Trade rumors
The hockey world was shocked today when Brandon Saad was traded to Columbus.
Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
There has been speculation that big teams are going to be moving some of their big name players. Chicago is looking to deal Patrick Sharp and Bryan Bickell, Toronto is looking to offload Kessel, and Carolina is trying to see if there are any takers for Jeff Skinner and Alex Semin. These players were reportedly being looked at very closely by the Penguins.
As reported earlier, the Penguins need to bring a top six winger into the mix. Cap space is limited so Pittsburgh must choose wisely. The 28 year old Kessel comes at an extraordinary price while the 23 year old Skinner, despite injury history, carries only a $5 million cap hit as opposed to Kessel's $8 million salary. Skinner even has a connection to Pittsburgh with the GM Jim Rutherford. Skinner was selected by Rutherford in the 2010 Draft. There were rumors that Rutherford was going to make a big move over the Draft weekend in Florida but he held his ground and no trades were made by the Penguins. Rutherford is in no rush to make any deals and he is even happy to go into next season with his current roster.
Patience is a virtue but if the right move is not made in time it can be incredibly costly. Cap space is an issue all over the league right now but the Penguins struggled putting a team together at the end of the season due to injuries and the inability to call up players from the AHL because of the cap rules.
The Penguins did make a move on Monday by signing Defenseman Ian Cole to a three year, $6.3 million contract which will count $2.1 million per year against the salary cap. Ian Cole was picked up from the St. Louis Blues in a trade which involved Robert Bortuzzo last winter. Cole is billed at 6'1" and 219 pounds. Big skaters have not gotten a lot of good press in the past few years but Cole deserves attention. The big defender has good skating ability and his shot is hard and generally on target. It's one of those shots you really do not want to block but you know you don't have a choice. In 20 games with the Penguins last season he had one goal and 7 assists, not the most stellar stastistics you want to see but he was in his first stint as a Penguin and, generally speaking, the next season tends to be more positive because the chemistry becomes more powerful. When the Penguins had to play with 5 defensemen Cole ate up huge minutes and his defensive game got stronger. There are still questions which need to be answered for the defense but the wingers need help. During the Draft weekend the Penguins had their sights set on a few potential players to fill the top six winger role. One of them was Patrick Sharp.
Patrick Sharp is an extremely talented and hard working winger and the 32 year old has won three Stanley Cups in Chicago in 6 seasons. Sharp has significant cap liability hanging over his head and he is under contract in Chicago for another two seasons. The cap hit that Sharp will cause is almost $12 million for two years. The Penguins lost the possibility of picking up Brandon Saad after he got traded to Columbus today, a move which no one saw coming. Where will the Penguins look to bolster their offense? There is more speculation surfacing Alexander Semin might be in the crosshairs.
Semin was a long time rival for the Penguins when he played for the Washington Capitals. When Semin moved to Carolina Rutherford only got to see a small bit of the star forward's talent. However, Rutherford was so smitten with Semin he "signed him to a five-year, $35 million extension in Carolina in 2013. Semin certainly wasn’t worth that, producing only 41 goals in three seasons and just six in 2014-15, which is why Ron Francis today announced the Hurricanes will buy out Semin’s remaining three years at a still-heavy cost of $14 million." If the Penguins decide to go after Semin he would most likely play with Malkin, but it would only be a short term situation. Pittsburgh needs young talent which can be built up and last with the organization. The 31 year old Semin does not fit the bill. There is a forward who Rutherford has voiced interest in, Michael Frolik.
The Penguins are looking for youth, speed, and the 27 year old Michael Frolik can definitely play on the same line with Evgeni Malkin. Frolik was an essential piece to the Blackhawks when they won the Cup in 2013. Last season Frolik put up respectable numbers by scoring over 40 points and playing in all 82 games. Not only is he a strong forward but his ability to back check and support the defensemen is an absolute plus. A two way player is an important commodity in a game which requires sudden transitions and the Penguins need support in that aspect of the game. Frolik is an attractive addition for the Pittsburgh lineup but he will not be inexpensive. He had a $3.3 million cap hit last season and he will be expecting a raise this year.
There have not been any deals made yet but Rutherford is still talking to teams. There is a possibility the Penguins could make a move before the week is out. This is an exciting time to be a hockey fan. No one saw Saad getting traded to Columbus. Who knows what other drama and excitement could unfold once the free agent period begins on Wednesday.
