Secret Free-Agent Man. (ALERT TO WILDCAT: HOCKEY INSIDE)

[The Ancient Enemy]

Now that the Penguins season is over, there is already a lot of talk about who they will not be able to retain. Who are the free agents that the Pens are in danger of losing, and how are we looking for 2008-2009 at those positions?

[flybynight]

Is'nt Fleury's contract up?

[The Ancient Enemy]

Only ones I know of are Hossa and Malone. I'm inclined to think they will both leave.

[WALTER4]

Hossa, Malone, Orpik, Roberts, Laraque, Hall, Ruutu, Conklin, and Eaton are the ones that are up this year. In the near future, Malkin, Fleury and Staal will be up, and most analysts agree that they need to be extended before the begining of next season.
My opinion, the pens need to secure Orpik, and Malone for whatever it takes. Let Laraque, Hall, and Eaton go if they ask for more than the pens can pay. It sounded to me like Roberts will retire this season, so (it hurts to say) either let him go or something around a 1yr 2million deal. I would really like to see them try to keep Ruutu if possible he adds the physical demension to the team but can also score (unlike Laraque). Conklin is a tremendous asset to the team, but if he wants more than he's worth the pens still have Sabourin as a legit backup. Then we come to Hossa, the most interesting of the free agents, from what i've been reading he'd be able to get somewhere around a 7 or 8 million 5 or 6 year deal from other teams that are looking for him. The question is will he go for more money or will he follow in Crosby's footsteps and take a slight pay cut something like 6yr/6 million deal and help build the second Penguins dynasty.

I'm especially interested in seeing if Malkin, Fleury, and Staal will also be willing to take less than they're projected worth around the leauge.

[The Ancient Enemy]

I'm interested in the Malone thing as well. Here's a guy who I personally think needs to be kept for about whatever it takes, but now you have a guy who got a broken nose and kept playing. His stock is going up. Can Pittsburgh keep him?

[abpk2903]

If anyone will be willing to take a pay cut to stay in the city it would be Malone. He grew up in Pittsburgh and his father played for the Pens. Also, people tend to forget that 5 million in Pittsburgh goes a lot further than say 5 million in New York or Los Angeles. Cost of living is much, much lower around here so maybe that will help a little.

[count2infinity]

Don't be surprised if Staal gets traded sometime next season. He didn't want to be drafted by the pens in the first place. he didn't want to have to stay in crosby's shadow for his career, so expect the pens to move him before he becomes a free agent.

[vman]

Don't be surprised if Staal gets traded sometime next season. He didn't want to be drafted by the pens in the first place. he didn't want to have to stay in crosby's shadow for his career, so expect the pens to move him before he becomes a free agent.

Sorry count but I'd have to see a quote to buy that one! I agree w/the premise that the Pens probably cannot retain all their high profiled free agents but in no way have I ever heard anything close to what ur claiming Stall has said. The kid has carried himself w/ nothing but class & dignity.

[The Ancient Enemy]

At some point we all need to realize that Crosby, Malkin, and Staal and are not all going to retire as Penguins. Maybe Crosby will. The others are gonna get traded or leave eventually. They have a hell of a lot of players who are about to be on the market, and let's hope that GM can keep most of them around. This is a huge offseason for the Penguins.

[abpk2903]

The Tampa Bay Lightning after winning the Stanley Cup a few years back decided to keep their "Big Three" together in Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, and Brad Richards. They gave them all big contracts but due to the Salary Cap they are now the worst team in the NHL by far. They just had absolutely nothing behind those three, probably not even a good AHL team. If you follow hockey more than just the Pens or say the last 3 months like most people in this area you would know that these were 3 of the best 10 players in hockey. Brad Richards was traded this year but still this team is in a world of hurt and are 5 years from having any hope of being good.

The Penguins need to be careful not the fall into this trap and they will even have a harder time with Fluery, Gonchar, and Whitney all being needed and demanding big contracts in the next few years. If the Pens want win the cup and build a dynasty they have to make the decision to let the players go and build a good supporting cast around the two or three they decide to keep. With the cap the draft is even more important and the Pens already shot themselves in the foot to get Hossa by giving up their first round pick from last year and their first round pick for next year. Now that the season is over without a Stanley Cup, the Pens may be regreting that trade.