Ryan Graves, who Penguins fans are hoping gets moved on from, might just have there wish become to fruition with a signing today that continues to boost the outlook of a team taking on the Graves contract.
The San Jose Sharks today have signed Dmitry Orlov to a two year $13 million contract which continues to inflate the Defenceman market. Other signings like Cody Ceci, Brian Dumoulin, Martin Fehervary, really put's things into better perspective of how overpaying for defenceman can make other defenders extremely move able to where they weren't ever moveable because of such a bad contract.
Ryan Graves is a prime example of that who is now in year three of a six year contract at a $4.5 million dollar cap hit at now 30 years of age. The Penguins would be extremely wise to move on from Graves who really has no good upside anymore to the Penguins organization with his consistent decrease in play and only getting older. Graves will be 34 when his contract expires and for basically a third pairing LHD who has been flopping between the third pairing and in the press box because of inconsistent play, with that cap hit is not right for this team. Kyle Dubas should be moving Graves or at least entertaining the idea of doing so.
Ryan Graves has registered his first point of the season in his 43rd game! pic.twitter.com/7QmUDaYJaG
— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) February 28, 2025
Kyle Dubas might need to bite the bullet of having to send a draft pick along with the Graves contract to get rid of it, the NHL is a business and it's something he may really have to do if he wants to get rid of the contract without having to retain any money, that would cause some crippling damage to this team who is retaining no money at the moment. Retaining money would hurt the future and the ability when it comes time to buy and contend again will be halted.
The real question sinks in, who would want to take on the Graves contract and what would it take to dump his contract onto another team, like Chicago, Anaheim, San Jose or Nashville, who could be destinations where Graves could land and help the Penguins acquire more cap space to be able to spend in the future on extensions for players like Rutger McGroarty, Joel Blomqvist, another Crosby extension and future RFA's and UFA's.
The job is moving Graves will be up to Kyle Dubas and Co. If he can move on from the mistake he made with the contract, it would be quite the bounce back for the GM and President of Hockey Operations.