Latest Penguins Trade Deadline Talk

The Pittsburgh Penguins have struck out for the two top names on the rental market in Martin Hanzal and Kevin Shattenkirk and from Pittsburgh’s end they’re not losing any sleep over it.

Hanzal or Shattenkirk surely would have strengthen an already top Stanley Cup contender but they weren’t necessary moves.

A finalist for Martin Hanzal on Sunday night, the Penguins also ended up a finalist for Kevin Shattenkirk who went to the NHL leading Washington Capitals.

Pittsburgh put their 2017 first rounder in play for Shattenkirk but were not willing to surrender a prospect of significance.

Sources say St. Louis sought center Oskar Sundqvist in talks from the Penguins which was a non-starter.

Penguins GM Jim Rutherford has been in most of the conversations for the big names available, rentals or long-term targets, but at least on the rental market, the Penguins went into talks for Hanzal and Shattenkirk with a specific value of what they’d be willing to offer and have stayed discipline in not swaying from it, one source close to the situation says.

St. Louis tried to get Pittsburgh into a bidding war but didn’t succeed. What the Penguins offered Monday morning was the same as Monday evening.

As Hanzal is a fantastic fit for the Wild, so is Shattenkirk in Washington. Both teams have to go for it this season and are.

The Penguins last spring just tormented the Capitals bottom-pairing defenders.

Shattenkirk is not just an offensive/power play type guy. He can defend well and he’s a great defenseman to combat the Penguins because of his skating and skill set.

There’s not a better right side in hockey than John Carlson, Matt Niskanen and now Shattenkirk.

— The Penguins have done the inevitable and placed Eric Fehr on waivers in the hopes of clearing cap space. As mentioned here for weeks, the team has been leaning in that direction but wanted to exhaust every trade avenue before they did. Pittsburgh had some brief talks with the Maple Leafs prior to Toronto acquiring Brian Boyle. As of today there were zero trade options.

MORE RUMBLINGS

[Pens to circle back on Duchene]
[Pens and Flames discussed Daley/Wideman trade prior to Daley injury?]

— Talks between the Penguins and Avalanche have cooled over the last 7-10 days but multiple NHL executives say Penguins GM Jim Rutherford To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

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