- Kevin Allen of the USA Today: With Pascal Dupuis out of the Penguins lineup for six months, history suggests that GM Jim Rutherford will be aggressively exploring his trade options. Rutherford did say that he doesn’t feel “any urgency” to make a trade immediately. The Penguins will get between $3 and $3.5 million in cap relief from putting Dupuis on the LTIR. The Penguins have some good defensemen prospects, and they could be used to bring in some help up front. The Sabres have Drew Stafford and Chris Stewart, but they don’t seem like “Rutherford-style” players. The Oilers have Nail Yakupov who could be an intriguing winger for Evgeni Malkin. The Oilers do need quality young defensemen. The Penguins would be interested Jordan Eberle, but the Oilers may not be looking to trade him.
- Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: The Penguins will get $3.375 million in cap relief from putting Dupuis on the LTIR. It’s likely that Blake Comeau will remain with Sidney Crosby for the time being.
“We’re going to need other players to step up into his role as a player and step up into his role as a leader,” Johnston said. “Those things are going to be really important.
“We’ve got a great dressing room. We like our start to the season, so we’re going to build on that. Then we’re going to anxiously await an opportunity to get Pascal back.”
- Nichols on Hockey: Bob McKenzie on NBCSN on the Penguins.
“The Pittsburgh Penguins, even before the absence of Pascal Dupuis – arguably for the rest of this season and who knows how long after that – they were looking for a top-six winger to begin with. That search is going to intensify here, there’s no question about that.
“Now what do the Pittsburgh Penguins have that they could give up to get one? They have a lot of young defensemen in their own system. On their own defense right now, they’ve got Olli Maatta, they’ve got Robert Bortuzzo, Simon Despres. Playing in the minors, a lot of attractive commodities that could be had as part of a trade. Scott Harrington, Brian Dumoulin. Phil Samuelsson. These guys, these young players – Derrick Pouliot, a first round pick – one or more of these guys could be on the move before the trade deadline to try and secure the goal-scoring, veteran winger they’re looking for.
“I know the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this season kicked tires on Drew Stafford and Chris Stewart of the Buffalo Sabres. They didn’t go down that road, and I’m not sure they’re prepared to at this time, but if somebody should come up that fits their needs, then one or two of those young defensemen could be the price they have to pay to get them.”