FLPensFan wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:04 pm
So, I read another report that said, when Dubas spoke to the media about free agents, he said he was not going to be signing any UFAs to longer than 2 year deals.
If he holds to that, be prepared for us to be signing Dom Simon and Mark Jankowski types. 1 or 2 year deals only is going to take us out of many discussions. Word around the league is that, now with the cap going up, players are going to be looking for more job security and longer term deals. Many players are done with sacrificing term and $$$ because of the restricted cap.
We'll see what happens, but this is setting up for us to be 9th to 12th overall pick year after year....not bad enough to get those much needed top 5 picks, not good enough to make the playoffs.
EDIT: Here's his 3 part response, captured by Pens Inside Scoop:
"We need to make sure we have the flexibility and the options to bring in younger, hungrier players that can help us to get back to where everyone wants the team to be as quickly as we can."
"I understand looking at it, people say well, it's not clear one way or the other. But to me, it is. Last year in the summer, we tried to jump start it in free agency and in trade. We ended up missing on the next-to-last day of the season again."
"We need to begin to pivot away from the way that we've gone about it into guys for shorter-term deals who want to play with good players and play for a good coaching staff in a great city. We’ll be a good option for them if they don't get what they want longer-term."
(So, it sounds like Dubas is going for guys to wait or get "capped out" of their preferred destinations, and hope that "come to a team that missed the playoffs 2 years and has 4 first round exits....we got Sid. You'll really want to be here."
Seems like the sale of this team has turned the Pens into a team with no vision, plan or one to get excited for. Such a sad day. And no one in power seems to care……..
FLPensFan wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:04 pm
So, I read another report that said, when Dubas spoke to the media about free agents, he said he was not going to be signing any UFAs to longer than 2 year deals.
If he holds to that, be prepared for us to be signing Dom Simon and Mark Jankowski types. 1 or 2 year deals only is going to take us out of many discussions. Word around the league is that, now with the cap going up, players are going to be looking for more job security and longer term deals. Many players are done with sacrificing term and $$$ because of the restricted cap.
We'll see what happens, but this is setting up for us to be 9th to 12th overall pick year after year....not bad enough to get those much needed top 5 picks, not good enough to make the playoffs.
EDIT: Here's his 3 part response, captured by Pens Inside Scoop:
"We need to make sure we have the flexibility and the options to bring in younger, hungrier players that can help us to get back to where everyone wants the team to be as quickly as we can."
"I understand looking at it, people say well, it's not clear one way or the other. But to me, it is. Last year in the summer, we tried to jump start it in free agency and in trade. We ended up missing on the next-to-last day of the season again."
"We need to begin to pivot away from the way that we've gone about it into guys for shorter-term deals who want to play with good players and play for a good coaching staff in a great city. We’ll be a good option for them if they don't get what they want longer-term."
(So, it sounds like Dubas is going for guys to wait or get "capped out" of their preferred destinations, and hope that "come to a team that missed the playoffs 2 years and has 4 first round exits....we got Sid. You'll really want to be here."
The only optimistic take is that he doesn't want to tip his hand regarding trades and UFA targets, but taking him at his word, it seems like we're headed for a summer of tinkering around the edges of the team. If that's right, I think the only hope for the team to get drastically better is for some young guys to be unexpectedly good.
FLPensFan wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:04 pm
So, I read another report that said, when Dubas spoke to the media about free agents, he said he was not going to be signing any UFAs to longer than 2 year deals.
If he holds to that, be prepared for us to be signing Dom Simon and Mark Jankowski types. 1 or 2 year deals only is going to take us out of many discussions. Word around the league is that, now with the cap going up, players are going to be looking for more job security and longer term deals. Many players are done with sacrificing term and $$$ because of the restricted cap.
We'll see what happens, but this is setting up for us to be 9th to 12th overall pick year after year....not bad enough to get those much needed top 5 picks, not good enough to make the playoffs.
EDIT: Here's his 3 part response, captured by Pens Inside Scoop:
"We need to make sure we have the flexibility and the options to bring in younger, hungrier players that can help us to get back to where everyone wants the team to be as quickly as we can."
"I understand looking at it, people say well, it's not clear one way or the other. But to me, it is. Last year in the summer, we tried to jump start it in free agency and in trade. We ended up missing on the next-to-last day of the season again."
"We need to begin to pivot away from the way that we've gone about it into guys for shorter-term deals who want to play with good players and play for a good coaching staff in a great city. We’ll be a good option for them if they don't get what they want longer-term."
(So, it sounds like Dubas is going for guys to wait or get "capped out" of their preferred destinations, and hope that "come to a team that missed the playoffs 2 years and has 4 first round exits....we got Sid. You'll really want to be here."
The only optimistic take is that he doesn't want to tip his hand regarding trades and UFA targets, but taking him at his word, it seems like we're headed for a summer of tinkering around the edges of the team. If that's right, I think the only hope for the team to get drastically better is for some young guys to be unexpectedly good.
When you have little cap space and a bunch of higher paid players with some version of no trade clauses, its obviously going to be difficult to make big changes.
There is nothing this team can do via free agency to make them a contender. I'm fine with them signing guys to 1 or 2 year deals selling them off at the deadline or taking on a bad contract for extra picks
thehockeyguru wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:28 pm
There is nothing this team can do via free agency to make them a contender. I'm fine with them signing guys to 1 or 2 year deals selling them off at the deadline or taking on a bad contract for extra picks
True story. Our time as a contender is done. It's been time to rebuild the system for some time. KD should probably talk to EK and see if he wants to move to a contender. Really no need to keep him here if we aren't going to be all in.
thehockeyguru wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:28 pm
There is nothing this team can do via free agency to make them a contender. I'm fine with them signing guys to 1 or 2 year deals selling them off at the deadline or taking on a bad contract for extra picks
A contender? No. But I think if they moved out Smith (and maybe one of Eller or Acciari), they'd have enough space to build the team up in a way that they had a better chance to make the playoffs, and maybe even win a round.
thehockeyguru wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:28 pm
There is nothing this team can do via free agency to make them a contender. I'm fine with them signing guys to 1 or 2 year deals selling them off at the deadline or taking on a bad contract for extra picks
A contender? No. But I think if they moved out Smith (and maybe one of Eller or Acciari), they'd have enough space to build the team up in a way that they had a better chance to make the playoffs, and maybe even win a round.
Great but all that means is a worse 1st rounder. They should be looking to bottom out as fast as possible
FLPensFan wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:04 pm
So, I read another report that said, when Dubas spoke to the media about free agents, he said he was not going to be signing any UFAs to longer than 2 year deals.
If he holds to that, be prepared for us to be signing Dom Simon and Mark Jankowski types. 1 or 2 year deals only is going to take us out of many discussions. Word around the league is that, now with the cap going up, players are going to be looking for more job security and longer term deals. Many players are done with sacrificing term and $$$ because of the restricted cap.
We'll see what happens, but this is setting up for us to be 9th to 12th overall pick year after year....not bad enough to get those much needed top 5 picks, not good enough to make the playoffs.
EDIT: Here's his 3 part response, captured by Pens Inside Scoop:
"We need to make sure we have the flexibility and the options to bring in younger, hungrier players that can help us to get back to where everyone wants the team to be as quickly as we can."
"I understand looking at it, people say well, it's not clear one way or the other. But to me, it is. Last year in the summer, we tried to jump start it in free agency and in trade. We ended up missing on the next-to-last day of the season again."
"We need to begin to pivot away from the way that we've gone about it into guys for shorter-term deals who want to play with good players and play for a good coaching staff in a great city. We’ll be a good option for them if they don't get what they want longer-term."
(So, it sounds like Dubas is going for guys to wait or get "capped out" of their preferred destinations, and hope that "come to a team that missed the playoffs 2 years and has 4 first round exits....we got Sid. You'll really want to be here."
Well I love this approach and in fact this is exactly what I have been hoping for. The only thing I would have done differently would have been wait until I re-signed Sid before going public with this plan.
But the plan is the right approach. Sell these 1 and 2 year deal players at the deadline for more draft capital. Rinse and repeat for a few years and hope you can win another one at the very end of Sid’s career.
thehockeyguru wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:28 pm
There is nothing this team can do via free agency to make them a contender. I'm fine with them signing guys to 1 or 2 year deals selling them off at the deadline or taking on a bad contract for extra picks
A contender? No. But I think if they moved out Smith (and maybe one of Eller or Acciari), they'd have enough space to build the team up in a way that they had a better chance to make the playoffs, and maybe even win a round.
Great but all that means is a worse 1st rounder. They should be looking to bottom out as fast as possible
Yes, correct. But Dubas seems to be stuck in the middle. At this point, with what he's saying, Dubas should just tell the other 31 teams "everyone not named Crosby, Yager, Blomqvist, or Pickering" is available. Instead he seems to think he needs to keep Rust, and Malkin and Rakell, and Karlsson.
Go for the playoffs or burn it down. Dubas is somewhere in the middle which just prolongs things.
FLPensFan wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:04 pm
So, I read another report that said, when Dubas spoke to the media about free agents, he said he was not going to be signing any UFAs to longer than 2 year deals.
If he holds to that, be prepared for us to be signing Dom Simon and Mark Jankowski types. 1 or 2 year deals only is going to take us out of many discussions. Word around the league is that, now with the cap going up, players are going to be looking for more job security and longer term deals. Many players are done with sacrificing term and $$$ because of the restricted cap.
We'll see what happens, but this is setting up for us to be 9th to 12th overall pick year after year....not bad enough to get those much needed top 5 picks, not good enough to make the playoffs.
EDIT: Here's his 3 part response, captured by Pens Inside Scoop:
"We need to make sure we have the flexibility and the options to bring in younger, hungrier players that can help us to get back to where everyone wants the team to be as quickly as we can."
"I understand looking at it, people say well, it's not clear one way or the other. But to me, it is. Last year in the summer, we tried to jump start it in free agency and in trade. We ended up missing on the next-to-last day of the season again."
"We need to begin to pivot away from the way that we've gone about it into guys for shorter-term deals who want to play with good players and play for a good coaching staff in a great city. We’ll be a good option for them if they don't get what they want longer-term."
(So, it sounds like Dubas is going for guys to wait or get "capped out" of their preferred destinations, and hope that "come to a team that missed the playoffs 2 years and has 4 first round exits....we got Sid. You'll really want to be here."
Well I love this approach and in fact this is exactly what I have been hoping for. The only thing I would have done differently would have been wait until I re-signed Sid before going public with this plan.
But the plan is the right approach. Sell these 1 and 2 year deal players at the deadline for more draft capital. Rinse and repeat for a few years and hope you can win another one at the very end of Sid’s career.
But it needs to be one or the other...contend for the playoffs, or start stockpiling. If you are going short term deals, building up prospects and picks....everyone except Crosby, Yager, Pickering, and Blomqvist should be on the trade block.
thehockeyguru wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:28 pm
There is nothing this team can do via free agency to make them a contender. I'm fine with them signing guys to 1 or 2 year deals selling them off at the deadline or taking on a bad contract for extra picks
A contender? No. But I think if they moved out Smith (and maybe one of Eller or Acciari), they'd have enough space to build the team up in a way that they had a better chance to make the playoffs, and maybe even win a round.
Great but all that means is a worse 1st rounder. They should be looking to bottom out as fast as possible
Yes, correct. But Dubas seems to be stuck in the middle. At this point, with what he's saying, Dubas should just tell the other 31 teams "everyone not named Crosby, Yager, Blomqvist, or Pickering" is available. Instead he seems to think he needs to keep Rust, and Malkin and Rakell, and Karlsson.
Go for the playoffs or burn it down. Dubas is somewhere in the middle which just prolongs things.
Nah. He should keep Sid, Geno and Letang. But the others should be available and who knows…. Maybe he has in fact told others they are available. I could see EK going out and for a late first tonight.
KG wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:16 pm
Funny nobody has congratulated the Panthers for winning the Cup. Strange. Usually a very common thing, especially early on in the draft.
I'm almost wondering if Bettman asked teams not to do it this year, with there being so much backlash of when the Cup Finals ended in conjunction with the draft and free agency.
Sounds like he would be interested in taking on a contract from a team looking to shed cap if they attach an asset. Saying we aren't in a position to just take lesser deal to move out salary.
Seems like we all have to remain patient and see how it plays out. In Dubas we trust??
Another dud of a draft with minimal trades. All the "insiders" again talking about how things were going to be so active a the draft. Guess that's why they want to go decentralized, there's no real trades at the draft anymore.
Could be a good draft for us to have 2 mid 2nd round picks actually. Seems like these picks are all over the board. Maybe we will get a couple of good prospects.
KG wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 9:45 pm
Could be a good draft for us to have 2 mid 2nd round picks actually. Seems like these picks are all over the board. Maybe we will get a couple of good prospects.
Mustard, O'Reilly, Mews, Hutson, Misa, Pulkkinen still there, as well as Beaudoin, Basha, Masse, and Letorneau all still there.
thehockeyguru wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:28 pm
There is nothing this team can do via free agency to make them a contender. I'm fine with them signing guys to 1 or 2 year deals selling them off at the deadline or taking on a bad contract for extra picks
A contender? No. But I think if they moved out Smith (and maybe one of Eller or Acciari), they'd have enough space to build the team up in a way that they had a better chance to make the playoffs, and maybe even win a round.
But the guy who thought bringing in Smith, Eller and Acciari is still the guy in charge. Nothing from his time in Toronto tells me Dubas ever learns from mistakes. He will keep thinking “this time it will be didfeeent” when he signs the exact same players after getting rid of previous players.
thehockeyguru wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:28 pm
There is nothing this team can do via free agency to make them a contender. I'm fine with them signing guys to 1 or 2 year deals selling them off at the deadline or taking on a bad contract for extra picks
A contender? No. But I think if they moved out Smith (and maybe one of Eller or Acciari), they'd have enough space to build the team up in a way that they had a better chance to make the playoffs, and maybe even win a round.
But the guy who thought bringing in Smith, Eller and Acciari is still the guy in charge. Nothing from his time in Toronto tells me Dubas ever learns from mistakes. He will keep thinking “this time it will be didfeeent” when he signs the exact same players after getting rid of previous players.
It sounds like there is no vision. Comes off as sounding like "We hope there are some guys who don't get what they want in UFA, and will settle for shorter term, less money deals with us."
Sounds like no actual vision of targeting players that will fill specific needs, and more like another 12 forwards capable of bottom 6 play, but everyone plays the same style...none of which we really need or already have plenty of.
I'll try to reserve harsher criticism until maybe Tuesday of next week, but, not looking very promising right now.
So far I've been less than impressed with the wunderkind after a year. I'll see how the off season goes but the first year was mostly failures, misses and obvious and avoidable dips*ittery.
Dare I say that this is the off-season of 'dip a toe in the shallow end of the pool to see how cold it is'? Time will tell, but to swing for the fences last season with EK, which didn't move the needle forward, and beginning a quiet start to this off-season, one does have to wonder who this guy is.
I saw a photo of him sitting there before his interview started. I said the same thing, but noticed his glasses were sitting there on top of his phone. I thought maybe he just took them off before the interview started and he was going to put them on. Weird to see him without thtem.
Antonio wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 11:50 pm
So far I've been less than impressed with the wunderkind after a year. I'll see how the off season goes but the first year was mostly failures, misses and obvious and avoidable dips*ittery.
I think he's restricted by FSG in that they want to win now in spite of the fact that they can't with a coach that is past his due date. I'd like to see how Dubas unleashed can do.
Antonio wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 11:50 pm
So far I've been less than impressed with the wunderkind after a year. I'll see how the off season goes but the first year was mostly failures, misses and obvious and avoidable dips*ittery.
I think he's restricted by FSG in that they want to win now in spite of the fact that they can't with a coach that is past his due date. I'd like to see how Dubas unleashed can do.
