Forsberg Rumors: Today, Penguins General Manager Ray Shero denied the Penguins even talking to Peter Forsberg. Shero did awknowledge if Forsberg was interested in joining the Penguins he would be interested.
My Take: According to sources, Forsbergs‘ agent made calls out to 7 teams including the Penguins this week, letting teams know of Forsbergs‘ intentions for the upcoming season and what kind of situation he is looking for. Anaheim, Vancouver, Nashville, Colorado, Philadelphia, Detroit and Pittsburgh are the 7 teams Forsberg is considering at this moment. Edmonton, the Islanders, and Buffalo have also expressed significant interest in Forsberg but I’ve been told the 7 teams i just mentioned are the only destinations Forsberg is interested in. We’ll see about that when Garth Snow comes calling with a 2 yr – 10 million deal next month. At this moment Forsberg is not even considering offers. He does not want a deadline to sign with a team and some people i have talked to believe he may wait until the season begins to sign. Forsberg is not due back until late November at the earliest.
Unlikely but not impossible: The Chances the Penguins sign Peter Forsberg? I’d say 10 percent chance of happening. A source close to the Penguins told me it is very unlikely but not impossible. The Penguins are content on going into the season with the team they have but if in the next couple weeks to a month, Forsberg expresses a strong desire to join the Penguins then they will look into it. The only way this happens is if Forsbergs‘ agent initiates the talks. In the summer of 2005, the Penguins were one of Forsbergs final three teams.
Rumors swirling around the Atlantic Division: The Rangers have offered Mike Peca a 1 year deal worth 1.2 million with incentives that could make the contract worth up to 2 million. Peca is also considering a offer from the Maple Leafs who have offered substantially more.
R.J. Umbergers‘ name has recently come up in trade speculation. A Penguins source told me he has heard some talk about a potential deal involving Umberger for Nikolai Zherdev or left wing Jason Chimera.
The Islanders have a 2 year deal on the table for defenseman Danny Markov. The deal is believed to be worth up to 2.5 million per season. The Islanders have also had talks with the Phoenix Coyotes about defenseman Derek Morris but the Coyotes are rumored to be asking for right wing Trent Hunter who just signed a 1 year deal a couple days ago.
Sources i have talked to have said the Patrick Elias rumors are bogus. The Devils are having difficulty signing their top defenseman Paul Martin to a long term contract.
