Straka, Hedberg to stay with Pens
The Fourth Period – The Pittsburgh Penguins have been entertaining offers for a number of their roster players. Teams have shown interest in the likes of Martin Straka, Ville Nieminen, Jan Hrdina, Michal Rozsival and Johan Hedberg. Reports indicate that a deal or two is a solid possibility in Pittsburgh, but TFP has learned that a specific two aren’t going anywhere.
“The Pens won’t deal Straka or Hedberg,” a source told TFP.
Previous reports suggested that the Penguins were entertaining the thought of dealing both players. Minnesota, Colorado, Detroit and Philadelphia were supposedly interested in Straka, while the St. Louis Blues apparently had their eyes on Hedberg. It’s now believed that neither will be dealt.
In fact, if Mario Lemieux decides to hang-up his skates after this season, Straka, who’d personally rather stay in Pittsburgh, would be in line to be next year’s captain. General Manager Craig Patrick, however, did not rule out a trade was coming. “We have to do whatever we have to do to move ourselves along to be better now and for the future,” he said.