- Consider Pittsburgh prospect Teddy Blueger as a potential candidate for that third-line center spot. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette writes that Blueger has worked hard at his skating in the last few years in hopes of breaking into the Pittsburgh Penguins front lines. Although the Penguins could trade for a veteran at any time, Blueger, has the ability to break into that lineup. Having scored 108 points in for years at Minnesota State University – Mankato, putting him in the top 10 all-time in the school’s history, he will have quite a challenge to win a job with the Penguins this year. He will have to compete with veteran Carter Rowney, Jay McClement, Jean-Sebastien Dea and Greg McKegg for that spot.
Penguins Rumors
Pittsburgh Penguins Showing Interest In Danis Zaripov
When Evgeni Malkin said last week that he’d love to see Danis Zaripov on his line this season, many ears perked up around the league. It’s not often a superstar comes out that openly in favor of acquiring a player, even if it was a passing comment in a longer interview. Now, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirms that the Penguins have indeed don’t their vetting of Zaripov by talking to lots of former teammates and coaches. Mackey reports that there is no formal offer in place yet, but that they’re showing “more than passing interest.”
Zaripov is a playoff legend in the KHL, but was suspended for two seasons for doping earlier this year. The NHL ruled that the ban would not be honored here in North America because the substance he tested positive for is not in their listed of banned substance, and there are several inconsistencies with how his case was handled. He’s now received interest from several teams around the league, including Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, and even apparently has two offers in hand from unknown teams.
The 36-year old will sign somewhere before the season begins, but it’s not clear how he’d fit into the Pittsburgh forward group. They desperately need a third line center, but already have a glut of wingers that are blocking young prospects like Daniel Sprong from even making a big impact. Adding Zaripov could give them some more experience, but how much he’d actually improve the team is completely unknown. Since he’s never played in the NHL, there is no guarantee his offense would even translate.
Morning Notes: Zaripov, Campoli, Byron
Danis Zaripov has entered the NHL free agent market after being cleared to sign despite a two-year ban in the KHL, and he is one of the most interesting wildcards this late in the summer. Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Lightning have checked in on him, but there has been no contract talks between the two sides.
More interestingly, Igor Eronko of Sport-Express quotes Evgeni Malkin saying that he would “like to see Danis Zaripov in Penguins. I’d enjoy plaing with him on one line.” Zaripov isn’t the answer the Penguins need at center, but would be an interesting addition to their wing depth.
- Jeff Cox reports that Vegas Golden Knights draft pick Nick Campoli will not be attending Clarkson University as originally planned, and instead will play for the Sioux City Musketeers this season. Campoli was a sixth-round pick this summer, and had played in the OJHL to maintain his college eligibility. Cox reports that he will attempt to take enough courses to regain eligibility and join Clarkson in 2018-19.
- Blaine Byron explains to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet why he made the decision to pass up an entry-level contract to sign an AHL deal with the Florida Panthers. Byron considers Florida his best shot at making the NHL, and could see a clear path there for him. The huge number of University of Maine alumni in the management and coaching staff probably helped him feel that way, but there is also a clear need for NHL-level forwards in the Florida system. Byron could make the jump sooner than later, meaning an entry-level deal could be signed before long anyway.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Pittsburgh Penguins
Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2017-18 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Current Cap Hit: $71,720,000 (under the $75MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Zach Aston-Reese (Two years remaining, $925K)
F Jake Guentzel (Two years remaining, $734K)
Potential Bonuses
Guentzel: $183K
Guentzel was the latest of Pittsburgh’s youngsters to come up and make a difference right away to the point where he became a key cog in their attack down the stretch. It will be interesting to see if his production carries over to a full season; if it does, he’s going to be a major bargain for them. Aston-Reese was one of the more sought after college free agents during the season. With their lack of depth down the middle as the roster currently stands, he’ll get a long look at training camp.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
D Ian Cole ($2.1MM, UFA)
F Patric Hornqvist ($4.25MM, UFA)
F Tom Kuhnhackl ($625K, RFA)
G Antti Niemi ($700K, UFA)
D Derrick Pouliot ($800K, RFA)
F Ryan Reaves ($1.15MM, UFA)
F Carter Rowney ($613K, UFA)
F Bryan Rust ($640K, RFA)
F Scott Wilson ($625K, RFA)
Hornqvist has been a reliable and consistent secondary scorer for Pittsburgh since they acquired him three years ago. He has posted at least 21 goals and 44 points in each season in that time. That type of production is always in demand so barring a down year, he’s likely to have a shot at more money in free agency. The Pens paid a notable price to add Reaves at the draft, trading from the first into the second round to do so. He has improved his all-around game to the point where he can handle a regular shift and there aren’t many tough guys that can do that and the ones that can have landed sizable deals on the open market. The other four forwards are all poised to play bottom six roles and given the number of big contracts on their books already, the team will likely be pushing for them to give up a bit of money on their next deals to hold down their spots in the lineup.
Cole is coming off a career year in both points (26) and ice time (19:49 per night). That’s a notable jump for someone who has been more of a stay-at-home player in the past. A repeat of that performance will have him in line for a big raise but if he reverts back to his normal numbers, his next contract should come in somewhat close to his current one. Pouliot spent the majority of last year at the minor league level but as he now requires waivers, he’s likely to stick on the roster in some capacity. Whether or not he can lock down a regular spot will go a long way towards determining what his next contract will be.
Niemi is coming off a tough season with Dallas that resulted in the final year of his contract being bought out. That allowed him to take a cheap deal to join the Penguins where he’ll likely be tasked with playing 20-25 games to give Tristan Jarry another season to develop in the minors. A strong season would go a long way towards rebuilding his value, especially with some of the better backups landing some bigger deals in recent years.
Penguins Ink Jay McClement To Tryout Contract
As part of their quest to replenish their center depth following the departures of Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen via free agency, the Penguins announced that they have brought in veteran Jay McClement on a professional tryout deal.
McClement has spent the past three seasons with Carolina but has seen his role dip in recent years. In 2016-17, he collected just five goals and three assists in 65 games while his 48.2% success rate at the faceoff dot was well below the 55% marks he put up the previous two seasons. McClement will likely battle Carter Rowney for a spot on Pittsburgh’s fourth line but the Penguins will undoubtedly continue their search for someone to play behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on their third trio.
Snapshots: Blues, Butcher, Canucks
The St. Louis Blues signed defenseman Colton Parayko to a new five-year, $27.5MM deal earlier this offseason. The 24-year-old understands that more pressure will accompany his larger contract.
“I obviously want to come and be a better player and be a big part of it,” Parayko told Louie Korac of NHL.com. “But at the same time, I don’t want to get outside of my game and try to do things that aren’t part of me. You’ve just got to find a medium that’s going to make the team better and also make you efficient.
“The main goal is to obviously have the best team and hopefully I can help solidify that and just kind of do my job and make it easy for others. I obviously don’t want to get out of my element and get out of things I do best. I’ve got to focus on doing those and try to do that every single night, obviously [be] more consistent and make sure I continue to play good.”
The defenseman finished his second NHL season with four goals and 31 assists in 81 games. The 2013 third-rounder figures to once again team up with Joel Edmundson on the Blues’ second line.
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NHL…
- We learned earlier today that college free agent Will Butcher will be making his decision this weekend, and Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets that the Penguins aren’t a finalist for the young defenseman. Pittsburgh had previously been connected to Butcher, along with the Sabres, Blue Jackets, Devils, and Golden Knights. The reigning Hobey Baker award winner out of the University of Denver was initially a fifth-round pick by the Avalanche back in 2013.
- The Canucks might not be finished with free agency, as Matthew Sekeres of TSN 1040 AM tweets that the organization has discussed signing a forward, including veteran Thomas Vanek. The reporter notes that the team has also extended at least a pair of professional try outs. The 33-year-old Vanek split last season with the Red Wings and Panthers, collecting 17 goals and 31 assists in 68 games. We heard yesterday that interest in the free agent winger was beginning to ramp up.
- In case you missed it, recently bought out Anaheim Ducks defender Simon Despres signed with Russian club Slovan Bratislava earlier today.
Jarry Could Still See NHL Action Despite Niemi's Addition
- Although Pittsburgh’s addition of netminder Antti Niemi pushes prospect Tristan Jarry back to the number three role, GM Jim Rutherford suggested to NHL.com’s Wes Crosby that Jarry may still get into some NHL action with the Penguins this season. Niemi inked a one-year, $700K deal to replace Marc-Andre Fleury and serve as Matt Murray’s backup but the move also allows the 22-year-old to get another full season of AHL action under his belt before making another push for the number two spot in 2018-19.
Pittsburgh Penguins Re-Sign Jean-Sebastien Dea
The Pittsburgh Penguins have finished signing their restricted free agents as today they announced a new one-year contract for Jean-Sebastien Dea. The contract is two-way and will earn Dea $650K at the NHL level. Dea will remain an RFA at the conclusion of the deal.
Undrafted out of the QMJHL, the Penguins jumped on Dea after he exploded for 85 points in 68 games for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2012-13. Playing alongside people like Sven Andrighetto and at times Nikita Kucherov, Dea showed that he could keep up with NHL talent and provide some real offense.
That ability hasn’t abandoned him in professional hockey, as the 23-year old has continued his development for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins the last few years. Registering 18 goals and 34 points last season, he was rewarded with his NHL debut late in the year and the opportunity to skate as a “Black Ace” in the playoffs. A natural center, Dea could be in contention for a fourth-line role at some point if the Penguins’ depth is tested during the year.
Money To Move Out In Potential Pittsburgh Trade
Often lost in the narrative chronicling the Penguins’ need for a third-line center is the fact that money will almost certainly head the other direction in any trade. Currently, Pittsburgh is a respectable $3.82 MM under the cap ceiling, but a few factors should be considered. Firstly, GM Jim Rutherford will almost surely allot at least $1 MM in space to acquire necessary rentals at the trade deadline. Second, his defensive and center depth is rather weak overall, so any move would likely not be the last before a post-season pursuit. Third, and perhaps most important, multiple contracts on the horizon will force uncomfortable decisions on wing and top-four defense.
With Matt Cullen departing for Minnesota, the Penguins’ third best center is Carter Rowney, just one season removed from AHL plug duty. Zach Aston-Reese could fill in temporarily, but it’s not ideal for his first professional season. The teams needs an upper-echelon third center option, and available options are supremely limited league-wide. Rutherford claimed to have half a dozen options in July, but with the summer expiring the options are far fewer. Although Rutherford is playing his cards close to his chest, it’s nearly inconceivable that the Penguins go into the new year without greater certainty at that position. A move needs to be made.
On defense, the team will need to determine the future of multiple players. It’s a fair assumption that the team will bank on the improved health of Norris-capable Kris Letang, for better or worse. Justin Schultz is also safe, as is the dependable Brian Dumoulin. In that fourth position, will the Pens re-sign impending UFA Ian Cole, or will his shot-blocking mentality start to show its toll? Is Olli Maatta worth $4.083 MM on a cash strapped team? Will Derrick Pouliot finally clean up his turnovers and make an impact in the Steel City and make either expendable? If Maatta’s skating doesn’t substantially improve, it’s a safe bet his contract will be the one off-loaded in any transaction, regardless of potential and upside.
On offense, the team will also need to make painful judgments. Patric Hornqvist is entering his final year of his contract, and at 31 years old, how will his body hold up multiple seasons into a new contract? Would Bryan Rust be able to replace his intangibles and hard-nosed offense at a fraction of the cost? His internal value is incredibly high, but he’s been relegated to a third-line role for the foreseeable future. Additionally, how devoted is Pittsburgh to the Phil Kessel model? It seems incredibly far-fetched that the team might consider moving Kessel, and they would undoubtedly receive a lesser player in any trade. Still, his $6.8 MM is a strain on the overall forward structure. With Jake Guentzel looking to land a substantial raise in two seasons, Kessel may not be entirely untouchable. Finally, could an accessory piece be moved off the roster as a throw-in for a potential elite third-line center? Impending RFA Scott Wilson isn’t the most glamorous of names, but he could easily earn decent money on his next contract and provide depth scoring for a re-building team. Carl Hagelin’s $4 MM was well above his current rate of production, and his blistering speed could be a tempting add for any squad.
In the final evaluation, Pittsburgh will almost certainly part with a roster player if they are to land a significant piece at the 3rd-line center position. Maatta seems most likely, and has for some time, but the selling teams will have a definite upper-hand in all negotiations, and the money complicates matters. The team has shown time and again it is willing to part with high-end draft picks, but any impending deal will necessarily be more intricate, considering the dearth of the organization’s prospect pool and other contributing factors.
Pittsburgh Penguins Still Waiting On "Impactful" Third-Line Center
The Pittsburgh Penguins were in the running to the end on Matt Cullen before he decided to sign with the Minnesota Wild in order to allow his family to put down some roots, and though he wasn’t a perfect fit for their vacant third-line center he certainly would have been an option for a bottom-six role. Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review spoke to Penguins GM Jim Rutherford about the still vacant role, who once again said that he could trade right now for an “adequate” option but isn’t excited about it.
Instead, Bombulie tweets, Rutherford is waiting for a better option to come available or head into the season with some cap space in order to make a move at a later date. While no names are included, there is still a clear understanding of the biggest weak-spot on the Penguins roster. It will be interesting to see if another more “impactful” option shakes loose as training camp opens in September, or if the Penguins are forced to go into the season with Carter Rowney playing third-line minutes.