Penguins veterans value Cup more than big dollars
It's not always about the money. Sometimes it's about the Cup.
Arron Asham came to that decision two summers ago. The free agent winger might have earned more elsewhere, but after 10 seasons, four teams and no Cup, Asham went where he could win.
"I want a Stanley Cup," said Asham, who reached the Finals and lost with the Flyers in 2010. "And I thought my best chance was here in Pittsburgh."
But his story isn't unique.
The Penguins roster is dotted with veteran players who either signed or re-signed with thoughts of engraving their name on the Stanley Cup or adding it once more.
And some did so even for less money.
"With the way this team is built in the salary cap era, we go to these veterans and say, 'Hey, listen, we've got an opportunity for you to win,'" said general manager Ray Shero, who considers it a selling point only a few teams can make. "And then they've got to balance the most money they could get somewhere else versus maybe taking less to come here."
It's a sales pitch that works. Most teams chase after similar role players, especially penalty killers and guys with speed, toughness and character. The potential to win a Stanley Cup with the Penguins can help close the deal when adding veterans like Steve Sullivan while retaining Pascal Dupuis and others under the salary cap.
"If you like your role and you like being competitive, you like playing in Pittsburgh," Shero said.
The Penguins have built a lineup heavy with both young talent and experienced veterans — a key for the playoffs. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby should shoulder much of the scoring, but a goal from Dupuis, Craig Adams or Matt Cooke could turn the series.
"You need those other guys to pop in a goal and get some dirty goals," Shero said. "If you look at any team that's won a Stanley Cup, they've had really good role players."
Over the years, some have chosen to leave for richer offers. But others have stayed, including Dupuis, who "probably took less than if he'd gotten out on the open market," Shero said.
Traded to the Penguins before the 2008 playoffs, Dupuis could have become a free agent last offseason. But rather than looking around, Dupuis signed a two-year, $3-million contract three days before the free agency period began.
"We kicked it around for like two weeks," Shero said, "trying to get the right term and the right dollar."
It proved a good decision for him and Shero. This season has been Dupuis' best, with 25 goals and a 17-game point streak that ranked among the longest in team history. Dupuis was among five Penguins who score at least 20 goals this season, and Cooke fell just one goal short with 19. Chris Kunitz, who extended his contract in October, scored a career-best 26.
That depth will be important when the Penguins open the playoffs Wednesday night against the Flyers at Consol Energy Center. To advance in a seven-game series, a team needs consistent scoring from its stars and solid play from its special teams, Cooke said, "but teams that have playoff success also get secondary scoring."
Asham, who signed one-year contracts with the Penguins before this season and last, scored a Stanley Cup Final goal in 2010 and would certainly like another. He sees others in the dressing room with similar ambition.
"We've got a lot of character in this room," Asham said. "We've got a lot of veterans and a lot of young, good-skilled players. I think we've got a really good mix in here. The dressing room is phenomenal."
