Pittsburgh Penguins: 5 Possible Offseason Trade Targets

Apr 25, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right wing

(23) skates with the puck against the Nashville Predators during second period in game six of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Kris Versteeg – Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks have quite the cap predicament this offseason. They are right up against the ceiling and have to sign restricted free agent Brandon Saad. A lot of folks have already started talking about Patrick Sharp to Pittsburgh, but Sharp is 32 and carries a $5.9 million cap hit for two more years.  Large veteran contracts are the reason the Pittsburgh Penguins had such little cap flexibility this past season, there’s no reason to add to it.

Considering that Brad Richards is an unrestricted free agent this summer, the Blackhawks will need a solid center and Brandon Sutter can play that role. If a player-for-player swap is done the Blackhawks will be adding roughly $900,000 against the cap, but they’re addressing a void that Richards leaves for that amount.  The Blackhawks have no shortage of wingers that can fill in as they’re one of the deeper teams in the league in that aspect.

The two teams can obviously get creative here too. The Penguins could throw in a depth player such as Scott Wilson or Bryan Rust, which would make this deal similar to moving James Neal to Nashville for a bit more cap but filling two voids.

I haven’t heard any solid reports that the Hawks are looking to move Versteeg.  But, considering Brandon Saad will be their number one priority this summer, it isn’t far-fetched to imagine they’ll listen to offers.