Penguins/NHL
Latest Penguins Rumors
Marc Andre Fleury would have been traded at the 2017 deadline if the Penguins would have found a taker, multiple NHL sources contend despite the Penguins public stance they didn’t want to move him.
The Penguins never received one trade offer during the 2017 regular season.
That is about to change.
Despite a tough goaltender market and most clubs leery of Fleury’s salary, signed for two more seasons with a $5.75 million cap hit, the Penguins have at least one option in play to move Fleury after the Stanley Cup Final, and two other clubs, while not all-in on pursuing Fleury, have engaged in talks with the Penguins recently and are mulling a run at trading for Fleury, sources tell TIOPS.
Those clubs better move fast.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas Golden Knights have held substantive talks on the framework of a deal that would clear significant cap space for the Penguins this summer.
One scenario that’s pretty much done if the Penguins want to move forward with it after the Stanley Cup Final, would send [hide] Marc Andre Fleury, an NHL roster player with term and an NHL ready prospect believed to be Oskar Sundqvist the Golden Knights covet. A draft pick would also be moved per a league source in what would be a win-win for the Penguins in moving salary and giving the Golden Knights enough assets to stay off a couple of players the Penguins will be exposing they don’t want to lose.
Marc Andre Fleury can block being exposed in the expansion draft but he can’t block a trade to Vegas before hand.
Still, the Penguins will let him drive the bus and if this goes down, it will be a mutual decision and peaceful transition.
League sources say Fleury and his camp have not giving the Penguins a final go-ahead but Fleury has become much more receptive to moving on to Vegas than months ago where it was pretty much a non-starter.
Two other clubs lurking are the Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres.
Flames GM Brad Treliving returning still opens the door for a run at Fleury, though, I’m hearing the Fleury camp is skeptical that Calgary would commit to Fleury long-term after the 2017-2018.
They’re looking for a situation that will be a final stop and there is more of a trust level with George McPhee.
One intriguing situation to watch is Buffalo.
New GM Jason Botterill is giving thoughts to moving on from goaltender Robin Lehner and his name is starting to pop up in trade talks.
Some Fleury talk is starting to creep out there. There’s a big focus on changing the room, going from Lehner to Fleury would be a big step.
[/hide]
