Offseason inventory: Taking stock of Penguins’ tradable assets
another first- round pick, and one of the thinnest prospect pools in the league got a little shallower with Filip Hallander gone.
If Rutherford hopes to continue to make changes this offseason, he doesn’t have a lot of ammunition left. Obviously, he’s not going to trade Sidney Crosby. Rutherford also said he plans to keep the core and the top- four together. No offense to Zach Aston- Reese or Sam Lafferty, but it’s not like those members of the bottomsix are going to move the needle on the trading block.
So what’s left to move? Let’s take stock of the remaining
assets at Rutherford’s disposal if he hopes to make another win- now move this offseason. Here they are ranked from most likely to be dealt ( or almost inevitable) to least likely ( or almost impossible).
• Murray vs. Jarry debate should be settled
If the Penguins hope to make another splash this offseason, a goalie is likely going to be the bait.
Technically, both restricted free agent goalies could be available for the right price. However, because a salary cap crunch is the biggest factor motivating a move, Matt Murray is more likely to go.
What’s he worth? That’s a tough question.
Murray has proved inconsistent in the regular season and because he is a restricted free agent, the taker will need to negotiate a new deal to make the trade worthwhile. At the same time, there won’t be many two- time Stanley Cup winners on the market this offseason, especially ones who are just 26 years old.
• Don’t be surprised to see a member of a possible third line traded
A possible Penguins third line could feature two of the heftier contracts and one of the biggest unknowns. For those reasons, Patric Hornqvist, Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann are the most likely trade candidates.
At 33, Hornqvist is the fifth- highest paid forward on the Penguins roster with a deal that carries a $ 5.3 million average annual value. His physical playing style and injury history makes you question how gracefully his grimy game will age over the next three years of his current contract. These are all reasons the Penguins might look to move him. But they’re also the same reasons it might be hard to pull it off. It’s also worth noting Hornqvist has a no- trade clause.
Bjugstad is set to be paid $ 4.1 million next season in the final year of his deal. He had more surgeries ( two) than goals ( one) during an injury- marred 2019- 20 season in which he was limited to just 13 games. But with a core muscle injury and spinal issue healed, he’s 100%. A team that wants to buy low might find value and versatility from a player who can be slotted in at center or wing. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, he’s on the final year of his contract anyway.
Finally, McCann is one of the most curious cases on the team. During the first 44 games last season, he had 14 goals and 14 assists while using his versatility to plug a key hole at center. Then he went from invaluable to invisible, finishing the final 22 games and the three postseason games in which he played without a goal. He was a healthy scratch in the other playoff game.
• Penguins haven’t been afraid to give up picks, but that might change
As it stands, the Penguins have already spent three of their seven draft picks in 2020 and four of their eight picks in 2021.
In 2020, the Penguins are left with picks in rounds three, four, five and six. In 2021, after giving up their first- round pick for Jason Zucker, they have a pick in rounds two and five and a pair of seventh- round picks.
There’s still value in those mid- round picks, as the Penguins have shown with selections such as Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust. But when it comes to the trade market, if the Penguins want to use one to upgrade their win- now roster, they might have to fleece another team like they did in the John Marino trade.
Of course, the Penguins could begin to look to 2022 or 2023. They still hold all of their picks in both of those drafts. But with the veteran core aging, at what point is it time to use picks for the future?
• Is it worth thinning the prospect pool more?
While the depth of the Penguins prospect pool is among the worst in the league, the club does have several promising players at the top who could bring a nice return.
Forwards Sam Poulin and Nathan Legare — the first and second- round picks in 2019 — are at the top of the list. Poulin might get a shot with the NHL club as soon as this season. The Penguins are also very high on left winger Drew O’Connor, a speedy Dartmouth product with 6- foot- 3 size who signed as a college free agent.
On the blue line, left- shot defenseman Pierre- Olivier Joseph is knocking on the door to play in the NHL.
• Top- six change would be a surprise, and there’s really only one candidate to go
It’s hard to imagine the Penguins getting better by giving up Guentzel. Again, Rutherford said he wants to keep Crosby and Malkin. And why would they give up Kapanen or Zucker after they just paid big for them?
So the only real candidate from the top- six would be
Bryan Rust. He was part of trade rumors last offseason, and his stock has never been higher after leading the Penguins with a career- high 27 goals. Maybe with another right winger in the fold in Kapanen, the Penguins would be willing to part with Rust for the right return?
It doesn’t seem likely. In the immediate aftermath of the Kapanen deal, Rutherford said the new right winger has no impact on Rust’s place on the team.
• It would take a change of heart for Rutherford to shake up the core
While Rutherford’s plan is to keep Crosby, Malkin and Letang together for another run, the general manager noted that if a team makes an incredible offer that helps the Penguins now and into the future, he’d take a look.
Letang feels like the most likely candidate. He was an All- Star again this season but at times his decision- making was as confounding as it was dynamic. At 33, he stays in excellent condition. For the right team he would be a difference maker and fan favorite.
The problem with this type of deal is it would have to be part of a much larger vision. Even with Marino’s emergence, dealing Letang would leave a massive hole on the right side of the blue line and an even bigger question mark on the power play. But it also would free up $ 7,250,000 that could be used to get younger.