Rutherford’s dilemma: To trade or not
when something’s going to happen,” Rutherford said. “Certainly, we’re in the mix here, talking to as many teams as we can, seeing who’s available and seeing if there’s anybody out there who can give us a better chance to win.”
“In the mix” is a term Rutherford uses often. It does not mean something is imminent. It simply means they’re monitoring the situation.
• Jake Guentzel’s future remains at wing. But by giving the Penguins a competitive split at center while Carter Rowney is out with an upper-body injury, Guentzel has enabled Rutherford to avoid paying through the nose for a center.
“We’re fortunate to have a two-position player, or I would have had to move a lot quicker on trying to get another center,” Rutherford said. “He’s capable of playing there. We’ll see how it shakes out here in the next little while.”
• When the Penguins shifted Riley Sheahan into Rowney’s fourth-line spot Jan. 2 in Philadelphia, the results were dramatic. Sheahan was tremendous, along with linemates Tom Kuhnhackl and Ryan Reaves, who both scored.
Does Sheahan’s comfort level as a fourth-line center perhaps change Rutherford’s thinking when it comes to the search for a third-line guy?
Not really, Rutherford said. They’ve been happy with Sheahan there. It’s more the overall production of the line that’s been lacking.
“I think he’s played well in the three hole, but it’s the production of the whole line, which becomes important,” Rutherford said. “You don’t need as much production from the fourth line. When you get it, it’s a bonus … if you’re getting it from your top nine. Overall, I believe [Sheahan] has played well. We’d just like a little more production from him. I can say the same about two, three other guys.”
• Two or three others guys, huh?
Hagelin is a given. Sheary had 18 goals through 44 games a season ago but has dropped to 11 this season. Although he’s hurt, Bryan Rust has four goals in 38 games. He had 10 through 38 in 2016-17.
It’s somewhat unfair to expect substantive goal totals from Kuhnhackl, Rowney and Reaves, who are never top-six options, but the other three have given the Penguins ample reason to expect more.
• Matt Murray has not had the start to his season that he would’ve wanted. He would be the first one to tell you that.
As far as any organizational concern … there’s none. Murray and Rutherford are incredibly close, so much so that Rutherford bear-hugged Murray outside the team bus in Nashville after Murray backstopped the Penguins to a second consecutive Stanley Cup.
“I don’t have any concern,” Rutherford said. “He’s a proven guy. He’s won two Stanley Cups for us. I would suspect there’s been a bit of an adjustment with the fact that he doesn’t have a veteran guy with him as a partner. We all recognize that he’s got more to give. I don’t have any concerns.”
• The Penguins player development department deserves a ton of credit for how good Sprong has looked. If anything, you could argue they waited too long to promote him — but you would rather have it that way than the other.
“I think what we did with him was important,” Rutherford said. “He got to play there a half season in the minors, get his confidence and come in here ready to go. He’s done it. [Dominik] Simon’s done it. It’s been good for both of those guys.”
• Let’s talk about Patric Hornqvist. There’s nothing new on a potential extension, Rutherford said.
“Hasn’t been any movement,” he said.
You have to think Hornqvist is going to go to market and see what he can get. It won’t be a small contract.
• Here’s an interesting wrinkle: What if Sprong is for real? You probably don’t need him and Phil Kessel — similar players — on your team. Kessel could well be coming off a career-best year, meaning the Penguins could sell high.
If the Penguins were interested in moving Kessel and felt like they could proceed with Sprong providing a much cheaper replacement, it’s hard to see Hornqvist going anywhere. The money then becomes available. Pay him market rate and let him retire here.