Latest Pens Buzz: Interest emerging in Del Zotto?

Latest Penguins/Free Agency Buzz Who will put the biggest offer on the table to Kevin Shattenkirk? Ray Shero and the New Jersey Devils or Jason Botterill and the Buffalo Sabres? Rumblings are the Sabres are putting together a 7 year signing bonus heavy offer to Kevin Shattenkirk that could be north of $50 million. The Devils who are making an aggressive sales pitch and also a finalist for Shattenkirk, will be in the same neighborhood. Botterill vs Shero pegged to come in with the biggest offers and both could come up empty if Shattenkirk takes a lesser deal from a contender which is very much a possibility. — The Penguins were informed Thursday morning that Trevor Daley was no longer

Source: Penguins engaged in serious discussions with Antti Niemi camp

TIOPS Latest Penguins Buzz [hide] Since being bought out by the Dallas Stars, a mutual interest has emerged between the Pittsburgh Penguins and goaltender Antti Niemi, a league source tells Inside Pittsburgh Sports. While speculation around the league is the Penguins and Niemi have a deal in place, Niemi’s agent Markus Lehto says a contract for Niemi still can’t be officially signed until July 1 despite being bought-out this week and no team currently owning his rights. I’m told Pittsburgh was the first call Lehto received on Niemi. Niemi, 33, went 12-12-4 with a .892 save percentage last season. [/hide]

Latest Penguins Rumblings: Daley in line for 3-4 year deal, sources say

Latest Penguins/Free Agency Buzz  LATEST [Is Olli Maatta still in play for “amateur hour” Avalanche?] [Daley to land a 4 year deal?] [Preds eyeing Bonino as long-term Fisher replacement, Habs making big push] [Multiple Clubs circling on Kulikov, evaluating medicals] [Did the Penguins reach out to Girardi’s camp?] — Unless each side is trying to keep things dead quiet for whatever reason, there continues to be no indications the Penguins are pursuing Joe Thornton or are going to be a player for him. A big time market has evolved for him and teammate Patrick Marleau. If it’s not going to happen in San Jose, some chatter the two would still love to finish their careers together and try to be

Latest Penguins Chatter on Group of RFA’s

The Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday officially made qualifying offers to the following players to retain negotiating rights. Qualifying Offers Justin Schultz – $1.4 million Brian Dumoulin – $840,000 Conor Sheary – $650,000 Josh Archibald – $650,000 Derrick Pouliot – $874,125 J.S. Dea – $650,000 Frank Corrado – $660,000 The QO’s have been declined by Justin Schultz, Brian Dumoulin and Conor Sheary which was a necessity as the Penguins are in talks with Justin Schultz reps at Newport Sports about a new long-term deal and the same with Lewis Gross, the agent for Brian Dumoulin and Conor Sheary. All three are primed for significant raises, notably Schultz and Dumoulin. Talks between the Penguins and Schultz have been slower than the Penguins

Penguins enter the veteran goaltending market

Latest Pens Free Agency Buzz The Pittsburgh Penguins have entered the veteran goaltending market, multiple [hide] agents tell TIOPS. Set to have an NHL leading 19 back-to-backs, the Penguins have made an organizational decision to let Tristan Jarry develop for one more season in Wilkes Barre. Penguin officials were disappointed Jarry was unable to backstop Wilkes Barre during the postseason due to the Matt Murray injury and there is a preference for his development to continue in the minors than sit behind Murray. Where is the Penguins goaltending search headed? One player at the top of wishlist is no longer an option. Pittsburgh planned to pursue Peter Budaj as a free agent, sources say, but the veteran netminder reached a

Latest Free Agency Buzz: Strong market building for Bonino as Penguins weigh options

Latest Penguins Free Agency Buzz The NHL Free Agency Window opened at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday and calls have been coming in on Penguins center Nick Bonino. While the Penguins have made a Bonino a top priority and both sides continue to have “good discussions”, the ball is more in the Penguins court of whether they’re willing to stretch a bit to make a deal happen. “A lot of interest [hide] with regards to Nick,” Bonino’s agent Peter Fish told TIOPS on Monday morning. “I’ve had good discussions with Jim Rutherford and they are trying to figure things out.” As many as six teams with serious interest have made inquiries into Bonino and the Montreal Canadiens who have been trying

Price Penguins paid for Ryan Reaves looks higher on paper than it actually is

On the Ryan Reaves Acquisition Penguins GM Jim Rutherford is never afraid to pay a price for filling a need and that’s what he did with the Ryan Reaves acquisition on Friday night. “When you want to get the guy that’s the best at doing what he does then you have to pay a price,” Rutherford said. “Regardless of what we paid, we’re very happy to have him.” The Penguins in dealing the 31st overall pick and prospect Oskar Sundqvist in return for Reaves and the 51st overall pick has been met with outrage from many in the media, to team bloggers, to the fan base. Jim Rutherford is being ridiculed like he’s gone back in time to 2014-2015 Rutherford.

Penguins trade for Ryan Reaves

[hide] The St. Louis Blues protected tough guy Ryan Reaves out of fear that the Pittsburgh Penguins were going to workout a deal with the Vegas Golden Knights. But every team has a price and the Penguins have paid one for Reaves. Pittsburgh has traded the 31st overall pick and center Oskar Sundqvist to St. Louis for Reaves and the 51st overall pick. Rutherford will likely get crushed for the cost but mission accomplished in adding a tough guy who can actually play. Reaves, 30, carries a $1.125 million cap hit and is signed for one more season. He had a career high 7 goals in 16-17 and added 104 penalty minutes. What the Penguins like about him is that

The Penguins keep winning off the ice too

The Perfect Storm As the NHL draft kicks off tonight in Chicago, there’s still an after effect of the expansion draft. Some clubs like the Pittsburgh Penguins got off very well with the expansion draft and some didn’t. The Predators losing James Neal for nothing was terrible asset management by David Poile of the Nashville Predators. The Senators losing Marc Methot for nothing was terrible asset management by Ottawa. A player selected in the expansion draft can’t be traded back to their former club until Jan 1, so any opportunity to make a deal with Vegas is lost for those club. Surveying some around the league, the consensus is the Penguins got off very easy. Nothing against Marc Andre Fleury

Expansion Draft: Vegas Golden Knights Selections

Fleury a Golden Knight The Vegas Golden Knights have officially selected Penguins goaltender Marc Andre Fleury in the expansion draft. Fleury got a standing ovation from those in attendance as the Golden Knights look to make him the early face of the franchise. The Penguins in return have traded [hide] a 2020 second round pick to Vegas which is good value for the Penguins as they clear $5.75 million in cap space and didn’t even part with a marginal prospect like an Oskar Sundqvist who the Golden Knights were high on. Vegas selected three goaltenders and Fleury will be the clear No. 1 to start. [/hide] Vegas Golden Knights Selections Goaltender Calvin Pickard, Colorado Avalanche Defenseman Luca Sbisa, Vancouver Canucks