Despite a lot of hype going into the offseason, the Pittsburgh Penguins have produced a rather lackluster offseason. Many within their division have improved their roster, but the Penguins appear unable to move the needle one way or another. The Metropolitan division could go in many directions as of now, but Pittsburgh needs to make a massive move or two to get back into the fight.
It might not be the likliest of outcomes, but the Penguins could always go the offer sheet route. Perhaps they could entice current restricted free agent for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Adam Fantilli to sign the dotted line and jump across state lines. Not only would it give the black and gold a young centerpiece to work around, but it would help boost the middle of their lineup.
Going after Fantilli via offer sheet would be the biggest gamble Kyle Dubas would make as general manager. It would provide a hefty contract for Fantilli to sign a contract, but as the Summer rolls on, it's possible that the young skater and Columbus are struggling in negotiations. Any sort of contract for Fantilli will cost a lot of money, years, and draft capital to acquire.
Pittsburgh Penguins should offer sheet RFA Adam Fantilli to provide star power
Right now, the Penguins have $13.67 million in cap space to work with for the remainder of the offseason. Some of that will factor into other players they must still sign, or anyone they might still consider in a trade. Acquiring Fantilli would not only drain all of that cap space, but it could put them in a deficit according to most contract projections. That might be a good problem to have.
At the end of the day, players of Fantilli's ilk never make it to unrestricted free agency.
A young center who has produced solid numbers during his NHL career. At just 21 years old and coming off one of his best seasons of his career, the young forward might be worth the gamble. You would be hoping that he grows into a star player moving forward, but pairing his youth with his skill, and he should reach new heights.
Maybe offer sheeting a division rivals restricted free agent isn't the top option for Kyle Dubas to consider, but it should be on the table. The Penguins need to do something massive if they want to force themselves into the realm of contention this season. Right now, they are struggling to keep up with their division foes, but adding Fantilli would help their cause in a hurry.
When it comes down to it, offer sheeting Adam Fantilli as a restricted free agent remains unlikely, but something they should look into.
If they would pull this off, it would likely cost them their next four first round selections, but if they want to help Sidney Crosby and company reach deep into the playoffs, they would be doing themselves a massive favor by pulling off this heist.
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