Hockey Trade Rumors

This year’s 2nd overall draft pick has impressed enough at training camp and preseason games to merit a trip to West Point, N.Y., for three days of team-building. Staal becomes one of 29 remaining Penguins players vying for a spot. Now with the injury to Malkin, Staal may have a chance to fill in for 9 games and still be allowed to return to juniors without having a year count against his entry-level contract.

Sources:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_471995.html

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06269/725069-61.stm

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06267/724752-61.stmMalkin’s absence leaves a hole in the middle of the No. 2 line and Jordan Staal, the Penguins’ first-round choice in the June entry draft, remains a candidate to fill it.

The Penguins have remained noncommittal about their plans for Staal, who can play up to nine games in the NHL before 2006-07 would count as his rookie season, for purposes of taking a year off his entry-level contract and his eventual eligibility for free agency.

While Malkin’s injury has given Staal an opportunity to play between a couple of top-six forwards, Shero insists that his short-term future is not tied to Malkin’s recovery.

“I don’t think it affects Staal at all,” he said. “There will be a further evaluation for him, as we move along. We have the bigger picture in mind. … We’re not going to plug Jordan Staal into the lineup just to have a body.”

Shero may say that, but if they could use him for 9 games and then return him to juniors, especially in Malkin’s absense, why the heck would he not do that?

The Penguins announced eight cuts Sunday night– forwards Tyler Kennedy, Erik Christensen, Jonathan Filewich, Connor James and Stephen Dixon and defensemen Micki DuPont, Matt Carkner and Alain Nasreddine were sent to Wilkes Barre/Scranton. With the cuts, the Penguins’ training camp roster is now at 29. Before the cut, Ray Shero said his list of players on the bubble include forwards Jordan Staal, Ryan Stone, Daniel Carcillo, Libor Pivko and Maxime Talbot and defensemen Micki DuPont and Noah Welch.

So this is who’s left:

Forwards (17)

Ekman-Crosby-Armstrong

Malone-Malkin(inj)-Recchi

Leclair-Moore-Ouellet

Ruutu-Talbot-Roy

Pivko-Staal-Petrovicky (inj)

Carcillo-Stone

Defense (9)

Gonchar-Whitney

Orpik-Eaton

Welch-Scuderi

Melichar-Cairns

Letang [this kid is supposed to be perfect for the new NHL]

Goalies (3)

Fleury

Thibault

Sabourin

This solves the Erik Christensen question, as well as the DuPont one, whom I thought was NHL ready. I still doubt Letang makes the roster, and figure Welch still will. Neither Skolney nor Carkner, two of only three right-handed defensemen, made the cut, which didn’t surprise though.

Talbot is the wiser move over Staal for third/fourth line duties (depending where Moore is placed).

Sabourin will return to the AHL and post record numbers.