Pittsburgh Penguins: 37-21-6, 80 pts, 4th in East, 2nd in Atlantic
Status: Active Buyer
With one of the most star-studded rosters in the league, the Penguins find themselves in the rare position of needing to add talent as they gear up for yet another run at the Cup. Injuries have plagued the Penguins all season long, and the most recent injuries to star centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have left them dangerously thin down the middle. Malkin is out for the season with a knee injury, while there is still no timetable for Crosby’s return from a concussion.
The Penguins added a couple key pieces to their offense already, picking up sniper Alexei Kovalev and young scoring winger James Neal in separate deals. Defenseman Matt Niskanen was also acquired in the Neal trade, and will help to fill some of the minutes lost by Alex Goligoski’s departure to Dallas. The Penguins would probably like to add a center of some proven worth, especially if Crosby ends up being lost for the postseason, but with the market for talented centers especially thin, they might have to make do with what they have.
The Pens have no shortage of gritty forwards like Arron Asham and Mike Rupp, so if there is to be some sort of last minute deadline deal, it could center on one of their variety of 3rd liners and a draft pick. With their influx of talented forward prospects in the system, however, I doubt GM Ray Shero is in too much of a hurry to make a significant move.
Of course, this all hinges on Sidney Crosby’s health. If the star center is good to go, this team could be very dangerous. If he’s not, they’ll have a difficult time getting back to the Eastern Conference Finals, let alone taking a shot at the Cup.
