Free Agency Predictions - Revisited

Let's take a look at how my free agency predictions turned out...

Let's start with the easy ones....

I said: "Dupius, Rutuu, Laraque, Hall signed"
What Actually Happened: Dupius Signed. Rutuu (Sens); Laraque (Habs); and Hall (TB) all gone.

The skinny: Shero signed Dupius because he needed a speedy winger that showed some flash on his limited time with the Pens. Ruutu and Hall were victims of contract length more than $ (each got 3 years - Shero offered only 2). Laraque was a victim of both length and $. Shero wasn't going to pay him the $1.5 M he wanted, never mind for 3 years!

The repercussions: It'll be nice to see what Dupius can do on Crosby's/Malkin's wing for a full year. I think Hall brings excellent utlilty for the measly $600K he commands....but with him gone others can get more ice time. Ruutu will be missed but should be adequately replaced by Cooke. Which leaves Laraque...this one is tough. Good to see the Pens save some $ for other key players, but they gave up the premier enforcer in the entire NHL! I know they signed Godard for toughness and Cooke for peskiness, but I can't help to feel that this decision might come back to bite them in the ....


I said: "Eaton, Orpik, and Hossa - Gone"
What Actually Happened: Eaton and Orpik signed. Hossa gone.

The skinny: Okay so I was 33% right on this one. I was surpirsed to see the Pens sign the injury prone Eaton - especially at $2M per - but it'll be a good deal if he stays healthy. But that's a BIG "IF"!

The Orpik signing was a bit surprising, too. Good value for punishing D-man. Thought he would be more actively persued by other teams, but when Buffalo walked away it became clear that he would resign with the Pens. Hopefully will see more than just "The Shift" out of him this season.

Hossa was the talk - and the SHOCK - of free agency. If it went down according to some reports then we are good to be rid of him - he didn't want to be in Pittsburgh anyhow. Pffllt!

The repercussions: Over time the Orpik deal should look like a steal. Eaton's might, too, IF HE STAYS HEALTHY. Hossa is simply hard to replace. Period.

Free Agency: Day One Thoughts Part Two

A conitinued look at the Pens moves...

(-)
Pens Lose Adam Hall.
Adam Hall was a plugger. He was a solid role guy that was good on the PK, good on face-offs, and occaisonally chipped in the big goal. Tampa Bay signed him to a 3 yr. deal at a very slight ($75 M) increase over what he was making last year. To win Cups you need solid role players. Adam Hall was a solid role player. Some would argue that others can easily replace him. I would argue that he brings a lot to the table for little cash. I just have to wonder why the Pens didn't try harder to keep him. Was it that he wanted 3 yrs.? Or was it that he no longer wanted a two-way deal?

Little Know Fact That May Only Interest Me: Both former Penguin Dominic Moore and current Penguin Pascal Dupius have been the other party in trades involving Adam Hall.

Last year's salary: $525,000. New Contract: 3 yrs. at $600 M/yr. ($525M off the books)

Pens sign Eric Goddard.
Eric Goddard was the enforcer for Calgary last year. By signing him they effectively said "bye-bye" to big Georges Laraque. The move was entirely financially motivated. BGL made $1.3 M last year and was looking for $1.5 MM for 2-3 years. Goddard signed for a measly $750,000 per year - half of what big Georges expects to make. I put this in the "-" column because big Geroges was and is the best enforcer in the league. He played well on an energy line with Max Talbot and Jarkko Ruutu. An occaisonally chipped in a goal. But what he'll be remebered for is the fights (esp. with Philly). Who can forget his non-fight with Zdeno Chara that *embarassingly* resulted only in a 2 min roughing call! Or how about his fight with Cote where he put Cote's helmet from blue line to blue line with just one punch! Ahh how I'll miss BGL!

If you are interested in Goddard's work you can see it here and here.

Fact that may only interest me: Georges is actually a real nice guy off the ice. He was involved in several charities in Pittsburgh including Hockey In The Hood. Georges was nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and given the Edward J. DeBartolo “Community Service” Award.

New Contract: 3 yrs. at $750 M/yr. ($550M soon to be off the books when BGL moves on)

Free Agency: Day One Thoughts

Well day one of free agency is in the books and what a wild one it was! Let's take at look at the Pens moves (or lack of moves)

(+)
Resigned Pascal Dupuis.
Dupuis looked pretty good the short time he was in a Pens uni. He skates very well, has great energy, and can put the puck in the net on occasion. I would like to see him score more, esp. when he's being set up by the "Wizard of Cros", but let's give him a full year and see what he does then.

Scary stat: Dupius had roughly the same points last year as Staal and Talbot, 27 (12+15) and **GULP** HALL GILL, 24 (3+21). Talbot makes $650M/year. Staal makes $850M/yr, but is due for a raise due to his tremendous upside potential.

Last year salary: $880,000. New Contract: 3 yrs. at $1.4 MM/yr. (Delta +$550,000/yr.)

Reasigned Mark Eaton.
On the plus side Mark Eaton is one hell of a defensive defenseman WHEN HEALTHY. And therein lies the problem.

Scary Stat: He's only played 71 out of 164 regular season games! That's playing a mere 43% of the season! He missed the 2008 playoffs entirely. Eaton says he'll be ready to go this fall coming off of a recontructed knee (MCL). We'll see. He also has lingering wrist issues having missed games in Pgh and Nashville thanks to that.

Bottom line: Eaton is an excellent complementary defenseman, esp. with Gonchar. He would get far more money if he could only stay healthy.

Last year salary: $1,600,000. New Contract: 2 yrs. at $2.0 MM/yr. (Delta +$400,000/yr.)

(Neither + or -)
Lost Ty Conklin to Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings pulled of one of the steals of the draft, in my opinion, signing Conks to a 1 yr $750,000 deal. (Their only mistake - they should have signed him for two yrs. ) Especially when other far less -or maybe, similar- talented goalies (Theodore, Auld, etc.) got at least 2 yrs. at $2 MM/yr.! But I can see where Conks gives a discount due to the fact that he will have arguably the league's best defense in front of him when he plays...and they're set up to take a run at another Cup.

Last year's salary: $500,000. New Contract: 2 yrs. at $750 M/yr. ($500M off the books)

Free Agency Predictions

Here are my free agency predictions for the Pens based on absolutely nothing...

Hossa gone (Boston? Montreal?)
Orpik gone (Buffalo? Atlanta?)
Dupius, Rutuu, Laraque, Hall signed
Eaton likely gone (solid defender - too injury prone)
New contracts for Malkin, Fleury and Staal

New acquisitions: Niklas Hagman, LW, Dallas and Jay Pandalfo, LW, New Jersey

Okay Pandalfo is a stretch. Lou Lam would be stupid not to resign him. But if the Pens could pry him away they would win twice (new player + loss of player for competing team in division)

Personally I would like to see Hagman in a Pens uni. He had 27 goals last years playing only 15 mins/game and by all accounts he is a great, fast skater. How many goals do you think he'd rack up along side Crosby or Malkin???

James Mirtle has a solid UFA rundown found here

TSN will be an excellent place for the latest information, if you plan to follow along at home/work.

Sit tight...the fun begins in just a few short hours....GGG