The most obvious answers stick out.

For one, you get a veteran leader and linemate for Sidney Crosby.  The other, a solid fourth-line center.

These moves mean a whole lot more, though.  They both were signed at low prices, allowing for other players from the Stanley Cup winning squad to be signed.

However, it also means that center Mike Zigomanis will not be re-signed, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  So much has gone down in the last 24 hours, with possibly more going on today — the last day the Penguins have exclusive negotiating rights with the free agents from last year’s team.

First off, let’s review.  Bill Guerin was signed yesterday to a one-year contract worth $2 million.  Craig Adams was signed to a a two-year contract worth $550,000 each year.

That leaves the Penguins with roughly $5.7 million left under the salary cap.

Apparently Guerin was really happy with the way Ray Shero handled the re-signing situation.  Maybe that’s how the Pens GM is able to get guys to bargain to stay with the team.

Or maybe it’s an ideal situation and the Cup presently resides here.

Whatever it may be, here’s and excerpt from the two from today’s Post-Gazette …

“He was real up front and honest,” Guerin said. “That’s what made the whole thing work. I talked to him and we just tried to express to each other what made sense to me and what made sense to him.

“That kind of made it happen. It was like, ‘Let’s cut to the chase.’ We went back and forth a couple of times, but it was easy. It was good dealing with Ray.”

The feeling clearly was mutual.

“I think we were both realistic,” Shero said. “We wanted him back and he said, ‘This is where I want to play. Let’s try to make it work.’ “

Apparently Shero felt bad about being unable to give Adams a pay raise as well.  But honestly, how much can you really pay a fourth-line center?  We didn’t think he’d get more than $750,000.

The two signings have brought forth more on other free agents as well.

Rob Scuderi will definitely wait until after the July 1 free-agency opening to decide whether or not to stay in Pittsburgh.  As well he should.  The guy can likely get around $3.5 million from other teams.

The Pens will likely not offer him any more than $2.5 million.

If Scuderi leaves for another team, Hal Gill will be the likely signing.

“I think it’s obvious to everyone that they can’t bring both Scuderi and Hal back,” said agent Peter Fish, who represents Gill. “They would like to bring Hal back. They’re doing some serious number-crunching there.”

The Pens will not re-sign Phillippe Boucher.

Offensively, Ruslan Fedotenko seems to be turning in to a mystery.  The Penguins and him have been actively negotiating with Feds and they reportedly will continue to all the way yp until midnight is necessary.

Fedotenko earned $2.25 million last year and will probably not be offered my more than that from Pittsburgh.  there’s just not enough money to go around.

Lastly, John Curry appears to be the choice to back up Marc-Andre Fleury.  He played in three games last season with a 2-1-0 record, 2.40 GAA and .913 Sv%.  According to his agent, Fish — who also represents Hal Gill, the organization feels that he has done everything he can do at the minor league level.

As far as guys go in Wilkes-Barre go, the Penguins can retain their rights by making a qualifying offer before the deadline.  They did just that for Curry, as well as Ben Lovejoy and Tim Wallace.

Any more news comes up we’ll post it here as soon as possible.

IN SHERO WE TRUST

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Chris | PPT