Latest Penguins Buzz
With training camp less than a month away, the Penguins have major holes at the third and fourth line center spots but when you’ve won back-to-back Stanley Cups, have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as the No. 1 and No. 2 centers to go with great depth at wing, who cares what your bottom-6 center position looks like in August, right?
That’s the stance the Penguins are taking after what sources describe as a trade in the works for a centerman making under $3 million per season, falling through shortly after the Conor Sheary signing in early August.
As trade talks throughout the league have dried up, which is notorious at this time of the year with no General Manager’s under pressure to make deals right now, what the Penguins are now seeing as great value is potentially opening up the season with over $3 million in cap space as that space would increase throughout the season.
What they want to do is keep themselves in on some players with high salaries that are currently available or likely will be.
The Penguins have lost a lot of value from their 2016-2017 Stanley Cup team this summer and this group has holes, but having the extra cap space along with moveable assets like Olli Maatta, Conor Sheary gives them ammunition to be a dangerous team in trade talks throughout the season.
League Chatter
— The Penguins will not be signing Denver University defenseman Will Butcher. As reported here, the Penguins were going to be entering the process on August 15th as a major long-shot to sign Butcher and that never changed once Butcher was permitted to speak and meet with teams.
Prior to August 15, Butcher and his camp had a list of three to four teams, (Devils, Sabres and Golden Knights among the group) they identified as primary landing spots and those specific teams have remained the area of focus for Butcher.
— On the heels of trading Oskar Sundqvist in June, the Penguins center prospect group also took a hit this summer in losing 2013 6th round pick Blaine Byron who informed the Penguins back in the winter that he had no plans to sign with the club and would exercise his right to be a free agent.
The Penguins brass have long believed Byron would sign with the New Jersey Devils. The Devils, Sabres and Senators are among the aggressive suitors in trying to sign Byron who had 18 goals and 41 points in 36 games for Maine.
— While the Penguins signing Patric Hornqvist to a three year extension prior to opening night is considered highly likely, rival clubs that have asked about the availability of Ian Cole this summer, a 2018 UFA, have come away believing Pittsburgh will To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!— One of the few scenarios that could see Jake Guentzel evolving into the Penguins third line center this season:
Pittsburgh acquiring To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Barring a trade, training camp will have a lot of experimenting early on from coaches when it comes to wingers getting looks at center.
The three primary players identified are Scott Wilson To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
If they don’t add a 3C, who the hell is gonna take faceoffs all year on the PK? What if Rowney takes a penalty? I assume Sid is adding PK to his arsenal this year?
I think your hormones are making you emotional. Nothing matters until the trade deadline. They’re not missing the playoffs if Guentzel has to place center and sprong fills in for him, even if that goes until March. May ruin some dreams of another presidents trophy but it doesn’t bother me.
If Guentzel is killing penalties, he won’t be playing in the playoffs….he’ll be on IR.
Excellent point, so your question about adding Sid to the PK “arsenal” is ducking brilliant. Oh and based on the confusion last time, I’m having a go at your comment here
Why you so angry? Relax and have fun, it’s a message boatd.
Stupidy annoys me 😉 besides, thus was hardly an angry comment as much as it picked up on something absurd… like the sammich you seem to swing and miss a lot lol
Dusty is just as bad as Sam. Post stupid comments and are obsessed with hot dogs.
Ya it’s sad, yoda left but he’s never really been gone… I mean outside the veiled attempt to disguise himself as another poster lol
You guys make me laugh. Just like the other characters Sam, NPL, maloni etc. you guys make the site. Keep the fun going. Leave the stats and boring shitt to the gay dog.
Yeah. We wouldn’t want actual data to get in the way of your fantasy world
Simply Dusty at it again. Stick to your hot dog pics and let the adults talk hockey.
What I think is really cute…. samdiegopittfan has let yoda go and now it seems Dusty is his new pet. Sure knows how to pick em
Excuse him. He’s from Edmonton and lives in his parent’s basement.
Please, we’ve already established I have a real job and dont leach of my mail order bride….
I don’t know what I find dumber. You automatically equating guentzel playing 3C with mandatory penalty killing, or concluding factually that it would get him injured. It’s like a multiple fallacy post. Good job!
That very question keeps me up at night. The Pens better figure it out, and figure it out soon. #August
Nhl network ranked the top centers: McDavid, Sid, Geno then Matthews. Nice to see Malkin getting that respect. I’d still put Sid first, but it’s not surprising the they have McDavid there.
The Matthews piece has some fans losing their minds. While I can admit one season doesnt make a career he is on the right trajectory but some fans are acting like a 4th line C got the nod just because he is in TO. Toews lovers have a lot to say on the subject which is hilarious when Mattehws had 10ish less goals than Toews had points last year lol
Wasn’t it the top 20 centers “right now?” I mean, Matthews had 40 goals – where’s he supposed to be?
That was an argument I presented in favour… he scored 40 and only one of the guys people were lamenting should have been ahead of him has ever accomplished that (Stamkos).
Ah – i got you – i think Matthews, for the way the list was intended, was slotted appropriately, as well. Honestly, i think Stamkos should have been way down the list coming off of two injuries – his talent is enough to keep him on there, but he should have been in the 10-15 range considering he hasn’t played. Ultimately, i didn’t have a huge problem with how that list fell. Toews was still too high.
And malkin wasn’t?
No. Malkin was not.
One Is capable of scoring titles and MVPs while the other is the “captain of overstated intangibles” and this retard cannot see the difference lol
Any possible PTO for players? There are some players who may come in cheap on a tryout and prove they can play center and hold some chemistry with say a 3rd line.
Lasse Pirjeta
I’d trade Cole in this whole 3rd line center / free up cap space discussion long before Sheary or Maatta – and I don’t mean that to be a knock on Cole – just is what the situation is. He’s likely to be gone, and with the cap space left plus his salary, you can probably land a pretty pragmatic piece.
Pragmatism
Another amazing value add.
It’s a step up from umbrance. Proud of you bro.
No question you had to google “pragmatic.” But given your lot in life, we all get it.
What’s google?
They have a major hole to fill at 4th line cener? They’ve already said that’s Rowney’s job.
I truly don’t understand why the team would re-sign 72 when he is already declining and the team has too many RWs. He should be the trade chip, not Sheary.
Any actual rumblings that Pens are in on RNH?
Yeah I wouldn’t want to give Hornqvist a 3 year deal. Love the guy, but age is catching up to him. I certainly think he could help us this year, but would be really apprehensive about an extension.
#72 strikes me more as a third pairing dman.
LOL, he must have read your comment tbj
#JagrWatch