Nothing in Ron Heckstall’s profession as a basic supervisor in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh signifies he’d be prepared to do one thing like that, however a person can dream, proper?
It is vitally clear that the Pittsburgh Penguins Want a spark now.
Whereas I nonetheless keep that a variety of their present issues may be fastened just by bringing Kris Letang, Jeff Petry, and Tristan Jarry again into the lineup, they nonetheless want a little bit extra assist after that. Particularly in relation to their scoring depth and skill to get one thing out of the underside half of their lineup.
Earlier this week Hawks appeared Its some wonderful potential choices to assist approximate this depth.
That is the most probably path the Penguins will take for a variety of causes, from the wage cap, to the enterprise belongings, to the gradual, methodical, and “affected person” method of the overall supervisor.
However let’s fake for a second that Ron Hextall ripped a web page out of Jim Rutherford’s guide and mentioned, “Let’s get away!” And you probably did one thing recklessly aggressive.
With that in thoughts, let’s discuss Timo Meier.
On the floor, this does not make sense.
Meyer is a prime notch participant and the Penguins are effectively set with prime degree gamers for the time being. He’s additionally a pending restricted free agent who would require a qualifying provide of $10 million for the season (or a big contract extension) whereas additionally carrying a wage cap of $6 million for the season.
It is also actually good and sharks will not wish to give it up.
All of those info seem to be potential obstacles.
However the one approach to overcome an impediment is to truly attempt to recover from it.
This is what stood out to me in regards to the Mayer choice this week: The quoted buying and selling value might not be that outrageously excessive.
NHL insider Frank Serravalle I reported this week that sharks could not get it like Chicago Blackhawks They have been capable of get out Ottawa Senators For Alex DeBrincat. And if you happen to recall, the Blackhawks did not get a ton in trade for DeBrincat, selecting up simply three draft picks, solely considered one of which was within the first spherical.
Seravalli speculates that Meier could are available in at a less expensive value given DeBrincat nonetheless has a full 12 months left in his deal earlier than a qualifying provide is required and he is additionally a full three years youthful than Meier.
Assuming that is true, and the argument round it’s definitely true, the place else would you get a chance to accumulate this good participant and this product for such a low value by way of belongings and trial capital?
The reply: most likely not.
So why not go for it? You are already on this season and future seasons due to the best way the Penguins have saved their core, so I am not too involved about dropping the draft decide’s origins. I’ve made this argument earlier than, however there is not a participant picked within the 17-32 vary that may so dramatically have an effect on the Penguins’ future and hasten their inevitable rebuilding when Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Chris Letang all stopped taking part in. . If this choice can assist you compete now whereas these three are nonetheless taking part in at a excessive degree, then you must.
So how can this assist the penguins within the quick time period when their biggest want is deep help?
Effectively, there may be a couple of manner to enhance that depth.
You will get a deep participant, or you will get a top-tier participant who helps push another person down the lineup.
Would not the Penguins be higher off with somebody like Meyer skating within the prime six and relegating somebody like Brian Rust or Jason Zucker to the third row? In fact they are going to be higher. He nonetheless provides one other influential participant to the lineup and helps stability issues out. s
The query then turns into what to do in regards to the wage cap this 12 months and subsequent.
like Tampa Bay LightningAnd Colorado AvalancheAnd even the Penguins themselves have proven us through the years that there are all the time — all the time — methods round that to get the participant you need. Retained wage, different trades to surrender contracts, and contain a 3rd occasion to take up extra retained wage.
When you actually need a participant, you will get it.
This requires a degree of creativity and aggressiveness that Hextall by no means reveals, however the choices are all there.
There’s additionally the truth that the Penguins have some huge cash off the books after this season.
Zucker (who would once more create a prime six opening) and Brian Dumoulin have been the large two.
Is it potential? No. However the penguins want some juice. spark. One thing daring to show issues in a special route now. There is a chance so as to add a fantastic star suite at a value that may be laughably low-cost by way of enterprise belongings and ones that do not come round fairly often. Attempt to make the most of it when the chance arises.