Pens may sign defenseman Jay McKee

by Hooks Orpik on Jul 9, 2009 9:14 PM EDT in Pittsburgh Penguins free agents

[Edit] News has since been reported that McKee will decide over the next day or so where he will sign. Nothing official as of yet, as now reflected in this post.

According to Andy Strickland (St. Louis based NHL writer for hockeybuzz.com) and his twitter:

Jay McKee signing 1 yr deal worth $800,000 with Pittsburgh Penguins.

Whether you like it or not, Twitter's become the fastest the fastest way to get information now in this super-paced world of technology and information.

McKee's signing, which we've spotlighted here on Pensburgh, may be the best fit the Penguins could get at this point of free agency. McKee is a veteran, positional play defenseman -- much like the two Pittsburgh lost through free agency in Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill.

McKee was bought out by the St. Louis Blues, so he's drawing a paycheck from them and is in the perfect position to not need money (good thing, the Pens don't have much room under the cap). And McKee, who by all accounts had a pretty good season last year, could have a chance to play on a marquee team in Pittsburgh to redeem his name and set himself up for a better contract next go around.

Last year McKee killed 3:18 of penalties a night, a hole the Penguins obviously could use to fill without Scuderi and Gill. Also McKee led the Blues in blocked shots with 185, more than Scuderi or Gill. McKee was also credited with 78 hits, so don't expect a basher but he will throw his body around a little. At 6'4 and 205 pounds he'll also add size to the blueline. Perhaps best of all McKee is turning 32 years old this September, a little younger than you may think. McKee has had injury problems in the past, but is said to be healthy and feeling good coming into his offseason training regimen.

It's the perfect player to be place in the perfect role at the right price and term. If Ray Shero gets this done he comes up aces once again.

Projected Penguins defense (still early but the pieces are now in place):

Orpik/Gonchar
Eaton/Letang
Goligoski/McKee
--Lovejoy, Guenin in reserves

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Beat you by a minute or two Hooks

I like the move though, still depends a bit on the money.

by thecheeseisblue on Jul 9, 2009 9:17 PM EDT reply actions

I’m hearing one-year, $800K.

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by FrankD on Jul 9, 2009 9:23 PM EDT reply actions

You guys will be very happy to get Jay at less than a mil. He will block every shot he can reach with any body part.

As a big fan of both teams, I love how this worked out for Jay. He still gets paid well, Blues cut his salary and the Pens get him cheap.

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by BluesFan45 on Jul 9, 2009 9:50 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks for the input, I definitely agree, it’s a great spot for McKee. Penguins are a very visible team so a perfect way for him to get back on the radar of other teams….Look what guys like Rob Scuderi and Ryan Malone did!

And he offers the Penguins a huge hole to fill in terms of a solid defensive defenseman.

Truly a win-win situation.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Jul 9, 2009 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions

McKee for 800k is a good deal. One-year is also a pretty good term for him and the team. I like the idea of having that veteran 6th D-man and having Lovejoy and Guenin compete for that 7th D-man spot(Guenin I’m told is a very poor man’s Brooks Orpik).

This would leave the Pens about 2m in cap space. Considering they need to ink Curry or another goaltender to play backup to MAF, this should leave all other UFAs to the wind unless a trade is ever made.

Heart, Max Talbot has it by the mile. The Pens are your 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

by Malsby on Jul 9, 2009 10:08 PM EDT reply actions

I like this signing, even more so for the expense factor. Once again Shero comes up big.

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by FrankD on Jul 9, 2009 10:28 PM EDT reply actions

Good value signing for you guys.

GM of CanesCountry.com

by Bob Wage on Jul 9, 2009 10:40 PM EDT reply actions

This is why they call him Godfather

I mean, it’s no secret that Mario Lemieux is a charismatic individual, but with all of these discount signings, I’m beginning to wonder if he’s calling each of these guys and making them offers they can’t refuse…

Heart, Max Talbot has it by the mile. The Pens are your 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

by Malsby on Jul 9, 2009 10:46 PM EDT reply actions

…actually, I think I’m the only one that calls him that, but my friends get a kick out of it.

Heart, Max Talbot has it by the mile. The Pens are your 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

by Malsby on Jul 9, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I think we all have our special visions of Lemieux….One day I’m gonna write my thesis about Mario Lemieux and George Washington.

Think about it:
—two men larger than life (literally: GW was very tall for his day at 6’2, Mario 6’4)
—both dealt with serious illness/injury (smallpox/malaria vs. cancer/back surgeries)
—great for a long time in many different roles (soldier and President vs. player and owner)
—sense of elegance, quiet and reserved but thoughtful in how they carry themselves
—both dealt with stubborn politicians to get what they needed (funding for the army vs. funding for arena)
—without the contributions of them we wouldn’t have what they dedicated their adult lives to (United States vs. Penguins)
—Washington lost more battles than he won, and Lemieux lost more years in the playoffs than he won….But it’s the wins that were memorable.

Of course GW played on a grander stage and more historically important…Just saying it always draws parallels in my twisted mind..

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Jul 9, 2009 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions

sounds like an A thesis to me.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are your Stanley Cup Champions!!

by jetpen89 on Jul 9, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions

United States vs. the Penguins – now there’s a subplot worthy of Hollywood.

WOOOOOOSH

In a world where one team risked it all BOOM KABLAM

Came the story of one man against a country, destined to resurrect a franchise BLAMMY SWOOSH BANG

Mario Lemieux is… RISING SURGE

The Godfather

“I’m gonna make them an offer they can’t refuse” SLAM BANG

In theaters April 2010

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by FrankD on Jul 10, 2009 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions

And with Mario being from Quebec

He probably wouldn’t save the British children either.

by Phantaskippy on Jul 10, 2009 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions

It's a discount signing

because he’s already getting $1.3 million from the Blues for 09-10 and another $1.3 million in 10-11. So by signing this, he’s making $2.1 million this coming season.

What it comes down to is where did McKee want to play? If he signs in Pittsburgh, that answers that question.

www.stlouisgametime.com

by Brad Lee on Jul 10, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Washington/Lemieux Thesis

Not a bad comparison especially considering that both had a launching point from Pittsburgh!
-I heard somewhere that Washington really made a name for himself as a soldier based in in SW PA,
Sometimes it just seems as if it is very fitting that Pittsburgh is part of the “Keystone State” For the impact it continues to have on the rest of the country.
GO PENS!

by muskid on Jul 9, 2009 11:27 PM EDT reply actions

State of the Union

It’s also interesting to consider that PA has the reigning champs in 3 of the 4 major sports.

by Smooth555 on Jul 10, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Washington made his name conquering Fort duquesne which was a French fort located at the point. Washington’s army defeated the french. Washington wanted to build a new fort where the West End Overlook now sits but his commanders insisted he occupy the old french fort at the confluence of the three rivers. The new fort was named Fort Pitt.

by PensFan024 on Jul 10, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions

You know, I’ve yet to see anything official on this. I’m so skeptical of Andy Strickland it’s not even funny…

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by FrankD on Jul 10, 2009 12:18 AM EDT reply actions

I know twitter isnt a great source….but its been all over there from multiple “insider” types. Garth who covers the Sabres for Hockeybuzz was in on this too. Metzer is reporting on it too. My guess is it has to have some legs.

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by BluesFan45 on Jul 10, 2009 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh I’m not worried about Twitter. In fact I follow a ton of great sources on there that I’d trust any day of the week, including Metzer. But wasn’t Strickland behind something earlier in the offseason that he was reporting as a “done deal” that ultimately never came to fruition? If I’m wrong on my accusation, then I outright apologize to Strickland. But I have a feeling he was behind a Pronger rumor.

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by FrankD on Jul 10, 2009 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions

Actually our Battle of Cali guys hit it about a month ago with this post.

From BOC:

Andy Strickland, the Blues writer for HockeyBuzz, put a post today stating that Chris Pronger had been traded to the Kings for Jack Johnson and the 5th overall. About 45 minutes later, he took the post down; about 20 minutes after that, he put the post back up but added a whole bunch of caveats, including the removal of any mention of Jack Johnson and the 5th overall pick. He also stated that Chris Pronger did not know anything about a trade

And from the other BOC:

All our times have come
Here but now they’re gone
Seasons don’t fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain..we can be like they are

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by FrankD on Jul 10, 2009 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Some Blues fans point to the Rumored “Tkachuk leaving/huggin before being traded to Boston” debacle and the Pronger thing as why not to trust Andy. IMO if Metzer is giving some credence to it, there is likely something to it.

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by BluesFan45 on Jul 10, 2009 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Either way, this has been floating around since about 4pm. I hope to see something official by tonight or tomorrow afternoon.

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by FrankD on Jul 10, 2009 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Nothing official, confirmed by Post-Gaz. McKee will decide sometime within the next few days. From what I gather it’s an offer for him to mull over, not a signing.

That doesn’t mean he won’t, but if he hasn’t inked a name on the contract yet Mr. Strickland may wanna watch how he phrases things.

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by FrankD on Jul 10, 2009 1:42 AM EDT up reply actions

I think this was all a clever plan by McKee. He wanted to make us think he signed so he could judge this blog’s reaction to the deal before signing. Well played, Jay, well played…

Heart, Max Talbot has it by the mile. The Pens are your 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

by Malsby on Jul 10, 2009 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

PG reports McKee and the Penguins are finalizing a contract….Reports may have been premature calling it a done deal, but it’s looking like it’s gonna happen.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Jul 10, 2009 11:27 AM EDT reply actions

So if Scuderi was ‘The Piece’, does that make McKee ‘The Replacement Part’?

I like this signing. Injury history from blocking shots is alright with me.

by chicos_pants on Jul 10, 2009 12:41 PM EDT reply actions

Regarding McKee,

I’ll echo most everyone else’s sentiments saying he’s a good defensive defenseman that’ll block shots and take care of his own end. Pray the injury bug doesn’t bite him.

As for Strickland,

Not a lot of people on our blog trust his “reporting.” The phrase “A blind squirrel finds a nut every now and again” comes to mind whenever anybody at Game Time hears a Strickland rumor.

by Poor College Student on Jul 10, 2009 12:44 PM EDT reply actions

I like this signing for you guys, but I can’t help wondering… I remember McKee being invited to the Olympic orientation camp for Team Canada before the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics. While he didn’t end up on the team, he looked like a real up-and-coming great defenceman. Then later he went to St. Louis and sort of became anonymous. I guess injuries had something to do with it, but besides that, was it a case of overinflated expectations, or him just not living up to his potential?

Being a Leaf fan here requires one to be sufficiently lubricated... and truculent!

by stucky on Jul 10, 2009 1:52 PM EDT reply actions

Great Deal!

A much need replacement part for $800K. A guy that was making $4M (granted he’s still getting 1/3 of that from the Blues but…) I think he’ll fill in very well on the PK and shot blocking. I think he became somewhat anonymous playing in St. Louis (no offense to the Blues) where they had an absence from the playoffs and then were out in 4 games this year. Add to that there was very little National coverage of the Blues-Vancouver series. If McKee plays to the ability that got him a deal for $4M a year he should get the Playoff exposure in Pittsburgh and an oppotunity to do a new deal with the Pens or elsewhere next year. Hopefully get his name etched on the Stanley Cup!

by Dutch71 on Jul 10, 2009 2:46 PM EDT reply actions

Good Signing

The price is perfect and he fits what we need. A veteran defensive dman who can block shots and work on the pk. Anything more than that is a bonus and even if that’s all he does, it’ll give us a year to develop some of the young Dmen as 7th instead of 6th defensemen. I don’t think either party sees him here long term, but it’s another bargain pickup of spare parts to fit around the nucleous of the pens that allow us to be successful.

by Smooth555 on Jul 10, 2009 3:05 PM EDT reply actions