I am going to play GM here for a minute, and give you my 2008 Pittsburgh Penguins roster if I was in charge of the team.
Forwards
Ladislav Nagy - Sidney Crosby - Paul Kariya
Jordan Staal - Evgeni Malkin - Scott Hartnell
Gary Roberts - Erik Christensen - Colby Armstrong
Jarko Ruutu - Maxime Talbot - Michel Oulette
Defensemen
Sergei Gonchar - Mark Eaton
Kimo Timmonen - Ryan Whitney
Brooks Orpik - Kristopher Letang
Goalies
Mark Andre Fleury
Nolan Schafer
I think that you could get Kariya on a 2 Yr. deal for 4 Million per. I am guessing you could probably get Hartnell and Nagy for around 1.5 Million and 2.0 Respectively. The tricky on would be the acquisition of Timmonen, which I beileve is possible, but will be semi-costly.
Let me know what you all think.............
your numbers are wishfull thinking... Kariya will be $5.5... Hartnell 3mil... Nagy 4mil.... Timmonen $4mil. Remember (collectively speaking) there is a lot of money to spend in free agency this year. Prices will get up there. My sabres will be hard pressed to keep either briere or drury... they each might get $7mil/year.
Why so many Preds? Also, Nagy is the last thing this team needs. Timonen will get upwards of 5 mil, and will not go to the Pens. Hartnell would be an interesting addition...what the Pens need is a shutdown defenseman. Someone in the Mark Eaton mold, but maybe a bit more physical. I agree that LeTang should be up next year. Melichar would be the one to go, I guess. Maybe a guy like Guerin would look nice on Crosby's wing. I think there oughta be a power forward flanking Sid. I do think Schaefer should get his shot. But as for KT, Pittsburgh already has enough offense from the back end.
If someone pays Nagy $4mil they should have their freaking head examined!!!!!!!
I agree with you all that maybe the numbers might be a bit off, I am only telling you what I hear on the radio here in town. The Kariya signing would be wishful thinking on my part, as I would rather have Drury if given the choice. I do not think that it is out of the question for this team to acquire Timmonen, as he has a great relationship with GM Ray Shero. I like Hartnell and I think you could get him reasonably inexpensive. I do not think Nagy is going to get 4 Million from anyone, as he has just not proved himself to be that type of guy money wise just yet, I am sticking by my 2.0 Million, 2.5 Million maximum.