Letang vs Malkin

[JustAsking]

If Jordan Staal signed in Pittsburgh, Malkin would have been turned into wingers and draft picks... Staal would be your number 2 center. IMO.

I don't see how the Pens will be able to sign both Malkin and Letang to contracts they will be seeking....

Who is more important to the team based on the current players, prospects, and who could fetch more on the open market...

Who would you keep and why?

 

[element1286]

Well if I had to pick, it would be Malkin. The Pens have a slew of top 4 type defensemen in the minors. The Pens have 0 forwards who project as more than depth in the minors.

But I don't see Malkin getting a bigger cap hit than he has now, 8.7 million. I think Sid set that bar, and Malkin is going to follow it.

That leaves Letang, I think a reasonable deal for him would be 6 million per for 5 years. Right now he is making 3.5 million, so they would have to come up with an extra 2.5 million, which isn't easy, but I think possible.

Although fitting them both would put guys who are currently on the roster, on the chopping block, with Cooke, Dupuis, and Kennedy needing contracts after this year, and Niskanen, Orpik, and Kunitz needing contracts after next year.

I think they let Niskanen walk, and fill that spot from within next year.

Kennedy doesn't seem to have a role on this team, IMO. And I would let him walk regardless. Ideally, he would be shipped out at the deadline for a winger with more grit.

The problem comes in with Cooke, Dupuis, and Kunitz. All three are playing very good hockey, yet all three are in their mid 30's. Not sure what you do with the wings, since the Pens have so few of them in the system.

 

[evolver115]

I'm not convinced that Shero won't be able to sign Letang and Malkin. From what I understand, Lemieux and Burkle have already expressed their desire to Shero that they want him to negotiate with both of them.

If Malkin takes a similar deal numbers wise to what crosby sign last year, with a contract length at the eight years max, and a cap hit around 9mil, his overall contract would stay the same in relation to how it impacts the teams' current cap situation.

With Letang, he obviously is going to get a raise on what his current salary is, at 3.5mil. Two players I always look at when it comes to comparable deals are Karlsson and Doughty. Both have cap hits in excess of 6.5 mil, and both have contract lengths of 7-8 years. I see Letang getting something similar offered to him.

In two years, when Geno and Letang would become free agents, there will be only five players on the Penguins with current deals. That means 18 new deals need to be negotiated. That leaves Shero with a lot of decisions to make, but it also gives him flexibility with putting together contracts for his core guys like Kris and Geno.

Also, I think there is a real possibility that Shero buys out Paul Martin's awful contract, if not at the end of this season, then next. That would give him all the flexibility he needs to get Letang back in the fold, long term.

 

[JustAsking]

Pens have Defensive prospects.. but they take longer than forwards to develop (normally) and who could replace Letangs 25 minutes... trading Malkin may garner more in return.. could Malkin fetch two top 6 fowards?

The easiest answer would be to buy out martin and use that money on letang... but is martin playing too well to be bought out? Letang is going to want around 7 million...

Sid 8.7, Malkin 9 , Letang 7, fleury 5.... about 30 million.. on 4 players.. that's almost half the payroll... I hope they are made of steel because if one of them gets hurt that's a huge piece of the pie... I just can not see it happening... all 4 on the team.

I think Malkin can get turned into more and Kris Letang's are hard to replace. NOT SAYING MALKIN IS EASY TO REPLACE, BUT HE IS, HE IS CALLED SIDNEY CROSBY. I DO NOT SEE ANOTHER NORRIS TROPHEY CANDIDATE ON THE BACKEND. CAPS=EDITTED

Kunitz is in weird spot in a couple years, assuming he continues this level of play...

 

[thedddd]

I'm not convinced that Shero won't be able to sign Letang and Malkin. From what I understand, Lemieux and Burkle have already expressed their desire to Shero that they want him to negotiate with both of them.

If Malkin takes a similar deal numbers wise to what crosby sign last year, with a contract length at the eight years max, and a cap hit around 9mil, his overall contract would stay the same in relation to how it impacts the teams' current cap situation.

With Letang, he obviously is going to get a raise on what his current salary is, at 3.5mil. Two players I always look at when it comes to comparable deals are Karlsson and Doughty. Both have cap hits in excess of 6.5 mil, and both have contract lengths of 7-8 years. I see Letang getting something similar offered to him.

In two years, when Geno and Letang would become free agents, there will be only five players on the Penguins with current deals. That means 18 new deals need to be negotiated. That leaves Shero with a lot of decisions to make, but it also gives him flexibility with putting together contracts for his core guys like Kris and Geno.

Also, I think there is a real possibility that Shero buys out Paul Martin's awful contract, if not at the end of this season, then next. That would give him all the flexibility he needs to get Letang back in the fold, long term.

That and the fact Orpiks contract is up that money could all go to Letang. Yeah you are getting 1 body for the price of 2 in current cap dollars but Orpiks play of late is nothing more than that of a pilon.

Outside of Letang, Malkin, Fluery and Sutter everyone else will be mid-30's or not important enough to worry about. So it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Also as stated, they will keep Dupuis and Kunitz but at the end of their current being their ages of 34/35. I doubt they will get a pay raise.

If MAF wants more money I can see another goalie starting in Pittsburgh. Yeah he is good enough but not worth more than that figure.

Finally this is Kennedy's last season in Pittsburgh. They won't keep him and if they can pull a deal this deadline all the better.

 

[element1286]

I just don't see operating from the necessity to pick one. Malkin probably commands more in return, but there is plenty of roster maneuvering to be done.

Also, I don't see Letang wanting/getting 7. 6 is about what he is going to get, Doughty and Karlsson got best player on their team deals, just lke Rick Nash got 7.6 million from CLB, Getzlaf just got over 8 million from Anaheim.

He isn't the best player on the Penguins, he isn't even the second best. He won't get 7 million.

 

[JustAsking]

He isn't the best player on the Penguins, he isn't even the second best. He won't get 7 million.

Then he won't be a Penguin... he will want/command/and get top defenseman dollars on the open market... right?... Why wouldn't he?

Even a million dollar home town discount over five years is 5 million dollars... that's a lot of money for a young man to pass up on. He'll want/get max yrs and at least 6.5 per.

 

[element1286]

Then he won't be a Penguin... he will want/command/and get top defenseman dollars on the open market... right?... Why wouldn't he?

That's debatable, he seems to want to stay in Pittsburgh, I heard him on the radio last week, and asked whether he wanted to finish his career here, he answered in a micro second, 'Yes.'

Assuming the Pens offer him a good offer this summer, and he wants to stay here, I don't see why he won't take it. Why didn't Crosby or Malkin become a free agent and get a max deal a few year ago? Why didn't James Neal sign for more than 5 million per year? Why didn't Toews and Kane get more than 6.3 million per?

Some guys don't want to deal with the change/process, consider what Parise and Suter went through this past summer.

If he doesn't agree to a deal this summer then all bets are off. But I have a hard time believing he won't agree to a deal that pays him well, but isn't outrageous.

 

[JustAsking]

That's debatable, he seems to want to stay in Pittsburgh, I heard him on the radio last week, and asked whether he wanted to finish his career here, he answered in a micro second, 'Yes.'

Assuming the Pens offer him a good offer this summer, and he wants to stay here, I don't see why he won't take it. Why didn't Crosby or Malkin become a free agent and get a max deal a few year ago? Why didn't James Neal sign for more than 5 million per year? Why didn't Toews and Kane get more than 6.3 million per?

Some guys don't want to deal with the change/process, consider what Parise and Suter went through this past summer.

If he doesn't agree to a deal this summer then all bets are off. But I have a hard time believing he won't agree to a deal that pays him well, but isn't outrageous.

I think he will be a Penguin.. Geno is the one I worry about. I seriously think if Staal signed, the plan was to trade Geno. Now Shero is in a bind... he has no real number 2 center, and no real replacement for Letang... his cap room this year is gone next year according to the CBA I believe... 8 million rollback.

From a business stand point..
Sid 8, Geno 9, Letang 6, Neal, 5, Fleury 5 = 37 million on 5 players... a high estimate, 30 million for 18 players is left. the rest of the team has to average 1.67 million.

Again, I can not see Geno and Letang on the Pens