When Will Pittsburgh Feel Deadline Deal Backlash?

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By: The Hockeycentric Team February 12, 2010 69 Comments RSS
We chose this photo because Bill Guerin was a deadline acquisition, and he's highly visible in this particular image. Did you pick up on that? It says "Guerin" right there on his jersey. Photo: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Two years ago, it was Marian Hossa and Hal Gill. Last year, it was Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz. This year, it appears the Pens will land one of Whitney, Ponikarovsky, Torres, or some other forward asset at the trade deadline. The Penguins have survived (well, flourished) until now — but how much longer can they afford to ship away the future for playoff reinforcements?

In 2008, when GM Ray Shero gave up a 2nd and a 5th for Hal Gill, he also gave up a 1st rounder, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and Colby Armstrong for Marian Hossa. This year, Shero is looking at surrendering another 2nd round pick for a top-6 winger — a price which may increase as the sellers in 2010 are very few. By March 3rd, the price for Alexei Ponikarovsky or Ray Whitney could go as high as a 1st round pick. Read the last sentence again if you don’t believe it, because this very well may be the case.

While detrimental to organizational depth and the club’s prospects pool, adding a winger at the deadline is now assumed in Pittsburgh.

More often than not, one of Crosby or Malkin has skated alongside players who don’t belong on the top-6 forward group of a championship club. While Crosby skated with Guerin and Kunitz in last year’s playoffs, Malkin was stuck with Fedotenko and Dupuis for the most part. Malkin, as superstars do, elevated the play of his linemates and continued to score at elite levels.

Cap space is tight in Pittsburgh, leaving Shero without adequate space to sign a star winger to big dollars. Most of the money in Pittsburgh is invested up the middle, with Crosby and Malkin (8.7 million each), and Jordan Staal (4 million) — a combined 21.4 million for centremen. Then on back end there is the Sergei Gonchar contract at 5 million per season, which the Penguins hope to extend in the summer. Also in the equation is Kris Letang, the team’s number two defenseman, who will require a hefty raise this summer coming off of his entry-level contract. It will be a challenge for the Penguins to nab a top-flight winger via free agency.

At day’s end, the Penguins strengthen their opportunity to win another Stanley Cup by adding a significant piece at the deadline. They will likely do the same this year. The question is, how long will this go on before repeated dismissal of picks and prospects add up to haunt the franchise?

Case in point, the Detroit Red Wings made a “going-for-it” deal with Washington in 2004, sending Tomas Fleischmann and a 1st round pick to the Caps for veteran centre Robert Lang. The Wings were consistently at the top of their standings, winning two Cups in that decade, but surely they would like to have that first round draft pick back, as Washington used the pick to select Mike Green.

So… solutions? Well, the Pens seem to need wingers every year, and they have unbelievable depth at centre. Would the Penguins consider trading Evgeni Malkin or Jordan Staal to solidify the wing position? Before you completely dismiss the idea, realize that either player would fetch a hefty return. Malkin would easily command a top-line winger, a top prospect and a first round pick at minimum. If you were Ray Shero, would you trade one Evgeni Malkin for a Kris Versteeg and a Nathan Horton?

In trading either Staal or Malkin, you’d still be left with an outstanding 1-2 punch at centre and a star winger to play with Sid. That way, item one on Ray Shero’s agenda wouldn’t always involve strengthening his wing position.


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69 Responses to “When Will Pittsburgh Feel Deadline Deal Backlash?”

  1. Colligan on Thu, 18th Feb 2010 12:09 am 

    Agree with the reasoning, but not the ultimate concerns. The Penguins have dealt from strengths to help weaknesses. Off the top of my head, none of the major deals involving Kunitz, Gill, Hossa, or Guerin the last two seasons are regrettable.

    You lost Esposito, who even before the two blown knee's had no future as a center for the Penguins. Christensen is a player who's too soft for a checking line, and not skilled enough for a top 6 role, which is why he's been on waivers multiple times. Armstrong was replaceable with the huge crop of effective 3rd liners the Penguins already had. You lost a first rounder, which was 29th overall and easily replaced by Tangradi's arrival. Few Penguins fans (or Atlanta fans for that matter) could even tell you who was selected with that pick. You gained Hossa who was the key to the run to the Finals (and all the accompanying revenue).

    The Gill trade maybe wasn't a win, but not sure how it was a loss. He was an integral part of the Cup run.

    The conditional 2nd for Guerin was ultimately the price of winning a Stanley Cup, which is the end goal in all of this…so that wasn't a loss.

    I think just like the Kovalchuk fiasco, the rumored cost of players like Whitney/Poni is higher than what they'll eventually fetch. None of the guys available as rentals are worth a 1st rounder. If it takes a 2nd/3rd/4th rounder to bring in proven help, then why not. For every Mike Green, there are plenty of flops. Take a look at the Penguins 1st rounders in the 90's for an example.

    Despite the public consensus, this team isn't guaranteed shots at the Cup for the next 10 years. You alluded to the challenges of resigning Gonchar/Letang, and who knows what happens with the team beyond the next couple years. There's no reason to panic, but as long as you're not overpaying, why not make the moves?

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