Penguins/NHL
SCUDERI TRADE TALKS HEATING UP
[hide] The Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils have had substantive talks in recent weeks in a deal that would send Rob Scuderi and high draft pick/prospect to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for winger Ryane Clowe who is not expected to play hockey again due to concussion issues, sources tell Inside Pittsburgh Sports.
In the scenario the Penguins would get immediate cap space by placing Clowe on long-term injured reserve and pay him not to play for the remaining three seasons. Clowe is due $14,550,000 over the next three seasons.
Notable prospects who have been discussed in talks include Scott Wilson, among others, according to a source.
Any deal of this magnitude, though, has been described as being “extremely” complicated and unlikely due to the Penguins pending sale and the Devils needing to get Clowe’s permission to make such a trade as he has a full no trade clause.
“A tough situation to be in,” a long-time front office type said of Shero moving Clowe’s contract. “It’s embarrassing for a player whose career is over to be traded [in a paper move] and knowing Ray that would be a tough conversation for him to have [with Ryane].”
However, from New Jersey’s end the scenario is said to be very attractive to them because of a savings of over $7 million in cash.
“Pittsburgh really wants to get something done,” another league source said. “They’re looking into everything and [certainly] trying to get creative.”
One Eastern Conference executive claims Pittsburgh has been talking scenarios with other Eastern Conference teams too, willing to move their second round pick acquired from Vancouver that was intially Anaheim’s in 2016.
New Jersey has a level of interest in Scuderi to provide veteran leadership on the backend and to bolster a penalty kill unit that ranked 21st in the NHL last season but it’s going to cost the Penguins a high draft pick and or a mid-to-top level prospect to swing any deal for Scuderi between now and the start of the regular season.
Scuderi has been held out of the preseason lineup for the second straight night.
NOTES:
Penguins head coach Mike Johnston said today that Nick Bonino is dealing with an illness….Bobby Farnham and Tim Erixon are day-to-day with injuries….. [/hide]
