(1) Do the Penguins have any chance of escaping the second round?
For most of the season, I’ve thought the Pittsburgh Penguins do not match up well against the Washington Capitals or New York Rangers.
Both teams are big and physical…and both got even better this weekend.
Washington swapped out defenseman Jack Hillen for Tim Gleason, then traded two picks to Calgary for Curtis Glencross.
Gleason isn’t the same player he used to be a few years ago but he’ll still add physicality and veteran experience at the bottom of the lineup.
The same could be said of Glencross — although I think the upside is higher with him.
Glencross is 32 and probably looking for a final multi-year deal to take him into retirement. Motivated by an upcoming free agent payday and playing alongside talented players in a playoff race could be a recipe for success.
The Rangers were looking like a potential back-to-back Eastern Conference Champ even before adding a defenseman capable of playing over 25 minutes a night: Keith Yandle from Arizona.
New York is ‘all in’ on this group. Their Stanley Cup window will probably be open for one more season — if that — and I’m sure that syncs up with GM Glen Sather’s tenure as well.
That’s bad news for the Penguins, who might have to beat both of these teams just to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
(2) Should Jim Rutherford engage in an arms race?
Pittsburgh definitely improved over the past two months with the addition of David Perron and Daniel Winnik in proactive deals by GM Jim Rutherford.
I don’t think it’s enough.
But is it worth chasing one more big deal, even if Pittsburgh still wouldn’t be the favorite to come out of the East?
The Penguins were considering at least one significant trade this weekend that involved multiple roster players. One factor Rutherford has to consider is the impact a potential blockbuster would have on the psyche of the team with just 20 games left in the season.
New York and Washington added significant pieces without sacrificing much off the NHL roster.
Pittsburgh has already been through a lot of change over the last nine months. Â Former Penguins GM Ray Shero learned the hard way how too many deals can disrupt chemistry on and off the ice.
(3) What is the Penguins’ salary cap situation?
Another challenge for Rutherford is going to be navigating the salary cap.
I posted a tool here yesterday that you can use to estimate cap space with any potential deal.
While the current state roster leaves Rutherford with about $100-300k in room, he still has the opportunity to get creative.
Derrick Pouliot has been playing great hockey lately but can be demoted freely and would save almost $900k against the cap. Â Demoting Beau Bennett ($900k) is another option.
Both players could be recalled for the playoffs when salary cap restrictions no longer apply.
Those two moves would give Pittsburgh about $2 million to work with, assuming no other roster players were included in a trade.
(4) Which roster player is most likely to move?
I’ve received this question a lot over the past week.
Here’s my Top 10 list (including all players who have appeared at the NHL level this season):
- Beau Bennett
- Brian Dumoulin
- Robert Bortuzzo
- Craig Adams
- Chris Kunitz
- Steve Downie
- Simon Despres
- Scott Harrington
- Brandon Sutter
- Nick Spaling
(5) Why was Christian Ehrhoff a ‘healthy scratch’ on Sunday?
One player that wasn’t on the list but maybe should’ve been is Christian Ehrhoff.
Ehrhoff was scratched on Sunday against Columbus — never a good sign less than 24 hours before the trade deadline.
Head coach Mike Johnston’s explanation didn’t offer much perspective.
“I was surprised that he was ready for Washington (last Wednesday),” Johnston said. “With our schedule, we decided that we’d give him a few more days before we head on a real tough road swing with a lot of games.”
Ehrhoff needed a rest after being out for a month and then having four days off after his first game back?
Something doesn’t add up there.
One possibility is the Penguins wanted to showcase Despres or Bortuzzo. Â Another is that Ehrhoff — a free agent this summer — could be on the move Monday.
I think it’s most likely that Ehrhoff is having issues with his recovery. Â Ehrhoff had complications with a concussion during his stint in San Jose and the lengthy recovery period for this concussion suggests the same.
If that’s the case, the need for the Penguins to add another defensemen is even greater.