Headlines

  • Blues Activate Vladimir Tarasenko From LTIR
  • Calgary Flames Fire Geoff Ward
  • Brent Seabrook Will Not Play Again
  • Claude Julien Fired By Montreal Canadiens
  • Senators Acquire Ryan Dzingel From Hurricanes
  • Pittsburgh Penguins Hire Brian Burke, Ron Hextall
  • 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
      • 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
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Casey DeSmith

East Notes: Pettersson, Hischier, Johnson, Miller

February 15, 2021 at 6:53 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Slowly but steadily, the Penguins have been getting some of their defensemen back and it appears one more return is on the horizon.  Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that Marcus Pettersson practiced today without contact restrictions and could be available to suit up against Washington on Tuesday.  The 24-year-old logged over 19 minutes per game on the back end last season and would be a welcome addition to a Pittsburgh back end that is still without Brian Dumoulin and Juuso Riikola.

Still with the Penguins, goaltender Casey DeSmith was unavailable for a second straight day due to illness.  Maxime Lagace is up from the taxi squad for the time being to serve as Tristan Jarry’s backup.

More from the East Division:

  • While Devils center Nico Hischier remains on the CPRA list, there is some good news on his front. Corey Masisak of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that if it wasn’t for Hischier’s placement on the list, he’d be available to play.  That’s notable since the 22-year-old has not yet played this season due to a leg injury sustained back in December.  He’ll be a welcome addition over likely the next few days to a New Jersey lineup that sits 24th in goals per game this season.
  • The Rangers could soon be getting defenseman Jack Johnson back in their lineup. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that the veteran, who has missed the last three weeks with a groin injury, could resume practicing at some point this week.  Meanwhile, fellow blueliner K’Andre Miller missed practice today with an upper-body injury and is questionable for Tuesday’s contest against New Jersey.  The rookie has made an immediate impact this season and has four points in 13 games while averaging 19:34 per game, second-most among all first-year players.

Casey DeSmith| Injury| Jack Johnson| Marcus Pettersson| Maxime Lagace| New Jersey Devils| New York Rangers| Nico Hischier| Pittsburgh Penguins

0 comments

Morning Notes: Penguins, Stützle, Fines

January 19, 2021 at 10:44 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Pittsburgh Penguins will finally have Kasperi Kapanen in the lineup when they battle an old foe this evening, taking on the Washington Capitals for the second time in three nights. Kapanen has missed training camp and the first few games because of the COVID protocols, but his debut with Pittsburgh should be a welcome one given they are 1-2 through the early part of the season, having dropped two games already to the Philadelphia Flyers.

After winning their first game on Sunday with Casey DeSmith in net, he’ll be back in again over Tristan Jarry this evening. Though DeSmith didn’t post incredible numbers himself, Jarry looked lost at times during the first two games and currently carries a brutal .727 save percentage and 7.57 goals-against average. The Penguins certainly aren’t giving up on their young starter, but DeSmith offers a reliable option that they can go to frequently until Jarry gets his game in order.

  • The Ottawa Senators will be without top prospect Tim Stützle when the team welcomes in the Winnipeg Jets this evening, as he is dealing with a minor injury. The 19-year-old forward is listed as day-to-day and will be replaced by Alex Galchenyuk in the lineup. Stützle has been as advertised so far in the early season, scoring a highlight-reel goal for his first NHL tally and generally being one of the more dangerous offensive players in the lineup.
  • While the NHL decided against any suspensions from last night’s action, the Department of Player Safety did issue three fines. Nicolas Aube-Kubel has been fined $4,633.62 for roughing Rasmus Dahlin, Elias Pettersson has been fined $3,987.07 for his slash on Sean Monahan and Greg Pateryn has been fined $5,000 for his cross-check on Sonny Milano. All three fines are the maximum amount allowed under the CBA and are based on salary.

Alex Galchenyuk| Casey DeSmith| Elias Pettersson| Greg Pateryn| Injury| Kasperi Kapanen| Ottawa Senators| Pittsburgh Penguins

0 comments

Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Tristan Jarry

October 3, 2020 at 10:54 am CDT | by Zach Leach 2 Comments

A busy morning for goalie deals continues. The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced a new three-year, $10.5MM contract with young keeper Tristan Jarry. The extension, which buys out one UFA year, keeps the 25-year-old restricted free agent under contract through the 2022-23 season at an AAV of $3.5MM.  CapFriendly reports that the deal breaks down as follows:

2020-21: $2.5MM
2021-22: $3.5MM
2022-23: $4.5MM

If these numbers seem slightly familiar, they should. Matt Murray, the Penguins’ “goalie of the future” just three short years ago, signed a three-year, $3.75MM AAV contract when his entry-level deal expired. He earned the slight edge over Jarry given that he had more experience at the time and had helped the Penguins to two Stanley Cup titles, but the deal did not buy out any UFA years. Murray is now a restricted free agent as well, but the Penguins made it clear early on this off-season that they would move forward with Jarry and that Murray is on the trade block. The cap-strapped club would love to keep both young goalies, but that does not appear to be in the cards, especially with the salary that Murray expects to command.

Of course, the decision was not just about money. Jarry was clearly the superior option this season, despite it being just his second season of regular NHL action. In a career-high 33 appearances, he set new personal bests with 20 wins, a 2.43 goals against average, and a .921 save percentage. His GAA and SV% ranked among the top ten goalies in the NHL and after a few roster changes the rookie even earned an All-Star nod. He was also stellar in his one playoff appearance this year, leaving many Pittsburgh fans to wonder why Murray got the majority of starts in the team’s qualifying round upset.

Jarry appears to be the real deal, but the Penguins are not done tweaking their situation in net. First, the team will need to find a taker for Murray, who the team will likely be forced to make a qualifying offer to by Wednesday’s deadline. Next, they will likely need to evaluate the veteran backup options on the free agent and trade markets. Jarry has still never even played half of an NHL season (41 games) in a year, never mind a starter’s load. AHLer Casey DeSmith has some experience at the top level, but might not be the best backup option next season given his lack of NHL starts as well. Look for the Penguins to stay involved in the goalie market as both buyers and sellers.

Casey DeSmith| Matt Murray| Newsstand| Pittsburgh Penguins| Tristan Jarry

2 comments

Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Zajac, Clutterbuck

February 19, 2020 at 6:53 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 2 Comments

If Penguins GM Jim Rutherford has his way, there is another trade to come for Pittsburgh.  Speaking with NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger, he indicated that he’d like to try to add another forward to add some more balance to their top-12.  With their remaining cap room, another big addition is unlikely but someone to contribute on their third or fourth line would give them a small boost and hedge against injury trouble, something the team is quite familiar with this season.

One possible trade chip they have is goaltender Casey DeSmith who has played well this season for AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton while posting a .917 save percentage over his two seasons with the Penguins.  However, Rutherford stated that he has no intention of moving DeSmith (or one of his current NHL goalies) and instead will keep the 28-year-old as insurance.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • With the Devils clearly selling, some have speculated if center Travis Zajac may be willing to reconsider his previous unwillingness to waive his no-move clause. However, he told Abbey Mastracco of The Bergen Record that right now, he wants to remain with the team while interim GM Tom Fitzgerald indicated that the veteran isn’t going anywhere.  The 34-year-old has spent the entirety of his 14-year NHL career in New Jersey and still has one year left on his contract after this one with a $5.75MM AAV.
  • The Islanders appear to be closer to getting one of their veteran forwards back in the lineup. Newsday’s Andrew Gross notes that the team hopes that winger Cal Clutterbuck will be able to return to practice by Monday.  He has been out for the last two months due to a wrist injury and him potentially practicing over the next few days is a good sign that he could be nearing a return.  While the 32-year-old isn’t a big offensive producer, he is one of the most physical forwards in the league and is one of their most-used penalty killers.

Cal Clutterbuck| Casey DeSmith| New Jersey Devils| New York Islanders| Pittsburgh Penguins| Travis Zajac

2 comments

Metropolitan Notes: DeSmith, Ovechkin, Niederreiter, Kakko

November 16, 2019 at 1:07 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 6 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins had to choose between two goaltenders for their backup goaltending opening during training camp, eventually opting to place last year’s backup goalie Casey DeSmith on waivers and then sending him to the AHL, despite solid numbers last year. That demotion hit DeSmith hard, who reportedly was frustrated and hurt that Pittsburgh would do that, leading to disappointing performances early on.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach Mike Vellucci, however, said the two have talked about the move and DeSmith has bounced back recently, in a Q&A with Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“Yes, of course he was hurt and disappointed and all those emotions, which is understandable. I talked to him when he first got down here and I pulled him aside maybe 10 days ago and just said that from standpoint, he can’t let this affect him … So I think from that point on he’s been preparing to be the best he can and not worrying about things he can’t control. I think he’s settled in nice.”

  • Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin looks to have avoided any supplementary discipline after Friday night’s hit against Montreal Canadiens’ forward Jonathan Drouin, in which Ovechkin crushed Drouin with a massive body check in the second period (video here). TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports, however, that there will be no hearing for the hit. The Canadiens went on to win 5-2.
  • Chip Alexander of the News & Observer writes that Carolina Hurricanes winger Nino Niederreiter is quite frustrated with his offensive struggles so far this season. The winger, who scored 14 goals in 36 games last season after being traded from Minnesota to Carolina, has just two goals and seven points in their first 19 games. The winger has had plenty of scoring opportunities, but has really struggled putting the puck into the net. He currently has an exceptionally low 5.9 percent shooting percentage, which he admits has gotten to him. “I try not to be,” he said. “If you’re not scoring and you don’t get the points then it’s obviously in your head.”
  • New York Rangers rookie Kaapo Kakko is feeling better as he has been out with the flu, according to The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello, but the team’s second-overall pick this season remains a game-time decision for tonight’s game against the Florida Panthers. Kakko has been hot recently with five goals in his last seven games.

Alex Ovechkin| Carolina Hurricanes| Casey DeSmith| Kaapo Kakko| New York Rangers| Nino Niederreiter| Pittsburgh Penguins

6 comments

Training Camp Cuts: 10/01/19

October 1, 2019 at 9:27 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

Even with the season starting tomorrow, teams still have some final cuts to make today. Rosters have to be cap compliant by the end of the day. though with so much talent on waivers there might still be some last-minute moves. We’ll keep track of those right here. Keep checking back throughout the day for updates.

Arizona Coyotes (per team release)

D Ilya Lyubushkin (to Tucson, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (per team release)

F Remi Elie (to Rochester, AHL)
F Curtis Lazar (to Rochester, AHL)
F Scott Wilson (to Rochester, AHL)
D Casey Nelson (to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (per team release)

F Alan Quine (to Stockton, AHL)
F Zac Rinaldo (to Stockton, AHL)
F Dillon Dube (to Stockton, AHL)
D Andrew MacDonald (released from PTO)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

F Clark Bishop (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Julien Gauthier (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Brian Gibbons (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Gustav Forsling (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Anton Forsberg (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Max McCormick (placed on injured/non-roster)
D Trevor van Riemsdyk (placed on injured/non-roster)

Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)

G Collin Delia (to Rockford, AHL)
F Kirby Dach (placed on injured/non-roster)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

F Marko Dano (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Andrew Peeke (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Liam Foudy (placed on injured/non-roster)

Colorado Avalanche (per team release)

F Jayson Megna (to Colorado, AHL)
D Kevin Connauton (to Colorado, AHL)
D Calle Rosen (to Colorado, AHL)
D Ian Cole (placed on injured/non-roster)

Detroit Red Wings (per team release)

D Jared McIsaac (to Halifax, QMJHL)
F Chase Pearson (placed on injured/non-roster)

Edmonton Oilers (per team release)

F Sam Gagner (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (per team release)

F J.T. Brown (to Iowa, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

F Ryan Poehling (to Laval, AHL)

Nashville Predators (per team release)

F Miikka Salomaki (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Steven Santini (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (per team release)

D Matt Tennyson (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Ty Smith (to Spokane, WHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)

D John Marino (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Casey DeSmith (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)

F Nicolas Roy (to Chicago, AHL)
D Nicolas Hague (to Chicago, AHL)

Washington Capitals (per team release)

F Liam O’Brien (to Hershey, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (to Hershey, AHL)
D Christian Djoos (to Hershey, AHL)
D Michal Kempny (placed on injured/non-roster)

Winnipeg Jets (per team release)

D Sami Niku (to Manitoba, AHL)

AHL| Alan Quine| Andrew MacDonald| Anton Forsberg| Arizona Coyotes| Brian Gibbons| Buffalo Sabres| Calgary Flames| Calle Rosen| Carolina Hurricanes| Casey DeSmith| Casey Nelson| Chicago Blackhawks| Christian Djoos| Clark Bishop| Colorado Avalanche| Columbus Blue Jackets| Curtis Lazar| Detroit Red Wings| Edmonton Oilers| Gustav Forsling| Ian Cole| J.T. Brown| Jared McIsaac| Jayson Megna| Kevin Connauton| Liam Foudy| Marko Dano| Matt Tennyson| Max McCormick| Michael Sgarbossa| Michal Kempny| Miikka Salomaki| Minnesota Wild| Montreal Canadiens| Nashville Predators| New Jersey Devils| Pittsburgh Penguins| QMJHL| Remi Elie| Roland McKeown| Ryan Poehling| Sam Gagner| Sami Niku| Scott Wilson| Steven Santini| Trevor Van Riemsdyk| Vegas Golden Knights| Waivers| Washington Capitals| WHL| Winnipeg Jets| Zac Rinaldo

1 comment

Waivers: 09/30/19

September 30, 2019 at 9:07 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 15 Comments

Today is the last day to use waivers in order to get a roster cap compliant for the start of the regular season, so we will see a lot of players available for selection.

Anaheim Ducks

F Daniel Sprong
F Sam Carrick

Boston Bruins

F Peter Cehlarik

Buffalo Sabres

F Remi Elie
F Curtis Lazar
F Scott Wilson
D Casey Nelson

Calgary Flames

F Alan Quine

Carolina Hurricanes

F Clark Bishop
D Gustav Forsling
G Anton Forsberg

Chicago Blackhawks

D Carl Dahlstrom

Colorado Avalanche

F Jayson Megna

Columbus Blue Jackets

F Marko Dano

Edmonton Oilers

F Sam Gagner
D Brandon Manning

Minnesota Wild

F J.T. Brown

Nashville Predators

F Miikka Salomaki
D Steven Santini

New Jersey Devils

D Matt Tennyson

New York Islanders

F Joshua Ho-Sang
F Tanner Fritz
D Thomas Hickey

New York Rangers

F Boo Nieves

Pittsburgh Penguins

G Casey DeSmith

Tampa Bay Lightning

D Luke Schenn

Toronto Maple Leafs

F Kenny Agostino
F Nic Petan
F Garrett Wilson
D Kevin Gravel

Vancouver Canucks

F Sven Baertschi
F Nikolay Goldobin
D Alex Biega

Winnipeg Jets

F J.C. Lipon
D Nelson Nogier
G Eric Comrie

Washington Capitals

F Liam O’Brien
F Michael Sgarbossa
D Christian Djoos

AHL| Alan Quine| Alex Biega| Anaheim Ducks| Anton Forsberg| Boo Nieves| Boston Bruins| Brandon Manning| Buffalo Sabres| Calgary Flames| Carl Dahlstrom| Carolina Hurricanes| Casey DeSmith| Casey Nelson| Chicago Blackhawks| Christian Djoos| Clark Bishop| Colorado Avalanche| Columbus Blue Jackets| Curtis Lazar| Daniel Sprong| Edmonton Oilers| Elliotte Friedman| Eric Comrie| Gustav Forsling| J.C. Lipon| J.T. Brown| Jayson Megna| Kenny Agostino| Kevin Gravel| Luke Schenn| Marko Dano| Matt Tennyson| Michael Sgarbossa| Miikka Salomaki| Minnesota Wild| Nashville Predators| Nelson Nogier| New Jersey Devils| New York Islanders| New York Rangers| Nic Petan| Nikolay Goldobin| Peter Cehlarik| Pittsburgh Penguins| Players| Remi Elie| Sam Gagner| Scott Wilson| Steven Santini| Sven Baertschi| Tampa Bay Lightning| Thomas Hickey| Toronto Maple Leafs| Vancouver Canucks| Waivers| Washington Capitals| Winnipeg Jets

15 comments

Colorado Avalanche Still Searching For Goalie Help

September 29, 2019 at 4:52 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 7 Comments

The Colorado Avalanche acquired goaltender Antoine Bibeau from the San Jose Sharks on Friday, but that doesn’t mean that they are content with their current depth in net. Adrian Dater of ColoradoHockeyNow.com reports that the team is still looking to make an addition at goalie. He adds that Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry and Winnipeg’s Eric Comrie are the likely targets, either via trade or waivers.

Although the Avs are happy to hand over the reins to Philipp Grubauer as the new starter, there may be some concern about backup Pavel Francouz, who is entering just his second season in North America. However, even if they are comfortable with Francouz – a reigning AHL All-Star with considerable European success on his resume – the AHL options are not all that appealing if an injury were to occur. New addition Bibeau was merely a passable AHL goaltender last season in San Jose, splitting starts evenly with Josef Korenar, who outperformed Bibeau’s .904 save percentage and 2.89 GAA. Even with the uncertainly in net for the Sharks last season, Bibeau did not earn a recall and has not seen any NHL action since 2016-17. The only other keeper under contract for Colorado is off-season signing Adam Werner, who played just one season at the top level in Sweden before making the jump. Werner may need seasoning in the ECHL before he can be asked to be the next man up as an AHL regular.

Both Jarry or Comrie would certainly be an upgrade to the depth in Denver and could push Francouz for backup duties. Both players are expected to hit waivers in the coming days, as their respective teams face a roster crunch with too many goalies to choose from. The Penguins just re-signed backup Casey DeSmith to a three-year extension last year in the midst of a season in which he performed well over a career-high 36 appearances. It carries a relatively affordable $1.25MM cap hit if DeSmith continues to succeed as a reliable understudy to Matt Murray. Jarry, 24, meanwhile struggled in two NHL appearances last year, but did have a good AHL campaign. His $675K contract is also extremely affordable (below the current league minimum on new contracts in fact) and the Avalanche could hope to take advantage of the raw ability that made him a second-round pick in 2013. Comrie, 24, is also a 2013 second-round pick, taken just 15 picks after Jarry. The two also share a common theme of playing well in the minors but squandering their NHL opportunities. In a few brief showings, Comrie has done nothing to show the Jets that he is worthy of backing up Connor Hellebuyck while Laurent Brossoit is still in the mix. Brossoit is an impending free agent, so Winnipeg could be more protective of him, but the odds still favor a waiver placement. Colorado could put a claim in on one of the two should they hit the wire or instead make a preemptive trade. However, that would require the Avs to then carry three goalies or risk losing Francouz on waivers themselves. The team could opt to hope they pass through waivers untouched and then negotiate a trade, allowing them the same flexibility to move them to the AHL, but that’s only if either team is still willing to deal. It’s not a straightforward objective to acquire and retain either young keeper, but it surely is one worth exploring for GM Joe Sakic and company.

AHL| Antoine Bibeau| Casey DeSmith| Colorado Avalanche| Eric Comrie| Laurent Brossoit| Philipp Grubauer| Pittsburgh Penguins| Tristan Jarry| Waivers| Winnipeg Jets

7 comments

Metropolitan Notes: Jarry, Johnson, Patrick, Kempny

September 15, 2019 at 1:29 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a goaltending dilemma approaching them. The team has three goaltenders who are competing for the two spots on the Penguins roster with Tristan Jarry battling with incumbent Casey DeSmith for the backup spot behind Matt Murray. However, while the competition was the exact same one year ago, the Penguins were able to keep all three by simply sending Tristan Jarry to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL.

That may not be as easy this year, according to TribLive’s Seth Rohrabaugh. Jarry, who was waiver exempt last season, no longer will be, meaning Pittsburgh would have to pass him through waivers if they want to send Jarry back to the AHL. Rohrabaugh adds that the Penguins did attempt to move the 24-year-old this summer, but failed to get a decent return on any trade. However, general manger Jim Rutherford may have no choice but to look at trade options once again and even have to settle for a late draft pick as there is a good chance the team could lose him if Jarry can’t beat out DeSmith. Either way, there is a good chance Pittsburgh might lose one of their goaltenders before the season starts.

  • Sticking with the Penguins, The Athletic’s Rob Rossi (subscription required) writes that while Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson says he’s equal at playing on both sides of the defense, head coach Mike Sullivan says he intends to move him back to his natural left-side in hopes of getting more out of the 32-year-old blueliner. Sullivan prefers to keep all his defensemen on their natural side, if possible. At the moment, the coach has Johnson penciled in next to Justin Schultz, who brought out the best in him.
  • Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi reports that Philadelphia Flyers forward Nolan Patrick skated today and attended a team meeting, but the 20-year-old is considered week-to-week due to an upper-body injury. Patrick, who already moved back a line after the team signed Kevin Hayes this summer, must prove that he can avoid the injury bug as the center has struggled off and on with minor injuries throughout his first two seasons.
  • J.J. Regan of NBC Sports writes that Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny is doubtful to play in the preseason after undergoing surgery to repair a torn left hamstring in April, but the Capitals hope that he might be ready for the start of the regular season. Kempny, who has become one of Washington’s most reliable defensemen since they acquired him from Chicago at the 2018 trade deadline, but the 29-year-old hasn’t skated yet at any team practices.

Casey DeSmith| Jack Johnson| Michal Kempny| Nolan Patrick| Philadelphia Flyers| Pittsburgh Penguins| Tristan Jarry| Washington Capitals

0 comments

Penguins Unlikely To Make Cap-Clearing Trade

September 5, 2019 at 7:09 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 3 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently over the salary cap limit, per CapFriendly, with $81.66MM committed to 23 players. That does not include restricted free agent defenseman Marcus Pettersson, who reportedly has been waiting for the Penguins to clear the necessary space to sign him to a long-term contract. GM Jim Rutherford even stated that he hoped to sign the 23-year-old blue liner to a long extension and would likely need to move out another roster player to do so. So, a trade is coming to Pittsburgh before the start of the season, right? Probably not, as it turns out. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe recently caught up with Rutherford who has changed his tune on making a deal. “It might turn out that we won’t be able to give Marcus the contract that we want to be able to give right now,” Rutherford said, “But if that’s the case, we’ll make everything work with the cap. And we can do that without trading anyone.”

Yohe speculates that the Penguins could fit Pettersson under the cap on a cheap one-year deal, even though that is not the preference of either side. By demoting one of the defensemen Pettersson would be replacing on the roster, Zach Trotman or Juuso Riikola, the salaries offset somewhat. Trotman in particular appears to be more of a placeholder on the roster if Pettersson is not signed by the beginning of the regular season, as the veteran did not see any NHL action last year. Yohe also adds that keeping Tristan Jarry at $675K as the backup goalie over Casey DeSmith at $1.25MM would also add much needed space, although would be a risky endeavor. DeSmith would be an attractive claim candidate for a number of teams as an affordable backup with term on his contract. The team could choose instead to trade DeSmith, but Rutherford clearly doesn’t see that as a possibility in the current market.

Making a trade remains the simplest way for Pittsburgh to clear space for Pettersson, but Rutherford’s hands appear to be tied. “You can’t make a trade when you can’t find anyone to trade with” he stated to Yohe. The Penguins have been a fixture on the trade market over the last few years and may be running out of willing partners. Last year alone, Rutherford made nine trades during the regular season, only to keep going this off-season with trades shipping out Phil Kessel and Olli Maatta. It could also be the competitors aren’t buying what Rutherford is selling. Defenseman Jack Johnson remains the player that the team would most like to move, but he has little to no market value at his inflated salary. The team also has reportedly tried to flip former Florida Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad, whose value has declined somewhat. As for their more homegrown products, defenseman Justin Schultz and winger Bryan Rust have come up in trade rumors, but have been associated with high asking prices as well.

By saying that no one will make a trade, Rutherford likely just means that no team is currently willing to bite on the players he is open to moving at the price he is willing to take. If that continues, and Pettersson is willing to take a one-year deal with the hopes of driving the price up on an extension next summer, then Rutherford and the Penguins would be better served not to make a desperation trade and instead try to squeeze the young defender onto the roster. It may be difficult season for Pittsburgh when it comes to roster flexibility, but it may be their best solution to the current issue.

Bryan Rust| Casey DeSmith| Jack Johnson| Jim Rutherford| Justin Schultz| Juuso Riikola| Marcus Pettersson| Nick Bjugstad| Pittsburgh Penguins| Salary Cap| Trade Rumors

3 comments
Load More Posts
    Top Stories

    Blues Activate Vladimir Tarasenko From LTIR

    Calgary Flames Fire Geoff Ward

    Brent Seabrook Will Not Play Again

    Claude Julien Fired By Montreal Canadiens

    Senators Acquire Ryan Dzingel From Hurricanes

    Pittsburgh Penguins Hire Brian Burke, Ron Hextall

    Mikko Koivu Announces Retirement

    Jim Rutherford Resigns As Pittsburgh Penguins GM

    Winnipeg Jets Acquire Pierre-Luc Dubois For Patrik Laine, Jack Roslovic

    Minnesota Wild Acquire Ian Cole

    Recent

    Tom Wilson Suspended Seven Games

    Buffalo Sabres “Wide Open” For Business

    Trade Deadline Primer: Arizona Coyotes

    COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/06/21

    PHR Mailbag: Flames, DeBrusk, Devils, Trade Deadline, Sabres, Mayhew, Bednar, Goalies

    Blues Activate Vladimir Tarasenko From LTIR

    Snapshots: Canucks, Rutta, Lehner, Gardiner

    Sabres Notes: Trade Aggression, Goaltending, Hall

    Predators Place Matt Duchene On Injured Reserve

    Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/06/21

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Coyotes Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Lightning 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

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy 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
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version