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Penguins blue-liner headed for big summer payday, complicating plans for Kyle Dubas
Penguins blue-liner Ryan Shea is set for a big payday this summer, and if Kyle Dubas doesn't find a way to make the numbers work, they could lose him for nothing.
It's a career season for Ryan Shea with the Penguins, as he has become one of their most crucial and dependable defensemen.
The 28-year-old has registered two goals and 14 assists in 41 games, has a plus-15 rating, and has been averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per contest.
Shea has played with Kris Letang, Jack St. Ivany, Harrison Brunicke, and Parker Wotherspoon. Looking at Letang's play this season and the youth around him, Shea's performance is more remarkable.
In the last week, Shea and St. Ivany seem to be forming a great shutdown pair, and that has come at a great time for a Pittsburgh team fighting for a playoff spot.
The current contract that Ryan Shea is playing out
This is not inconsequential, either, given that Shea is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and is playing out the year on a one-year extension of $900,000 that dates back to last March.
The extension led some eyebrows to be raised when Pittsburgh was making trades at the deadline, but it is obvious that GM Kyle Dubas is not afraid of Shea.
AFP Analytics had Shea's projection at a small one-year contract before the season began, but Shea's salary potential certainly exceeds what would be in that range at this point, complicating matters for Dubas.
Shea still has some youth and limited NHL playing time under his belt, and he is a type of player in constant demand; it would be highly atypical for an NHL team's roster not to include some players of Shea's type on its blueline.
Why retaining Ryan Shea could be the right decision
If the Penguins are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, retaining Shea is the right decision. If they do fall out of a playoff spot, the Penguins have the cap space and are familiar enough with Shea that they could retain him.
He could get a multi-year deal over $3 million per year, according to NHL analyst Josh Cybulski, because of the increased salary cap.
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Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 5 | 128 ANSWERS Penguins blue-liner headed for big summer payday, complicating plans for Kyle Dubas Should Kyle Dubas pay up and keep Ryan Shea? | ||
| Yes | 115 | 89.8 % |
| No | 13 | 10.2 % |
| List of polls | ||