Penguins/NHL
Penguins don’t plan to get backed into a corner on the Justin Schultz situation
As Justin Schultz is two wins away from being a 2-time Stanley Cup Champion, will he be a Penguin in 2017-2018?
It’s 50-50 at this point with some executives around the league believing the percentages are higher than 50% that Schultz is moved.
As reported the other day, other NHL clubs see Schultz as the Penguins top off-season priority and not Marc Andre Fleury.
Mainly from the standpoint that Pittsburgh seeks clarity before the frenzy starts.
The growing sense is the Penguins are prepared to make a long-term offer in the coming days after the season ends and there’s not going to be much of a negotiation from where their number is going to be, per sources close to the situation.
The Penguins will move fast to put the ball in Schultz court.
Teams that have spoken with Penguins GM Jim Rutherford have been led to believe Pittsburgh won’t risk things getting to arbitration and would sell high [hide] on Schultz if a reasonable one year or long-term deal is not looking likely from the early stages.
Recent comments from Jim Rutherford have also caught the attention of other General Manager’s in that Rutherford’s sending a signal to Schultz’ reps at Newport Sports that he might not let things go to arbitration if they want to play hard ball.
“He’s the top priority when the season ends,” said Penguins GM Jim Rutherford to Ken Campbell of the Hockey News this week. “It’s not whether I can make it work, it’s more whether we can make it work. Him and us. Does he get a big raise? Of course he gets a big raise, which he well deserves, but we’re probably not going to be able to give him what he thinks he should get. We still control him for one year with arbitration, but then the arbitration number could come higher than what we can fit in the cap.”
MORE BUZZ
— Another burning question with Schultz is if he’s willing to do a long-term deal somewhere in the $4.25-$4.5 million per range, which is said to be around the max the Penguins would be willing to go, would they remain committed to Olli Maatta?
Pittsburgh see’s so much value in Maatta because of the cost certainty he has with his long-term deal.
— The Penguins have proved they can win without Kris Letang. The team, though, is fully committed to Letang long-term and have no plans to put his name out there and see if someone bites, sources say.
Despite the Penguins not having Letang for two of the last three postseasons and now dealing with a herniated disk, team doctors are confident there won’t be long-term issues with the neck injury.
— The Penguins are planning to have some pro scouting meetings next week and one area of focus will be on adding toughness for next season. Specific targets via trades and free agency will be identified and finalized.
More on this next week but Evander Kane is going to be a topic of discussion. Hard to find guys who have toughness and can also play. He’ll be discussed as an option but no firm decision whether the Penguins plan to pursue him. That will come after the scouting meetings.[/hide]
—
I’d prioritize Dumo over Maatta and Schultz. Trade Maatta to Colorado for Duchene.
I’d sign Ron Hainsey, but that’s just me.
I hope they do too – so I can see you melt down irrationally for an entire year.
Based on what is actually available in the market if they could re-up Hainsey for about 1 – 2MM and then place him in his everyday role as a depth guy? Why not? Unless we see an exodus from the K the UFA group is thin as hell this year
Hey sammich, I think it is time the free up the Letang cash don’t you? I believe we have established that Malkin, who has been in full swing as a star for each run so far, is more important to the team than Letang, who was just a kid the 1st two runs and has been absent here is. I mean no question Letang played a big role last year but it seems to me he could have been replaced…
You clown pens D hasn’t been wow reason pens been this good , it’s the goaltending. Before fleury was replaced he was by far by a big margin he was the MVP
But now Murray is playing and you have said on many occasions that he is a bum so it must be the insulation from the D no? This is gonna be tough for you because you will have to prove yourself wrong one way or the other to make this work lol. End of the day you were making all kinds of excuses about the Pens record last year without Malkin as a rationale as to why they don’t need him. He is currently on a list for a Conn Smythe if the pens win while Letang has missed all… Read more »
Buy out LeContract. Please.
We’re stuck with this guy for 5 more years at 7.25 each?!
If anyone thinks he’ll be less injury prone over 30 … yikes.
Not yet, The injuries are a crap shoot sure but a buy out now leaves the team on the hook for a larger sum, I would at least wait and see how he responds to this latest injury this year. A trade may still be an option. I love the guy but I think the leash should be short
No team would ever take 58 w/ that cap hit and that injury history. Not without us keeping a chunk of the contract. In that case ..just buy him out now and rip the band-aid off.
So basically put the team on the hook for a potential impact depth players salary over 10 years rather than see if we can get quality time out of Letang this year? Brilliant!
I’d rather eat that 2.4 and be able to move on. What if that 5 mil cap space allows them to keep Schultz?
The cap will go up. In a year or 2 they won’t even notice it. As it stands now they have 7.25 tied up in a liability who only plays 1/2 the season anyway. His body is breaking down. At this rate he’ll be in a wheelchair before he is 33 …
If they can win the ultimate prize without him in the lineup for over 3 months ..we obviously don’t need him.
Buy him out! The guy is owed $36.5 million over 5 years. The cap hit for a buyout? $2.41M over 10 years. That’s just plain lunacy.
Not with Burkle’s money; but I think they need a RH power shooting, Dman who skates really well. Some but not many around.
I would trade Olli.
It isnt the money being paid… it’s the 2.41 over 10 years!!! I wouldnt look at tradin Olli either. If Schultz goes the teams already light back end gets lighter. Unless they land a stud in a Fleury trade they will have a significant hole on the back end. Oli has been pretty good much of this season. If they can keep a quartet of Letang, Maatta, Cole and Dumo then add a piece without losing something at the draft then they could be in good shape.. especially if, again, they add a 22 minute legit top 2-3 D man.… Read more »
Here is a list of the current roster players making at or less than the money you wanna surrender on a buyout. Guentzel, Rust, Wilson, Cole, Bonino, Cullen, Sheary, Schultz, Dumoulin! So you can argue that half these guys are entry level the bottom line is this could be what the team continually needs to do in order to stay competitive in the Crosby era, you don’t throw away 2.41 per on a guy that could still give you good minutes. I get that you see nothing but the risk but in 3 of 4 finals runs he was on… Read more »
I like Letang, if its not his back it will be something else. This dude unfortunately has a body that seems to be just wearing down. That contract and term blow-always thought he would never make it through the life of this contract, even when it seemed to be a good deal.