The Pittsburgh Penguins have the cap space and assets to amass younger talent … and perhaps an enormous name if he’s made available?
Josh Yohe of The Athletic: (mailbag) Don’t imagine that the success the Pittsburgh Penguins have had this season will alter their plans as this offseason can have at all times been the timing to make use of their extra draft picks and cap space to make additions. They may very well be their best shot to expedite the rebuild by acquiring some more young talent.
It’s possible that Penguins could take a step backwards next season. They’ve been getting a extremely good season out of Justin Brazeau, Anthony Mantha, Tommy Novak, and Parker Wotherspoon. The Penguins don’t wish to lose Mantha to free agency, but with the weak market, there will probably be interest within the 31-year-old. The Pens don’t wish to overpay to maintain him, and might’t see them offering five years or more.
If the Toronto Maple Leafs were to contemplate trading Auston Matthews, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas would have not less than make that decision. They do have the cap space and trade assets. The Leafs would ask for Ben Kindel and undecided if Dubas would want to do this. Undecided if the Leafs would wish to trade Matthews to Dubas’ Penguins. (Also, would Matthews waive his no-movement clause come to Pittsburgh?)
Still imagine that this will probably be Evgeni Malkin‘s last season in Pittsburgh.
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It’s too early to inform what type of offseason moves the Florida Panthers will probably be taking a look at
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: Florida Panthers GM Bill said it’s too early to inform what type of roster moves they’ll be taking a look at this offseason in free agency or in trade.
“It’s too early to inform. But it surely’s also about availability, right? You possibly can say, ‘I want three Maseratis,’ but there are none on the market, there’s none on the market, there’s nobody that may trade you theirs, so that you’d higher have a Plan B.
“I believe we’re not alone. But I do think it’s an interesting dynamic now — just a few years on this job — where you break down your roster, and also you say, ‘We’d like this. We’d like that.’ Yeah, OK, where are you going to get it? So it’s a never-ending puzzle. We’ll just proceed to grind and check out to make good decisions.’’
If the Panthers finish in the highest 10 after the draft lottery, they’ll keep that pick. Their 2027 first-round pick then becomes unprotected and goes to the Chicago Blackhawks from the Seth Jones trade, and their 2028 first-round pick becomes unprotected and goes to the Boston Bruins from the Brad Marchand trade.
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Zito on pending UFA goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
“That’s just something we’ll sort out after the season. I’d prefer to keep him. I hope we are able to. We’ll see what happens.”
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