Latest Penguins Buzz

Trade Deadline Buzz: Penguins still looking to Add

Thursday, February 23, 2017 / by William DePaoli / / / 51 comments

Latest Trade Deadline Buzz
[1. Pens still looking to Add]
[2. Team monitoring Shattenkirk market]
[3. Top priority in creating cap space]
[4. Pens to circle back to Fleury]
[5. Rutherford/Sullivan on Hainsey]

On the heels of acquiring Ron Hainsey this morning, Penguin General Manager Jim Rutherford is looking to add one more defenseman and intends to scour the market right up until the deadline with an open mind of all positions in the play.

“We’ll stay in the mix right up to the deadline and see what happens,” Rutherford told reporters today.

Sources say the Penguins were pursuing two particular deals Want the Full Story? Get "Inside Access"

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William DePaoli

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William DePaoli is the President/Founder of Inside Pittsburgh Sports LLC and can be reached at wdepaoli@insidepittsburghsports.com

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Trade Buzz: Wild sell low on Niederreiter?

MIN Receives: Victor Rask
CAR Receives: Nino Niederreiter

Trade Buzz: Thursday’s 1-for-1 trade of young underperforming players saw the Minnesota Wild acquire center Victor Rask from the Carolina Hurricanes for left winger Nino Niederreiter. Carolina did an excellent job of being able to get out of the Rask contract, who has three years remaining with a $4 million cap hit. Rask has 1 goal, 5 assists on the season, mirrored in a 22-game goal drought. The logic here for Minnesota is taking the chance on a playmaking center who can help fill a top-9 spot longer term if the Wild move on from Eric Staal. Minnesota is also playing the card that a change of scenery will benefit the 24-year old who posted a career-high 21 goals, 48 points in 2015-2016.

Niederreiter’s trade value was stunted because of his contract, where he has three years left on his deal with a $5.25 million cap hit. Niederreiter is a player who is extremely hard to play against, drives possession well, and has three 20 goal seasons over his last four full seasons. Injuries (18 goals in 63 games) kept him from a 4th straight 20-goal season in 17-18. The Niederreiter acquisition also sets up as great insurance for the Hurricanes if they can’t resign Micheal Ferland. In the short-term, Carolina’s center situation is a mess with Jordan Staal sidelined with a concussion, but they’re getting the better player who fits the identity they’re trying to establish upfront, especially on the wings where they’ve identified the need for Patric Hornqvist type players.

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Time to buy into the Islanders?

The Penguins (25-15-6, 56 pts) on Tuesday night dropped to the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders (26-15-4, 56 pts) 8-2-0 in their last 10 games, continue to hang around in the Metropolitan Division and is it finally time to start buying into the Islanders as having sustainability in race for a top-3 spot in the Metro?

The possession numbers, 5th worst in the NHL, have been poor all season for the Islanders, but the Barry Trotz effect is working to counter that with the 2nd-best Goals For% (57%/+23) at even strength in the NHL. With the Islanders you continue to wait for the goaltending to start trending down but it hasn’t to this point. Robin Lehner is 13-7-0 with a 2.16 GAA, .928 SV% and Thomas Greiss is 13-8-1 with a 2.62 GAA, .918 SV%. These numbers hold where NYI is getting .930 and .920 type goaltending, the Islanders will continue to sick around.

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