Phil Kessel is looking for his next team after winning his third Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights. Many fans have hoped that his free agency could mean a possible reunion with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kessel spent four years of his 17-year career in Pittsburgh, winning Cups in his first two years with the club. But Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dave Molinari shares that a reunion is less than likely. Molinari shares that Pittsburgh’s current roster building is focused around fleshing out their bottom-six. And while Kessel, who scored 36 points in 82 games last year, may be able to provide some exciting bottom-six scoring, he doesn’t fit the checking-line style that Pittsburgh is targeting. The Hockey News’ Nick Horwat is similarly doubtful that Kessel is set for a Pittsburgh reunion, adding that Kessel doesn’t have the defensive acumen that new Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has prioritized.
More from the Eastern Conference:
- Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins are entering unfamiliar territory as they begin a season without Patrice Bergeron. Marchand spoke extensively about what Bergeron’s absence means for the team. NHL.com’s Eric Russo says that the Bruins winger will need to take on a larger portion of the leadership load. But when asked about the likelihood that he could take on the next captaincy, Marchand said that he’s not thinking about it much and that, regardless of the next captain, the Bruins will need to collectively lift each other up to help match Bergeron’s impact.
- Sam Reinhart is entering the final year of his contract and beginning to consider his future with the Florida Panthers. Reinhart has never been an unrestricted free agent, signing his most recent deal as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. But despite the freedom being a UFA provides, Reinhart says he’d like to stay in Florida. Speaking to the expiring contract, he said, “It is not something I stress over or lose sleep over too much. They know I want to be here, I know they want me here.”
Kessel may have to wait till Kane makes a decision. people who miss out on him may shift to Kessel as a cheap consolation
Never mind that Pittsburgh is running two contracts down, AND has only $220K in cap space left: Edmonton may rank as the team with the poorest cap management, but the Penguins surely are right behind. Sure, Guentzel will start the year on LTIR, but you kinda think they’d want him in the *lineup* sooner rather than later, not least of which he’s the only guy on their top three lines under the age of 30.
Have fun with Dubas
But but but Dubas is a cap guru. Well that’s what Leafs fans were shouting the past 7 or 8 years.
Basically none of this is true. Guentzel doesn’t look like he’ll start the season on LTIR, he’s probably only going to miss a handful of games.
Drew O’Connor and probably Alex Nylander will be on the Pens 3rd line, both of whom are 25. Also, Guentzel’s replacement options and the guys battling with Nylander for the RW spot on the third line are all in their 20’s (Johnsson, Puustinen, Nylander, O’Connor, Poulin, Pitlik).
The Pens also don’t have cap issues unless you’re talking about for the deadline this season (they are right at the cap, which is fine), they’ll have ample cap space headed into next season to either supplement their roster or go after one of the big name free-agents.
Maybe next time do an elementary amount of research before posting.
Basically ALL of it is true. The pundits have been talking about Guentzel starting the season on the list only for months now. You certainly have a striking amount of faith in the ability of minor leaguers and fringe players to make the third line, a bit more than the various outlets and media sources putting together depth charts.
And being right at the cap NOW, and not doing any LTIR moves, when you’re *two contracts down* is an issue in anyone’s book (anyone sensible, at least), and certainly in any discussion over further team improvement. Never mind Kessel: Pittsburgh doesn’t get to DO any “fleshing out” of their bottom six or anywhere else without moving salary out to match.
Maybe next time learn an elementary amount about hockey before trolling.
Again, none of what you’re saying is true. I actually follow the Pens, so I read local reporting and don’t rely on the uneducated national media. Dubas and local media have stated several times the Pens expect Guentzel to only miss 4 or 5 games at most and won’t start the season on LTIR. That could change, but that’s the latest right now.
O’Connor is basically a lock for the third line and settled in nicely there down the stretch last season (although he’s an option to open the season with Sid on the first line until Guentzel is back). Nylander is the one in competition with several players for the RW spot on the third line. It technically could be Acciari, but most Pens journalists have him penciled in as the fourth line C next to Nieto and the winner of the competition or Carter (Acciari could technically be the RW and Carter the C if Carter wins a spot).
The Pens aren’t “two contracts down”, they’re done unless Tatar signs for the minimum. No idea where you’re getting that idea, the Pens are done adding. They already have far too many players on one way deals and will surely lose one or two to waivers.
The Pens don’t have to do anything to “flesh out” their bottom six, it’s going to be a combination of the following players: O’Connor, Eller, Acciari, Nieto, Nylander, Pitlik, Johnnson, Hinastroza, Carter, Puustinen, and Wagner. The first four names are essentially locks and all on multi-year deals. Some will be put on waivers and one or two kept as extra skaters. The only wrinkle would be if Tatar signs for basically nothing.
Maybe not try to argue with an actual Pens fan that follows the team next time. Stop relying on the national media, they have no idea what they’re talking about.
We stopped listening to the “actual Pens fans that follow the team” last season, actually. See, the yinzers like you were screaming hotly how they didn’t need no stinkin’ rebuild, that doubling down on the old guys was the way to go, and that they Couldn’t Waste Sid’s Last Years. How did that work out for the Penguins last season, eh?
As far as the contract thing goes, let me spell it out in small words. Each team is allowed to sign 23 players to NHL contracts. Most teams, by this time of the year, has that total filled up. Pittsburgh has 21 players signed to NHL contracts. You sure you’re actually following the team, there, if that was something you were clueless about? Go have another six-pack of Iron City Beer while you think that over.
Again, that’s not true, and all the nonsense about the rebuild has nothing to do with the discussion at hand (it’s a solid deflection though). The Pens have more than 23 players signed to NHL contracts (27 players on one-way deals) and 4 more on PTO contracts that would turn into an NHL deal should they make the team. They have 16 players with roster spots locked-up, and 15 players competing for the other 6 or 7 spots.
You have zero idea what you’re talking about and are embarrassing yourself. You’re simply wrong and have been this entire back and forth.
I’ll help you out, click the link below and everyone listed as in the “Non-Roster” with their salary in black is on a one-way, NHL deal:
link to capfriendly.com
Dismissed. Have a good one.
Oh, and also, I’m not a yinzer and thought the Penguins had a terrible roster last season. I predicted the playoff streak would end.
The roster is vastly improved so far this offseason (I think third best in the division). That’s the difference between having an incompetent GM and a highly competent one. As I posted above, there is actually competition between a dozen or so NHL caliber players for only about half a dozen spots. That sort of roster competition and depth is what has been needed for several years.
They’ll certainly lose one or two of the players via waivers when they make their final cuts, but several should make it through and provide depth. Accepting the reality of losing depth players via waivers is a required to have actual depth in the cap era.
The only thing I ended up being wrong about was Nylander making the team (they picked up Harkins and sent Nylander down to the AHL instead).
– Guentzel is in the lineup game 1.
– Guentzel, Harkins, and O’Connor are on their top three lines, so that’s three players in their 20’s, not one.
– The Pens weren’t “two contracts down” like you insisted, they actually sent 13 players on NHL deals through waivers to the AHL, including several players that have been NHL regulars in their careers. Guys like Colin White, Andreas Johnsson, Rem Pitlik, Vinnie Hinostroza, Alex Nylander, Ty Smith, Xavier Oullet, Will Butcher, and Mark Friedman, will all be on the AHL roster for depth.
– They’re actually at 49 of 50 allowed contracts.
Next time do some research before insulting someone that actually knows what they’re talking about. I’m going to enjoy making the playoffs for the 17th time in 18 years.
Oh, gosh, you mean that in the MONTH since my post, the Penguins actually signed ONE extra person to an NHL contract? (They started tonight one contract down, according to both Puckpedia and Cap Friendly.) What an amazing concept. And that they actually broke camp with lineups different than they started camp with? Who knew they were allowed to do that?
Sheesh, dude, you’re getting pretty pathetic there.
(Not to mention that letting in three unanswered third period goals en route to bellyflopping at home against the Blackhawks isn’t a great start to a playoff run.)
Just say you were wrong and move on. It’s not a hard concept, don’t be a chump.
They have more than 22 NHL contracts btw, they have 13 more in the AHL. You still have no concept what an NHL contract is.
Kessel would fit well in a new look NYI team who need help on the PP and depth scoring