Penguins may need a jump start
Dan Kingerski: The Pittsburgh Penguins have now lost four straight and have only scored six goals over that span. This may be a slump that they can’t afford to ignore.
The injury to right-handed Justin Schultz may have exposed a bigger hole than they had thought. Olli Maatta has also struggled at times.
Derek Brassard’s injury has caused some roster shuffling but their third line hasn’t been productive and maybe their primary need to address.
The bottom six needs some kind of spark – maybe a recall of Teddy Blueger or Zach Aston-Reese.
Kingerski thinks Phil Kessel could be dealing with a lower-body issue,
Friedman on the Maple Leafs and Nylander standoff
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet 960 and was asked about Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander standoff.
Friedman doesn’t there is much contract talk going on. Other teams don’t need permission from the Maple Leafs to speak with Nylander’s agent as he is a restricted free agent.
“I think the thing that’s interesting is that I do think they know that Carolina is very interested. I said that on the weekend. I think Carolina has some of what they want. I think the Kings are very interested, I just don’t think the Kings have what they want. I think Minnesota is interested, I’m not convinced Minnesota has what they want – I just don’t know, to be perfectly honest.
“I think there’s other teams too, but I think Carolina is right in there. He fits the kind of thing Carolina would want to do. Carolina has got to get Aho done, they’ve got to get Teravainen done, they’ve got to get your old guy – Ferland – done. But I don’t think that’s going to prevent them from necessarily doing anything with him. And I do think there’s a lot of interest.”
The Maple Leafs have about three weeks to decide as if Nylander is not signed by December 1st, he’s ineligible for the rest of the season.
Friedman adds that if they trade Nylander it’s been assumed that they’d want a right-handed defenseman, but they may also need to replace Nylander with some offense up front. They haven’t gotten the offense from Patrick Marleau and Andreas Johnsson that they may have been hoping for.
“So I think it’s obvious to say right-hand D, but I think if you’re subtracting him from your roster, you’re subtracting a skilled player and they might look back at that too.”