Penguins/NHL
Latest Penguins/Free Agency Buzz
LATEST
[Is Olli Maatta still in play for “amateur hour” Avalanche?]
[Daley to land a 4 year deal?]
[Preds eyeing Bonino as long-term Fisher replacement, Habs making big push]
[Multiple Clubs circling on Kulikov, evaluating medicals]
[Did the Penguins reach out to Girardi’s camp?]
— Unless each side is trying to keep things dead quiet for whatever reason, there continues to be no indications the Penguins are pursuing Joe Thornton or are going to be a player for him.
A big time market has evolved for him and teammate Patrick Marleau. If it’s not going to happen in San Jose, some chatter the two would still love to finish their careers together and try to be a packaged deal somewhere else but that would be difficult.
One executive mentioned Toronto as the one team that could potentially pull it off (a destination where both players would go) and go all-in with many of their top young guys still on their rookie deals.
Thornton wants a three year deal but the belief is he’s going to land a 2 year deal in the $6.5 million per range if he decides to leave San Jose.
There’s a lot of contenders willing to gamble on him for two years.
— Nick Bonino and Chris Kunitz are not the only Penguins off a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion in high command.
Defenseman Trevor Daley is a popular person on the market.
A wide range of teams (10) have reached out to Daley since the free agency window opened with the Sabres, Red Wings, Devils, Maple Leafs [hide] and Bruins among five teams making a hard push.
Daley plans to cut his list down to 3-4 teams within the next day.
He’s going to land at least a three year deal. One Penguin source said don’t be shocked if he gets four years.
If Daley returns to Pittsburgh, he would be taking a significant discount based on how his market is evolving.
— A strong mutual interest between Nick Bonino and the Nashville Predators who have keen on Bonino as their long-time replacement for Mike Fisher. Nashville’s been in hot pursuit of him since the free agent window has opened and have made Bonino’s final list but if ends up in Nashville, I think he’ll be turning down some bigger offers elsewhere, which is certainly possible to play out.
I continue to hear Montreal is going to throw big money at both Bonino and Martin Hanzal and see if they can land one of them.
Bonino was considering taking two visits before Saturday.
Buffalo has been a team on the outside trying to also lineup a visit.
— Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is one of the more interesting blueliners on the market. This was a pretty good defenseman prior to last season where a back injury wrecked his season and some feel the Sabres season.
He’s only 26 and 13 clubs including the Penguins made contact since Sunday and lot of clubs are investigating the medicals.
Pittsburgh liked Kulikov a lot at the deadline but they got intel his back was so bad that weren’t willing to offer more than a conditional fourth round pick and Tim Murray stubbornly wouldn’t move Kulikov for anything other than a second round pick.
Kulikov’s agent Mike Bogdan tells me the back is fully healed and no teams have expressed concern to this point.
“Teams that we are talking to are doing their due diligence on the injury and I haven’t heard any concern going forward,” Bogdan told Inside Pittsburgh Sports.
My sense is the Penguins would have interest in a one-year, build your value up type contract but it sounds like Kulikov has better options elsewhere.
More Buzz
— One rumor making the rounds today is the Penguins checked in on Dan Girardi who was recently bought out. Though, Mike Sullivan is said to be a strong admirer of Girardi, I’m hearing for now there might have been a discussion through talks with the agent (who reps Girardi) about a player on the Penguins roster they are trying to resign but nothing more than that.
Fire up the Matt Duchene Rumors Again?
— The Penguins as widely noted here in February went hard after Matt Duchene but never got close to acquiring him despite putting Olli Maatta in play.
Until today, It’s been crickets on Duchene.
A Penguins source says dealing with the Avalanche prior to the deadline was like “amateur hour” where Joe Sakic has frustrated many teams including the Penguins in talks.
It’s believed the Penguins have not re-engaged much with Colorado since the winter, other than making it known to Colorado at the trade deadline, ‘that if you want to have a serious discussion we’ll be open to it in the summer.’
NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman threw out the Duchene possibility again in his 30 thoughts segment:
[15. “Low-key Matt Duchene possibility: Pittsburgh. The Penguins have circled around him before. Both Glen Sather and Phil Jackson (before he decided to ruin the Knicks) talked about adding new players to championship teams. You prevent a staleness, and if the newcomer is popular, the group rallies around them so they can win, too. Everyone’s frustrated: Colorado GM Joe Sakic, Duchene and agent Pat Brisson. Could Olli Maatta plus more pieces get the Penguins into this?”]
I asked around about Duchene during the week of the draft and some feedback was if the Penguins re-entered the mix, what the Penguins were willing to offer in February would be less now.
However, maybe things reach the stage where Duchene eventually falls into the Penguins lap like Kessel did. It is mindboggling to other clubs that Duchene hasn’t been moved. [/hide]
Related posts:
Sources: Doan seeking at least 3-4 year deal; Pens to make decision very soon on whether to push forward with Semin or pass
Latest Pens Rumblings: Can the Penguins really dupe Pascal Dupuis into another team friendly deal?
After rejection of 3 year deal, Talbot and Pens keeping open line of communication
Latest Pens Rumblings: Niskanen, team trying to hammer out deal this weekend; Suter to be patient on July 1 & Parise Latest
