Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Two division rivals have something the Pittsburgh Penguins could use.
The Philadelphia Flyers have $12 million-plus in potential LTIR cap space that they could use to their advantage. The Pittsburgh Penguins could use some cap flexibility.
Jeff Carter carries a $3.125 million cap hit and a full no-movement clause. Carter started his career in Philadelphia. Offseason prices see that moderate salary pickup costs a second-round pick with teams asking for a first-round pick for a big retention. The Penguins do have plenty of young, left-handed defensemen – P.O Joseph, Ty Smith, and Will Butcher.
The Penguins are a little thin on the right side of their blue line. The Columbus Blue Jackets are believed to be trying to move one of Erik Gudbranson, Andrew Peeke, and Adam Boqvist according to Jimmy Murphy.
Murphy said that the Blue Jackets are asking for a second-round pick and a prospect for the 23-year-old Boqvist. Gudbranson has two years left at $4 million per. The 25-year-old Peeke has two years left at $2.75 million.
The cost to trade within the division is usually higher.
Josh Yohe of The Athletic: There are no easy fixes for the Pittsburgh Penguins given their cap situation, and the amount of no-trade clauses they have.
Trading a struggling player like defenseman P-O Joseph or forward Rickard Rakell may not be smart given their likely low trade value.
The Penguins are an old, small team, that lack depth and has goaltending that they can’t always trust.
Though it’s still early in the season, if their road trip doesn’t go well, GM Kyle Dubas may have to make some sort of move to hopefully turn things around. There is more than one problem with this team.