Penguins have had investigative trade talks with Senators

Penguins GM Jim Rutherford has been aggressively trying to pursue an impact trade for a forward, notably a third line center in the hopes of setting the stage for a deal either before or soon after the Christmas trade freeze ends.

The talk surrounding the Penguins is that they’re not going to just acquire another ‘guy’, like the Riley Sheahan trade and hope it sticks and get lucky.

Pittsburgh is focused on swinging a trade for a true impact center even if it comes to moving an important player from their past two Stanley Cup runs.

Those with the type of trade value it might take to land one of the Penguins key center targets could be To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! as both players have solid trade value around the league (with term/or control) and they’re the type of players who are on the edge of being helpful players but not core players who are untouchables.

During the summer Pittsburgh had 3-4 clear cut center targets, but most in the group were centers who were not available but were players the Penguins believed could eventually become available in a hockey trade as the season progressed.

Some usual names are surfacing again on the rumor mill but one situation the Penguins didn’t account for has emerged and that’s the Ottawa Senators.

One goal away from the Stanley Cup Final last May, Ottawa’s implosion has led to an order from ownership to clear salary and recoup draft picks/prospects after the Matt Duchene trade.

While forward Mike Hoffman is a hot name on the trade market and expected to be traded for a haul, the Senators have also begun offering center To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!