Rumors: Ottawa approached Pittsburgh in February about an Erik Karlsson Return

Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas has stated he is all-in on Erik Karlsson for the future repeatedly lumping Karlsson in with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and behind the scenes pushing for the team to market Karlsson with those four and better in the future. It wasn’t an accident Karlsson was on the cover of the Team Yearbook given out a few weeks ago. A Dubas bluff? Don’t think so but [hide] the Ottawa Senators seeking a PR win, had a conversation with the Penguins last month about Karlsson and have put it out there to Pittsburgh this is something we’re willing to do in the summer and rival teams believe Ottawa is willing to move significant futures to

TIOPS Breakaway Buzz: Thinking Ahead on a Successor to Jim Rutherford

Inside the East Division Rumblings, Musings, & Opinions PHI 3-1-1, 7 pts: Coaches around the league feel Kevin Hayes is one of the most underappreciated players in the NHL. 6 even strength points through 5 games, Hayes has been one of the most dominant two-way players to open the season. If the Rangers could go back, there might be a different decision made on whether to sign Chris Kreider long-term over Hayes ……..Intrigue with the Flyers is the upside with the forward group as the season grows, in particular getting full seasons from Nolan Patrick (1 Goal, 3 Assists) and Oskar Lindblom (2 Goals, 1 Assist)…… The Flyers chased Zdeno Chara in free agency. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher remains in

Rumors: Kevin Colbert to the Lions gaining steam?

Colbert to Lions chatter still mounting? [hide] Multiple members of the Steelers organization continue call it a ‘garbage rumor’ by CBS Insider Jason LaCanfora but LaCanfora again on Sunday is keeping the Kevin Colbert to Detroit rumors alive. Reported on the Lions deep interest in Steelers GM Kevin Colbert a few weeks ago. Remains very real. Most who know Colbert do not think he would leave Pittsburgh but the Lions continue to gather info and strategize on how to possibly lure him — Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 10, 2021 Colbert’s ties to Detroit have always had him linked to the Lions when there’s been an opening over the years, so this isn’t new. The top Steelers executive, though, has

Rumors: Penguins – Sabres emerging as a trade match?

Latest Trade Winds Sabres GM Jason Botterill has signaled to General Managers he is open for business and willing to move pending rentals well before the February 26th deadline. Trade action on winger Evander Kane has heated up significantly in the past week and talks with a couple teams are reaching the serious enough stages where it won’t surprise some NHL execs if Kane is moved by early January. TSN’s Bob Mckenzie reported Tuesday evening the Sharks, Ducks, Blues and “perhaps” the Calgary Flames are amongst the most serious suitors for Kane at this point. Speculation around the league has also linked the NHL-lead Tampa Bay Lightning to Kane, one of the NHL’s best even strength goal scorers among wingers.

Rumors: Penguins have strong interest in re-acquiring Ben Lovejoy

The Pittsburgh Penguins pending trade of Ian Cole further brings into question about the Penguins defensive depth and the quality of defensemen they have on the backend. The organizational depth is extremely thin as is and moving Cole without an impact defenseman coming back the other way puts the microscope even more on Matt Hunwick and Chad Ruhwedel who are truly more of No. 7 type NHL defensemen then No. 5 types they are regarded by the Penguins’ coaching staff. While the Penguins are not locked into that they have to acquire a legitimate top-3 pairing back in any Cole deal, the team has been exploring deals for a defenseman separate from a Cole transaction. [hide] League sources say one

Penguins discussing trade options to add No. 2/3 type caliber NHL goaltender

Penguins looking to bolster organizational goaltending depth Are the Penguins content moving forward with Matt Murray, Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith as the 1-3 goaltenders on the organizational depth chart? Penguin coaches saw enough of Casey DeSmith in practice and with Tristan Jarry’s inexperience, the coaching brass is not comfortable with the Penguins goaltending depth in the organization, sources tell Inside Pittsburgh Sports. With difficulties of adding a legitimate No. 2 goaltender at this stage of the season, that has the Penguins in the short-term at least evaluating trades for a netminder on a [hide] contract who could either fill the No. 2 goaltender void in the NHL so the Penguins can send Tristan Jarry back to the minors for

Rumors: Pressure mounting from those in Bob Nutting’s inner circle for club to make a major change

Latest Pirates Buzz The Pirates 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night in extra innings was a perfect summary of their season. Pittsburgh has a 3-0 lead entering the seventh inning, yet, they had been playing with fire all night and everything came crashing down in the seventh. [hide] [/hide] Gerrit Cole had six shutout innings going thanks to getting out of two bases loaded jams prior to the seventh. Then Clint Hurdle left his pitcher out to dry. As Cole’s pitch count was over 100, he began to start losing some zip and control on his pitches. Cole had run out of gas and it was clear to anybody that it was time to go to the

Rumors: Pirates bluffing on desire to keep Andrew McCutchen for 18?

Latest Pirates Rumors The Pittsburgh Pirates are seven games game of first place in a mediocre NL Central where the Chicago Cubs look like they’re never going to become the Cubs of 2016. With Starling Marte set rejoin the team on July 18, the Pirates have signaled to other clubs that their focus leading up to the July 31 deadline is trying to hang around in 17 but they’re eyeing trades with an eye on 2018. The Pirates are certain that no Chris Sale type offer is out there for Gerrit Cole and the team has pre-determined to keep Gerrit Cole for one more season and see how things go in 18 and be more open to addressing his future

Off-Season Decisions to start being made today for Penguins

Decision Day for Penguins on Expansion Draft The Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday celebrated another Stanley Cup with an estimated 650,000 in attendance for the championship parade and now the work starts to begin for Penguin management. Exit meetings are being conducted today between coaches/management/players and just over 48 hours from the Penguins having to send in their protected expansion draft list, the club has to start looking forward to next year today. The looming decision is whether to go with the 7-3-1 setup for the expansion draft or the 4-4-1 setup? As reported here a weeks ago, the Penguins are one of the few teams that’s given strong consideration to going with the 4-4-1 to protect defensemen Kris Letang, Brian

Rumors: Josh Harrison off the trade block?

Photo: David Hague Latest Pirates Rumors [hide] Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports released a list this week of 70 impact players who may be traded by the deadline. Among the Pirates, Gerrit Cole came in at No. 4, Andrew McCutchen No. 12, Josh Harrison No. 30 and Tony Watson No. 40. On Cole, Heyman states the obvious in saying teams will be lining up to acquire Cole if the Pirates decide to move him but they are not there yet, while the situation with Andrew McCutchen is pretty clear to anyone. He’s not tradeable right now but McCutchen will be a goner at the deadline if the Pirates can find a suitor. Things are heading down the road with McCutchen