Pittsburgh Penguins: Looking Ahead to 2016 Trade Targets
If you read my work here or follow me on Twitter at @Michael29Angelo you’ll know that I’m looking forward to seeing the Pittsburgh Penguins as currently constructed in 2015-16.
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As it stands, the Pens are a team built for entertainment. But, that isn’t exactly a new model in Pittsburgh. The big question is, are they a team built for a Stanley Cup Championship?
There are far too many question marks right now to say yes or no. And, it’s obviously extremely early to have this conversation, which we’ll likely visit numerous times throughout the season. But watching as teams lock up their final roster pieces, mostly on short-term and inexpensive contracts certainly makes us all curious.
How many of these moves are simply gearing up for trades at the upcoming season’s deadline?
Teams Gearing Up for the 2016 Draft
Let’s face it, we already know that multiple teams will be sellers throughout the 2015-16 season. Two teams specifically come to mind and that’s the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils. Considering that Jim Rutherford and Ray Shero have made deals in the past and obviously the Pittsburgh Penguins and Maple Leafs have swapped recently, these players on short-term deals could be worth watching.
There are other teams in the midst of a rebuild and a few that will need to move players in order to free up cap space for future contracts such as the Tampa Bay Lightning. A team like that, however, can push things off until the offseason to avoid any disruption to their chances at another Stanley Cup run.
Will the Pittsburgh Penguins Be Buyers This Season?
The simple answer is ‘yes’. As we’ve discussed in length all summer, Jim Rutherford and the Pittsburgh Penguins have built arguably the deepest offensive team in the East, maybe even the league. This team is thinking nothing less than a championship run and they look poised to make that a reality. Of course, that’s never a guarantee but they’re off to a good start.
The Pens have two major question marks for 2015-16. Will this defense hold up and develop as planned and can they stay healthy?
Either way, the if Rutherford’s past in any indication, the Pens will be looking for suitable moves all season. And, quite frankly, there will be a lot of options in a season that boasts so many short-term and expiring contracts.
Let’s visit some likely candidates to move prior to the upcoming season’s trade deadline.
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Jiri Tlusty – New Jersey Devils
Tlusty is one of the names out there that screams ‘2016 trade deadline bait’. The Devils are clearly in a rebuilding phase and Tlusty isn’t going to fit into their long-term plans. However, to sign him at $800,000 on a one-year deal will prove to be great value and likely means the ability to acquire picks when February arrives.
Tlusty will be a great addition to a contender that’s looking to add scoring depth in their bottom-six. He finished last season with 31 points (14g, 17a) in 72 games-played between the Carolina Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets. It was very surprising to see Tlusty sit on the free agent market for so long and have to settle for such a low salary. From an analytics overview, you’ll see just how consistent he can be. (HERO chart via ownthepuck.blogspot.ca)
He isn’t a very physical forward but boasts good size and skill. If he stays healthy, the Devils will look to cash-in at some point this season. And, if the Pens suffer injuries to their bottom-six or fail to get production from that group, Tlusty would be a perfect option for them with his cap hit.
Next: Michael Grabner
. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Michael Grabner – Toronto Maple Leafs
Brendan Shanahan‘s widely named “Shanaplan” is in full swing for the Leafs. The idea is fairly simple and should prove to be extremely effective.
Shanahan is working to develop internally and stockpiling draft picks with young talent as he goes. He isn’t interested in exposing his youth to the NHL before they’re ready so he’s also filling a formidable NHL squad with guys like Grabner. The end goal looks to be swinging those players for draft picks and prospects when the trade deadline rolls around.
Grabner is a player that possesses absurd speed and can produce points at a high rate when at the top of his game. The issue is his lack of consistency in the production department. An underrated skill of Grabner’s is his penalty killing, as he led the Islanders in short-handed minutes during the 2013-14 season and boasted the lowest corsi-against per sixty-minutes on the team.
It’ll be interesting to see if anyone is willing to gamble a late round pick or prospect for his services later in the season. His production this year will obviously play a large role.
Next: Eric Staal
. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Eric Staal – Carolina Hurricanes
Staal is going to be a very intriguing name to watch this season, as he and Carolina Hurricanes GM Ron Francis are reportedly worlds apart in contract negotiations.
Many have wondered if the Eric Staal era was coming to an end in Carolina and it’s becoming more and more likely by the day. The longer Staal remains unsigned, the longer the speculation will build, which means a must-watch storyline as the upcoming trade deadline approaches. Of course, moving a high-profile player like Staal is never easy.
First, there’s Staal’s no-trade clause that could be an obstacle, as he would have to approve any deal that takes place. Second, the return Ron Francis will want for Staal may outweigh what teams are willing to forfeit for a rental, even if it is a rental of his caliber.
Despite those challenges, I look for there to be a market for the star forward if it does indeed come down to trading him. Will the Staal brothers be separated once again?
Next: Dan Hamhuis
. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Dan Hamhuis – Vancouver Canucks
Hamhuis is approaching his final year on a contract that carries a $4.5 million annual cap hit. Though Vancouver GM Jim Benning continues to view this team as a playoff group, time will most definitely prove otherwise.
That being said, it may be time for Dan Hamhuis to move on. Is there room for him in Vancouver’s future plans? Considering their cap situation and the possibility of making a run at Milan Lucic next summer, it seems very unlikely.
Considering Pittsburgh’s cap situation, a lot would have to happen in order to consider this an option for them. But, a lot can happen between now and February 29th. If their young defensive corps struggles too mightily, Hamhuis may be worth kicking the tires on. Despite his no-trade clause, which means he’ll have to approve any trade that takes place, my money is on him finishing the 2015-16 season somewhere other than Vancouver.
Next: Max Talbot
Max Talbot. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Max Talbot – Boston Bruins
Though I whole-heartedly disagree, Talbot is the exact type of player GM’s love to add at the trade deadline for added depth. He has built a reputation as a playoff performer, mainly based off his Stanley Cup performance with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and teams see him as a great locker room guy.
With Talbot, what you see is what you get. He’s nothing more than a fourth line forward with average production for that role. Personally, I’d avoid considering him as an option unless injury situations dictate a need for someone like him. But, I fully expect someone to overvalue his ability and surrender a mid to late round pick for his services.
Talbot’s upside is that he carries a low cap hit of $1 million and he’ll be fairly easy to fit for most teams looking to make a push. From a Pens’ perspective, they have plenty of bottom-six depth at this point. Maybe that will change by the time February arrives but if it doesn’t, let’s hope Jim Rutherford strays from the traditional need to add even more grit.
Next: Shawn Matthias
. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Shawn Matthias – Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthias falls in line with Michael Grabner as a name added to a Toronto Maple Leafs’ group looking to fill voids until their youth is ready. That means he’s likely going to be dangled as trade bait in order to acquire picks and prospects later this season.
Matthias is sneakily productive but also somewhat inconsistent. An example of his streakiness is last season, in which he recorded 18 goals but 12 of them were scored in November and February. So, he only recorded 6 goals throughout the other five months of 2014-15. From an analytics standpoint, he’s boasts exactly what you want out of a bottom-six forward and would fit a fourth line role for a contender very nicely.
I viewed Matthias as someone the Pittsburgh Penguins would target this summer but Rutherford obviously had other plans. Similar to others mentioned previously, he isn’t someone the Pens could use at this point. But, considering their track record with injuries, he may be someone they look to down the stretch if their bottom-six isn’t fully healthy.
Next: Power Ranking the Pens' Top-10 Defensemen