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Penguins Activate Bryan Rust From Injured Reserve

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Penguins winger Bryan Rust will be back in the lineup tonight against the Flyers after a brief absence. The team announced he’d been activated from injured reserve after missing three games with a lower-body injury, which he sustained before the 4 Nations break. They placed winger Bokondji Imama on IR in a corresponding transaction.

Pittsburgh is now entirely out of the playoff picture. Their record is 23-27-9, and based on points percentage, they only slightly lead the Sabres for last place in the Eastern Conference. They’ve already begun selling off pieces ahead of the trade deadline and could do more, but Rust won’t be one of them with a full no-movement clause and three seasons left on his contract at a $5.125MM cap hit.

Things got off to a tough start for Rust in 2024-25. He limped out of the gate along with the rest of the team, limited to eight points and a staggering -16 rating through 16 games. A three-point effort against the Canucks just before Thanksgiving re-ignited his season, however. He’s now up to 20-22–42 in 48 appearances, and while his -21 rating is still set to be the worst of his career, he’s at least stopped the bleeding in that regard. He continues to see solely first-line deployment alongside Sidney Crosby, averaging over 19 minutes per game, and has secured his sixth consecutive 20-goal season.

One of the most consistent secondary scorers of the last decade, Rust will return to his usual spot on the top line with Crosby and Rickard Rakell. He’s now missed 11 games with lower-body issues this season, cause for concern as he turns 33 this offseason, but the 5’11” winger remains one of the Penguins’ top few scorers.

While Pittsburgh’s goaltending issues have dragged down nearly every skater’s rating this season, concerns about Rust’s defensive impact are legitimate. His -3.4 expected rating is better than only Noel Acciari and Matt Grzelcyk among active Penguins, and his 49.2 CF% at even strength is the worst of his career. The Crosby-Rakell duo has also posted higher expected goal shares at 5v5 when paired with either Anthony Beauvillier or Evgeni Malkin, per MoneyPuck.

Nonetheless, he looks to end the season on a high note in advance of his NMC expiring on July 1. If the Penguins continue to aggressively retool their roster, he could find himself on the move later in the offseason after his trade protection lapses.

Imama, a 28-year-old enforcer, has been on the roster since a recall from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in late January. He’s been out since sustaining an upper-body injury against the Rangers on Feb. 7, so he can return at any time. The 221-lb winger has a plus-one rating and seven penalty minutes in six showings for Pittsburgh since being called up, averaging just 5:28 per game.

Penguins Shopping Erik Karlsson

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The Penguins have star defenseman Erik Karlsson’s name on the trade market and would move him “in a heartbeat” if the opportunity arises, sources tell Josh Yohe of The Athletic.

A move would mark the third trade of the three-time Norris Trophy winner’s career and the second within two years. Pittsburgh acquired him from the Sharks following his renaissance 2022-23 campaign when he erupted for a career-high 76 assists and 101 points on a San Jose team that won just 22 games. They paid a significant price to do so in the three-deal deal with the Canadiens, parting ways with assets like a 2024 first-round pick and serviceable backup, Casey DeSmith, but also partially shedding some dead-weight contracts like Mikael Granlund’s and Jeff Petry’s.

That return meant the Sharks aren’t retaining much salary on the high-paid, aging defenseman. His initial cap hit of $11.5MM, attached to his contract that runs through the 2026-27 season, was reduced to $10MM for Pittsburgh. As Yohe reports, the Penguins must retain additional cash to move him. For a contract with two years left on it, there’s a limit to how far they’re willing to go. They only have one salary retention slot remaining until Petry’s and Reilly Smith’s deals come off the books on July 1. If he moves before the deadline, they won’t be able to retain additional salary on potential trade chip Rickard Rakell.

Any trade talk could also be thrown out the window if Karlsson isn’t willing to waive his no-movement clause upon being asked. He initially waived it to facilitate the move to Pittsburgh, but it travels with him, retaining his power to block a move or waiver placement. While “many assume he would be willing to move on if asked,” Karlsson “seems to genuinely like playing for the Penguins,” Yohe said.

In any event, he and Rakell will remain Pittsburgh’s highest-value trade bait heading into the March 7 deadline after they shipped Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor to the Canucks a few weeks ago. Any rumors regarding players like Kris Letang’s or Bryan Rust’s availability are unfounded, as Yohe adds general manager Kyle Dubas remains unwilling to ask them to waive their NMCs before the end of the season.

Individual defensive acumen has always been Karlsson’s biggest weakness, and it’s come to a head in Pittsburgh amid his age-34 season. The dynamic Swede remains a minute-muncher, averaging over 23 minutes per game for the Pens, but his overall possession numbers have continued to deteriorate. He remains an above-average player in that regard because of the sheer amount of offense he generates, though, logging a 52.4 CF% and -2.0 expected rating at even strength that still checks in above a good chunk of his Penguins teammates.

That, plus his three points in three games for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off, is beginning to draw out trade interest, Yohe writes. A move remains possible ahead of the deadline but is more likely to happen this summer, a league executive told him.

Karlsson has played in all 59 games for the Pens this season and hasn’t missed a game since the 2021-22 campaign, so injury concerns won’t be much of a limiting factor. But after his explosion in San Jose, he’s averaged just 56 points per 82 games as a Penguin. He still leads Pittsburgh defenders with 6-34–40 this year, and a good portion of that has come at even strength. Whether that’s enough point production to sway teams to take a flyer on him at a cap hit that’s still likely to be in the $7MM-$8MM range with retention remains to be seen.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Matt Grzelcyk Leaves Game With Upper-Body Injury

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Before today’s game against the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, the former announced a minor injury just before puck drop. The Rangers shared winger Chris Kreider is out with an upper-body injury although his recovery timeline is only considered day-to-day.

[SOURCE LINK]

  • Hopping over to the other side of today’s Metropolitan Division tilt, the Penguins announced defenseman Matt Grzelcyk won’t return to the game due to an upper-body injury. The pending unrestricted free agent only skated in five minutes of today’s action before being hit from behind by Ranger forward Matt Rempe. Rempe was originally reprimanded with a five-minute major only to be downgraded to a two-minute minor call.

Penguins Activate Evgeni Malkin, Assign Emil Bemstrom To AHL

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The Penguins will welcome back a key veteran to their lineup today against Washington.  The team announced (Twitter link) that center Evgeni Malkin has been activated off injured reserve.  To make room on the roster, winger Emil Bemstrom was sent down to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Malkin suffered a lower-body injury early in their game on January 25th and hasn’t played since.  However, he was a full participant in practice in recent days which made this announcement an expected one.

The 38-year-old got off to a hot start to his season with 24 points in his first 27 games but has seen his production taper off since then with just 10 points in his last 20 outings.  Nonetheless, the 19-year-veteran still is a key part of Pittsburgh’s attack, anchoring their second line while averaging over 18 minutes a night once again and ranks fifth on the team in scoring.  With the Penguins entering play today six points out of the final Wild Card spot, they’ll need Malkin to get back to his early-season form if they have any hopes of a late push to get back into the playoff picture.

As for Bemstrom, he has only played in two games with Pittsburgh this season on his two recalls, something that probably wasn’t expected after he played a regular role down the stretch last season after being acquired from Columbus.  He’s having a strong year in the minors, however, as he has 20 goals and 24 assists in 41 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  Bemstrom will now return to a prominent role with them while hoping that his scoring prowess down there will earn him another look at some point.

Sidney Crosby Made A Game-Time Decision

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  • Despite playing in all four of Canada’s games for the 4 Nations Face-Off, captain Sidney Crosby may not be ready to return to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported earlier that Crosby will be a game-time decision for tomorrow afternoon’s action against the Washington Capitals. Yohe didn’t specify whether Crosby is dealing with a minor injury or needs another day of rest from the hotly-contested event. The future Hall of Famer finished his sixth championship-winning international event with one goal and four assists.

    [SOURCE LINK]

Legendary Penguins Broadcaster Mike Lange Has Passed Away

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Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Lange has passed away at the age of 76 (Twitter Link). Lange was beloved in Pittsburgh and around the hockey community for his magical calls and inventive catchphrases. He called all five of the Penguins Stanley Cup Championships and brought authenticity and humor to every broadcast he worked on. He was even featured in the 1995 Jean-Claude Van Damme film Sudden Death.

Lange was a native of Sacramento, California, which was not exactly a hotbed for hockey during his childhood. He went to school at Sacramento State University before getting his first job as a hockey broadcaster doing radio for the Phoenix Roadrunners of the Western Hockey League back in 1970. He made a stop in San Diego, doing play-by-play for the Gulls of the AHL before being hired by the Penguins as their radio play-by-play man in 1974. Lange was with the Penguins for all but one season (1976) up until 2021.

During his 46 years with the Penguins, Lange worked in both television and radio and made the most iconic calls in franchise history. He, along with Mario Lemieux, also inspired a generation of young kids in Pittsburgh to get into hockey, including Jesse Marshall of The Athletic, who tweeted about his admiration of Lange.

Lange became known for his one-liners, such as “He’s smiling like a butcher’s dog,” but his ability to anticipate what was going to happen in a game was truly unique. Marshall notes one such occurrence where Lange warned the audience to keep their eyes on Lemieux in a game and to “be careful” with him. Lemieux went on to score eight points in the game.

Lange was the recipient of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Foster Hewitt Award in 2001 and was inducted into the broadcasters’ wing of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Lange called his final Pittsburgh game in 2021 before his retirement due to health issues.

We at Pro Hockey Rumors send our condolences to Lange’s family, friends, and peers.

Trade Deadline Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins

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With the 4 Nations Face-Off break now almost over, the trade deadline looms large and is less than three weeks away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Things haven’t gone exactly as planned for the Penguins this season.  After tweaking their roster, GM Kyle Dubas hoped that this group would be able to hang around the playoff picture.  While they’re still within striking distance of a playoff spot, they’ve already dealt away their top rental, signaling that they will likely be subtracting from their roster once again at the deadline.

Record

23-25-9, 7th in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$9.88MM on deadline day, 2/3 retention slots used, 49/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: NYR 1st*, PIT 1st, MIN 3rd, OTT 3rd, PIT 3rd, PIT 4th, CHI 5th, NYR 5th, PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th
2026: PIT 1st, PIT 2nd, STL 2nd, PIT 3rd, SJ 3rd, PIT 4th, NSH 6th, CHI 7th, PIT 7th

*-Top-13 protected; if it doesn’t convey this year, it becomes New York’s unprotected 2026 first-round selection.

Trade Chips

With Marcus Pettersson now in Vancouver from the trade at the beginning of the month, Pittsburgh’s top rental blueliner is long gone but Matt Grzelcyk is another who could draw interest.  He struggled to start the season as he adjusted to his new team but he has played better in recent weeks leading up to the break.  The 31-year-old has set a new career-high in points with 28 in 57 games, putting him second on the Penguins in points by a defenseman (behind Erik Karlsson but ahead of Kris Letang) while he’s logging over 20 minutes a night for the first time in his career.  While Grzelcyk would likely be more of a third-pairing option on a contending team, his $2.75MM AAV is one that is reasonably affordable which should give Dubas some options if he wants to move out another rearguard.

Their other rental options are more of the depth variety.  Anthony Beauvillier has a dozen goals in 56 games despite not even averaging 13 minutes a night and isn’t too pricey at $1.25MM.  For a team looking for some low-cost scoring depth, he could be a viable option.  When healthy, Matthew Nieto has been a capable checking winger.  Staying healthy has been a challenge lately and he has struggled this year but at just $900K, it’s possible a team could flip a late-round pick to bring in some extra depth.

While Pittsburgh would undoubtedly want to get out of Tristan Jarry and Ryan Graves’s contracts, that’s probably not happening.  Nor is it likely that they’d move their older core group that they’re trying to build around.  But even with that in mind, there are a few other possible trade options.

Rickard Rakell’s tenure with Pittsburgh has been a bit uneven but this has been one of the good years.  He already has 25 goals this season, giving him a chance to surpass 30 for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign and sits second in team scoring behind Sidney Crosby while often playing with the captain on the top line.  As far as trade value goes, it’s reasonably high, especially since he’s signed for three more years at $5MM.  It doesn’t seem likely that the Penguins would embark on a larger-scale rebuild so he’s someone they’d probably prefer not to move so it will take a big offer to get him.  That same sentence applies to winger Bryan Rust who is also in that price range.

Pittsburgh has a pair of bottom-six forwards who could attract some interest as well.  Noel Acciari is a physical fourth-line center who has seven different seasons of playoff experience and had some success as a deadline pickup two years ago.  He has one year left on his deal after this one at $2MM which is a salary that looks a bit more affordable with the big jump coming in the salary cap.  The other is Blake Lizotte.  He provides a bit more offense than Acciari and is capable of playing both center and the wing although he’s also undersized.  He’s in Acciari’s price range with one year left on his deal as well at a $1.85MM price tag.  Neither player would command a significant return but moving one of them would open up a roster spot to give one of their prospects in AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton an extended look.

Team Needs

1) Young Pros: Last year, we saw Dubas prioritize a nearer-future return in the Jake Guentzel trade, adding Vasiliy Ponomarev and Ville Koivunen as part of the package instead of picking up more draft picks.  We also saw them add Rutger McGroarty, the more pro-ready piece, in a swap of first-round prospects with Winnipeg over the offseason.  The emphasis is getting players who are closer to being NHL-ready who could still fit with the current veteran core.  There’s no reason to think they won’t take a similar approach this time around.

2) Contract Flexibility: With only one open contract slot at the moment, that doesn’t give the Penguins much flexibility on that front, either in terms of adding more minor-pro players in a trade or even for the college free agent market if they need to burn a year now to entice a signing.  Freeing up two or three slots would certainly help them on that front, especially when you keep in mind that contracts don’t expire until July 1st so having that extra wiggle room could also help them at draft time in trade discussions.  It’s not a must-do but it would certainly be beneficial for them.

Photo courtesy of Imagn Images.

Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin To Return, Squashes Retirement And Trade Rumors

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Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin has shared that he is planning to play when the team returns from break on Saturday, per Rob Rossi of The Athletic. Malkin has missed Pittsburgh’s last six games after suffering an injury in the team’s January 25th loss to Seattle. He sustained the injury roughly halfway through the first period, after the skate of Kraken forward Chandler Stephenson seemed to catch Malkin in the thigh. He attempted to return for a brief shift later in the first, but was ruled out before the game’s second period. Pittsburgh placed Malkin on injured reserve just two days later. He’ll need to be activated off of IR before Saturday’s game, which will force Pittsburgh to reassign a player like Vasiliy Ponomarev or Bokondji Imama.

The return of one of their lineup pillars will be great news in Pittsburgh. Malkin has continued to perform at a premier level this year, with his 34 points in 47 games ranked fifth on the team in total scoring. In even better news, Malkin went on to emphasize to Rossi that he has no intentions of retiring this summer or playing anywhere else. He told The Athletic, “[I’ll] retire with Pittsburgh. The Penguins are my team… When I retire, [it’ll be] here.” Malkin added that, despite speculation, he has no plans of playing anymore Russian hockey either – save for potentially a one-game send-off with his hometown Metallurg Magnitogorsk when all is said and done.

Malkin is signed through the end of the 2025-26 season, setting him up for at least one more full year in Pittsburgh’s black-and-gold. He’s squashed talks of a potential retirement this summer, which will naturally push attention back until his deal ends in 2026. But Malkin continues to hold down a strong, middle-six role for the Penguins, averaging north of 18 minutes of ice time each game this season. Fellow Penguins legend Sidney Crosby is signed through the end of the 2026-27 campaign, which could be enough to convince Malkin to find an extra gear and retire alongside his longtime partner-in-crime. Malkin entered the NHL in 2006-07, one year after Crosby’s debut. Crosby scored a career-high 120 points in his first year alongside Malkin, while the latter managed his career-high of 113 points in their second year together.

Few duos in hockey history have stood as tall as Crosby and Malkin. The two have led three Stanley Cup wins and recorded the sole assist on each the other’s 500th NHL goal. They’re a ubiquitous tandem, and Malkin’s imminent return from lower-body injury sets him up to continue his role second to Crosby on the depth chart.

Malkin’s return will likely push one of Ponomarev, Blake Lizotte, or Emil Bemstrom out of the lineup. Lizotte and Bemstrom have each scored one goal through their last 10 games, while Ponomarev is still searching for his first point after four NHL games this season. Should Ponomarev be the odd man out, he’ll likely head back to a red-hot minor-league season. Ponomarev ranks fourth on the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in scoring with 29 points in 34 games.

Minor Transactions: 2/18/25

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The transaction wire is active again today, with many teams hosting their first practices in over a week. The regular season schedule after the 4 Nations Face-Off resumes this weekend, so the players who teams reassigned to the minors over the break to continue playing will be added back to rosters today and tomorrow to make them eligible to practice with their NHL teammates. Here are all of today’s moves that largely constituted reversals of pre-break demotions.

  • The Hurricanes announced they’ve promoted defenseman Riley Stillman from AHL Chicago. While he’d been off the roster for a few days already prior to the break, he’s been a frequent traveler between Carolina and Chicago this season. He was last rostered for a game on Jan. 28 against the Rangers – his season debut, in which he recorded a fight and a shot on goal in 7:40 of ice time. A routine healthy scratch/extra defenseman, Stillman is close to requiring waivers again to head to the minors after clearing them in November. The 26-year-old has 2-3–5 with 41 PIMs and a minus-three rating in 20 AHL contests this year.
  • The Stars announced they’ve recalled defenseman Lian Bichsel from AHL Texas. He was quietly shuttled down on Feb. 8 after making eight straight appearances for Dallas leading into the break. The 2022 first-rounder has 2-3–5 and a plus-six rating through his first 16 career NHL games, all coming this season, and will continue in a regular role for the time being with Miro Heiskanen and Nils Lundkvist on the shelf.
  • The Canucks announced they’ve promoted all of center Nils Åman, forward Arshdeep Bains, and defenseman Elias Pettersson from AHL Abbotsford. They also added goalie Arturs Silovs from the Baby Canucks on an emergency loan and will have Nikita Tolopilo around as a practice goaltender until Kevin Lankinen is ready to return from representing Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off, although the latter won’t take up a roster spot. Åman and Pettersson were sent to Abbotsford on Feb. 8, but this is Bains’ first recall since late November. The 24-year-old winger had one goal and a minus-four rating in 11 games earlier this season but has remained a near point-per-game threat in the minors, posting 7-20–27 in 32 AHL games. He’ll now get another crack at NHL minutes in the final season of his entry-level contract. Silovs, who’s struggled to the tune of a 1-4-1 record and .847 SV% in seven NHL appearances this season, will come up to serve as Lankinen’s No. 2 with Thatcher Demko still dealing with the undisclosed injury that caused him to leave Vancouver’s last pre-break game against the Maple Leafs. Tolopilo’s stay will be brief, and the 24-year-old will return to Abbotsford as soon as Lankinen is available.
  • The Penguins called up winger Emil Bemström and goalie Joel Blomqvist from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and returned netminder Tristan Jarry to the minors in a corresponding transaction, the team announced. It’s a pure reversal of the moves Pittsburgh made after their last game on Feb. 8. Bemström has no points and two shots in two games since being recalled for the first time this season on Feb. 7, while Blomqvist has a 3-8-0 record with a .896 SV% and 3.54 GAA in 11 appearances on the year. The 23-year-old has struggled since taking over for Jarry on the roster, posting a .868 SV% in three starts since the veteran was waived in mid-January. The 29-year-old Jarry will continue to bide his time in the minors as he awaits another NHL chance, knocking on the door with a .924 SV% and 2.11 GAA in nine games.
  • The Rangers announced they’ve recalled goaltender Dylan Garand from AHL Hartford. The 22-year-old comes up to serve as Jonathan Quick’s backup with Igor Shesterkin not ready to return from the upper-body injury that kept him out of New York’s final game before the break. He’s sporting a .914 SV%, 2.73 GAA, three shutouts, and a 13-7-5 record in 25 showings with Hartford this year.
  • The Blackhawks summoned defenseman Ethan Del Mastro from AHL Rockford, a team announcement states. Chicago sent the 22-year-old down at the beginning of the break for additional playing time in the minors, where he posted three shots and a plus-one rating in four games over the past couple of weeks. He has one assist in six NHL games since first being called up in late January and will continue competing for bottom-pairing minutes while Louis Crevier is on injured reserve with a concussion.
  • The Bruins recalled defenseman Michael Callahan, center Matthew Poitras, and left-winger Riley Tufte from AHL Providence – the latter coming up under emergency conditions, per the team. Goaltender Michael DiPietro will also practice with the team while Jeremy Swayman remains with Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off but won’t count against the active roster. Callahan’s and Poitras’ recalls are reversals of pre-break assignments, with the former’s recall serving as confirmation that Hampus Lindholm won’t be ready to come off LTIR before Saturday’s game against the Ducks. Tufte’s recall is his first since November, and his inclusion is a solid indication that Charlie McAvoy will be IR-bound after sustaining an upper-body injury and subsequent infection at the 4 Nations.
  • The Jets announced they’ve recalled Kaapo Kähkönen from AHL Manitoba to serve as a practice player with Connor Hellebuyck slated to start for the Americans in Thursday’s 4 Nations championship. He’s played one NHL game since signing a one-year, $1MM deal in Winnipeg last offseason – although it was for the Avalanche, who claimed him off waivers in October but lost him back to the Jets on the wire the following month. The 28-year-old has taken a tumble in Manitoba with a .885 SV% in 20 games – a worse save percentage than he posted on last year’s league-worst Sharks.
  • The Sharks announced they’ve recalled forward Collin Graf and defenseman Jack Thompson from AHL San Jose. They were both assigned to the minors after their final pre-break game, although notably, veteran Andrew Poturalski remains in the minors after being demoted along with Graf and Thompson. The rookies are both likely to play next Sunday against the Flames.
  • Utah announced they’d recalled winger Josh Doan from AHL Tucson after the previously reported summons of goaltender Jaxson Stauber. His reinstatement to the roster suggests Logan Cooley won’t be quite ready to return from his lower-body injury this weekend against the Kings, but general manager Bill Armstrong said yesterday he’s not expected out for much longer. Doan has 4-5–9 in 25 NHL games and 11-15–26 in 28 AHL games this year.
  • The Blues will have goaltender Will Cranley join them for practice while Jordan Binnington remains with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the club announced. Cranley, 22, was a sixth-round pick of 2020 and is in his second season of pro hockey. He’s spent almost all of his time in the ECHL, where he has a .911 SV% and 2.28 GAA in 16 appearances with the Florida Everblades this year.
  • The Predators recalled goalie Matt Murray to join them as a practice player while Juuse Saros returns from repping the Fins at the 4 Nations, Emma Lingan of The Hockey News reports. Murray has yet to appear in a game for Nashville after spending the past few years in the Stars organization but has been recalled a few times as injury insurance this season. The 27-year-old has a sparkling .930 SV%, 2.17 GAA, two shutouts, and a 17-7-6 record for Milwaukee.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forwards Gage Goncalves and Gabriel Fortier to join as practice players. Goncalves has served as Tampa Bay’s extra forward for much of the year. His NHL career is still young, and his one goal and seven points in 33 games with the Lightning marks the first scoring of his career. Goncalves has also scored 18 points in 14 AHL games this year. Fortier has spent his whole season in the minors and scored 10 goals and 17 points in 37 games. He ranks third on the Syracuse Crunch in goals and seventh in points.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Could Pettersson's Trade Help Penguins Keep Grzelcyk?

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  • Earlier this month, the Penguins moved one of their pending unrestricted free agents on the back end when Marcus Pettersson was dealt to Vancouver. They still have another pending UFA blueliner in Matt Grzelcyk.  However, Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if the fact that Pettersson is gone and that Grzelcyk has had a bounce-back year could mean that Pittsburgh could consider keeping him around beyond this season if they don’t get a compelling offer for him by the trade deadline.  The 31-year-old has 28 points in 57 games and is averaging over 20 minutes a night for the first time which is pretty good value on a one-year, $2.75MM contract signed last summer.

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