Latest NHL Buzz
What do rival executives expect of the Penguins this off-season?
Some tweaks around the edges and the team to ‘run it back’.
Several weeks after a third straight Round 1 ouster, General Manager Ron Hextall and his group are said to still this group is right their with the Tampa Bay’s and others to compete for a Stanley Cup next season and the possibility of seismic changes is going to get pushed back to next summer.
Maybe Hextall has the ultimate poker face going on but good luck finding anyone in the know who has expectations of anything else playing out.
With a number of big names available, a major change in how Jim Rutherford operated compared to how Ron Hextall goes about is already being seen.
Rutherford was notorious for being in on everything, even if the Penguins had no business in being in the mix. He would always keep his ear on talks until the end.
The Ryan McDonagh trade sweepstakes as limited as they were, is a perfect example from 2018, where Rutherford made a swing for McDonagh pretty much out of nowhere in the final hours of the deadline that even surprised his own management team.
Hextall isn’t going to be that guy and whether that ends up being a good or bad thing for this team remains to be seen.
Sources say Hextall will go in with a plan and stick with it. He’s doesn’t veer off the path.
If Rutherford was still in the GM chair, you’d be hearing the Penguins as a team that checked in on Jack Eichel because Rutherford 100% would have and kept his pulse on where talks were and headed, especially with Sabres going to get nowhere near the prospects/multiple first round picks return Buffalo initially sought.
Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres
Age: 24
Signed Through: 2025-2026
Cap Hit: $10.5 Million
Salary Owed: $50 million
Signing Bonus Remaining On Deal: $7.5 Million
Signed Through: 2025-2025
Team sources say Hextall To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! A game breaker who can start taking pressure off the Penguins being so reliant on Crosby offensively. Pittsburgh is losing their minds that Evgeni Malkin is or can still be that guy for the next couple seasons. To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
The most intrigue around the league on Eichel centers around three teams To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! Guerin has some Jimmy Rutherford in him. He’s not afraid to make bold moves and it’s on the table for Minnesota.
MORE BUZZ
— Ron Hextall [hide] made a number of hiring’s to the Hockey Ops this week, including the hiring of his son Brett Hextall. [/hide] There was little surprise that Sam Ventura moved on when his contract expired, joining the Buffalo Sabres front office last week. Ventura was one primary individual in the Penguins organization whose influence moving forward was significantly impacted by Rutherford’s resignation. The writing was on the wall for months that he’d be seeking other opportunities.
— Rick Tocchet and the Toronto Maple Leafs failed to agree to terms on Tocchet joining the team as a top assistant to head coach Sheldon Keefe. Tocchet was offered the job but sounds To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
— Penguins assistant coach Mike Vellucci had his name in the mix for a few specific openings this summer. Vellucci interviewed twice To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Penguins need Rinne lol
He is your kind of player, he just retired.
Damn mustve missed that one donut boy
Canada sucks
So does the DemocRATS
So you are agreeing Canada sucks. Lol
Yes under Beta male JT
Wish we can ship them to you Guys but never knew there is worst then him out there
Wonder if Seattle takes Brock Jones in the expansion draft.
Wow give it a rest bro…
Brock Jones right now is better than that overpaid, inconsistent, overweight, always injured slug Gregory Polanco.
Hell you might better than Polanco
Did the Pirates really need to draft a guy named Owen Sharts? Plays way too loose in the box and tends to give up bombs when he runs out of gas.
OK fellow insiders If you could pick one UFA Forward, one defenseman, one goalie for the Penguins….who is it ! Forwards Bonino 33, Palmeri 30, Danult 29, Foligino 33, Coleman 30 me Coleman I left out guys like Landescog Hall etc way too much) Defenseman Barry 29, Chara 44, Goligoski 35, Larsson 28, Montour 27, Martinez 32 Reilly 28 me Reilly or Savard (i left out guys like Hamilton/Jones too much? Goalies Andersen 36, Bernier 32, Dreidger 27, Elliot 36, Halak 36, Mrazek 29, Smith 39, Reimer 33, Ullmark 27 me Ullmark you guys who is you one free agent… Read more »
I’ll take Barry Bonds for 200.
well played….I didn’t think you would actually take a chance or have an actual opinion..that’s ok !
If throwing out names of mediocre free agents on an obscure message board constitutes “taking a chance” to you, you’ve lived a very sheltered life. No one cares about those guys and the Pens have minimal room to do anything, anyway. I also gave my ideal off-season for the Pens over a month ago. Nothing has changed. I just don’t hyperventilate every time players become available.
Dude this site sucks like you! I was just doing something to spark some conversation. Too many Lazy asses like you to say something…Just for fun bro relax your so serious relax Francis.
You dumb ass you don’t Hextall/Burke are going to clear space…,,,DUDE!
No you dumb ass fuck I was asking your opinion of you might chose. No one is hyperventilating ! These are mediocre needs (But as you say fuck face we don’t have much cap space) that is why I didn’t put guys like Landescog, Hamilton, or Seth Jones..
lighten up Francis.
Id go Tanguay, Rafalski, and Kiprusoff
you would.
i would fat sam loser at picks 1, 2, and 3..
Sorry Parise and Suter bought out by Minnesota last night !
Ahahaha 2 frauds that were overpaid from the get co
I guess same was right again
Next is Npl’s favorite player Tyler Johnson
It was not the players, it was the length of the deal. That did Minn in.
Well I said it day 1 they will never finish that contract and they were overpaid too specially parise
Agreed…
Where do Suter and Parise end up? All reports Parise is a slam dunk for the New York Islanders. Aren’t Crosby and Parise friends? Blackhawks supposedly in hard on Marc Andre Fluery but will he waive his no trade clause? 1 year left at $ 7 million..
Hawks can absorb one year of that..
expansion draft coming, nhl draft coming blah, free agency fun times coming…
Why would the Hawks want MAF? They are in the middle of a rebuild. I don’t care where they end up, they just better not end up in Pitts. The Islanders don’t need Parise, they need more youth.
I found that odd as well. Two articles were commenting on this we shall see. Look one year at $ 7 million and the Hawks could absorb that. If the Hawks add Seth Jones (just traded for his brother), Jonathan Toews is returning, and they unloaded Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook is on LTR..mmmhhh maybe ???
Islanders tried to get him at the deadline with a Ladd for Parise swap. (didn’t work out) At league minimum to play 3rd 4th line???
Lou likes him..
What do you think of right wing Kevin Labanc of San Jose ? Sharks are open to trading him he career high in goals is 18! He is gritty, solid player and only 25 !!!
The Pens biggest priority should be in goal.
Yes and maybe one more top 4 d-man so we can have a big three on defense? Like Tampa Hedman/Sergechev/McDonough..
Letang/Dumoulin/ maybe a Mattis Ekholm somebody like that that is doable…
Agreed we don’t need him in Pittsburgh !