Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Sergei Gonchar to a Professional Tryout Contract
By Mike Necciai
Jim Rutherford and the Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that they have signed 41-year old Sergei Gonchar to a professional tryout contract.
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Gonchar, who played in Pittsburgh from 2005-2010, was rumored to be on the Pens’ radar throughout free agency, but many thought of it as a bad move given the structure of this team and Gonchar’s age. Can he still contribute in some fashion?
Sergei Gonchar has made a living as an offensive defenseman and is arguably one of the best ever at quarterbacking a power play unit. The Pittsburgh Penguins used him in that capacity for five years, and he played a pivotal part in their Stanley Cup runs during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
He has recorded 811 career points in 1,301 regular season games, and last played with the Montreal Canadiens last season in which he recorded 14 points in 48 games. However, this move raises multiple questions in Pittsburgh.
The obvious question is, what does he have left in the tank? Also, who’s minutes will he occupy if inserted into the lineup?
There’s no doubt that Gonchar can still contribute on the power play in Pittsburgh. But, Derrick Pouliot is also a name that should be considered for that role given his experience and performance in that regard. I don’t necessarily have an issue with Gonchar as a seventh defenseman on a cheap deal, but that means having to find a place for Rob Scuderi.
Signing Gonchar to a tryout contract obviously doesn’t mean he has a roster spot yet, but I personally don’t see how he fits with the Pittsburgh Penguins at this point. I don’t believe that he adds anything over the youngsters they currently have slated for that squad. I fully appreciate what he has done throughout his career, but it’s time to move on. We want to know your thoughts below.
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