Trade Watch: The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired defenseman Dmitry Kulikov from the Anaheim Ducks. Trade call is expected to happen this hour. Kulikov has been a favorite target of To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

Blockbuster Talk Surround Penguins – Canucks Again? Speculation continues to mount around the league the Penguins and Canucks have reignited talks on a multi-player blockbuster deal that could include as many as four teams if the deal were to get done by 3:00 p.m. Top NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported this morning there is certainly “smoke” around the Penguins but cautioned about the complexity of talks. Speculation has been so wild in the past hour teams believe Mikeal To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

Analysis: Penguins to Acquire Nick Bonino: The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired Nick Bonino from the San Jose Sharks to bolster the center position in the bottom-6. The deal is pending a trade call that is expected to happen after 8:00 am today. Bonino a fan favorite during the 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup runs, has 10 goals and 9 assists in 59 games for the Sharks. Bonino’s defensive metrics are not as strong at this stage of his career as Teddy Blueger’s are, but for a stretch run, Bonino is still a quality defensive player with better intangibles and upgrades the Penguins with more offense and particularly more jam that Pittsburgh desperately needed and just weren’t getting from Blueger. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan will have the option of deploying Bonino as the 4th line center or could eventually use him in the third line center spot and move Jeff Carter to wing, a move management prefers. Sullivan, though, has been against such a move as he values Carter’s ability in the right face-off circles.