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What Your Team Is Thankful For: Carolina Hurricanes

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Carolina Hurricanes. 

What are the Hurricanes most thankful for?

Various struggles from the entire Metropolitan Division.

Big things were expected out of the Carolina Hurricanes after some bold moves in the last calendar year, including new ownership, front office and coaching staff. Key players like Jeff Skinner, Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin were all shipped out while fresh faces like Andrei Svechnikov and Dougie Hamilton joined the lineup. Even with all of that and a nice five-game point streak to start the year, they finished their first 15 games with a 6-7-2 record caused by many of the same stumbling blocks they’d experienced in the past.

Goaltending wasn’t as good as it needed to be, the solid defensive group was underperforming and the team wasn’t scoring enough despite excellent shot metrics. They’ve since gone on something of a hot streak, winning six of their next nine and head into their last game of November with a 12-9-3 record. That’s not outstanding, but it’s certainly good enough to keep them in the hunt at this point of the season. Every other team in the Metropolitan Division has experienced their own struggles, including the Pittsburgh Penguins who at one point found themselves at the very bottom of the division. Carolina now sits just four points behind the Washington Capitals for top spot, something that would have seemed impossible during the previous dominant Metropolitan years.

Who are the Hurricanes most thankful for?

Curtis McElhinney.

There’s no doubt that Sebastian Aho has been the team’s early MVP, recording 25 points in 24 games to pace the offense while moving to the center ice position without any trouble. Aho is an exceptional talent that looks like he can be a true superstar for the Hurricanes, but he was drafted and developed by the team. Who they’re truly thankful for, is McElhinney who dropped into their laps just before the season started when the Toronto Maple Leafs placed him on waivers.

Though he has looked shaky at times, McElhinney has been everything the Hurricanes could have hoped for when they picked up for free to help out while Scott Darling dealt with injury to start the year. The 35-year old goaltender now has a .930 save percentage through his nine appearances and leads the trio of Carolina goaltenders with a 7-2 record. Seeing how Darling and Petr Mrazek have combined for an .887 save percentage and 5-7-3 record, it’s easy to see where the team would be without McElhinney on the roster.

What would the Hurricanes be even more thankful for?

A resurgent Jordan Staal.

Despite Aho moving to the middle and performing admirably, the center position has still been a struggle for the Hurricanes this season. Victor Rask has only played four games because of a kitchen accident that injured his hand, and Lucas Wallmark can’t seem to find the back of the net to save his life—his 1.9% shooting percentage is one of the worst in the league among regular forwards. Even accepting those issues as flukes that could resolve themselves, the issue of Staal may have the biggest impact.

The 30-year old center has just 11 points in his first 24 games of the season and is on pace for his lowest total (38) in a full season since he was 19. A huge part of that is his lack of powerplay production, where he has just a single assist and no goals despite averaging more than two minutes with the man advantage. It’s not that Staal is a net negative for the Hurricanes, as his defensive ability is still excellent and he’s among the best in the league at faceoffs, but they absolutely need more offensive production from him given his price tag. Staal carries a $6MM cap hit this season, and will continue to do so through the 2022-23 season.

What should be on the Hurricanes’ Holiday Wish List?

Forward help, in one way or another.

Since they’re already carrying three goaltenders, one of whom makes more than $4MM per season and is under contract for another two years, there seems little chance of the Hurricanes making a big splash in net. Accepting that, the best place for them to upgrade would be up front, whether that’s on the wing or at center. The team has been generating more than enough scoring chances through the first quarter of the season, but with the exception of Micheal Ferland and his 11 goals, they haven’t been able to convert nearly enough.

It sounds funny after an offseason in which they sent Jeff Skinner packing—the red-hot Buffalo Sabres forward has 19 goals in 25 games—but Carolina could really use a pure finisher to help them on the powerplay and give their forward group a little more swagger. Svechnikov looks like he might eventually become that, but relying on an 18-year old to take a jump like that in the second half of the season is more than a little risky. They don’t need another Alex Ovechkin—though, they certainly wouldn’t turn one down—but someone to complement their stable of playmakers could go a long way in pushing them further along in the playoff race.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Carolina Hurricanes Name Justin Williams Captain

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The Carolina Hurricanes have named a captain for the upcoming season, doing away with the “co-captain” they had last season. This time around, Justin Williams will wear the “C” on his sweater, with Justin Faulk and Jordan Staal serving as alternates.

Williams, 36, was the player many expected to take on the role this season after the Hurricanes struggled again last year. The veteran forward has never worn a “C” before in his professional career, but has a ton of experience in the league and can help his young teammates try to find a winning culture. A three-time Stanley Cup champion—including 2006 with the Hurricanes—and outstanding playoff performer, Williams actually finished third on the team in scoring last season despite his advanced age. Registering 51 points in 82 games, he finished ahead of other key forwards like Staal, Elias Lindholm and Jeff Skinner. The latter two have been traded since then and while Staal remains with the team he’s struggled to keep up with the “first line center” moniker that had been placed upon him.

New head coach Rod Brind’Amour, who was Williams’ teammate and captain during that 2006 Cup run, has a huge task in front of him to motivate this group enough to get back into the playoffs. The team has missed the postseason tournament for the past nine seasons, and worked their way through three coaches during that time. The Metropolitan Division will be a meat grinder again this season, and if the Hurricanes are to compete they’ll need to take a substantial step forward.

Morning Notes: Seguin, Bruins, Hurricanes

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While the Winnipeg Jets have locked up one of the premiere 2019 UFA forwards by signing Blake Wheeler to a five-year extension, talks have started up in Dallas again regarding Tyler Seguin. John Shannon of Sportsnet reports that the Stars and Seguin’s camp spoke about an extension this past weekend and noted that “things will get interesting” when Seguin returns to Dallas on Wednesday.

Seguin’s public comments about being disappointed in his contract situation likely didn’t do Dallas any favors, but there was always an expectation something would be worked out between the two sides. If nothing is announced before training camp begins in a few weeks though, you can be sure that there will be daily rumors over whether Seguin is intending on testing the free agent waters. With Wheeler off the market, another big name is removed from what at one point looked like the most impressive free agent class ever. Seguin’s signing would only further that decline.

2006 NHL Draft Take Two: Second Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

Starting this week, we’re looking back at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now. Will the first round remain in much the same order, or will some late round picks jump to the top of the board?

On Monday we asked the PHR community to weigh in on who should have been selected first overall in 2006 and after more than 2,500 votes the decision is clear. Though he didn’t get quite the 88% that Sidney Crosby came away for the top honor in 2005, Jonathan Toews earned the majority of votes at nearly 57%. The Chicago Blackhawks legend was an easy choice for many readers, who noted his three Stanley Cups and decade of success in the NHL. Claude Giroux and Nicklas Backstrom both earned more than 10% of the vote, and are solid challengers for the second position.

In reality, the Pittsburgh Penguins held the second pick in 2006 and used it on a familiar NHL name. Jordan Staal, the younger brother of then-Carolina Hurricanes star Eric Staal ,was a big center for the Peterborough Petes and was in real contention for the top spot going into the draft. The older Staal had just cracked 100 points and led his team to the Stanley Cup, but it wasn’t just the family success that decided Pittsburgh’s selection. The NHL’s Central Scouting Service had Staal ranked only behind eventual first-overall pick Erik Johnson among North American skaters, and ahead of Toews who was already playing at the University of North Dakota. Staal already stood 6’4″ and well over 200-lbs, making him the prototypical first line center in the eyes of many.

Unfortunately perhaps for the Penguins, who passed on the chance to get Toews, Staal didn’t quite live up to the lofty expectations. He did find early success with Pittsburgh, slotting in behind Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to win the Stanley Cup in 2009, but was eventually moved out of town as he got too expensive. He reunited in Carolina with his brother for a short time, and has put up a fine if unremarkable career since. Staal has failed to win any major individual awards, and likely wouldn’t be Pittsburgh’s pick if they got another chance at it today. Who would they take if given the benefit of more than a decade of hindsight?

With the second pick of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Pittsburgh Penguins select? Cast your vote below!

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Poll: Who Should Be The Carolina Hurricanes Captain?

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Yesterday when the Carolina Hurricanes announced Rod Brind’Amour as the team’s next head coach, one of the first questions he answered was if the team would continue to employ two “co-captains” in 2018-19. The Hurricanes allowed Jordan Staal and Justin Faulk to share the duties this season, while Jeff Skinner was named an alternate.

Brind’Amour made it clear that there will be just one, and that he already has an idea who will be his team’s captain, but will talk to the leadership group before making that decision public. He should have a pretty good idea of the dynamic inside the dressing room, after serving as an assistant coach for the last seven seasons.

Staal and Faulk remain the obvious candidates, but it’s not a guarantee that Brind’Amour will give it to one of them. Justin Williams is the elder statesman on the club and was brought in for his steady performance and experience in the playoffs. Williams has won three Stanley Cups in his career, including Carolina’s only championship in 2006.

Jaccob Slavin though only 24 years old, logged the most ice time on the team each of the past two years and is signed longer than anyone else on the team. He’ll start into his seven-year extension next year, and is a steadying presence on the blue line.

Skinner himself is an option, though there are rumors of a potential exit from Carolina this summer if a trade can be found. The 25-year old sniper is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, and has garnered plenty of interest from around the league.

Who should be named captain for the team? Is there a chance that the eventual captain isn’t even on the roster yet? Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments.

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NHL Announces Bill Masterton Trophy Finalists for 2017-18

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The NHL announced the New Jersey Devils’ Brian Boyle, Florida Panthers’ Roberto Luongo and Carolina Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal as the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy finalists Saturday for the 2017-18 season. The award is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominate players who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” The winner will be announced June 20 during the 2018 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

Boyle has received quite a lot of exposure already after being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a type of bone marrow cancer at the start of training camp this season. The 33-year-old returned to the Devils on Nov. 1 and put up 10 goals in his first 25 games and 13 goals and 23 points in 69 games for the season as a bottom line center for the playoff-bound Devils. He also represented New Jersey at the 2018 all-star game.

Luongo, who has dealt with both hand and groin injuries at age 39 and still produced a solid season with the Panthers. He still played 35 games, picking up 18 wins with a 2.47 GAA and a .929 save percentage. He made an emotional speech on Feb. 22 prior to the game addressing the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, honoring the victims.

Staal put up a solid season despite dealing with family tragedy. In late February, Staal and his wife, Heather, announced their daughter Hannah was delivered stillborn due to a terminal birth defect and only missed three games. Staal put up 19 goals and 27 assists this year. The 29-year-old skated in his 800th game and scored his 200th goal this season.

 

Which Teams Would Have Flexibility In Another Expansion Draft?

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Midway-through the 2017-18 NHL season, it is nearly impossible to predict what rosters could look like following the 2019-20 season, more than two years away. Trades, free agency, and much more shape teams often in ways that no one sees coming. With that said, it seems like another Expansion Draft is coming to add the league’s 32nd team, the Seattle __________, and the timeline most are suggesting is a June 2020 draft date. Like it or not, the general managers of the other 31 NHL need to be keeping that in the back of their mind with each move they make over the next two seasons.

However, it could be that some have already made decisions that could impact their roster protection plans more than two years from now. The structure of the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft will the remain the same, allowing for teams to protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie or eight skaters regardless of position and one goalie from being selected. The one caveat that threw more than a few teams for a loop last June was that all players with No-Movement Clauses (NMC) in their contracts had to be protected, unless the players voluntarily chose to wave them i.e. Marc-Andre Fleury. So, with that one aspect of the expansion process in mind, it is possible to look ahead at certain long-term contracts to see, assuming those players don’t waive them ahead of time, who could be locked in for protection in 2020 or which teams will have more flexibility without any such players:

Total Flexibility

Arizona Coyotes (0) – The only NMC players on the Coyotes are defensemen Alex Goligoski and Niklas Hjalmarsson. Hjalmarsson will be a free agent in the summer of the projected Expansion Draft and Goligoski’s clause will have shifted to a Modified No-Trade Clause. Arizona will likely have complete flexibility.

Buffalo Sabres (0) – Kyle Okposo’s NMC expires after this season and Jason Pominville’s contract expires after next season. Buffalo won’t have any restrictions on their protection scheme as of now.

Calgary Flames (0) – There is no one on the roster with a NMC and no one that will predictably get one by the end of the 2019-20 season. Kudos to GM Brad Treliving.

Los Angeles Kings (0) – Kings’ captain Anze Kopitar in their only NMC player right now and even his clause will have shifted to No-Trade by 2020. L.A. is free and clear.

Nashville Predators (0) – GM David Poile does not seem to be a fan of NMC’s in his recent long-term deals and in the new NHL expansion era, that’s a good thing.

New Jersey Devils (0) – see Calgary Flames

New York Islanders (0) – The Andrew Ladd and Johnny Boychuk contracts already look bad for the Isles. They would be much worse if their NMC’s didn’t expire soon. With John Tavares and Josh Bailey both candidates for NMC’s should they re-sign in New York and a defense that needs a re-haul, the Islanders could lose some flexibility, but they should be fine.

Toronto Maple Leafs (0) – The Leafs have no NMC players under contract beyond 2019-20 right now. That could easily change with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander in need of extensions, but Toronto should still be in a good spot. After all, those are players that would protected regardless.

Vancouver Canucks (0) – Loui Eriksson’s NMC shifts to a No-Trade Clause following this season and will be an afterthought by 2020. It’s fortunate, as Eriksson’s tenure in Vancouver has not gone according to plan.

Vegas Golden Knights (0) – The Golden Knights didn’t sign or trade for any players with NMC’s and only drafted two – Marc-Andre Fleury and David Clarkson – who already had them and they both expire before the Knights would be set to become the NHL’s second-newest team. With that said, the current Knights’ roster will see a lot of turnover in the next two years and they may struggle to avoid NMC’s completely.

Washington Capitals (0) – GM Brian MacLellan has avoided NMC’s in any of his recent mega-deals. If he can do it again this summer in his attempt to re-sign (or replace) John Carlson, then the Caps will be in good shape for another round of expansion drafting.

Winnipeg Jets (0) – The NMC in Bryan Little’s contract will both kick in and expire between now and June 2020. The Jets should be left with a fully flexible lineup.

Some Flexibility

Boston Bruins (2) – There’s little concern that Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron will still be playing at a high level in two years. Their NMC’s should be a non-factor for Boston. If David Krejci and, especially, David Backes still had their NMC’s too at that time, there would be a real logjam up front. However, both will have shifted to Modified No-Trade Clauses by then, potentially saving the Bruins from making tough decisions about their many talented young forwards.

Carolina Hurricanes (1) – As important a job as he’s had in Carolina, Jordan Staal will never be the star forward that finally puts them over the top. If his NMC causes a problem in 2020, he could easily be traded to a contender to play a complementary role. The Hurricanes need to retain as many promising young forward assets as they can in hopes of one day finding that true superstar.

Colorado Avalanche (1) – There are mixed opinions on Erik Johnson, but he has a leadership role for the Avalanche and will be key in grooming a strong crop of up-and-coming defensive prospects. The Avs won’t lose sleep about having to protect him in expansion, especially if he’s still one of their top-pairing guys in two years.

Columbus Blue Jackets (1) – The Blue Jackets were one of the biggest losers in the most recent Expansion Draft. They might be smart to sell off Nick Foligno if there’s any risk that history repeats itself.

Dallas Stars (3) – Call it optimism about his play in his first season in Dallas, but the NMC for Alexander Radulov doesn’t seem like it will be a major issue even after a couple more years. Of course, Jamie Benn’s NMC will also be a non-factor. Ben Bishop on the other hand may not be the goalie the Stars would prefer to keep in two years. As of now, there’s no immediate competition though.

Detroit Red Wings (1) – Detroit only has one NMC player who will still be under contract in 2020-21 (and another season after that), but it’s Frans Nielsen, who has been a major disappointment for the team since coming over from the New York Islanders. He could throw a wrench in their plans if he continues his downward trend over the next two seasons.

Minnesota Wild (2) – The Ryan Suter and Zach Parise mega-deals will still be making an impact in 2020, but with most of the core locked up throughout that season and no other NMC contract likely on their way, Minnesota should be okay in the Expansion Draft.

Montreal Canadiens (2) – Even if the Canadiens continue to struggle through two more seasons, there will be few Habs fans that blame superstar goalie Carey Price. His NMC won’t be an issue because the team would never dream of leaving him exposed. Jeff Petry on the other hand could be a problem. Luckily (?), it doesn’t look like Montreal will have many defenders worth protecting even in the next couple of seasons.

Ottawa Senators (2) – Some things never change. The NMC’s for Bobby Ryan and Dion Phaneuf were problems for the Senators in this past Expansion Draft and they’ll likely be problems again next time around. If Phaneuf is traded between now and then, that alleviates some concern for Ottawa. Good luck moving the Ryan contract though.

Philadelphia Flyers (1) – Only Claude Giroux has and predictably will have an NMC come June 2020. That’s a pretty safe situation for Philly.

San Jose Sharks (1) – Marc-Edouard Vlasic plays a confident, stay-at-home defensive game that often ages nicely. He looks to be the only NMC in San Jose in 2020, which shouldn’t cause a stir.

St. Louis Blues (1) – Patrik Berglund will be on the wrong side of 30 and still under a NMC when the potential 2020 draft rolls around, but with the rest of their core signed long-term without NMC’s, the Blues should be pretty safe.

Tampa Bay Lightning (2) – Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman may be the two safest NMC contracts in the NHL. Fortunately, Ryan Callahan’s otherwise-problematic NMC expires just prior to projected 2020 Expansion Draft.

Little Flexibility

Anaheim Ducks (3) – Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, and Ryan Kesler will all be 35+ and still be NMC-protected in 2020. That’s a large chunk of your protected forwards to dedicate to players in the twilight of their careers. Some up-and-coming young talent could leave Anaheim again in this next Expansion Draft a la Shea Theodore.

Chicago Blackhawks (4) – The downside to signing all of your core players to long contracts with NMC’s could hit the Blackhawks hard in the next Expansion Draft. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews will be well past 30 and Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith will be in their mid-to-late 30’s during the 2020-21 season, but all four will need to be protected ahead of that season, which could force other promising younger players out of Chicago’s protection scheme. At least they’ll narrowly avoid having an issue in net with Corey Crawford’s contract expiring prior.

Edmonton Oilers (2) – Milan Lucic and Kris Russell. Each two years older than they are now. Those aren’t exactly players that a team wants to be forced to keep. It’s foreseeable that one or both could have a negative impact on the team’s protection plan.

Florida Panthers (3) – The Panthers probably won’t mind having three players locked up come Expansion 2.0. The team knew what they were doing when they signed Keith Yandle long-term. Even in his mid-30’s, Yandle will be a reliable player and a leader for the young Florida defensive core. Sure, they considered asking him to waive his NMC this past June, but they never actually did. Yandle won’t be a major issue in two years unless his play falls off considerably. There should be no concern whatsoever over Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov, whose NMC’s kick in later on in their contracts. The same might not be true about Evgeni Dadonov, whose been somewhat underwhelming so far in Florida, but luckily his contract runs out just prior the probable draft date.

New York Rangers (4) – Although they will have near total control over their forwards, outside of Mika Zibanejad, the Rangers could be in a tough position with their protection schemes in net and on the blue line in 2020. Then-38-year-old Henrik Lundqvist will require protection, as will underachieving defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Marc Staal. New York is apparently readying themselves for somewhat of a rebuild, which could mean some of those players are traded beforehand. Otherwise New York could face quite the dilemma.

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) – It seems unlikely, even years from now and in their mid-30’s, that the NMC’s for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or Phil Kessel would cause trouble for the Penguins. Injury-prone defenseman Kris Letang could be different though. Being forced to protect him after another two seasons of hard minutes could be difficult to swallow. Pittsburgh also has some work to do filling out the forward corps between now and 2020. GM Jim Rutherford would be well-served to avoid acquiring or handing out any further NMC’s.

Snapshots: Pittsburgh, Whitney, Ducks

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have been tied to the Detroit Red Wings for some time, with rumors swirling around Riley Sheahan and Andreas Athanasiou as potential trade candidates. Athanasiou remains unsigned, and as Elliotte Friedman reports in his latest “31 Thoughts” for Sportsnet, the Penguins have seemingly moved on.

Pittsburgh has been after a new third-line center for some time, with GM Jim Rutherford last saying they had three targets in mind. One of the rumored names, Jordan Staal, appears to be off the table as Friedman writes that Carolina had “no interest” in moving the two-way forward. Staal obviously has ties to Pittsburgh after beginning his career there, but the Penguins will have to look elsewhere to fill their needs. For now, Greg McKegg has been practicing between Carl Hagelin and Tom Kuhnhackl on the third line, with Carter Rowney centering the fourth.

  • The Department of Player Safety has made another intriguing hire, adding veteran NHLer Ray Whitney to the team. Whitney is a completely different kind of player than George Parros, who now runs the department, and will offer a very different insight into discipline around the league. Whitney scored 1,064 points in 1.330 games in the NHL, and received regular votes for the Lady Byng trophy which rewards sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct.
  • Patrick Eaves and Ryan Miller will both start the season on injured reserve according to Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register, making it a crowded list for the Anaheim Ducks. With Ryan Kesler, Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen already there, the team could ill afford any other injuries. Eaves and Miller are both on the back half of their careers at ages 33 and 37 respectively, which obviously brings this kind of injury risk along with it. Signing the pair was meant to give the Ducks some depth at key positions, but now with so many injuries the team will start without any at all. At practice today Nick Ritchie skated with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry on the top line, a trio that will be relied heavily upon until some of their other players get back.

Pittsburgh’s Alternative Third-Line Center Options

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While many teams across the NHL still have holes to fill before the puck drops on the 2017-18 season, no vacancy has received more attention than the third-line center slot for the two-time defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. In fact, we’ve already written about it once before. However, the scenario has changed over the last few weeks, as the new contracts for RFAs Brian Dumoulin and Conor Sheary have left the Pens with just over $3MM in salary cap space. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette recently spoke with GM Jim Rutherford, who essentially stated that he does not plan to move out significant salary in a deal to acquire a new bottom-six center. What that means is that the Penguins are left with a much smaller margin to work with to acquire Nick Bonino’s replacement.

So who will it be? Who it won’t be is easier to say. The pipe dreams of Colorado’s Matt Duchene or Carolina’s Jordan Staal are now all but over, as are more reasonable targets like Toronto’s Tyler Bozak or Dallas’ Radek Faksa now seem out of reach as well. The Vegas Golden Knights have not shown any indication that they are interested in moving forwards, so strike their group of suitable centers off the list as well. With each passing day, it seems a Matt Cullen return grows less and less likely as well.

What the Penguins are left with are a group of guys who fit their needs well: young, two-way centers on affordable contracts. The most common name bandied about is Detroit Red Wings forward Riley Sheahan. Sheahan struggled mightily in 2016-17 and is relatively expensive compared to some other available names at $2.075MM this season. However, Detroit desperately needs to shed salary and may have reached the end of the line with Sheahan. It could be a good match, with Sheahan very likely bouncing back on a far more talented Penguins team. Pittsburgh’s top target may be Arizona’s Jordan Martinook, who just resigned with the team, but is part of a Coyotes forward corps that is crowded with young talent. Martinook is an underrated two-way player and would fit in nicely with the Pens, but Arizona may not be keen to move him in a deal that Rutherford stated would not included salary players. The Coyotes have had their fill of picks and prospects and might be on the lookout for only veteran contributors at this point. The Penguins could turn to the Los Angeles Kings, who have great depth at center including Nick Shore and Nic Dowd. Both would fit the need nicely in Pittsburgh and come in at under $1MM. The 25-year-old Shore would be especially nice, as the team can retain RFA rights over him beyond 2017-18, but Dowd may be easier to acquire from a Kings squad that is not any closer to returning to the playoffs. One final option, staying out west, could be San Jose Sharks center Chris Tierney. It is rumored that the two sides are on rocky grounds, with Tierney signing just a one-year extension this summer, and could be looking for a trade. Tierney has proven to be a solid defensive force in the San Jose bottom six and could play the same role in Pittsburgh. The Sharks have done nothing this off-season and could see replacing Tierney with a Penguins forward prospect as at least some kind of roster shakeup.

Obviously, the available names are not of the sexy variety. The Penguins have been spoiled with center depth through their Stanley Cup years and fans are surely hoping they can find another Staal or Bonino. However, with little cap space to play with and a reluctance to change the current roster any further, this is what Rutherford is left with. Any of these guys could be a valuable piece on another strong Penguins team, as each plays a solid two-way game, but none are gonna be the big-name acquisition that many expected. Pittsburgh will be back in the Cup race again next year even if they do nothing at all and stick someone from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at third-line center, so maybe the better question is not who will play there, but why does everyone care so much?

Penguins’ 3rd-Line Center Options

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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.

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