Pittsburgh Penguins: 5 Potential Free Agent Targets

Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Jim Rutherford was clear and concise in his first offseason media address and stated that he would likely have to acquire a top-six wing via trade.  There simply isn’t enough talent in this summer’s free agent class, which is going to lead to a lot of overpaying for mediocre talent.

There are players that could be major assets to the Pittsburgh Penguins, such as Drew Stafford, but he’s going to come with a hefty price tag and a bidding war.  Given the current cap situation in Pittsburgh, there’s room to play, but not enough room to overpay good players as if they are great players.

Also, contrary to popular belief, the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t in dire straights when it comes to top-six talent.  While David Perron struggled down the stretch, he’s a very talented player and a good finisher.  Patric Hornqvist is another legit top-six wing. Throw Kasperi Kapanen into the mix and you have a pretty solid stable of wingers to build from.

The biggest area of concern for me remains the bottom-six, and defense is a bit of a question mark considering Paul Martin and Christian Ehrhoff will likely depart via free agency.  If they stand pat, the Pittsburgh Penguins could have a solid, young, and inexpensive defensive corps.  But, that youth could also catch up to them if guys like Scott Harrington and Brian Dumoulin aren’t quite ready for a full NHL season.

Lets visit some possibilities for the Pittsburgh Penguins.