Headlines

  • Islanders Continue To Lean Toward Matthew Schaefer At First Overall
  • Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Uncertain For Game 3
  • Teams Not Expecting Sam Bennett To Reach Free Agency
  • Ducks May Offer Record-Breaking AAV For Mitch Marner
  • Maple Leafs Hire Derek Lalonde As Assistant Coach
  • Avalanche’s Logan O’Connor Out 5-6 Months Following Hip Surgery
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Utah Mammoth
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Penguins’ 3rd-Line Center Options

July 15, 2017 at 12:50 pm CDT | by Seth Lawrence 6 Comments

With the loss of Nick Bonino to Nashville via free agency, the reigning champion Pittsburgh Penguins have a gaping hole down the middle. For the first time in over a decade, the center position is now one of relative weakness. It’s always a possibility that Matt Cullen decides to re-sign for one more year, but he will not be able to carry the load of a typical 3rd-line center. Cullen showed signs of slowing down toward the tail-end of the team’s playoff run, and he was only averaging 13:55 a game through the regular season. At 41 years old, he simply won’t be a viable long-term option. The Penguins likely have high hopes for Zach Aston-Reese to make a push in training camp, but he is an unknown quantity at the NHL level. GM Jim Rutherford had 5 potential trade options in the works prior to July 1st, according to the very reliable Josh Yohe of DKPittsburghSports. Talks either fizzled or were put on the back-burner, but one might imagine the number of available targets is far fewer now. With Dallas’ three-year signing of Radek Faksa, there is one fewer name left for consideration. Vegas seems to be content with merely flipping defensemen from here on in, although names such as Cody Eakin and William Karlsson shouldn’t be thrown out entirely. Erik Haula is likely a pipe-dream, but he’s another possible target. Matt Duchene was linked for a time, but between the high cost and the stubbornness of Colorado GM Joe Sakic to make a move, he seems incredibly unlikely.

Who are the safest bets for an off-season move? Or will Pittsburgh enter the season with someone unproven slotting behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin?

Tyler Bozak

Bozak has made tons of sense since his name was first mentioned. A lot has been made of his relationship with Phil Kessel. When they played on a line together in Toronto, Kessel saw some of his best career production. More than that however – the Leafs are in a bit of cap pinch as they will look to free up dollars for Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander in the next two seasons. They certainly aren’t in any hurry to drop underneath the ceiling due to LTIR intricacies, but moving out Bozak’s $4.2 MM for this next season would be a forward looking move. If he’s due a raise, it’s likely they’ll lose him for far less, as his contract expires at the end of 2017-18. The move makes sense for Pittsburgh because of the Kessel relationship, but also because he fits the mold of the Pittsburgh squad. He’s a solid skater, sees the ice well, and hustles back into his own zone. His playmaking abilities would be a wonderful fit on the cheap to aid the high-powered offense, and the player would be a positive possession asset to remove the stress from the bigger guns. Bozak does have a modified no-trade clause, but it’s hard to see Pittsburgh being included on his list of non-tradeable teams.

Jordan Staal

Staal saw a lot of success in Pittsburgh before he was traded away to Carolina at the 2012 draft. Jordan was traded to that team in particular due to his desire to player with his older brother Eric Staal. Seeing as Eric is no longer in the picture, it would make sense that Staal might be open to a Pittsburgh reunion. Staal is one of the better defensive centers in the league, and has been forced to take a more uncomfortably offensive role in Carolina. Staal’s biggest downside is that he isn’t the most agile skater, but he’s not any slower than Nick Bonino was. That said, he can play the shutdown role and be a total nuisance for top opponents. Rutherford loves the player, as he was the GM of Carolina when they initially acquired the player, for a hefty sum of Brandon Sutter, Brian Dumoulin, and a 1st-round pick (which became Derrick Pouilot). According to Yohe, Staal is apparently open to a return, and the nostalgic element of the team’s fanbase is clamoring for this to happen. Rutherford stated on a local radio segment with Ron Cook that “to his knowledge he (Staal) isn’t available”, but he’s played coy with the media in the past.

Out Of Left-Field

Rutherford has been known to throw the hockey world for a loop with some of his trades. The James Neal–Patric Hornqvist trade shocked just about everyone, and the Phil Kessel trade is still being discussed to this day. If there’s one thing we should expect from him, it’s the unexpected. There are a few lesser options out there for Rutherford to explore, and management may want to have the Conor Sheary and Brian Dumoulin contracts put to paper before making any sort of transaction. It seems unlikely that anything will happen until those deals get done. Rutherford told Jason Mackey of the Post-Gazette that there are “hundreds of names on (his list)”, and that it’s “a patient process”. Could Detroit be willing to move Andreas Athanasiou? Could Bryan Little be pried from Winnipeg for a young defenseman? It’s hard to speculate as to where exactly management have set their sights, but Rutherford is generally willing to overpay to “get his man”. There is the slight likelihood that they enter the season with that hole left unfilled, but it’s hard to imagine. Until more dominoes fall, Rutherford is likely to bide his team and search for the correct deal.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email

Free Agency| Jim Rutherford| Joe Sakic| Joe Sakic| NHL| Pittsburgh Penguins Andreas Athanasiou| Auston Matthews| Brian Dumoulin| Bryan Little| Cody Eakin| Conor Sheary| Eric Staal| Erik Haula| Evgeni Malkin| James Neal| Jordan Staal| Matt Cullen| Matt Duchene| Mitch Marner| Nick Bonino| Patric Hornqvist| Phil Kessel| Radek Faksa| Ron Hainsey| Sidney Crosby| Tyler Bozak| William Karlsson| William Nylander| Zach Aston-Reese

Top Ten Remaining UFAs
Main
Vegas Signs Reinhart And Leipsic To Two-Year Deals
View Comments (6)

Comments

  1. theeterps

    8 years ago

    First let’s all remember something very important; the Penguins have by far the best Center tandem in the league, and thus a sizable head start over every other team when considering the top two lines.

    Having said that, yes there is a glaring hole at center that needs to be filled. Tyler Bozak makes a ton of sense for all the reasons mentioned in the article. Just have to wonder how eager (or not) Toronto is to move him.

    Staal makes absolutely no sense. I don’t understand why there has been so much talk about him being an option. The whole reason they traded him was because they couldn’t afford to pay three centers that kind of money. More importantly, the guy just doesn’t bring the offensive value needed to remotely justify $6MM every year for the next six seasons. Unless Carolina is willing to eat 1/3 of the money, it just isn’t feasible.

    Aston-Reese is the wild card for sure. A ton of upside but certainly wouldn’t want to count on him being able to fill the 3C right away.

    Reply
  2. Phfor

    8 years ago

    Nobody has mentioned him….but disregard the 2 teams he wants to sign with and consider the lore of a possible cup.

    Offer Mike Fisher a contract to be the 3rd line center.

    Reply
    • rewing77

      8 years ago

      That’s exactly what I said!

      Reply
  3. mikedickinson

    8 years ago

    Staal is not available. We have an issue with depth down the middle, why would Francis trade him?

    Reply
  4. Moe Ali

    8 years ago

    Staal , as in Eric is an option which hasn’t been discussed here. Jordon is too rich for a 3C job. JR has several other options as far as I can figure out. No sense panicking. Let the arbs be done for Sheary and Dumolin. Then, he knows what’s left on the cap line.

    Reply
  5. JaysFan19

    8 years ago

    Bozak would be ideal, and his trade value isn’t very high. Staal, like stated, would bring back a lot of nostalgia, however his offensive game isn’t great. I love the defensive side of his game, but it’s not worth the contract he’s signed to. Canes would have to eat half before I’d start talking. In a perfect world, Duchene is a fantastic fit, but he’d probably cost Pouliot & Sprong. I honestly hope they can scoop up Bozak. A Kessel, Bozak, Rust 3rd line is deadly

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Islanders Continue To Lean Toward Matthew Schaefer At First Overall

    Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Uncertain For Game 3

    Teams Not Expecting Sam Bennett To Reach Free Agency

    Ducks May Offer Record-Breaking AAV For Mitch Marner

    Maple Leafs Hire Derek Lalonde As Assistant Coach

    Avalanche’s Logan O’Connor Out 5-6 Months Following Hip Surgery

    Lightning Hire Dan Hinote As Assistant Coach

    Stars Fire Pete DeBoer

    Rangers Hire David Quinn, Joe Sacco As Assistant Coaches

    Bruins Name Marco Sturm Head Coach

    Recent

    Islanders Hire Ray Bennett, Bob Boughner As Assistant Coaches

    Islanders Continue To Lean Toward Matthew Schaefer At First Overall

    Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Uncertain For Game 3

    Pro Hockey Rumors Commenting Policy

    Teams Not Expecting Sam Bennett To Reach Free Agency

    Ducks May Offer Record-Breaking AAV For Mitch Marner

    How The Canucks Need To Approach This Summer

    Five Key Stories: 6/2/25 – 6/8/25

    PHR Mailbag: Tkachuk, Blackhawks, Dobson, Red Wings, Jets, Kings

    Blue Jackets Notes: Provorov, Danforth, Keskinen

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Mammoth Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Sam Bennett Rumors
    • Nikolaj Ehlers Rumors
    • Mitch Marner Rumors
    • Marco Rossi Rumors

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    • Support Pro Hockey Rumors And Go Ad-Free
    • 2025 Free Agent Focus Series
    • 2025 Offseason Checklist Series
    • 2025 NHL Free Agent List
    • 2026 NHL Free Agent List
    • Active Roster Tracker
    • Coaching Staff Directory
    • Draft Order 2025
    • Trade Tracker
    • Pro Hockey Rumors On X
    • Pro Hockey Rumors Polls
    • Waiver Claims 2024-25

     

     

     

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Commenting Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version