(1) Would Evander Kane have fit with Evgeni Malkin?

Last Thursday, I wrote an article discussing Jim Rutherford and Evander Kane. I wanted to look at how Rutherford differs from Ray Shero and why he might be interested in a blockbuster deal for Kane.

That’s obviously a moot point now (Kane is out 4-6 months), but I received a few questions from readers on one line I had in the column:  Would I do [the trade]?  No.

Why wouldn’t I do the trade?

First of all, I think it’s dangerous to put too much focus on Kane’s (real or perceived) character issues. Only the Winnipeg Jets players and coaches know what really happened with Kane and any story that makes it to print is coming from a source within that group.

In any situation like this, ask yourself: who is that source and what interest might they have in managing the message?

Let’s focus on actual hockey.

There’s no doubting Kane’s physical abilities (skating, shooting, work ethic) and his potential to be a big-time scorer at the NHL level. I’m just not sure he’s the right fit alongside Evgeni Malkin.

Malkin loves to have the puck on his stick.  So does Kane. Everyone thought John Tavares and Thomas Vanek would be an incredible pair on Long Island but this same issue affected their chemistry.

Malkin maximizes his playmaking abilities when he has a sniper on his line to feed. Kane scores goals and has a good shot, but it isn’t usually from his quick release. He catches the puck, winds up and shoots. He doesn’t find the soft spots on the ice well like James Neal did (and David Perron is now doing on Sidney Crosby’s line).

A lot of his goals come from brute strength and sheer will:

Malkin also likes to have wingers who can get the puck back to him quickly. Kane’s vision is sometimes limited, meaning that once the puck hits his stick, it usually doesn’t leave or head back to where it came from.

I’m not ruling out potential chemistry between the two, but if you’re going to give up significant assets to fill a very specific hole in the lineup, you need to make sure there’s a good chance for success.

(2) Do the Penguins have a problem with Thomas Greiss?

Signing backup goalie Thomas Greiss to a $1 million contract this summer seemed like an upgrade for the Pittsburgh Penguins.  He hasn’t been able to find a groove so far.

Greiss’ latest struggle took place on Saturday night in a 5-0 loss to Vancouver where he seemed to simply give up on a few occasions.  That’s a concern but as long as the Penguins aren’t in danger of missing the playoffs, I think they need to keep getting Greiss starts.

Marc-Andre Fleury is on pace for 3840 minutes this season.

Take this for what it’s worth — this might be stretching events and numbers to fit a narrative — but since the Penguins won the Cup, Fleury’s largest workloads were the 2009-10 season (3798 minutes) and 2011-12 season (3896).

In the 2010 playoffs, Fleury looked mentally drained as the 8-seed Montreal Canadiens repeatedly fired shots over his glove hand in a second round playoff upset.

It’s hard to forget Fleury’s meltdown in the 2012 playoffs when he allowed 26 goals in just six games against Philadelphia.

Some goalies perform better on a heavy workload. I’ve never felt Fleury was one of those goalies.

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(3) What happened with the Christian Ehrhoff extension talks?

I was a little surprised to see contract extension talks between Christian Ehrhoff and the Penguins had broken down…and only because I was surprised there was much optimism out there in the first place.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman referenced the likelihood of an Ehrhoff extension multiple times over the last six months.

First in July:

Christian Ehrhoff surprised by taking one year in Pittsburgh, but no one would be stunned if he’s extended not long after Jan. 1. That’s when he’s eligible to do it.

This caught my attention because I assumed Ehrhoff was signing a cheap one-year deal with the Penguins to tee himself up for another big contract in the summer of 2015.

Then Friedman referenced it again in late December:

…Pittsburgh plans to commit longer to Christian Ehrhoff. I don’t know if anything should be expected immediately, but wouldn’t be surprised if the Penguins take a run at hammering out something with the defender over the next month.

Unless Ehrhoff truly loves playing in Pittsburgh, I think it’s going to take a significant offer to get him to stay.  GM Jim Rutherford has so much money tied up in his big stars that’s it’s tough to envision him being the high bidder this summer.

I’d be surprised to see either Ehrhoff or Paul Martin back next season.

(4) Should there be concern about Scott Harrington?

Expectations were high for Scott Harrington’s NHL debut this season.  Unfortunately, he looks a little overmatched through ten games.

I still think Harrington projects well as a very solid second-pairing defenseman though.  He’ll never have the flash of Derrick Pouliot so it isn’t fair to compare the two.

Harrington is more in the mold of Paul Martin.  Great vision, reliable in his own end, breaks up a lot of plays with his stick, and kickstarts the breakout well with a good first pass.

His progression and the return of Olli Maatta should ease the pain of potentially losing Ehrhoff and/or Martin to free agency.

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(5) How does Olli Maatta stack up against other players his age?

Rob Vollman at ESPN Insider recently posted his assessment of the most valuable NHL players at every age (subscription required).

Unsurprisingly, Sidney Crosby is the best 27-year-old and Evgeni Malkin the best 28-year-old.  The best 20-year-old analysis was intriguing though.

Vollman went with Montreal’s Alex Galchenyuk but had a chart that showed top career points/60 minutes for the age group. Olli Maatta was fifth, trailing only forwards Galchenyuk, Filip Forsberg, Sean Monahan, and Winnipeg defenseman Jacob Trouba.

There aren’t a ton of 20-year-old players in the NHL yet, but I think Maatta’s point production (38 points in 98 games) has been a bit of a surprise for everyone.

Maatta’s scouting report on the Penguins website prior to the 2012 draft said:

“Known more for his defensive presence than his offensive prowess…” 

Maatta was taking every opportunity to join the rush early this season in coach Mike Johnston’s system that encourages defensemen to get involved on offense. If Maatta can get healthy over the summer, he could be in for a big year in 2015-16.