[Suburban Rhythm]

Satan is gone. Period.

I think Talbot has earned at the very least a chance to stay in the top 6, or maybe top 9, if someone like Kennedy is given a chance to move up.

Still, they need to find two more guys to play in the top 6. Kunitz is the only definite at this point.

Guerin made $4.5M last year, he'd have to cut that in half, and take a 1 year deal.

Fedotenko had a slow start, then got hurt punching Colby Armstrong's big schnoz. But from March forward, he was pretty good. Not great, but what you'd expect from $2.25M.

Sykora...at the beginning of the year, I thought it was a no brainer he'd get a slight bump from $2.5M, or maybe an extra year to keep the cost lower, but that he'd be back. He went through an awful stretch, and then was hurt. I've been a huge fan, but I think they let him walk. Only if he gets no other great offers, and comes back at a discount. He worked really well with Malkin, better than Fedotenko has, but when he's not scoring, he's pretty useless. Still, someone will pay him, and he is still a 25 goal guy.

On D, it's hard to believe that about 3 1/2 years ago, Scuderi was HATED. Hell, I am sure I posted it here myself. He was paired with Joe Melichar on those awful teams sandwiched around the lockout. I think he's going to get alot more than the Pens can match from someone like Atlanta or the Isles (he's a Syosset native). But he also seems like the type who is grateful for the chances he got, coming up in the Pens system, and will take a discount to play for the same team and a contender. He made $712K this year, if he'll take like $7M over 3 or something like that, he'll be back. Anymore, might be tough.

Gill is pretty much gone. He was, IMO, alot worse this year than he was when he originally came over in the trade last season. He was criticized in Boston and Toronto, but he serves a role. The problem in the prior two stops, he was put in a role he couldn't handle. He's not a top pairing guy. But as a #4/5 type, play 17 mins, play PK, he's a good fit. But, you can't pay him $2+M when you have to save somewhere.

Set in goal, MAF signed an extension last year. He'll get backed up by John Curry, rather than a vet, I think, and save about $1M against the cap.

The 3rd line is intact. Jordan Staal showed why it's OK to pay 3 centers that much money. Would it be better if he could shift to wing? Maybe. But he's 20 freaking years old!

They'll probably try to move some other "expensive" guys like Dupuis, whose making $1.4M. He's good on the 4th line, fast as hell, and plays the PK, but you can find guys who do that for 1/2 the price.

Godard is back, and pretty cheap. They probably try to keep Craig Adams or Mike Zigomanis to center the 4th line.

Kunitz - Crosby - XXX
Talbot - Malkin - XXX
Cooke - Staal - Kennedy
Godard - Adams/Zigomanis - XXX

Internally, they have two guy who might be top 6 material in Eric Tangradi, part of the Kunitz-Whitney deal, and Luca Caputi. I think they've prefer not having to hand them a spot. They have plenty of guys who played some this year, like Dustin Jeffery, who can fit the 4th line role-- skate, hit, win faceoffs and PK. All for $450K.

Orpik - Gonchar
Eaton - Letang
XXX - XXX

Obviously, they hope to keep Scuderi. Otherwise, they look outside for a veteran guy who can PK. Alex Goligoski played most of the first 4 months of the year in Pittsburgh, until Gonchar was healthy, and played well. He's a smaller guy, but good skater and puck mover. Also, Ben Lovejoy was huge in Wilkes-Barre this year. Yeah, it's the AHL, but he was +46. So, he should at least compete for the #7 spot.

They can not target top end guys- Hossa, Gaborik, etc. They might not even be able to go after the mid-tier guys. Gionta might be a fit, but would need to come in around $3M.

Another option is stick with Guerin and Fedotenko on 1 year deals, and look at D, like Beauchemin on a multi year deal, rather than another group of 1 year guys.

One dark horse guy, who I've always thought SHOULD break out and be a 25 goal guy, but never has- Taylor Pyatt. But that is a big risk, since if he can't score, and your 3rd line is pretty much set, you are paying free agent $ for a guy you don't need.