LATEST PENGUINS RUMBLINGS
When the Winnipeg Jets decide to seriously listen (HASN’T HAPPENED YET) on defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, a free agent at seasons end who is expected to sign elsewhere, Jim Rutherford will be in the mix, NHL sources said this week.
“He’s [Jim Rutherford] obsessed with Byfuglien,” a Penguins source said. “When Jimmy sets his sights on someone, he’ll be in it till the end.”
Rutherford has a history of chasing big name players. Signing Sergei Federov to a tender, acquiring Jordan Staal, making surprise offers to Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in 2012 despite not having the budget to sign either, acquiring Phil Kessel this summer, he’s almost always involved in everything as other executives put it.
“He swings for the fences,” a rival executive said.
Regarding the Penguins blueline I had one high ranking Penguins official on Tuesday tell me he cringes every time this preseason when Kris Letang or Olli Maatta are bracing to take a hit.
The Penguins approached the Jets this summer about Byfuglien when they were dangling Brandon Sutter in talks. Winnipeg didn’t seriously engage in talks at the time.
Byfuglien, 30, is carrying a $5.25 million cap hit and making $6 million this season.
The Penguins won’t be quiet on the rumor mill this season.
MORE RUMBLINGS
— The Penguins as of Monday were still actively shopping a veteran defenseman to open flexibility to sign Sergei Gonchar, NHL sources said. What many are watching is whether Rutherford has it in him to hurt some feelings and tell Gonchar it’s not going to work out. Gonchar had another brutal night vs the Red Wings. Maybe Gonchar makes the decision himself to walk away but talking to the agent yesterday, sure didn’t sound like it.
— A report surfaced this week that Eric Staal was seeking $9 million per season. Staal’s agent Rick Curran strongly denied the rumor, saying there’s been no numbers exchanged between the two sides. More realistic expectations is Staal seeking a six year deal worth $36 million once talks begin.
Byfuglien isn’t the type of defenseman this team needs. They have enough defensive liabilities on the blue line.
While I can honestly say the size, skill and intensity thing intrigues me he doesnt improve us defensively much and the potential cost is real high. The D we out to bring in should be fleeter of foot with a better rep in defending his own end… Like a Hamhuis type
Why do people keep calling Perron & Buyfuglien rental players? A player is only a rental if the team chooses not resign the player, many times with players like Perron and especially Buyfuglien, team make the move with full intentions of signing and retaining the player, with just saw that with ROR, Saad and the kid from Boston whose name I just blanked on and it didn’t hurt their trade value 1 bit even though their future was unknown before the trade. My educated guess would be that anyone trading for Byfuglien would be making the trade as a longer… Read more »
Doug Hamilton?
Hamilton was high way robbery. Especially with the reasonable contract he signed. I’d assume buyf is a $6 million a year player as a starting point. Mike Green got 3 years $18. His offensive ability isn’t at that level but his shot is phenomenol. Plus he’s very phyiscal and no more of a liability defensively. I don’t think we have the assets for him. Let’s assume it would costs us Perron, Jarry, and Dumoulin. That could be worth it if we sign him long-term, but even at $6 would cause us some cap problems. Buy out of scuderi plus Perron… Read more »
I agree, Buff would not be a 1 year player. I personally don’t think Butf is worth 2 current assets plus losing your ability to sign additional assets next year when you have to pay buff $6+ next year. We’re a cash strapped team that doesn’t have many elc’s ready to step in.
Unrelated: This whole Hostage/SWAT thing going on in Munhall is literally at the end of my street (I am not home though).
what the hell is rothey doing in munhall?
leading a #blacklivesmatter march
rothey are you practicing nhl16 when you are ready come play vs my division one team.which i know it wont happen because you like to play normal OTP games with your crew and feel Good about yourself beating Noobs and trolls
Lol yeah right….i had you looking like gonchar.
Trade deadline if team has no major injuries they will trade Perron since he still has some value .Also expect pens make few changes from now to November .because the team we have now is not build for playoffs it is only build for EAnhl16 or Fantasy Hockey
where are the people that wanted fleury gone and murray take over when i said fleury’s contract is a steel. Where are the people that said Zatkoff will be a good backup to Fleury
Not saying Zatkoff was good but it was pre-season A and B… what would you throw in there? Murray? The guy that should be getting as many starts as possible not watching them
murray needs to play in the AHL until fleurys last year of contract then if he is ready he can be fleurys back up. So in my view murray must at least play 2 years inthe AHL before even consider him to be fleurys backup in his final year
We don’t have the assets for him. Any trade for him would be an overpayment for a one year rental where winnipeg retains salary. But we’d have nothing for the future moves next year.
Zatkoff blows. Need a better backup….been saying it for months!
It’s not a pressing problem. If MAF goes down long term, they’ll see what Murray can do before looking for another goalie. That kid looks like the real deal.
Wouldn’t that be interesting? Keep Murray down in WBS for the reps, and have him replace Fleury if he goes down. I wouldn’t mind that situation.
It would cost a top level prospect and a high pick at minimum. Then it affects your ability to either re-sign someone or be a player in the open market next year. No thanks on Buff.
Alex Edler would be a much better option for our top 4. If we can’t trade for size and grit at least get a sound staple presence.
Sam, I am actually highly valuing your opinion on Buff because you seem like you are pretty good on players outside of pittsburgh. I always thought Buff was a liability defensively. Do you agree?
Also, does he have a good transition game? Or is he regarded as a good offensive player because he’s got a big shot from the point? I would be one to put a big plus to his physicality because I think we need it especially on our backend though I think most would discount that point…
he has good transition game and when he has the puck he can be intimidating entering the offensive zone but his speed without the puck is very slow to go back to the defensive zone like kessel give kessel the puck he flys with it ,but as soon as he loses the puck he is very slow to come back to the defensive zone .but Buff with MJ system he will be okay.if it was DB pens coach Buff wouldve been a bad choice to bring in
petari lets put it this way he is good enough to be with pens Defensive actual roster he might be good number 1 guy for most teams but in pens i would put him behind letang and slightly above Maatta .Also Few things that worries me he is not a wow person off the ice and also he does take dumb penalties when game level is intense he can be a momentum killer for the team kinda like Neal and malkin
This team is due to a trade in the next few months.
Any of you enjoyed tonight’s game. I swear you could’ve dropped a pin and hear it through out the consol museum center
Apparently bruins after big buff as well but the way our D is I recommend pens to get little more aggressive about big buff and get him
Trade rumors in sept for a team with no young talent or cap space to spare. For the love of God, same shit different year.
The only value we have to trade for big buff would be pouliot and sprong. Sprong should be untouchable.
It’s really too early to assume something like that Walluk. If this trade were ever to get to a realistic discussion that won’t be until close to the deadline at the earliest, by that time we could have several young players like Bennett and Dumoulin start to reach their potential and up their values as well as a still in his prime years vet like Perron. If Perron gets back to 30 goal pace, Bennett finally progress to look like a 20-25 goal player and Dumoulin proves to be a reliable NHL defenseman with low end top 4 potential the… Read more »
I wouldn’t necessarily consider kapenen garbage. Harrington had potential, first is always worth something. That said, you make a valid point
I wouldn’t trade three guys for a rental and that would kill our forward depth.
Perron is also ufa so he would be more of a guy you move for an asset to trade.
He does fit a need. Ideally kunitz plus a second for him.
Would still like to get a deal done with Perron but if the UFA market is like last year cap space will have value.
I agree with most of this. They have to wait to see how things progress before looking for help on D. However, if things go south early, I could easily see them making a deal earlier than the TDL.