Sykora a Goner?
Mike Adams | Pittsburgh Penguins
Jun 18, 03:09 PM | Hype this story!
Most of us have assumed that Petr Sykora wouldn’t be returning to the Pens, especially after his struggles in the second half and the playoffs. Now, he more or less confirms it in an interview with Roman Jedlička and Dusan Volejníka at Nova Sport.
Via Kukla’s Korner, the money quote: “It is possible I could stay in Piitsburgh, but I feel it is better for both the Penguins and me that I go to another NHL team.”
H/T to Kukla’s Korner for the link.
Comments
Nathan
Jun 18, 03:48 PM
I’ve loved him for a long time, then his benching and I hated his attitude, then loved his attitude when he came back in game 6.
Good luck Petr, I hope you find a team with a good setup man.
Andrew Rothey
Jun 18, 04:24 PM
I think it is pretty clear that, at the least, Sykora, Gill, and Satan are all good as gone. I would really be shocked to see any of them back next season, although if Shero is convinced Sykora was simply injured, he may take him back, but for probably half the $2.5 million Sykora made the past 2 seasons.
Other moves I think the team should be looking into would be trading Chris Kunitz. I think all Pens fans love what Kunitz brings to the table: he skates, he forechecks, and boy can he hit. His hit on Timonen (who was never the same after) in Round 1 set the tone for the entire series. He can also chip in offensively, despite only potting one goal in the playoffs. The problem is Kunitz’s contributions do not justify his cap number of $3.725. With the Penguins cap situation, they cannot afford to be eating up that much cap room for a player like Kunitz. He should be shopped agressively on the trade market.
While I think Goligoski’s cap hit of $1.8 million for the next three years is a little high for a player with essentially half an NHL season on his resume, I think they will be getting a very nice bargain rate in the third year of the deal, particularly if his development follows the arc that Kris Letang’s has.
From a down-on-the-farm perspective, I am very skeptical that Caputi, Pierro-Zabotel, Veillieux, or Tangradi can step right in next year in a top-six winger role, but Goligoski appears ready to replace Gill as a top-six D-man and I wouldn’t be surprised if Ben Lovejoy made the jump too. In short, I do not forsee the Pens getting much production from their prospect wingers next year, but I think their young defensemen show enough promise that they could step in next season. That being said, I think Shero will explore the trade/FA market for scoring wingers, but it will be difficult for them to land a player in the Heatley/Kovalchuk/Gaborik pay range (though we’d all love to see them ride shotgun with Sid and Geno – 60 goals for those snipers would be well in range). All would be risks and all have had character, personal, or injury risks in the past.
An interesting player here is one they actually passed over in the 2006 Draft: Phil Kessel. He is a young speedster and a true sniper who blossomed this past season with 36 goals as a 21-year old. He also was a point per game player in these past playoffs, with 6G and 5A in 11 GP. He has had character(bad attitude, effort) and health issues (testicular cancer) in the past, but he did with the 2007 Masterton trophy and has apparently grown up in the past year (his cancer is in remission as well). While it has been rumored that Sid does not personally like Kessel, I think Kessel finishing the Kid’s feeds could erase much of that quickly. The issues here would be that Kessel is an RFA and reportedly wants $5 million a year, a price which Boston is unwilling and unable to pay as the Bruins are already running up against the cap. The Penguins would both have to trade for him and sign him. If the Pens could acquire him and sign him for say $4.25 million, he could turn out to be a bargain if he continues to develop.
SprJudd
Jun 18, 04:28 PM
I think Petr’s right, it is probably better for both the Penguins and for Sykora to part ways. Yes, he meshed well with Malkin for a while. But let’s not forget that he hardly did anything for them after Bylsma took over behind the bench. I like Petr Sykora as a player – and always have – but he doesn’t appear to be too useful for the Penguins going forward. That being said, I wish him all the luck and success in the world in his next destination – assuming it isn’t Philly, Washington, or Detroit.
bag o' pucks
Jun 18, 06:45 PM
@Andrew. The Pens didn’t deal Whitney for Kunitz just to shop him the following summer. Shero loves the guy. Get used to him, he isn’t going anywhere.
And a Kessel trade just isn’t realistic on any level.
Chris
Jun 18, 07:12 PM
@Andrew – What exactly did Sykora do to make you hate his attitude?
Kunitz is a consistent 20 goal scorer despite a lack of PP time. I’d say that plus his hard work and physical play more than justifies his cap hit.
Like Bag said, Kunitz will not be traded unless an amazing deal falls into Shero’s lap.
Don’t be surprised to see Gill return. I’m not sure I want him back but Goligoski in no way replaces Gill. They are completely different players. As much as Gill frustrates me, his size, reach and ability to clear the crease would be missed next year and Shero knows it. No one else (even Orpik) on the Pens is particularly effective at moving big forwards like Homer.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jun 18, 07:39 PM
Like others, I think Kunitz is here for the long haul. He may seem expensive, but his role is to create space for Crosby and their right winger to create offense. He does just that, while poking in 20 or so goals in the season. And let’s not forget that, despite him scoring just once in the playoffs, he earned very high praise from the coaching staff and from Shero on a regular basis. And the team won the Cup despite his lack of scoring production.
I also agree that, if Scuderi goes, Gill very well may be retained, even if as a platoon guy to share the 6th defender duties with a guy like Lovejoy. Losing the team’s top two penalty killers would be a low blow, especially when one of the replacements is an all-offense Goligoski, who has a long way to go before earning PK duties.
Pens1967
Jun 18, 08:12 PM
I think a lot of people are underrating Sykora’s contributions in the room. Along with Gonchar, I’d be willing to bet Sykora, who also speaks Russian, was also a big help to Malkin.
Sykora got a lot of credit from Borque, Lange and company for seeking out Fleury after he was pulled in game 5 against Detroit and saying the right words to him.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Sykora ended up back with NJ, a team pretty desperate for offense and a system in which Sykora flourished before.
Pens1967
Jun 18, 08:34 PM
Nice story about Sykora finally getting a chance to skate around with the Cup.
http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=425770
Andrew Rothey
Jun 19, 10:22 AM
@ Chris, I never referred to Sykora’s attitude. If I had, I would have been only complementary as Sykora is a consummate professional. Attitude issues were referred to with Kessel and other top available snipers. That beind said, I generally believe keeping players “because they are good in the room” is very overrated. Character is important, Billy Guerin’s leadership for example, but Colby Armstrong was good in the room, but a great trade presented itself and the Pens took it. As long as you don’t bring in the Sean Averys of the world, most hockey players are good people in the room.
@ Bag, the Penguins did not deal Whitney for Kunitz. They dealt Whitney for Eric Tangradi primarily. No Tangradi, no deal. Kunitz was a valuable pickup who provided some jam for a team lacking it, but the Whitney deal was made to acquire a premier power forward prospect first, and a gritty winger with some offensive upside to play with Sid second.
Dabich
Jun 20, 12:48 PM
I still think Scuds should be TOP priority over Gill, and every effort should be made to come to a deal both sides can live with. Gill is effective a moving large forwards, but he wouldn’t be if he didn’t have Scuds to cover for him. They make a great tandem. Move one and you need to find the missing piece to complete the tandem again…we already have “the piece”, don’t lose him!
Matt Bodenschatz
Jun 20, 02:22 PM
@Dabich, you are dead on. Gill should be the backup plan, not the primary target.
bag o' pucks
Jun 20, 02:45 PM
Andrew, you’re completely wrong. Tangradi was the last piece of the puzzle added. Granted, Shero wouldn’t make the deal straight up, but the initial pieces of the deal were Kunitz and Whitney.
Chris
Jun 22, 11:51 AM
Sorry Andrew. I meant to say @ Nathan.
Commenting is closed for this article.