Penguins/NHL
LATEST PENGUINS TRADE DEADLINE BUZZ
Less than 24 hours to go before the trade deadline and Chris Kunitz’ name out of nowhere has suddenly popped back up on the rumor mill. [hide]
[“The Penguins will try to move winger Chris Kunitz before the deadline but with another year on his contract at $3.85 million that could be difficult” — Bruce Garrioch Ottawa Sun –]
Looked into this today and unless Jim Rutherford is up to something that none of his staff knows about, this one got shot down pretty easy.
Outside of the Penguins organization and it was also crickets on Kunitz, other than indications that the Penguins had discussed packaging Kunitz and a prominent prospect for a top-6 winger with term from an Eastern Conference team almost two months ago that had traction but fell apart just before the finish line.
Kunitz resurgence of late and continued chemistry with Sidney Crosby has cooled considerations of moving him it seems. Upsetting Sidney Crosby with a Kunitz trade would be a pretty big gamble by Rutherford at this point.
— Jim Rutherford is telling anyone who will listen that he is not getting into the forward market, quite a change in direction from a week ago when the team was looking into multiple top-9 forwards. Some around the league aren’t buying it, believing he dips his toes back into the market with prices set to come down Monday.
— Even after the trade for Justin Schultz, don’t be surprised if you hear some chatter tomorrow of the Penguins still looking at options/scenarios on the blueline. Could see a defenseman on the roster traded for another defenseman, similar to the Despres – Lovejoy trade last deadline.
— Penguins officials feel the Flames overplayed their hand in talks about Kris Russell as things got serious late in the week. I’m told the Penguins offered a 2016 second round pick and a fourth round pick for Russell. Calgary sought two second round picks and a top-10 prospect, believed to be Oskar Sundqvist.
Earlier this month Calgary approached Pittsbugh about a bigger deal that would have included Matt Murray.
— The Penguins are only at 47 contracts (50 limit). This weekend they were looking into a deal that would have them acquire an AHL player in return for Sergei Plotnikov, a move to create cap space. Some talk Toronto might be the team a gives Plotnikov a trial.
Former Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald was initially behind the signing of Plotnikov after scouting him in the World Championships. He’s now in New Jersey. Maybe a fit there with the Devils set to move some of their forwards on Monday.
The Penguins are trying anything to clear the cap space.
— The Penguins have been very forthcoming with Jeff Zatkoff about their plans. Mike Sullivan has made it known to Zatkoff that the team plans to give Murray around six starts out of the remaining 22 games. The Penguins informed Zatkoff they felt it was right to explore a trade for Zatkoff to see if another NHL opportunity was out there for him but they’ve also made it known if trading him is not an option, they plan to keep him involved with the NHL team whether it’s backing Marc Andre Fleury up some games and mentoring Matt Murray (At least that’s the message the Penguins are giving right now) or they want people to believe.
Sullivan called keeping three goaltenders not “ideal” but that’s the deck of cards he’s been dealt.
Here’s where the organization was having some contested discussions regarding Murray. A player must be on an AHL roster at 3 p.m. Monday to be eligible to play in the AHL at any point for the rest of the season.
That’s why no commitment as of this afternoon had been made to starting Murray tomorrow night vs Phoenix. Might be a paper transaction made Monday to keep that option available.
— Sullivan today on Justin Schultz. “He’s a very mobile guy who was a highly touted guy coming out of Wisconsin. Obviously it’s been a little bit of a struggle where he’s been at in Edmonton. “Our hope is that we can inspire him to play to his strengths. We can get him in with our defense group and start working with him to familiarize him with some of the team concepts and strategies and how we’re trying to play.”[/hide]
Fucken Doan the scumbag piece of dog shit with another cheapshot… fucken loser. Career fucken loser. Never left PHX because there the fans dont know how much of a fucking loser he really is
King, u hearing anything? Please ignore the little kids that post on here.
Has he ever been right? haha still waiting on that columbus deal…go read hockeybuzz if your relying on king…/he at least gets 1 thing right every few years
I got a thumbs down with no resoning as to why….has he ever been right? before thumbs down tell me maybe?…….I mean i can spout off random “rumors” if you would like
Wasn’t me with the thumbs down Cole train. I just like his insight. If he isn’t right it doesn’t matter to me, it’s at least something to ponder.
Why don’t we throw Kunitz, Plotnikov, Fehr, and Kessel to Detroit for Nyqvist?
Plotnokov traded to arizona
Opening up the needed cap space for Gudas – c’mon JR!!
King has been mighty quiet on this Gudas deal….
Boyes would be a good pickup for the bottom 6
Enough with this Boyes drooling every year
All of the sudden, same doesn’t want to talk about boys.
Nahh. I leave that department to you and npl
What did we get for Rust and a 3rd?
Same with the timeless “I know you are, but what am I” retort….
Have we crashed yet?
Ladd to Panthers
ole Max from the habs? Or skinner.
Max is lazy he plays like Kessel cammaleri style
Its just no one wants to play for you pieces of trash up there.
That organization hasn’t done so well ever since the draft ceased to be rigged in their favor.
and you spell and write sentences like a 7 year old….your point?
Cammelleri almost single handedly eliminated us in 2010
Why stop at 2 picks and a top 10 for Russell? Why not ask for Malkin too? Hudler (better player) went for a 2nd and a 4th, but you want us to believe they wanted two 2nd’s and Sundquist? I’m calling bullshit on that one.
Crickets…..still not funny after all these years.
Nlpples, how are you handling the Oscars tonight …it’s an emotonal night for gay, black, Democrats and all…
It’s a jew award
Kikes that flys kites
What are you talking about?
Real tough from behind the computer screen. You fat bitch ass wouldn’t say a thing to anyone. Thats the French Canadian pussy way.
The French only know how to surrender and blow each other.
How come no latins or Asians were boycotting the awards?
He and stan are behind covers warming each other up while eating KFC
Tomorrow they will call in sick to be here spaming on this site with their arrogance. Approved by gaydogg
spaming? Again, do you know how to spell at the level of a 4th grader?
What time is this siht hole site crashing tomorrow? I will say around noon, right after D feeds his kids and puts them down for a nap.
I don’t think this site will crash tomorrow all big names been traded this week not much left don’t expect a lot of changes. Only way this site can crash is stan and npl spaming here all day. Since they both probably took a sick day from kindergarten in order to be here
Did you even graduate kindergarten? Judging by your grammar and spelling, I’d say no.
Can’t wait
Kunitz isn’t getting traded. Garroch is as right as Chubby aka Sam.
You mean samtheman. When you say Sam it refers to npl. Just like Sam is fat is him too
I don’t understand players at kunitz age usually gets traded when team is not making playoffs and you want that guy to win the cup elsewhere. Where would you trade kunitz a non playoff team in this case is this the respect with have for vets now?
I heard rumors earlier in the season to a west coast team- i cant see an east coast team making a deal of that nature before the deadline
What? You don’t understand players at Kunitz age? What don’t you understand about players at his age?
Eric Staal sucks. Talk about Letang stealing a paycheck Stanch, Staal is a master theif.
You forgot Kessel and Parise and the biggest thief Of all time dipietro
Wonder what all 3 have in common
You’re right. He isn’t worth it. And Sam is fat.
F the Rangers.
Why is upsetting Sid a “gamble?” They afraid he’ll only get 2 points in his next 8 games instead of 3?