Where is your source on Dubas being aggressive? Pickering isn't remotely close to being a 2LD in the NHL. Walker is completely unneeded and likely isn't signing that anyway. I'm not a fan of Teravainen.

Lol, my source?

Is Dubas not always active? Track record speaks for itself.

Turbo sentiment I understand but good two way guy. Could just stick to Smith but age is a concern.

Walker might get more but I'm not so sure. He definitely made a leap but I think teams might be a reluctant to pay too much.

Dubas hasn't been aggressive at all in season, at the deadline, or since the season ended. Quite the opposite with pathetic complacency when obvious changes should have happened. So claiming he will be aggressive this offseason doesn't seem likely and is still past due. I like Walker and think he would be good value on this contract, but PIT plays their 3RD ~12m/game. Just no justification to add to that position.

That's fair. Though he did ship off Geuntzel. That was a very big move. In the offseason when he took over, he made changes as well.

With one of the goat's leading the team, I think he will be active.

Walker adds some insurance for Karlsson though a more defensive dman could make more sense.

Dump players on teams so I can spend more money in free agency. Pick two teams who likely are more appealing free agent market options to do so,

Atleast trade them to markets that can’t attract secondary free agents for free

Sullivan should have been fired by Feb. when the PP remained one of the worst in the league. Finishing the season with the league's worst PP is beyond unacceptable with the roster he had and that was the #1 reason they missed the playoffs costing the ownership millions in profit. Yet, he is immune to any criticism.

Pens could get value back for Eller for sure.

Teräväinen is getting 7x6.5 at a minimum is my guess.



I wouldn't say he's immune to criticism. Word is he's out.
Reports are he's already started talking to NJ.

Honestly though, I think the best team for him to go to is TOR.
I think it works for both the team and Sully.
Sully can stand around and let Matthews drag him forward making him look like a good coach.
And Sully can make them "play through it" instead of TOR being obsessed with being "tough"

And what is the source on Sullivan being out?

Reports from Rossi at the Athletic are that Dubas DENIED permission to any team from speaking to Sullivan so the very opposite of what you're claiming.

Is this really "aggressive"? Really average

It's definitely a good team - I just think you underpaid most of the UFAs by a little bit. Which normally wouldn't be a huge deal, but you're right up against the cap. So probably will have to drop someone, maybe two players. I also don' see any signs that Pickering is ready for that spot yet.

Smith seems like he'd fit in Trotz vision. No term risk either that FAs will be after. And some young guys coming up soon like Kemmel and Schaefer that this contract wouldn't block.

Maybe Boston isn't ideal for Eller but cheap pick up imo.

Haha. I suppose Dubas average is more aggressive than other GMs so this could be titled 'Dubas continues...'.

There will have been lots of changes in two years outside the core guys like Crosby, Malkin, Rust, Letang and Jarry. Trading for Karlsson and sending of Geuntzel all very aggressive (risky) moves imo.

Maybe Wennberg and Walker get more. I wouldn't pay more for the others. Turbo's market is hard to gauge. He's a good two way guy but is his production worth $6+?? Idk. I'd struggle with that.

I'm not saying I necessarily would pay them more either - maybe would need to find alternatives. And I don't think you egregiously underpaid anybody. I just think there's multiple guys there that have a very good chance of making a few hundred K more each. I normally don't like to nitpick AAVs - it's just when you're that close to the cap it might cause an issue haha.

Yeah I'd agree he's tough to gauge. With the cap going up I could see him getting the same AAV as a guy like Palat - maybe not likely though. Even if he does sign at 5.5 though, I can see Duclair/Wennberg/Walker getting some more. Again I don't think you're far off by any means, it's just any increase puts you over the cap. I'm probably just being an annoying nitpicker haha. So that's my bad. I do think it would be a good team though

All good. I thought it provided depth the forward group lacks. Money might be tight to pull off. Maybe the goat recruits well lol

Oh it definitely does - your thinking is right on the money. You provided forward depth - and that is an area of weakness. And yeah hopefully haha - it would be great if he does.

when has the Athletic ever been a reliable news source. When have teams came out and bluntly said what they are going to do.

We'll know by draft. I don't really think the fan base is going to be happy with another year of Mike, and everyone knows that.
I think it's a matter of working a way out of the contract.

More than 50% of the time. Seravelli also validated the rumor as well stating PIT is having internal discussions on assistants as both are on expiring contracts. But nothing about Sullivan currently being available.

Nick Kypreos of the Toronto Star said that Sullivan is interested in joining the Devils,......... it goes on from there.

Sullivan might be interested in leaving. FSG and Dubas don't sound interested in letting him go and Sullivan has an extension starting so if PIT doesn't want him to leave he won't be. I think the team badly needs a different coaching staff and find it unacceptable for them to keep Reirden as the PP coach but not even confident that will change.

that's one way over simplification of the situation.
There are reports all around about Sully getting shipped out.
Dubas holds his rights. They need Sully to waive the contract out as they don't want to pay 5.5 mil for the next 3 years for a guy coaching another team.
If they could simply trade him and that contract he'd be gone.
I think it's pretty clear what is going on in PIT right now. The whole coaching staff is out the door.
They already cleared out WBS. They are going to not extend the assistant coaches. Guess who is next?
This in the media noise is just how they work out canceling that 3 year deal.
If he doesn't waive they threaten to keep him for the next 3 years. Which doesn't work for anyone because they are sure to make his life hell. They might even demote him back down to WBS if they can.
It's clear there are issues here. It's not that Dubas doesn't sound interested in letting him go. It's that he doesn't sound interested in paying him for the next 3 years.
When Sully agrees to waive that contract they will move him out. The question is will Sully agree to do that. The answer to that is probably more dependent on the future contract he will get. Some are saying up to 7mil per on a deal. That would be interesting as he might be willing to waive the contract for that. Unless he thinks the penguins will let him go anyway and then he'll collect 5.5 on top of that 7 mil.
It's just a matter of showing him that isn't going to happen and he has to waive.

Sullivan can't be paid his extension contract AND another coaching contract. Accepting another contract voids the extension. So there is no restriction on Dubas terminating him and still paying Sullivan to coach another team.

not sure that's the way that works. My understanding is it's guaranteed.