Pressing question with July 1 looming is whether Penguins can help themselves and not spend on older players they’re mulling runs at

View image | gettyimages.com Jim Rutherford and the Pittsburgh Penguins left the draft Saturday without accomplishing their primary goal of acquiring an impact top-6 winger. Rutherford’s No. 1 priority continues to be to finalize a deal for Phil Kessel but it’s a deal that may take a while or it might not happen at all as neither side is ready to give in at this point. On the flip side, all of the Penguins so called “Plan B” Targets internally were also not traded, Patrick Sharp, Jiri Hudler, Jeff Skinner among them, but Kessel is the big fish Rutherford really wants, multiple sources continue to indicate. Some parameters were established in the Leafs taking on a few roster players, Chris

Latest NHL Buzz: Jordan Staal not looking to jump ship and force a trade to a contender

(Jordan Staal did a lot of winning as a player in Pittsburgh) LATEST NHL BUZZ When the Carolina Hurricanes acquired Jordan Staal, former Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford envisioned Carolina being a serious threat in the Eastern Conference with a 1-2 punch down middle in the Staal brothers. Things obviously haven’t panned out and Eric Staal’s dip in play is why that 1-2 punch will never be what the Hurricanes organization had hoped. Jordan Staal, though, remains a building block for new GM Ron Francis and sources close to Staal say he is fully committed to riding this thing out in Carolina and has no intentions of waiving his no movement clause in the near future, were Hurricanes management to approach

Pirates Rumors: De La Rosa, Lester, Shields

EVALUATING THREE PIRATES PITCHING TARGETS Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox – Age 30 10-7, 2.50 ERA • 4th in AL in IP (137.0) • 5th in AL in ERA (2.50) • 6th in AL in SO (142) • 9th in AL in Wins (10) • 9th in AL in WHIP (1.12) If the Pirates go big at the trade deadline, one surfacing that they’ve kicked the tires on is Red Sox lefty Jon Lester but few seem to think it will get past the exploratory stage. The cost to acquire Lester would be significant. The second best (potentially) available starting pitcher on the market, he’s 5th in the AL in ERA, has posted his best strikeout rate since 2010 and

NHL News: Michel Therrien receives four year extension from Canadiens

Back to back playoff appearances and a run to the Eastern Conference Finals this season, the Montreal Canadiens have rewarded head coach Michel Therrien with a four year extension. Therrien had one year left on his contract and is now under contract for the next five seasons. “Michel is an accomplished and experienced coach who has instilled a culture of hard work in our organization while helping develop our young players,” Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said. “Michel and his coaching staff work in a unique and demanding hockey market and the team’s success over the last two seasons are a reflection of their excellent work. This decision reflects our desire for stability and consistency within our hockey operations department.”