KEY DATES LOOM
Free Agency Interview Process: June 25 – 30
NHL Entry Draft: June 27-28
NHL Free Agency: July 1
Five days until the NHL entry draft and with a weak free agency group, it’s the best opportunity for any NHL team to re-tool their roster.
After another playoff disappointment, It’s a prime opportunity for the Penguins to reshape their roster but information is sketchy on whether they have the appetite to move a James Neal or Kris Letang who ownership is said to want to keep.
Interest is sky high in Neal, though, GM Jim Rutherford has yet to give any indication to interested teams he is open to trading Neal, multiple NHL sources contend. Will that change in the next few days?
With his no trade clause not kicking in until July 2015 and four years left on his contract, small market teams such as the Ottawa Senators for instance, places Neal might not be interested in going a year from now, are among the teams with keen interest in Neal and monitoring his situation closely.
The trade market is flooded with big names in play from Ryan Kesler, Joe Thornton, Jason Speeza, Patrick Marleau, Evander Kane, Dion Phaneuf, among others.
The Penguins for now have just one draft pick (Round 1, 22) among the first 112 draft selections in the draft. Overall Pittsburgh has selections No. 22, No. 113, No. 145, No. 173, and No. 203
Pittsburgh has no second round pick, which goes to San Jose due to the Douglas Murray trade, and traded their third round pick to Calgary for Lee Stempniak.
GM Jim Rutherford has informed the organizations scouts that he intends to draft a forward with the No. 22 overall selection. Rutherford will not make the call on the prospect Pittsburgh selects but will have final say on what direction (position) to go with the pick.
Round 1
1. Florida, 2. Buffalo, 3. Edmonton, 4. Calgary, 5. NY Islanders, 6. Vancouver, 7. Carolina, 8. Toronto, 9. Winnipeg, 10. Anaheim (from Ottawa), 11. Nashville, 12. Phoenix, 13. Washington, 14. Dallas, 15. Detroit, 16. Columbus, 17. Philadelphia, 18. Minnesota, 19. Tampa Bay, 20. San Jose, 21. St. Louis (conditional to Buffalo), 22. Pittsburgh, 23. Colorado, 24. Anaheim, 25. Boston, 26. Montreal, 27. Chicago, 28. Tampa Bay (from NY Rangers), 29. Los Angeles, 30. New Jersey
Round 2
31. Buffalo, 32. Florida, 33. St. Louis (from Edmonton), 34. Calgary, 35. NY Islanders, 36. Vancouver, 37. Carolina, 38. ANA or CBJ, at ANA’s option (from TOR), 39. Buffalo (from Winnipeg via Minnesota), 40. Ottawa, 41. New Jersey, 42. Nashville, 43. Phoenix, 44. Washington, 45. Dallas, 46. Nashville (from Detroit), 47. Columbus, 48. Philadelphia, 49. Buffalo (from Minnesota; conditional to St. Louis), 50. Tampa Bay, 51. San Jose, 52. St. Louis, 53. San Jose (from Pittsburgh), 54. Calgary (from Colorado), 55. Anaheim, 56. Boston (conditional to Philadelphia), 57. NY Islanders (from Montreal), 58. Phoenix (from Chicago), 59. NY Rangers, 60. Los Angeles
Round 3
61. Buffalo (conditional to St. Louis), 62. Chicago (from Florida), 63. Columbus (from Edmonton via LA), 64. Calgary, 65. NY Islanders, 66. Vancouver, 67. Carolina, 68. Toronto, 69. Winnipeg, 70. Ottawa, 71. New Jersey, 72. Nashville, 73. Phoenix, 74. Washington, 75. Dallas, 76. Detroit, 77. Columbus, 78. NY Islanders (from Philadelphia), 79. Minnesota, 80. Tampa Bay, 81. San Jose, 82. St. Louis, 83. Calgary (from Pittsburgh), 84. Colorado, 85. Anaheim, 86. Boston (conditional to Philadelphia), 87. Montreal, 88. Chicago, 89. NY Rangers, 90. Los Angeles
Round 4
91. Edmonton (from Buffalo via Minnesota), 92. Florida, 93. Colorado (from Edmonton via Toronto), 94. Toronto (from Calgary), 95. NY Islanders, 96. Carolina (from Vancouver), 97. Carolina, 98. Chicago (from Toronto), 99. Winnipeg, 100. Ottawa, 101. Winnipeg (from New Jersey), 102. Nashville, 103. Toronto (from Phoenix), 104. Washington, 105. Dallas, 106. Detroit, 107. Columbus, 108. NY Islanders (from Philadelphia), 109. Minnesota, 110. St. Louis (from Tampa Bay), 111. Edmonton (from San Jose), 112. Nashville (from St. Louis), 113. Pittsburgh, 114. Colorado, 115. Dallas (from Anaheim via Washington), 116. Boston, 117. Montreal, 118. Washington (from Chicago via NY Islanders), 119. NY Rangers, 120. Los Angeles
Round 5
121. Buffalo, 122. NY Rangers (from Florida), 123. Anaheim (from Edmonton), 124. St. Louis (from Calgary), 125. Montreal (from NY Islanders), 126. Vancouver, 127. Carolina, 128. Toronto, 129. Winnipeg, 130. Edmonton (from Ottawa), 131. New Jersey, 132. Nashville, 133. Phoenix, 134. Washington, 135. Dallas, 136. Detroit, 137. Edmonton (from Columbus), 138. Philadelphia, 139. Minnesota, 140. Tampa Bay, 141. Chicago (from San Jose), 142. Tampa Bay (from St. Louis), 143. Florida (from Pittsburgh), 144. Colorado, 145. Pittsburgh (from Anaheim), 146. Boston, 147. Montreal, 148. Chicago, , 149. San Jose (from NY Rangers), 150. Los Angeles
Round 6
151. Buffalo (conditional to Edmonton), 152. New Jersey (from Florida), 153. Edmonton, 154. Dallas (from Calgary), 155. NY Islanders, 156. Vancouver, 157. Los Angeles (from Carolina), 158. Toronto, 159. Winnipeg, 160. Minnesota (from Ottawa), 161. New Jersey, 162. Nashville, 163. Phoenix, 164. Washington, 165. Dallas, 166. Detroit, 167. Minnesota (from Columbus via NY Rangers), 168. Philadelphia, 169. Minnesota, 170. Tampa Bay, 171. San Jose, 172. St. Louis, 173. Pittsburgh, 174. Colorado, 175. Calgary (from Anaheim), 176. St. Louis (from Boston), 177. Montreal, 178. Chicago, 179. San Jose (from NY Rangers), 180. Los Angeles
Round 7
181. Buffalo, 182. Florida, 183. Edmonton, 184. Calgary, 185. NY Islanders, 186. Vancouver, 187. Carolina, 188. Toronto, 189. Winnipeg, 190. Ottawa, 191. Phoenix (from New Jersey), 192. Washington (from Nashville), 193. Phoenix, 194. Washington, 195. Dallas, 196. Detroit, 197. Columbus, 198. Philadelphia, 199. Minnesota, 200. Tampa Bay, 201. Detroit (from San Jose), 202. St. Louis, 203. Pittsburgh, 204. Colorado, 205. Anaheim, 206. Boston, 207. Montreal, 208. Chicago, 209. Los Angeles (from NY Rangers), 210. Los Angeles.