Third-line trade options for the Pittsburgh Penguins
Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now: With the St. Louis Blues claiming Kasperi Kapanen off waivers, it gives the Pittsburgh Penguins a bit of financial flexibility. They likely aren’t interested in paying a lot of rentals.
They currently could take on almost a $2.1 million salary at the deadline, and if they sent defenseman Mark Friedman to the AHL, they could bump that number up to $2.9 million.
Could they find an interested party for Teddy Blueger ($2.1 million) or Brock McGinn ($2.75 million) they’ll have even more room? Could they move Jeff Petry and his $6.25 million?
They need to find a third-line center – potential trade targets.
If Chicago Blackhawks Max Domi is too expensive to acquire or not available, Jason Dickinson could be an option. Dickinson has a year left at $2.65 million while Domi is a pending UFA at $3 million.
Anaheim Ducks Adam Henrique is currently injured but has a year left at $5.8 million. He may cost a second-round pick and a prospect.
Washington Capitals Lars Eller may be more of a fourth-line center at this stage. Pending UFA at $3.5 million.
Arizona Coyotes Nick Bjugstad is a pending UFA at $900,000.
Sean Monahan is a pending UFA at $6.375 million who is currently injured but skating with the team in a no-contact jersey.
Flames waiting for prices to come down and then see where they sit
Eric Francis of Sportsnet: The Calgary Flames’ decision on what to do ahead of the deadline will come down to the wire. Flames GM Brad Treliving.
“Ya, you’ve got to be careful.
It’s great to get stuff done early, but the reality is, look at the prices. There’ve been really good players on the move, but for the most part, it’s a rental market and when you’re solidly in a spot it’s easier to do that.
I’m not going to start throwing out top assets. I think we’re a good team that has underperformed.
We’ve done all our work on the deadline, we have a sense of what’s going on out there.”
Treliving says that they’ve been talking but nothing has made sense for them yet. He won’t trade players for the sake of moving them when asked about the possibility of being sellers and that their pending UFAs wouldn’t bring massive returns.
The notion that defenseman Oliver Kylington could return and help the team this year becomes more difficult as the days pass.