Penguins/NHL
Penguins remain active in trade talks
The Pittsburgh Penguins have points in nine of their last 11 games and are now just two points out of second place in the Metropolitan Division.
That’s the good for Pittsburgh.
A reality check for the Penguins is the same as it was 3-4 weeks ago:
They’re the second best team in the Metropolitan Division, no matter where they currently are in the standings.
As Jim Rutherford and his staff look at this team with a full lens they have that going for them.
What Rutherford, though, continues to evaluate this team is how they stack against the rest of the league and the numbers don’t lie.
Despite the recent surge, this is still a team 19th in the NHL in points.
Pittsburgh is by no means a bottom 10-12 type team, but there’s a group of 6-7 teams a level above the Penguins and team officials privately see it that way.
That’s why you’re not going to see Jim Rutherford decide to sit back as the Penguins GM continues to set the stage to make another impact move or two before the deadline:
Among the Rumblings around the League on the Penguins:
1. — *When Matt Murray’s name was getting thrown around a week or two ago, one team kept coming up linked to Murray.
[hide] The St. Louis Blues.
NHL executives say Rutherford is notorious for putting blockbuster scenarios in the air, though, nothing is imminent, it sounds like at one point late last month Pittsburgh and St. Louis kicked around some ideas.
Phil Kessel and Murray are the two primary names believed to have been talked about with the Blues, while Brayden Schenn is a prominent name that’s been linked to Pittsburgh in those talks.
You can bet Alex Pietrangelo, who the Blues have hinted to other clubs they’d be willing to listen on, was brought up from Pittsburgh’s end.
2. — TSN reported this week that Minnesota Wild GM Paul Fenton has put Charlie Coyle in play.
The interesting dynamic to this:
Fenton coveting a right wing scoring winger, has long had an admiration for Phil Kessel since he was in Nashville and looked into Kessel last summer.
Penguins management were very high on To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! last summer during their brief talks with Minnesota, while To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! was of particular interest to the Penguins coaching staff.
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— From an aggressiveness standpoint, Industry buzz is that Jim Rutherford has pulled back To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
— Pittsburgh has struck 1-for-1 deals with Los Angeles and Anaheim thus far this season.
The Penguins have put some balls in the air with both clubs where it wouldn’t be a shock that another trade transpires at somepoint with either club and it wouldn’t be a minor one.
— Wildest rumor out there among executives linked to the Penguins:
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Related posts:
Latest Pens Buzz: Penguins show willingness to listen to trade scenarios on Matt Murray
NHL Buzz: Blues listening to offers for Boyes and Berglund in wake of blockbuster deal
Latest Pens Buzz: Zuccarello emerges as top target?; Unlikely scenarios Penguins have looked into; Waiting on Nyquist
Latest Pens Buzz: Oilers-Pens kicked around winger swap?
