Penguins General Manager Ron Hextall has been criticized for cleaning up his own mess at the deadline with the departures of Kasperi Kapanen, Brock McGinn and Teddy Blueger. In a way all three eventually became decisions that blew up in the Penguins faces.

For Kapanen it was the two year contract the Penguins gave him last summer for reasons few know why. Brock McGinn was signed to a four-year contract to be Brandon Tanev’s replacement and that surely didn’t work out. Then the Penguins essentially picked Teddy Blueger over Jared McCann prior to the expansion draft as the Kraken initially planned to take McCann or Teddy Blueger if left unprotected. Talk about a move back firing, though, the decision to protect Teddy Blueger was strongly influenced by To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

Still, are the Penguins heading down the road of trying to clean up another mistake of a role player level signing? Pittsburgh’s actions at the trade deadline sure point that way.

NHL executives To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! Pittsburgh’s pursuit of a rugged third pairing right D didn’t stop with Schenn. Even after finalizing a trade for Dmitry Kulikov, the team discussed a trade for To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! sought draft capital in a separate deal for To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!