Penguins/NHL
LATEST PENGUINS BUZZWith the Penguins over the salary cap, Tanner Glass had been a name that has popped up in trade rumors for the sole reason that his 2013 season was so bad, the Penguins could clear some cap space by moving Glass and elevate someone else to the NHL roster for half the cost and get similar production.
The Penguins, though, don’t see it that way.
Glass is fully expected to stay put and the coaching staff is leaning on Glass to be the Pens pivotal grit guy on the bottom-2 lines with the hope for Glass to take over Matt Cooke’s role from a physical standpoint, just in a 4th line role.
Will Glass play with more of an edge and answer the bell? For a team with a lack of toughness in their bottom-6, the Penguins are banking on it and that can be looked as scary.
MORE BUZZ
*While no specifics are being made available, there is chatter that the Penguins are not around $1.1 million over the cap. Interestingly, one source said the Penguins are closer to being $500,000 over the cap than $1 million over the cap and that sending Simon Despres down to the minors is believed to be enough to make the Penguins cap compliant for the start of the season..
*As NHL enforcers are becoming a thing of the past, Penguins GM Ray Shero has always regarded Deryk Engelland as the perfect kind of player to have on your roster to fill that role when it’s needed; Play a No. 6/No. 7 pairing role and have the ability go up against any heavyweight fighter in the league.
Engelland’s name has come up as not being a lock for the team but it would be a surprise if the Penguins part ways with him to keep, for example, Simon Despres on the NHL roster. If the Penguins were to move Engelland to clear a roster spot, look for the Edmonton Oilers be among the trade suitors.
*Former Penguin Brenden Morrow remains unsigned because of his price tag. Morrow and the agent have not come down from their $3 million a year asking price and at the end of the day, he’s not going to get anything close to that. I’m hearing Morrow has two teams showing steady interest for around $1.5 million and he has yet to jump on it. Carolina is one of the two teams and the Canes would love to bring him into their room. At the start of free agency, Morrow was seeking a three year deal worth around $9 million from a Cup Contender. He obviously overplayed his hand.
*The Penguins continue to work Olli Maatta all week with Kris Letang as a pairing. I wouldn’t read too much into it but it is interesting considering the Penguins plan to pair Rob Scuderi and Letang together during the regular season, and the two have not played much together in their careers.
