Where will Fleury get traded?

[Jouko-Pouko]

I wonder, and I'm sure someone will correct me, but would an off season deal pre expansion draft make sense - so something like Fleury + to Dallas for Niemi/Lehtonen and a smaller +?

That way pitts have a goalie they can expose without exposing Murray and Dallas can expose Niemi/Lehtonen and still be happy with who they have left? Reason I think Pitts adds the bigger + is because they are exposing Murray if they can't move Fleury, and I'm sure other teams know that, so I'm thinking along the lines of the Coyotes Wings trade with Datsyuk and the cap space....

just soecukating butbwith with the protection rules you'd think even a Colorado or maybe even Arizona with the right + may also be tempted... now it's whether Fleury would go

I don't see Pittsburgh taking Niemi or Lehtonen back, they just don't have the cap space. They can just sign some veteran backup goalie and expose him if needed. I think Karri Ramo is close to being healthy, just sign him to a cheap two-year contract and that's it.

I'm sure a team like Calgary would be willing to give a B level prospect for Fleury straight up. They gave a high 2nd rounder and a conditional 3rd rounder for Elliott, so they should be willing to give a bit more for Fleury. They won't give a top prospect (or a 1st round pick most likely) because they know Pittsburgh needs to get rid of Fleury but they'll still give something to acquire a starting goalie.

On the other hand, Calgary can just let Elliott walk (they will save that conditional 3rd round pick if they do so) and re-sign Johnson who they can then expose in the expansion draft. If Johnson doesn't want to re-sign, then it looks like they still have Tom McCollum who will be exposed.

[Axeman33]

I don't see Pittsburgh taking Niemi or Lehtonen back, they just don't have the cap space. They can just sign some veteran backup goalie and expose him if needed. I think Karri Ramo is close to being healthy, just sign him to a cheap two-year contract and that's it.

I'm sure a team like Calgary would be willing to give a B level prospect for Fleury straight up. They gave a high 2nd rounder and a conditional 3rd rounder for Elliott, so they should be willing to give a bit more for Fleury. They won't give a top prospect (or a 1st round pick most likely) because they know Pittsburgh needs to get rid of Fleury but they'll still give something to acquire a starting goalie.

On the other hand, Calgary can just let Elliott walk (they will save that conditional 3rd round pick if they do so) and re-sign Johnson who they can then expose in the expansion draft. If Johnson doesn't want to re-sign, then it looks like they still have Tom McCollum who will be exposed.

Ramo is healthy and is getting lit up in the AHL. He is not an option.

If the Stars eat half of Niemi's salary for this year and next (Yes, hes still got one more year left), that's a $2.25 cap hit and is significantly cheaper than Fleury and his $5.75M salary.

[Oakville Squires]

If Fleury doesn't start performing Pittsburgh is going to have to give up assets to get someone take Fleury and his contract.

[CHunter]

What about Arizona? Could they trade some youngsters to get a legit #1 goalie?

[Jouko-Pouko]

Ramo is healthy and is getting lit up in the AHL. He is not an option.

If the Stars eat half of Niemi's salary for this year and next (Yes, hes still got one more year left), that's a $2.25 cap hit and is significantly cheaper than Fleury and his $5.75M salary.

They only need a goalie to be under contract, he doesn't have to actually be good or play at the NHL level. They can sign for example Ramo to league minimum salary and have him playing in the AHL. That way they can expose Ramo and keep Murray.

Ramo hasn't played for a long time, so it's understandable he requires some time before he's back to 100%. I still think he can be a decent backup goalie at the NHL level if he's fully recovered.

I doubt the Stars would want to have Fleury ($5.75M), Lehtonen ($5.9M) and 50% of Niemi ($2.25M) on their books. That's a total of $13.9M tied to their goaltending position. They need that money elsewhere (especially on the 'D').

[Jouko-Pouko]

What about Arizona? Could they trade some youngsters to get a legit #1 goalie?

Otherwise I would say yes but they have two more years of Mike Smith, and I don't see how they could get rid of him. Having both of them would be too expensive, and probably would work just as badly as Fleury & Murray in Pittsburgh.

[Zorro]

I'd say Dallas or Vegas.. Winnipeg 0% chance..

[Mr. Guru]

What odds will someone give me that Fleury is a Penguin to start 2017-18?

Fleury has only lived in Pittsburgh. Was drafted by the team, won a couple of cups. Is/Was part of the core group that won them the cups. Has a NMC (so can't get waived like someone posted in here) and has a limited NTC.

What if his wife of 4 years loves Pittsburgh? What if she doesn't want to move? They have two baby girls, the youngest being a year and a half. Shitty time to move if you ask me.

Again, he has a NMC and a limited NTC. The limited NTC is a list of 18 teams HE CAN be traded to.

If Fleury really didn't want to leave Pittsburgh (why the hell would he) he would tell his agent at the beginning of the year (or whenever the list is due) to find 18 teams that absolutely do not need another starting goalie. Should be pretty easy to do.

That leaves Pittsburgh with no option but to trade Murray or risk losing him in the expansion draft. They MUST protect Fleury if he is on their roster by the time the expansion draft comes along (NMC).

I don't know if Fleury wants to ruffle the feathers of the Penguins (pun) but he has all the power to do just that.

18 teams that DO NOT need a goalie.

1. Washington
2. Toronto
3. Chicago
4. Montreal
5. Tampa
6. Anaheim
7. San Jose
8. LA
9. Boston
10. Rangers
11. St. Louis
12. Columbus
13. Nashville
14. New Jersey
15. Minny
16. Edmonton
17. Florida?
18. Ottawa/Buffalo

If I was Fleury AND wanted to stay in Pittsburgh that's my list of 18 I'd be willing to accept a trade to. Good luck trying to trade me to those teams.

[Doug Glatt]

I think this kind of act, forcing a team to keep you no matter what and toss out the golden boy who won the Cup last year, while simultaneously sporting a 3.23 GAA/ .904 Sv% line is going to do more than ruffle feathers. I was under the impression that the Pens could put Fleury on buyout waivers and he could still be claimed (which I think he would be). I could certainly be wrong though, I am not an expert on contract minutae. Also, I think on your list that Buffalo, and a slight possibility of St. Louis, could be interested in dealing for MAF. Looks like it could really get messy and create an awful lot of drama. Looking at the big picture and a little ways down the road, I wonder if this situation might affect the Collective Bargaining Agreement. If Fleury were to go Clausewitzian and wage total war against Pens ownership, I could see the league wanting to modify the No Move Clause as one of their demands for the next lockout that is on the horizon.

[rataylor22]

This thread is massively underselling Fleury if anyone thinks Pittsburgh is going to have to pay someone to take Fleury for them.

[Sulla]

I think they will if they don't want to risk losing Murray - and teams know the situation they are in. Hey maybe they are happy losing Murray but right now Fleury's numbers isn't helping that mindset

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I think they will if they don't want to risk losing Murray - and teams know the situation they are in. Hey maybe they are happy losing Murray but right now Fleury's numbers isn't helping that mindset

[Front89]

Do Penguins have feathers? I'm not sure...

[rataylor22]

I think they will if they don't want to risk losing Murray - and teams know the situation they are in. Hey maybe they are happy losing Murray but right now Fleury's numbers isn't helping that mindset

That might be an issue in a 10 team league. Unfortunately it's not beneficial for all 30 other teams to refuse to trade with Pittsburgh just to cause that. The need for a good goalie ultimately outweighs spite.

[Pengwin7]

What odds will someone give me that Fleury is a Penguin to start 2017-18?

The more I dwell on it, the more I think Fleury is going to stay a Penguin.
So I'll say 51%.

I think he has a good enough relationship with the team that they hold him throughout the year without even a smidge of trade talk.
A bit similar to the situation Zach Parise got from the Devils in his final year there.

When the offseason comes, Vegas could consider adding Fleury.
But I think their options are:

i) Add Fleury through expansion draft. You get a soon to be 33 year old goalie with 2 years of $5.75m cap hit.
ii) Go after Ben Bishop, who doesn't seem to be in the TB long-term plans. (barring a fantastic cup run). Bishop is 30 and I think they could sign him at 6yr x $7m.
iii) If no Bishop, go after 2-3 young exposed goalies such as Brossoit (EDM) or Stolarz (PHI - depends on what PHI does with Mason).

To me, Vegas is going to anchor this team with Bishop - who is just a better overall goalie that they can sign long-term. [Unless Bishop identifies he wants to go elsewhere - perhaps Calgary.]
Bishop to Vegas would mean Fleury remains with PIT thru 2019.

[The Iron Sheik]

Bishop isn't better than Fleury IMO. Fleury is only two years older and has proven a heck of a lot more.

Also, they won't be able to just draft Bishop either.

I think the Penguins should keep Fleury and move Murray. Goalie isn't an important position IMO, you can find one anywhere.

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Bishop isn't better than Fleury IMO. Fleury is only two years older and has proven a heck of a lot more.

Also, they won't be able to just draft Bishop either.

I think the Penguins should keep Fleury and move Murray. Goalie isn't an important position IMO, you can find one anywhere.