With the NHL Free Agency set to begin in under 2 hours I wonder what exactly Ray Shero has been doing. Probably been in meetings all day with a large noticable vein throbbing in his forehead. If you noticed that vein showed immediately following the Penguins Game 6 loss in the Stanley Cup Finals. I guess he realized he would have to do some serious work, nit and grit accounting, and schmoozing beyond schmoozing current capabilities. All in all, this is one hard summer for Shero. He finds a problem with not ONLY have to re-sign 12 players, but he has to think about the large sums of money he will have to pay Jordan Staal (19) and Evgeni Malkin (21) after next year.
    What has Ray Shero and his esteemed crew done in the month and a half or so following the loss? Traded the rights of Pittsburgh born Fan Favorite Ryan Malone and Old Timer Scary Gary Roberts just like three days ago. In return the Penguins received a 4th round conditional draft pick unless Malone signed with Tampa Bay, then Pittsburgh would get a third round. Well, Malone signed a 7 year, reportedly $35.1 million contract with Tampa Bay yesterday, so we grabbed a third round pick out of that, granted Tampa Bay receives a third round conditional pick next year. Anyways even though Malone probably wanted to stay on the team because of the Stanley Cup implications he also probably wanted his due money for the pretty good year he had last year. As for Scary Gary, what can I say? I loved him, Pittsburgh loved him, but in the end he is an "old" player, but he brings the grit and tenacity you can't find much in the Penguins young squad. Who is left to sign? Well here's the breakdown in the order for which I believe the Penguins should sign:

1. Marc-Andre Fleury - The Flower needs to bloom in Pittsburgh for ATLEAST 7-10 more years. Enough said. Quality: A - **Fleury signed a good ass contract today. 7-Year, $35 million deal. Not bad, I thought he was going to command atleast 7-8 million a year. But I was right, 7 years :)**
2. Brooks Orpik - Showed his slow development paid off last year. Needs to be signed for a 3 year deal, under $10 million. Quality - B- - **UPDATE: Brooks has signed a deal for 5 years with the Pens.**
3. Marian Hossa - Would work great for Sidney Crosby, but asks for too much money, Sign him to a backloaded 5 year deal. Quality - A- - **UPDATE - Marian Hossa signs a 1 year deal with the Detroit Red Wings. Ain't that a kick in the ass? Deal is worth $7.5 million.**
4. Jarrko Ruutu - Not many Penguins will destroy and be destroyed in a fight and still smile afterwards. Ruutu brings a great defensive presence to the opposition. He can also score a nifty shootout goal. Should be signed to a 3 year contract under $9 million. Quality - B- - **UPDATE: Jarkko Ruutu is signed by Ottawa Senators to a 3-year deal.**
5. Pascal Dupuis - Shows he can play great in our system, but may prove too costly for the Pens. 2 Year contract under $6 million. Quality - C - **UPDATE: Penguins sign Pascal Dupuis to a 3 year deal for about $1.4 Million a year.**
6. Georges Laraque - Talk about a gunner. Seems as though fewer and fewer cheap hits have been allowed on our good players since Laraque has been here, but that's pretty much all he is. Too much too keep, better to find a fighter who doesn't require over $1.5 a year. Quality - D - **UPDATE: Georges Laraque signed with the Montreal Canadiens for a 3 year contract.*
7. Ty Conklin - I would love to see Shero keep Conk, but I think Shero knows you can find a competent backup almost anywhere (Danny Sauborin). I personally would try to resign him to a 3 or 4 year deal for no more than $8 million. Quality - B+ - **UPDATE: Goalie Ty Conklin signs a 1 year deal for $750,000 with the Detroit Red Wings. Jerks. Can you say son of a bitch? Your telling me the Penguins wouldn't give up $800k a year. First blunder in my opinion.**
8. Kris Beech - Didn't play all to often, if he would agree to a one year deal under $600,000 I would keep him. Quality - C- - **UPDATE: Kris Beech is in NHL Limbo. He was on 3 teams in the same season last year, and I guess the Pens will keep him if no one else waives him.**
9. Adam Hall - I think Adam Hall would prefer to stay, but I don't see it happening. If he does sign though it should be for around 5 years, $9.5 million. He did add a strong presence on the ice. Quality - B - **UPDATE: Adam Hall signed a 3 year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning only worth $1.8 million.**

Other things to help aid this situation: Re-Sign Evgeni Malkin to a backloaded deal of mainly incentives. Something like 10-year, $110 million, but the first seasons he only gets like $4 million and at the end of the contract gets $13 million (where we would promptly resign him with like 4 years left). Re-Sign Jordan Staal to a front loaded deal. Maybe 6 year $55 million. Front loaded contract. He would receive like 8 (no more than Crosby) a year for the first 2 years, then it would go down considerably to where his last 2 years would be able $3.5 million.

That is what I think at least, just me and myself. Tell me what you think in the comments.

**UPDATE: Evgeni Malkin has agreed to a Penguins extensions similar to Sidney Crosby's 5 year, $8.7 mil a year. Contract information currently not available.**
**ANOTHER UPDATE: Penguins resign Defenseman Mark Eaton. Eaton was a free agent, but his injury proneness from the past 2 seasons (missing well over 84 games) made me feel the Pens wouldn't think about re-signing him, hence why he wasn't on my list of resignings. In addition to this I also did not include 2 other players who are free agents.**


The Shero Experiment Tally:
Players Re-Signed: 5 (Pascal Dupuis (LW), Mark Eaton (D), Evgeni Malkin (C), Brooks Orpik (D), Marc-Andre Fleury (G))
Players Lost: 7 (Ty Conklin (G), Gary Roberts (LW), Ryan Malone (RW), Adam Hall (RW), Marian Hossa (RW), Jarkko Ruutu (RW), Georges Laraque (LW))

Player Offers: Jagr and Naslund did not take Pens offers. Currently working out an offer with Janne Pesonen (LW).

Free Agents Signed:
    -Eric Godard (RW) from Calgary Flames to 3 year deal.
    -Ruslan Fedotenko (LW), to a 1 year deal worth $2.5 Million.
    -Miroslav Satan (LW) to a 1-Year deal worth $3.5 million.
    -Matt Cooke (LW) to a 2-Year deal worth $2.5 Million.