Kunitz - Crosby - FA/Dupuis/Bennett
There's three potential moves for the right wing of Sidney. One of the is to maintain the status quo and keep Pascal Dupuis there on his new deal despite the poor play-off performances from this line last season. The other option is to have Bennett on Sid's wing. Which is realistic considering Bylsma's belief that he'll be playing Bennett and Despres on the Top 6 and Top 4 respectively next season. The final option is one that is less likely in terms of available cap hit that is available to fill the hole and the actuality of other players being already allotted that position. The market has few top line wingers that would be available for that position and most of them are likely to command higher cap hits than we can afford. Looking at the free agency list there are three potential names. Nathan Horton, Jarome Iginla and Damien Brunner.
Jarome Iginla had a relatively decent regular season but disappeared at times in the play-offs last year for us and unless he took a cap hit of around $3.5m I'd find it hard to sign him. Nathan Horton is looking for around $5m+ to sign and that could make it hard to sign him but he would make that top line very formidable. Damien Brunner is the cheap option available. Only on $1.35m last year he had a good rookie season and he has some good offensive assets such as the ability to make good plays out of little. Of course, I think that it's unlikely for Shero to sign someone when Dupuis has just been given a $3.75m contract as that's not the type of contract you pay to someone to play on the third line, whether or not if that's the correct position for him. Bylsma likes the Kunitz, Crosby, Dupuis line so I think that is likely to stay but there are options out there.
Jarome Iginla had a relatively decent regular season but disappeared at times in the play-offs last year for us and unless he took a cap hit of around $3.5m I'd find it hard to sign him. Nathan Horton is looking for around $5m+ to sign and that could make it hard to sign him but he would make that top line very formidable. Damien Brunner is the cheap option available. Only on $1.35m last year he had a good rookie season and he has some good offensive assets such as the ability to make good plays out of little. Of course, I think that it's unlikely for Shero to sign someone when Dupuis has just been given a $3.75m contract as that's not the type of contract you pay to someone to play on the third line, whether or not if that's the correct position for him. Bylsma likes the Kunitz, Crosby, Dupuis line so I think that is likely to stay but there are options out there.
Neal-Malkin-FA/Bennett
Two aspects of this line are ones that have clicked in the past and have a good amount of chemistry that means that whilst you can get some slump period where the line might not produce, it has the ability to just explode all of a sudden and make you question why you were criticising it. Whether Bennett is filtered down onto that 2nd Line RW spot it dependant on where Dupuis goes and if we sign a FA for the top line or not. But the second line options are better but again, potential cap problems exist. There are some good fits out there with the likes of David Clarkson and Clarke MacArthur but both are likely to sign for amounts to high for us to compete. Clarkson is reportedly going to be going for around $4m and MacArthur at a similar hit.
Other cheaper options that are available include again, Damien Brunner and Nathan Gerbe. Whilst Gerbe has some size issues and is quite easily beaten physically, I like his game. He has a good offensive game and whilst he had a poor season in the lockout shortened season I think that if he had a full season he'd be someone who could put up 50 points on Malkin's wing. He would be cheap as well, his previous contract hit with Buffalo before he got bought-out was $1.45m. Dustin Penner is another name that could be approached but he is slow as molasses now and his physical game isn't as up to scratch as it used to be. I think it's most likely that Dupuis will be given the top line job and Bennett will be on the second line so you probably won't see any new faces in the top 6.
FA/Jokinen - Sutter - Jokinen/FA
Jokinen is listed as a LW but he is a versatile player who can play anywhere in the offensive roster whether it's on the top 6 or the bottom 6. Hence why I've put him on both wings with the other being dependant on what wing he'd end up at. Regardless of that, we need 1 3rd line winger and the market is better for this than top two wingers. Highest on my list would be Viktor Stalberg of the Chicago Blackhawks. He just won the Stanley Cup and for around $2.5m would add some grit and physicality to our third line whilst still be a fairly present scoring threat.
Another option would be to go after Benoit Pouliot who rejected an offer and will be testing free agency. He is a more physical player than Stalberg and would be slightly cheaper. Like Stalberg her also has an offensive presence about him and has only failed to go above 25 points in the last 4 seasons once. Of course, we could resign Matt Cooke but he is likely due a raise and as he was already at $1.8m it'd be easier to go for someone better for a little extra. Personally I think that the Penguins should let Cooke walk as he would be an attractive free agent to some teams but I feel that if he's looking for a more long-term deal like the Kunitz and Dupuis deals then it'd be more a hindrance in the later years than help. I feel that his game will start to tail off in the coming seasons with his age as playing the game he does can have it's affects later in a players hockey career.
FA - Vitale - FA/Adams
The bottom line is the one that is most open to change. Vitale is pencilled to stay this season and that's good news as he's a fantastic fourth line center. He has a good ability at face-offs and is a great defensive player which for his cap hit is a steal in my mind. Fourth line players are a dime a dozen on the market and all are relatively cheap. We do still have Tanner Glass but I think he should be traded as he has no merit being on this team and is a waste of $1.1m that could be used elsewhere, or held in space.
Players on the bottom should be expected to sacrifice their body more than others and play a physical game that puts the opponent off theirs. They shouldn't be relied upon for scoring but naturally any help there is welcome as it adds to team depth. Some potential players could be Nick Johnson, Steve Pinzizotto, Colby Armstrong and Maxim Lapierre. Johnson has been with the Penguins before, as has Armstrong. Johnson has become better offensively since being in Phoenix and Minnesota. Lapierre is someone who offers mix of both offense and defence but at $1m is a little bit more costly.
The Defence is fully locked-out and I don't envisage any free agents being signed as there are no spots that need to be filled apart from the 7th D spot but that, like the 13th Forward spot can be filled from within or with someone who is signed for 4th line duties but is swapped in and out every few games. Right now we have Glass who could sit in the 13th but I'd rather give it to Jeffrey. Although we have Brian Dumolin who can step up and be the #7 D I'd rather he stay in Wilkes-Barre. He'll develop better there actually playing rather than being stuck in the press box in Pittsburgh. Sadly as well, Fleury is still here. Which is a shame as I personally believe he's had his chance and that $5m would be better invested.
Tomorrow will be an interesting day not only for those signing for Pittsburgh but those for Wilkes-Barre as they need players to have a roster this season and only a number of prospects are ready to step up and play for them after their junior years or after little experience in the AHL.
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