The Pittsburgh Penguins will listen on a lot of players
TSN: Pierre LeBrun said that Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas is in listening mode on anyone who is not part of their core and some will interest contenders.
“… a player that he’s listening on is Reilly Smith, who’s not a pending UFA. He’s got another year in his deal at $5M next year, but he’s a Cup champion with playoff experience.”
What should the Pittsburgh Penguins do leading up to the trade deadline?
Sportsnet: and Jamal Mayers on what the Pittsburgh Penguins should be looking to do leading up to the trade deadline.
NHL Rumors: Will the Pittsburgh Penguins become sellers?
** NHLRumors.com transcription
David Amber: “Pittsburgh got nine points and four teams out of a playoff spot (as of Tuesday). Nine points and 4 teams out of a playoff spot. We’re in the middle of February, almost the end of February, which begs the question, Jamal, you put on your GMs hat earlier. We’ll start with you, Luke. If you’re Kyle Dubis and the Penguins, what are you doing with the trade deadline two and a bit weeks away?”
Luke Gazdic: “This is 100% my number one most intriguing team and situation watch. And if I’m Kyle Dubas, I think you have committed to this plane. You have the blueprint in place. You’ve invested a ton of your capital in Erik Karlsson.
I don’t know if Jacob Guentzel’s going anywhere. I’ve said this before, I think that it’s just a slap in the face to Sidney Crosby and what they’re trying to accomplish. I understand they are nine points out of this thing. But he’s got a lot of work to do here. And I know you’re more on the sell side. But..”
Amber: “So you’re saying stand pat?”
Gazdic: “Pretty much.”
Amber: “Or try to add?”
Gazdic: “Maybe try to add a little bit. Yeah.
Amber: “Wow. Jammer.”
Gazdic: “He’s invested in it.
Mayers: “I recognize that he’s invested in it, A nice thing for Kyle Dubis is that he has a long-term contract and when you have a long-term contract, that gives you the ability to admit you made a mistake. And you have to figure and readjust and having done so with a seven-year contract, It means you know what? This plan is not working. I have to readjust. I have to make some moves to reconfigure this roster. That may include trading Guentzel.
As I might have stated a few months ago, at the end of the day, you have now all the power and leverages in Guentzel’s pocket. He may decide to leave. You have to decide if you can sign him in the next few weeks, or else he may potentially walk. That will be catastrophic.
This is an opportunity for this group to kind of make amends and kind of change things on the fly. Even at the expense of one of Sid’s best friends.
NHL Rumors: Boston Bruins, and the Pittsburgh Penguins
Amber: “16 straight playoff appearances. That streak ended last year for Pittsburgh and now they stand in this gray area where they can miss the postseason twice in a row. We’ll see what Kyle Dubis does leading up to March 8th.