While the Penguins aren't in danger of losing any of their superstars — centers Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury are locked up in long-term deals — Adams and Fedotenko are two of 10 complementary players who become unrestricted free agents July 1. They can only take a wait-and-see approach to whether general manager Ray Shero makes it a priority to re-sign them this summer.
"I would like to come back," Fedotenko said, "but we'll see what plans they have for me."
Fedotenko and right wing Miroslav Satan were among the veterans who signed one-year deals with the Penguins in hopes of resuscitating their careers and winning the Stanley Cup. In that regard, they considered theirs a mission accomplished.
Now, they will find out whether the Penguins can afford to re-sign them or turn instead to lesser-priced forwards. Or if another team puts a higher price on their Cup experience.
"It's part of the business," Fedotenko said. "Nobody gives you a raise when you're 30th in the league."
Yesterday, the Penguins' free agents professed to be too immersed in celebrating the Cup to concern themselves with the future.
"We'll take care of that stuff later on," right wing Bill Guerin said. "I'm not even thinking about it right now. I'm just thinking about where the next party is."
Guerin knows it's inevitable the Penguins will lose some players.
"Nowadays, everything is so tight money-wise with the salary cap that guys have to put themselves in situations where they're going to succeed the way they want," Guerin said. "Some guys want to play for the Cup every year. Some guys want a nice weather climate. Some guys getting the opportunity to play more, that's important. Everybody's got a different agenda but, for me, the opportunity to keep winning and the opportunity to win this year was everything. I think when free agents look at possible places to go, everyone is going to look at Pittsburgh because of the players that they have here and the opportunity that they'll get."
Where I see this going. As far as im concerned we have a good amount of young talent with WilkesBarre-Scranton in Luca Caputi, Ben Lovejoy, Goligoski and Tangradi. That being said The movement of some players is assured.
Fedetenko, Scuderi, Guerin and (if healthy) Sykora, should be our main priorities. Theres no price for experience, and now the league cant say the Pens dont have that. Fedetenko was the best forward in clutch situations this spring and guerin with Crosby was a blockbuster hit. Scuderi was our best defensive defenseman in the finals (no downing brooks) but look at game 6 and that kind of play deserves a pay day.
And somewhere around $8M-$10M to spend.
Now the Pens already have a farm system that I think that they may draw from. Caputi,Pessenon,Tangradi could be ready. Also, Zigomanis could come back fairly cheap.
On Defense I can see Goliogoski being up( but they have to sign him), and I think that Lovejoy could be ready also.
So who to resign?
They may be able to get Guerin or Fedetenko fairly cheap, and I would not mind seeing either one of them. Satan, sorry, bye. Sykora, been nice, but unless you want $1M at your age, thanks for your effort. Craig Adams, Chris Minard, Jeff Taffe? Good fourth lines. Personally, I'd like to see them try to resign Ziggy($750K) and Fed's(see if he'll go for $2M, $2.5M tops)and the same with Guerin(maybe one year for $2.5), and find a decent winger for Sid.
On defense, Thanks for your time Mr. Boucher and Mr. Gil, but we need to move in another direction. I would love to see Bobby Scuds back, I think he's what is needed as a stay at home defenseman on the Pens. But with the severe lack of physical or offensive play, $2M at most(word out is he wants $3M, sorry). Lovejoy and or Gogo could be had for about $1M.
__________________ Penguins Fan living in Sabreland
do you guys think the loss of Shero's right-hand man to minnesota is going effort Shero's game plan going into the draft or free-agentcy?
As for players to keep, I hope that the Penguins to keep a hld of Guerin, and they could look for a vaible back-up for Fleury, like bringing back Ty Conklin.
__________________
Just say no to Pugs
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do you guys think the loss of Shero's right-hand man to minnesota is going effort Shero's game plan going into the draft or free-agentcy?
As for players to keep, I hope that the Penguins to keep a hld of Guerin, and they could look for a vaible back-up for Fleury, like bringing back Ty Conklin.
For the first question, I don't think so. It seems as though the decisions were made by Shero. But only time will tell that.
As for Guerin, I think there are many who would love to have him stay, but at a different price/role. Obviously, he had a blast for the time he was here, and won the cup. But what does he want now, one more big paycheck? Won't happen in the 'burgh. Another cup? Chance for one here. The other thing is what would his role be. Having Kunitz and Guerin on Sid's wings worked in some cases, but a real young gun for Sid would be great also. Would he accept a role on the third line? Not sure.
__________________ Penguins Fan living in Sabreland
With Goligoski's siging, the locks to make the club next year look like:
Kunitz-Crosby-????
Talbot-Malkin-????
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-???-Goddard
Gonchar-Orpik
Letang-Eaton
Gologowski-???
Fleury
???
With about $8M to spend. Say $750 for a backup goalie(hope for $500). That leave about $7M for four players. A fourth liner(maybe ziggy) for < $1M. Would Feds or Gurein or both come back for about $2M? I have a bad feeling about Scuds, just not enough to go around. May be time for Lovejoy to come up. There are also Caputi, Jeffery and now Tangradi who could be be on the big squad. And what will the Pens do with Pesonen, who wants to come back(82 points in 70 games is not bad).
__________________ Penguins Fan living in Sabreland
Who will stay and who will go?
Who will stay and who will go?
PENS 
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