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Latest Penguins Buzz

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had more than just exploratory talks with the Colorado Avalanche in recent weeks, NHL sources tell TIOPS.

Talks have been serious enough where the Avalanche have begun identifying key pieces in talks they would seek to move Matt Duchene who the Penguins have significant interest in and Gabriel Landeskog who the Penguins have also discussed.

Penguins GM Jim Rutherford has looked into both players in an attempt to land a long-term impact forward. Pittsburgh has not ruled out runs at either player, but Duchene interests the Penguins more.

The Penguins believe Duchene could easily play on Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin’s wing and boost the top-6 for this season and also give the Penguins an option of a Duchene-Kessel third line beyond this season.

Penguin officials continue to be believers the team has a key three to four year window to win multiple Stanley Cups which has Jim Rutherford willing to make a splash. Duchene’s contract has two years remaining with a $6 million cap hit. The term is a more ideal fit for the Penguins.

An interesting tidbit of the Penguins interest in Duchene [hide] is that the star forward has become close with Sidney Crosby over the last couple years as both share the same agent and off-season trainer in Los Angeles during the summer time.

Jim Rutherford often has casual conversations with Crosby about roster moves and Crosby would be a big fan of Duchene being brought in.

The question is do the Penguins matchup in a trade for Duchene as the price is steep?

They’ve at least made the list of five to six teams the Avalanche are doing homework on in regards to whether they deal Duchene or Landeskog by the deadline or this summer.

Colorado seeks a young top-4 defenseman, top-9 forward, a high-end prospect (preferably a defenseman) and a high draft pick for Duchene.

The Penguins have made Olli Maatta available to the Avalanche and a few teams around the league the Penguins have approached in talks, Toronto another notable team.

Pittsburgh by no means is shopping Maatta from the standpoint that he’s available to all 29 teams but he is in play for certain teams as the Penguins are open to dealing Maatta for a long-term top-6 winger or a young right handed defenseman, few of them are available.

NHL sources say Colorado has interest in Maatta but have also identified Carl Hagelin as a key player they would covet in a deal for Duchene, among others. Colorado tried to acquire Hagelin last December from the Ducks and is making an organizational decision to get faster.

There’s been speculation in Penguin circles that pending additional roster moves, Hagelin with a $4 million cap hit could be left unprotected, but there’s a sense that Hagelin’s 2016 playoff run earned him enough clout where he’s safe for this season from being traded. It would be tough for Rutherford to part with Hagelin based on last years playoff run, sources say.

Meanwhile, Colorado has scouted Wilkes Barre twice this month and it makes you wonder if Derrick Pouliot becomes a potential player of interest as a third or fourth piece.

Pouliot by the way suffered a knee injury in Saturday’s game and is day-to-day. The Penguins, though, weren’t planning to call him up as Letang’s replacement.

The chances are better than 50-50 that Pouliot is traded by the deadline either for an immediate need like a Pouliot for Michael Stone type trade for example or included as a complementary piece in a bigger trade.

— There’s talk around the league that the Avs asking price is slightly lower for Landeskog than Duchene, despite the uncertainty that Duchene might not want to stick around in two years when his deal ends. The unknown is whether the Penguins would go all in for Landeskog.

The Penguins scouting the Avalanche lately has been more about Landeskog than Duchene. They have all their info on Duchene they need.

Landeskog has underachieved big time this season with 8 goals and 14 points in 31 games. His $5,571,429 cap hit through the 2020-2021 season has also raised some red flags in the organization.

More Buzz

— Kris Letang officially called week to week by the Penguins. Good news is the Penguins don’t believe it’s long-term as in 4+ weeks. Team doctors believe he’ll be sidelined around two weeks, sources say. Chance the Penguins keep him out until after the All-Star break as a precaution.

The Penguins are 8-2-2 this season without Letang.

— The call up of Jake Guentzel and scratching of Eric Fehr, Tom Kuhnhackl, has the Penguins dressing their 12 best forwards tonight.

Conor Sheary – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Jake Guentzel – Evgeni Malkin – Patric Hornqvist
Carl Hagelin – Nick Bonino – Phil Kessel
Chris Kunitz – Matt Cullen – Scott Wilson

Guentzel has little to prove at the AHL level and the Penguins would be smart to have some patience and letting Guentzel try to run with a top-9 spot for the next month or so before the deadline.

The 4th line will be intriguing for the Penguins tonight.

Scott Wilson’s game has been trending up in his ability to create individual scoring chances. He may just have four goals but Chris Kunitz remains very effective at controlling play that leads to offensive chances. The Penguins should benefit with more talent around Matt Cullen. [/hide]

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