Hockey Trade Rumors

With 24 games left the Pens WILL make a playoff push, but at what cost?
With the firing of Therrien and the uncertainty of the coaching staff next season, has GM Ray Shero thrown in the towel? I dont believe so, with names like St. Louis, Kovulchuk, and Kovalev being thrown around its no surprise that Hockey fans see at least one of them coming to Pittsburgh. What i don’t understand though is why wait so long? The firing of Therrien has shaken up the team, but it is very obvious that Crosby and Malkin are both very aggravated with the lack of quality wingers on the lines currently. Injuries hurt the Penguins this season, going most of the season without their top two defencemen is part of why they have struggled defensivly, Fleury has played very well all season, but the lack of defense is aggravating him. Shero noticed and knew in November that the Pens where struggling and it was even more obvious in December. Every fan and every sports writer saw what was going on yet no moves were made. Granted the Penguins have a lot of depth in the system its just unfortunate and very noticable that most of those players in the system are one or two years from making the Pens on a full time basis. This waiting game that was played all season with Satan and Fedotenko was old real fast, and yes before Fedo went down with an injury he was doing rather well, but it doesnt explain why there wasnt a shake up on the team prior to Feb 15. I am not saying that Firing Therrien 2 months ago would have been the answer or even if firing him now was/is the answer, what i am saying is something should have been done when it was obvious that the team was not anywhere close to the team it was last season when we didn’t have Crosby, Fleury, Hossa, and much more. Remember last season Shero believed it was the year to go for the CUP, does he believe that now, will he make a big move, and at what cost?

The cost that will have to be made for a solid push will be huge, one or two of our “FRANCHISE” players will have to be set on the trading block such as Staal and Whitney. I’m sure there will be prospects thrown in there as well as draft picks. Again the names of St. Lois and Kovulchuk have been thrown around for about a month now and i could see a big impact they would make on the team, but Kovulchuk is on his final year of his contract and the Penguins could possibly be put back into a Hossa situation. St. Lois is 33 years old with more than this season left on his contract, could be a nice fit with Crosby but to get him i believe we would have to trade away more than we can afford currently. Kovalev is another one who recently has been mentioned, and as a Pens fan i still remember 10 years ago when Kovi Straka and Lang were lighting up the score sheet, but i know that is the past, would he be a good fit with Malkin? Yea i think so because Kovi wouldnt be “THE MAN” and he would calm down and get back to his game, he is 35 years old has a couple years left in him so its a possibility. Finally i get to this name, some one who has a very good history with the Penguins, Jagr. Being thrown out of the Russian league due to being in a bar fight, there has been a lot of different things said, such as Jagr stating “If Lemieux asked him to come back he would”. Now is that what the team needs a 37 year old winger who’s play has been declining over the past few seasons? This could be a resurgence for him, but i think the Pens have taken enough chances with Satan this year.

This is not the Pens year, and with Shero obviously not even sure what he wants to do it may not be their season for another couple years. I am shooting for the first year in the New Consol Energy Center in 2010.

Let me know what you think.