By all accounts, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has had a productive and impactful summer. Since taking charge of the black-and-gold’s fortunes on June 1, he acquired veteran scorer Reilly Smith in a savvy trade with Vegas, executed the Erik Karlsson blockbuster while shedding some onerous contracts and signed a host of free agents to compete for bottom-six slots. All this while fleshing out the front office.
There was only one Ron Hextall mistake he wasn’t able to erase. Unfortunately, it represents his predecessor’s biggest blunder. The extension given to Jeff Carter that carries through the coming season.
The gift that keeps on giving.
Indeed, barring a miracle move, it appears Carter will hold down a bottom-six slot by default, most likely right wing on the fourth line in deference to his aging wheels. In the process, occupying a spot that on merit might go to a younger (and perhaps more deserving) player such as Vinnie Hinostroza, Rem Pitlick or Valtteri Puustinen. Potentially hamstringing the fourth line the way he did the third line in 2022-23.
As a refresher, last season big Jeff was on the ice for 24 goals for and 41 against 5v5. Over the past two seasons, 62 for and 90 against. Suffice to say, we bleed goals when he’s on the ice.
So just send him to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton or park him in the press box?
It isn’t that simple. As I understand it, he’d have to approve a demotion to the Baby Pens. We’d still have to pay him his $3.125 million, which would still count against the cap. Unless Dubas pulls another rabbit out of his hat and finds a way to dump $$$, we wouldn’t be able to afford an additional player. Ditto if Jeff was consigned to eating press box nachos. Given our collective age up front, going with only 11 forwards is not an option.
Buy Jeff out? No can do. He’s on a 35+ contract.
The only workaround I can see? Placing Carter on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), which would allow us to circumvent the cap to an extent. However, here’s where things get murky. Does the NHL (and/or NHLPA) have any sort of medical review system that prevents teams from parking unwanted players willy-nilly on LTIR?
I don’t know.
The Maple Leafs have placed former Pens goalie Matt Murray on LTIR for the upcoming season, but he has a well-documented history of injuries. For better (or worse), Carter’s been healthy as a horse, missing only nine games combined over the past two seasons.
As for hopes that the big guy bounces back to a semblance of his former productive self? He did seem to improve down the stretch last spring when a slow-to-react Mike Sullivan finally pulled him off the third line and gave him a more sheltered role.
Dampening those hopes are early reports published on Pittsburgh Hockey Now that the 38-year-old has looked s-l-o-w during informal workouts. As the old adage goes, Father Time remains undefeated. Sadly, and for lack of a softer way to express it, it seems that Jeff has reached the end of the line…the twilight of an otherwise terrific career.
To sum up, a chain (or team) is only as strong as its weakest link. Barring a legitimate injury, the Pens are going to need to find a way to maximize what Carter does best (faceoffs, scoring the occasional goal) while covering for his weaknesses (struggles to get up and down the ice, poor defensive play).
For the sake of both team and player, let’s hope Sullivan and his staff figure something out.
In the Booth
Recently removed from his TV play-by-play duties, Steve Mears will serve as the play-by-play announcer for the Penguins Radio Network this season. He’ll team with the ‘Ol Two-Niner, color analyst Phil Bourque, who’ll be returning for a 21st season in the booth.
Although nothing’s official, Josh Getzoff is a good bet to slide over from radio to do TV play-by-play on the newly minted Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
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View Comments
Rick & The Other Rick
I don't disagree with your overall assessment of Jeff Carter and like the two of
you I would like to see a young prospect work his way into the lineup.
However I do find it funny when I see Pen's fans on other blogs talking about
Eller taking the role of the 3rd line center. Over the last two seasons Eller has
totalled 23 Goals, and 31 Assist while Carter has posted 39 Goals, and 61 Assist.
I just thouogt this was interesting. Look forward to your thoughts.
Hey Mike,
I've said all along that the one signing I really didn't care for is Eller. Had we gotten him a couple of years ago, maybe a good get. But his performance has fallen off the past couple of seasons. And to sign him for two years? It almost feels like a second Carter deal.
With the two of them virtually a given to hold down bottom-six slots? I feel like there are going to be some effective players (Sam Poulin, Vinnie Hinostroza, Valtteri Puustinen for starters) who may not get a legit shot because we're wedded to Eller/Carter.
I will toss out this caveat. Dubas seems like the kind of guy who'll correct a mistake if he feels he's made one (a la Jim Rutherford). We can't do anything about Carter. But depending on how Eller performs, he may not be here the entire length of his contract.
Rick
Agreed 100% Mike. Those numbers you quote are not really TOI dependent either. Carter's numbers are still higher when normalized to TOI. More importantly, Eller is 34, barely an upgrade in age. It is far too easy for people to simply lay all the blame on Carter and ignore the host of other ills.
Sorry that was me, I forgot to put my name on it.
Hey Rick
Great Post!!!
Some thoughts,
1. Some people you and I know have suggested that the team force Carter to retire. Sorry that doesn't help. Carter's contracted was front loaded. He was paid $1/4 mil more on the 1st year of the contract than he will be paid this season, which means, by the rules, should he retire his Cap hit still affects the team.
2. Carter is a Millstone to this team, but I am not so much down on him or his on ice-contribution as I am with the road block he represents - and he isn't the only one, he is just the poster child for this stupidity.
a. It is hard to tease out how much of Carter's failures were Carter's failing skills and how much of it was systemic, how much of it was Sullivan putting him a position to fail. Let's remember, Sullivan runs an opposite world system where the Defensemen are responsible for driving the Offense and the Forwards are responsible for protecting the offensive blue line and their own Goalie due to wandering, puck chasing Defensemen. You simply don't ask a 38 year old veteran who has played forward all his life, attacking the opponents net but only being an auxiliary defender, pitching in when under siege, to all of a sudden learn how to defend his Goal.
There is also a question of, is Carter really all that slow. He still looked pretty quick when he first got here, considering his age. Or is he slowed down by the overwhelming complexity of the if/then statements in Sullivan's system.
b. having defended Carter, it is now time to get to the heart of the Carter question and it isn't just Carter, but a team laden with 30-something fringe players. There are far too many road blocks retarding the growth of the precious few prospects in the system. To win you need a combination of youth and veteran. but our Penguins have rejected bringing up kids unless they could walk on water. Every kid is expected to be a top 6 talent and if he is not he is buried. There is no value being placed on Bottom 6 skills. As our friend Mike has said many times, you don't put a top 6 on the 4th line just because you don't have room for him in the top 6.
Getting back to Carter, as we talked last night, the best that can be done is sit Carter as the 13th Forward, only playing in the most extreme of circumstances (ie on a West Coast swing after an injury, when there is no time to bring up a kid from WBS. And then simplify his game. Allow him the luxury of playing the position that he has played all his life, Forward. Don't over-burden him with Defensemen that either don't have the skill set to play Defense or who are told to roam by an inverted system.
Particularly in the light of the Guentzel injury, Puustinen should be the player given the opportunity to play top 6, rather than allowing him to shrivel into a raisin on the prospect vine. While Frasca, Hamaliuk, and Poulin give every opportunity to be that bottom 6 guy ahead of Carter.