Could the Pens be looking to make a move?
Pittsburgh general manager Ray Shero loaded up at last year’s trade deadline, adding Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, Doug Murray, and Jussi Jokinen. It wasn’t the first time Shero complemented his roster before the deadline. In 2011, the Penguins brought back Alex Kovalev. In 2010, they added Alexei Ponikarovsky and Jordan Leopold. In 2009, Shero acquired Bill Guerin. It won’t be easy for Shero this year to land veteran help. In previous years, the Penguins had cap space to fold in contracts.
They’re up against the ceiling this season. So, if the Penguins want to improve their roster, they’ll have to make trades with money going out the door. The wow trade would be moving Kris Letang, given the organization’s two-way depth in Olli Maatta, Derrick Pouliot, Brian Dumoulin, and Philip Samuelsson. But Letang’s future price tag — $7.25 million annually starting next season — is a big nut for other teams to assume.
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