Kessel delivering amid minor trade talk from the summer

The Pittsburgh Penguins made no attempt this summer behind the scenes to quiet the Phil Kessel speculation that despite a 70 point season and the club winning a second consecutive Stanley Cup, the relationship was a bit tenuous. In fact, rival clubs believe the Penguins were putting some of the Kessel trade talk out there as a away to send a message to the player.

While the Penguins did in fact have trade talks with clubs about Kessel around late June/early July, the most substantive talks with the [hide] Calgary Flames, per league sources, the team was never close to trading him, though, the Kessel camp believed at one point in July a trade was a possibility.

For Kessel’s sake, he’s delivered so far this season.

With 22 points in 19 games Kessel is tied for 4th in the NHL in scoring and he’s currently scoring at a 30 goal pace. His goal totals from the past three seasons have been 25, 26 and 23.

But, what the coaching staff is most pleased with from Kessel is how he’s been more engaged away from the puck than previous seasons, among the areas Mike Sullivan in particular has wanted Kessel to change.

So far so good on the early returns.

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— Riley Sheahan has matched pretty much everything scouts outside of Pittsburgh were saying about him when Pittsburgh acquired him. When it comes to being an ideal third line center in this league, his slow the pace game is not built for today’s speed/skill game that has evolved the last two seasons.

Therefore, a similar trend in Detroit has continued:

Minimal ability to create individual offense.

— The Penguins remain on the hunt to add a veteran backup goaltender as the goal remains to get Tristan Jarry back to the minors.

Boston’s Anton Khudobin To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

One goaltender trade scenario that was discussed last winter prior to the deadline that would have had an impact on the goaltending situation for this season.

Marc Andre Fleury going to Calgary and To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

— Former Penguins netminder Antti Niemi is back on waivers. He made two appearances with Florida, stopping 34 of 39 shots.

— Sportsnet’s Headliners segment from Saturday night had NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Nick Kyperos stating the Penguins are looking to add veteran leadership to their lineup.

Regret in the organization for not even making Chris Kunitz an offer?

I’m hearing no on that front as the front office wanted to go in another direction but there was frustration among some of the core Penguin players that Kunitz wasn’t brought back and that frustration remains. He was a very valuable piece in the room and it’s not like he wouldn’t still be one of the Penguins best-4 left wingers.

— Former NHL assistant coach on Kris Letang:

“The early struggles look more mental [to me] than any physical limitations from the injury. He’s rushing things with the puck and over the next little while you should start seeing a player where the game starts slowing up for him [again]. Kris has always been a player who puts a ton of pressure on himself and I think it’s just taking him longer than he imagined to get up to game speed.”

While a consensus around the league is Letang will be fine in the long-run, an Eastern Conference Scout says one part of Letang’s struggles is that he’s been [hide] tentative when retrieving pucks that has the opposition forcing him on his backhand when trying to exit the zone.

“Coaches have seen something on tape. They are targeting him effectively by getting him on his backhand more than I’ve ever seen,” the scout said. “He’s usually a step ahead of the fore-checking pressure and you don’t see it [right now]……. I love watching the guy play but how many more injuries can he take? It’s natural that another injury would be in the back of his mind.”[/hide]