NHL: Wild among teams Pens to target in trade talks?

PENS TRADE TALK

Trade Talks are heating up leaguewide and among teams the Penguins are said to be targeting….

the Minnesota Wild.

Multiple sources indicate the Penguins have expressed preliminary interest in 25 year old winger Devin Setoguchi who had an up and down season in 2011-2012, collecting 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points, including a woeful minus-17 rating.

Setoguchi, 25, is a player the Penguins are looking into and he has two years remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $3 million per season. Head coach Dan Bylsma is said to be extremely high on Setoguchi and views him as a difference maker.

According to a Wild source, Setoguchi is said to be in play leading into the draft but Minnesota would surely want NHL players in return if they were to consider moving him before July 1, as Minnesota expects to go all out for Zach Parise and Ryan Sutter on July 1,and they don’t want to be dismantling their club as they look to persuade Parise, Sutter to come to Minnesota. 

Setoguchi a right handed shot has been a regular factor on the power play in his career, scoring 7 power play goals in 69 games last season and had previous highs of 11 and 8 power play goal seasons.

— If Penguins decide to entertain offers for Jordan Staal this summer, the Minnesota Wild along with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes have been mentioned among the most logical fits. However, an individual close to the Wild organization told me this morning that the Wild won’t go after Staal if there wasn’t a commitment from Staal in signing there long-term.

— The Penguins have yet to decide whether to retain second line winger Steve Sullivan who turns 38 in July. Pittsburgh has not ruled out bringing Sullivan back, but the team has no plans to discuss a new deal for Sullivan until after the draft at the earliest, sources say, as the Penguins are keeping all trade options open.

— The Penguins like many teams are said to view the trade route as a possible better option to improve their hockey club this summer than free agency.