Training camps open in 13 days and many quality NHL players still can’t find jobs.
Marcel Goc and Max Lapierre, two players traded for each other last season, both signed in Europe this week.
Scottie Upshall a solid bottom-6 player signed with the St. Louis Blues on a professional tryout on Tuesday.
One veteran agent said the market has shaped up for established players to either accept an $800,000 offer or go to camp on a tryout.
The Penguins have gone the tryout route twice already, signing Sergei Gonchar and Tim Sestito to professional tryout contracts in August.
The Penguins brass, though, wouldn’t be doing their job if they weren’t looking to take advantage of the current market and exploring the possibility of bringing in another forward on a tryout.
The past week there have been discussions with a few.
In fact, four notable wingers the Penguins looked into prior to the deadline remain in play as possible tryout candidates for NHL teams this fall.
[hide] Jiri Tlusty,| Carolina/Winnipeg
14 Goals – 17 Assists – 31 Points
*Jim Rutherford has always been a big fan and tried to acquire Tlusty in February. Tlusty’s value took a huge hit after failing to fit in with the Jets and struggled with the speed in the West. However, still only in his 20’s and has history of playing with top talent. Also exploring options in Europe. Made $2.95 million in 14-15.
Curtis Glencross | Calgary/Washington
13 Goals – 22 Assists – 35 Points
*The Penguins have liked Glencross dating back to the 2011 deadline and looked into him again this past deadline. Glencross is similar to Tlusty where he joined a playoff team and struggled mightily, crushing his free agent value. A player on the downside and doesn’t fit with the Penguins desire to be a faster team.
Brad Boyes | Florida
14 Goals – 24 Assists – 38 Points
*Elliotte Friedman reported back in December the Penguins were looking into Boyes and the 33 year old winger was being discussed internally again by the Penguins prior to acquiring Phil Kessel, we were told.
Boyes playmaking ability and hockey sense made him a strong fit with John Tavares in 2013. Boyes possession numbers have been that of a second line player and he’s fantastic in shootouts. Intriguing depth option, has same agent as Sidney Crosby.
Erik Cole | Dallas/Detroit
21 Goals – 18 Assists – 39 Points
*If the cap space was there, Erik Cole might have been a Penguin at the trade deadline. Has a history with Rutherford but dealt with a spinal contusion that limited him to just 11 games with the Red Wings and has Cole undecided whether to keep playing with him destined to take a big pay cut.
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LOL – they want to get faster! And then in the next breath, he talks about Brad Boyes.
enjoy guys http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/tor150909.html
http://www.nj.com/flyers/index.ssf/2015/09/5_flyers_things_we_learned_friday_gm_ron_hextall_a.html
Every teams worst contracts this year Anaheim Ducks – Clayton Stoner 3.25M$ Arizona Coyotes – Mike Smith 5.667M$ Boston Bruins – David Krejci 7.250M$ Buffalo Sabres – Zach Bogosian 5.143M$ Calgary Flames – Ladislav Smid 3.75M$ Carolina Hurricanes – Eric Staal 9.5M$ Chicago Blackhawks – Kris Versteeg 4.7M$ Colorado Avalanche – Francois Beauchemin 4.5M$ Columbus Blue Jackets – David Clarkson 5.5M$ Dallas Stars – Jason Spezza 7.5M$ Detroit Red Wings-Mike Green 6M$ Edmonton Oilers – Nikita Nikitin 4.5M$ Florida Panthers – Dave Bolland 5.5M$ Los Angeles Kings – Dustin Brown 7.25M$ Minnesota Wild – Mikko Koivu 7.29M$ Montreal Canadiens –… Read more »
ORPIGGG
Scuderi at 3.85? And Petry isnt making 7 million per you tool, he is getting 3 with bonuses for 5.5… Markov is taking more then that and is showing his age too. Also how good is Calgary doing when their worst contract is a pretty solid blueliner. I think you could also make a case for Datsyuk and his oft injured *** at 7.5 to be as bad if not worse than Greens at this point. Dion AAV is 7 million and he plays… Horton make like 5.7M and we dont know whats going on. Also Krejci’s may not be… Read more »
Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond signed back with the devils for 575K .Good job Shero now take back scuderi as well
man, I’d like to watch some live hockey instead of these re-runs on the NHL network.
No Tim Horton’s pizza, donuts, and Labatt’s!!
Three of my favorite Canadian products!!
Kessel lost 13lbs just by leaving Canada for a Summer
Your right dusty. It’s because he is training with a Canadian guy Gary Roberts. An is staying away from American junk foods like hot dog. Kessel good fat because he was away from home and was keeping hisi American tradition by eating hot dogs every day
Will anybody be brought in to compete for the backup goalie position?
His name is Jeff Zatkoff and he was about as good for the Penguins in 2014 as Greiss was in 2015
You guys do realize that this is all about signing PTOs not actual contracts? Ever post is about how the roster shakes with these guys added but none of them are getting signed, at least not right now. It would make zero sense offering any of the 4 a contract when they can be brought in on a PTO and be evaluated while playing with the team.
Go Pens!
Yeah, that’s exactly what I said. Trade Kunitz and the deadline and move Bonino or Dupuis up.
I’d sign one of these guys if we have the cap space. Fehr is hurt now. Someone will get hurt later. If you have too much depth then trade someone at the deadline for a pick that we will need to grab a rental defender.
That someone will be BB
last 20 years + pens always go after offense have one or 2 good D and rest are garbage and relies heavily on goalies to win games
Ya… like that year they invested 9 million in Martin and Michalek in a single UFA year? Or is this just noting the incredible offensive depth the team has entered every single season with in the last 6 years. Idiot
they need a D that can clean in front of fleury during playoffs. our top 6 D is very soft
How about they get some help on D?
If they added tlusty and or boyes, I’d swear it was be a gm mode in nhl 16 with the roster stacked already
pens roster is amazing to have in EA nhl .but in real life pens need a better defensive defense since Scuderi is absolute garbage
The thought of scuderi and lovejoy make me cringe. The thought of a top six of letang – maata, franson – pouliot, cole – lovejoy/dumoulin makes me feel better
Word!
They won’t need forward depth, they are STACKED at forward depth.
Yes but Franson won’t be UFA at the trade deadline.
Right now you can move Kunitz/Loveyjoy and probably sign Franson/Boyes while picking up a pick.
at the trade deadline you can swap Kunitz for a defenseman. And then give up a pick to add forward depth.
funny how all the players pens were targeting are still available this summer
Taluski
go away fat boy
I would keep keep Kunitz until the deadline at least. I think his value is low right now, but he’ll naturally raise it on the top line with Kessel and Sid. Maybe then, since Fehr will be back and Bonino can move up, you can consider moving Kunitz for a defensemen.
Keep in mind Bonino played top line wing with Perry and Getzlaf before. He’s more than capable.
Agreed
would you guys went after Jiri Tlusty 27 instead of 31 year old injured Fehr .At least Jiri Tlusty would be ready come training camp . unlike Eric he will be missing training camp and only ready by December
Absolutely not. Fehr is a perfect fit in a bottom 6 role and Tlusty is not. God you’re dumb.
Agree on Franson but how do you get the cap space?
Trade Kunitz/Lovejoy and replace with Boyes/Franson would be a nice deal.
What about Fehr? Seems like an overpayment at this point.
But can we put him on injured list at start of season and sign one of these guys?
Good question
After the season starts yes but that will cause cap issues and a log jam when Fehr is ready to return.
They should be trying to clear space for franson, if anyone. The defense needs help a lot more than the offense.
I bet we wont sign any of these guys. But when the deadline comes around, we will be linked to all of them and have to waste draft picks and prospects to get them
Id like Boyes on the team for more depth but fact remains the Pens cant do anything until Scuderis contract is moved
beerman