cover space! Trade potential between new penguins at 3 °C

Suddenly the Pittsburgh Penguins had money to spend. Based on GM Ron Hextall’s Friday press conference and surprise Saturday when the St. Louis Blues release Kasperi Kapanen from waivers, enabling the Penguins trade landscape to be redrawn before the March 3 NHL trade deadline.

But they don’t chase overpriced tenants. probably.

The new parameters are clear. GM Ron Heckstall confirmed Friday that the Penguins will not overpay players for hire, and the question of whether they need to attach significant assets to current junk salaries seems moot after Saturday.

Kapanen’s surprise demand for waivers and $2 million in new roof space changes Heckstall’s calculations. The claim resulted in Kapanen and AAV’s $3.2 million being removed from the Penguins’ listings.

Here’s where you get to have fun. According to PuckPedia.com, the new Penguins’ salary cap is $1.8 million today, and it will swell to the equivalent of $2.1 million for a full season by the NHL trade deadline.

Should the Penguins send eighth defenseman Mark Friedman to the WBS Penguins, that figure would rise to $2.9 million (we’ll discuss Friedman’s status as eighth man another day).

The math of the penguin trade deadline:

We use full season number equivalents rather than smaller rated numbers for ease of discussion. For example, if the Penguins trade Teddy Blogger ($2.1 million), or Brock McGinn ($2.75 million), the $2.9 million figure is increased by the salary issued.

Suddenly, the Pittsburgh Penguins could start talking players in the $5-$5.5 million range without asking for salary compensation.

Trade deadline parameters for penguins

Based on GM Ron Hextall’s words during two press conferences last month, we can begin to narrow our focus and circle new business goals for the Penguins.

Hextall has narrowed the field, and if we analyze his words correctly, the penguins are chasing players by term.

Now that Noel Accairi is off the NHL trade board, there probably isn’t a player under $1.4 million who can change the last six Penguins in a big way, so we’ll have to set our sights even higher.

That means we’re chasing after salaried veterans.

We should note that the Penguins have often been linked to defensemen in trade season. The team is 31st in the NHL with 21 goals by defenders, including a Marcus Peterson sniping against St. Louis. PHN recently reported that Jeff Petrie and his $6.25 million salary have been made available. Perhaps the newfound hood space will reduce the need to use the Petry, though we’re not going to close the door yet.

As we shop for third-line hubs, one limited reality is emerging. There are very few options, and most of them are rentals.

Also, thanks to the Penguins’ recent losses and inconsistencies, the Eastern Conference has reduced potential sellers in the wild card race. Buffalo, Detroit, Florida, and New York Islanders reasonably in the battlefield.

Jean-Gabriel Bago, for example, would be an ideal target, but New York general manager Lou Lamoriello wouldn’t sell a center to the team, which could take his team off the playing field.

Pittsburgh Penguins Trade Possibles:

Max Dumy / Jason Dickinson

Domi, 27, isn’t high on the whiteboard, but I trust Penguins radio analyst Phil Bourque. At 11 on the ice Saturday night, Burke said he loves Chicago’s center six as a fast, durable pivot that fits into Mike Sullivan’s system.

I tend to his downsides being inconsistent and I can play quietly. Some believe Chicago will keep Domi because he has 46 points (17-29-46) in 57 games this season. It’s his best season in four years (he had 72 points in 2018-19) and should go down as the second best season of his career.

We also know that the Penguins sent scouts, sometimes two, to Chicago.

If the Domi is too expensive or not readily available, Jason Dickinson is my favorite here. He made our original list because he was so impressed with the times we saw him in person. He can keep up with the skaters of the penguins and respond to them with a tenacious, tenacious game. He has one more year under contract that pays $2.65 million annually.

Dickinson, 27, has 21 points (8-13-21) in 54 games. This is our choice.

Domi is a UFA pending so his game with the Penguins takes a hit unless the team knows his salary requirements or he’s not a draftee.

Salary: $3 million pending.

Adam Henrique:

An intelligent center with a high IQ who is a goal scorer but has good playmaking ability. It made an appearance on our original list, and the increased cap area makes that much more sense. He’s not big (6-foot-1, 188 pounds), but he’s a big gamer who can fill in for a second line position if needed.

This season, he’s 0.5 points per game with 33 points (19-14-33) in 57 games. The cost of acquiring Henrique is likely to be close to a second person and receiver.

Salary: $5.8 million AAV, continuing through next season.

Lars Eller?

Penguins and capitals looking for a difficult center? Dogs and cats live together in mass hysteria! At 33 years old, Eller was closer to the finish and not the sandpaper center he once was. However, since Washington is selling their UFAs, they may even accept an offer from their fiercest competitors.

Eller has just 16 points (7-9-16) in 58 games. He’s probably more of a 4C right now, but you and I have seen him rise to the occasion and be a thorn in the opponent’s shoe throughout a seven-game series.

After former Penguins Brooks Orbeck, Matt Niskanen, Justin Schultz, Conor Cherry, and Daniel Sprung made their way through Washington, perhaps it’s time for one of the guys to go the other way.

Salary: $3.5 million pending completion.

Nick Begstad

The Arizona Coyotes forward has been solid this year. With the role increasing, Bjugstad has 23 points (7-16-23) in 58 games and is an impressive plus 7 on a terrible team. It didn’t fit well into Mike Sullivan’s system the first time around, but he did significantly upgrade the existing Penguins’ muzzle.

It’s an inexpensive rental, and it’s uber, which makes this affordable. Part of Bjugstad’s shortcoming is that he doesn’t play the pace game, although his feet are surprisingly good, and he’s won just 47% of his tackles this season.

Last season, he won 55% of his draws, but he’s a career man at 49%, and a showdown is essential for the 3C Penguins.

Salary: $900,000, expiring.

Sean Monahan?

He had a comeback with the Montreal Canadiens, but was injured. Whispers are that his foot injury will limit his effectiveness in any extended race or playoff campaign.

It would have been a powerful target. If medical reports are available and his prognosis is good, he may again be a sought after target. On their final road trip, Monahan traveled with the team and trained in a disconnected jersey.

In 25 games this season, the 28-year-old has scored 17 points (6-11-17).

Salary: $6.375 million and expiring.

Defensemen?

tomorrow.