Pittsburgh Penguins Rumor Mill Madness: Scuderi, Kunitz Trade Speculation and Nik Antropov
By Mike Necciai
Even without a calendar to reference, I can always tell it’s the end of July simply by looking at the Pittsburgh Penguins trade rumors that are flying around the internet. Actually, any hockey rumors that are making their rounds right now are normally a good sign that folks are running out of things to talk about.
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As we near August, things are very quiet in the world of NHL roster moves and trades. There are still a few very good options out there via unrestricted free agency such as Cody Franson and Eric Fehr, but I don’t expect much news other than their eventual landing spots over the next few weeks.
It isn’t out of the question that we could see more trades before training camp begins, and I personally don’t believe that the Pittsburgh Penguins roster that we see right now is ideal in the eyes of Jim Rutherford. But, I do believe that he’s remaining patient and expects to address his needs throughout the season.
Of course, that doesn’t stop the rumor mills from spinning up and churning out interesting takes. I came across a couple different pieces today that involve members of the Pittsburgh Penguins getting traded.
"NHL TRADE: Kunitz, Scuderi, and Franson"
— The Hockey Press (@TheHockeyPress) July 26, 2015
Details: http://t.co/5BkUrFb3XI pic.twitter.com/hKou0yEDjw
How realistic are these reports? Let me start by saying that I have not seen these deals reported anywhere else. I would think that at this point in the offseason any trade, no matter how small, would be leaked and rumored to a large degree.
That being said, Chris Kunitz going back to Anaheim does make sense. According to nhlnumbers.com, the Ducks currently have approximately $16 million in available cap space and there will be openings on the wing in Anaheim this season. The Ducks traded away Emerson Etem and Kyle Palmeiri, while also losing Matt Beleskey to unrestricted free agency. They did acquire Carl Hagelin in the Etem exchange and signed Chris Stewart, but many wonder how much Stewart can contribute.
According to The Hockey Press, the desired return for Kunitz is a prospect, and that’s where things get cloudy. Why would Anaheim give up a prospect for a declining winger that potted only 20 points through the last four months of last season? I have no definitive information either way, but I wouldn’t bet on this happening.
The second rumor in that article discusses Rob Scuderi being shipped to Colorado with a prospect included. But, there is no indication of what the return is. Also, what prospect?
The Avalanche would be able to take on Scuderi’s contract with their current situation. But, why would they want to? They already have a large amount of money wrapped up in Francois Beauchemin, Erik Johnson, Brad Stuart, and Tyson Barrie and Scuderi adds nothing to the mix. Maybe if the Pittsburgh Penguins retain 50% and he’s used as a third pairing guy there, but unlikely.
Should the Pittsburgh Penguins Take a Chance with Nik Antropov?
If Pens want 4 scoring lines--here is prime candidate for 4th line at minimum $ : Antropov mulling NHL return http://t.co/OCx3MRIWSw
— Dan Kingerski (@TheDanKingerski) July 28, 2015
As the article from NBC Sports mentions, Nikolai Antropov will be 36-years old and likely isn’t going to fetch much interest from NHL teams. However, he could be an interesting name for the Pittsburgh Penguins to consider.
Remember that Ruslan Fedetenko made a similar comeback and spent time in the AHL last season, and then also remember that Jim Rutherford stated that he’s looking for veterans for the fourth line that can also play in the minors and leave room for the Pens’ youth to win those spots. Antropov may be able to fill that role.
From an analytics standpoint, Antropov leaves a lot to be desired. His last year with Winnipeg was horrid, but so was Winnipeg’s possession stats in general. From a traditional stats perspective, 35 points in his last season in the NHL isn’t too shabby for a potential fourth liner or depth forward.
Clearly, this is no sure thing, and there’s no indication right now that the Pittsburgh Penguins are interested in taking a waiver on Antropov. What’s your opinion? Vote below.
But, before you vote, let’s give Niklas Lidstrom the opportunity to help us settle a long-time debate among hockey fans…
“Lemieux had an incredible reach and some really good skills with his stick. Gretzky had that too, but he made all the players around him better. Individually, I would say Lemieux was the better player.”
Next: Brandon Sutter By The Numbers