade you anything for players you’re about to dump anyway. Second, you don’t trade goal scorers like Kunitz because they had one playoff season without scoring a lot of goals. (And by the way, without a key play by Kunitz on Stuart as he was pinching in, Talbot never gets the puck on his second goal – so no Kunitz, no Stanley cup.) Third, you don’t succeed as a team by overpaying. Of all the Pens FAs, only Scuderi warrants an aggressive signing effort. Guerin, Sykora, Satan and Gill should be let go – they cost way too much to even think about signing. Of the others, only Fedotenko and Zigomanis even deserve a thought, though only if the price is right. I trust Shero hands down over any of the morons here.

By: shoot66

shoot66 — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:08:28 +0000

Try and Keep Bill Guerin, Scuderi, Hal for one more year
Keep Ruslan. Trade Kunitz and Eaton.

Luca Caputi-Sidney-Bill
Ruslan-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Godard-Zigomanis-Dupuis

Gonchar-Orpik
Gill-Sucderi
Letang-Gologoski

Marc-Andre
John Currry
Satan has been a waste during reg season, Petr won’t come back after being benched, Kunitz hasn’t done anything since what?? game in Chicago??
Ray also must look at moving Gonchar, because they can’t afford him and get something back, maybe bring Lovejoy.
Cap will go down after next year (2011)

By: Guin565

Guin565 — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:11:42 +0000

keep Sykora, gill, satan is in the air for me, keep feddy, scuderi and ziggy. the rest can go. garon hasn’t impressed me at all so i don’t care what happens with him. personally, i think they should bring up curry. flower needs a physical break from time to time but we need a goalie that we can rely on to get us wins while flower is sitting. curry proved he can get wins already…

By: shoot66

shoot66 — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:39:18 +0000

Ray should try to retain Bill, Petr and Sucderi.
Eaton should be traded, bring up Alex, Gill not to sure about him he looked out of place early in the year but found his place after the break.
no Boucher or Ruslan. Luca should replace him on Geno’s line I thought he looked good out there just didn’t get enough ice time.