Penguins Augment their Bottom-Six and Add Depth on D at the Deadline

Ron Hextall stated Penguins administration, scouts and coaches have been all on the identical web page when it got here to bettering the workforce forward of the commerce deadline.

“We have had massive group conferences collectively to speak in regards to the attainable choices on the market. By way of the gamers, when all people’s aligned, then you definitely be ok with issues that you just’re doing,” Hextall stated. “I feel all of us felt like we may add some depth on D and increase our bottom-six, and that is what we did.”

Listed below are the largest strikes the Penguins made during the last week, earlier than the NHL commerce deadline hit at 3 PM on Friday:

–       Putting winger Kasperi Kapanen on waivers (he was then picked up by St. Louis)

–       Buying and selling middle Teddy Blueger to Vegas for a third-round draft decide and a prospect

–       Buying ahead Mikael Granlund from Nashville for a second-round draft decide

–       Buying ahead Nick Bonino from San Jose as a part of a three-team commerce

–       Buying defenseman Dmitry Kulikov from Anaheim for winger Brock McGinn (after initially putting him and Mark Friedman on waivers) and a third-round draft decide

Let’s begin with the ahead group.

The Penguins have felt terrific about their top-six all season, and rightfully so. Mike Sullivan has at all times favored constructing his traces round tandems, with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel forming one and Evgeni Malkin and Jason Zucker making up the opposite. Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust have been in a position to swap with one another relying on the state of affairs. General, the chemistry has been nice.

The underside-six, nevertheless, has been a unique story. For no matter motive, the Penguins have not been capable of finding combos that would contribute constantly, which led to modifications. The Penguins all assume extremely of Kapanen, McGinn and Blueger, but it surely wasn’t working with these gamers this yr.

In order that they went out and obtained Mikael Granlund, somebody Hextall tried to get a few years in the past presently – and he isn’t the one one. “I talked to 4 GMs at present that stated they’ve tried to get him within the final couple of years,” Hextall stated. “So he was, I feel, a coveted participant due to his versatility. He is the kind of man that may play within the center or play on the wings.”

Along with that, Hextall stated they hope Granlund’s talent smarts will help spark the bottom-six. “While you take a look at traces, you search for guys who join dots and make clever performs.” That is additionally one thing Nick Bonino brings, with Mike Sullivan at all times calling the two-time Stanley Cup Champion with Pittsburgh in 2016 and ’17 “cerebral” participant.

In the case of who will play within the center on the third and fourth traces, Hextall feels it is necessary that Sullivan has choices. Jeff Carter and Drew O’Connor stuffed these roles final sport, with Hextall talking very extremely of the latter, who will likely be out there for Saturday’s matchup with Florida after being re-assigned to WBS at present for logistical causes surrounding the deadline.

“I feel Drew’s performed extraordinarily effectively for us,” Hextall stated. “You guys most likely noticed the aim final night time, however I feel he is performed pretty much as good of hockey as he is performed lately for us. We’re enthusiastic about Drew.”

Granlund and Bonino may also be candidates, with Hextall saying that it is Sullivan’s determination.

“I feel in the long run, Mikael Granlund, the place does he play, the center or the wing – that is clearly as much as Sully,” Hextall stated. “There is a feeling out course of and attending to know course of with the coaches with new gamers. Nick’s a unique story, clearly, as a result of they know him. However I just like the choices with the coaches have now.”

As for the protection…

The Penguins entered the season with 9 NHL-caliber defensemen. Now, with the addition of Kulikov, they’ve 10. Hextall defined that with Ty Smith sidelined on account of a facial fracture and Xavier Ouellet additionally out down in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Penguins needed to reinforce their depth versus going the opposite manner.

In addition they needed somebody who may play on either side, because the Penguins at the moment have three left-handed pictures: Brian Dumoulin, P.O Joseph, and Marcus Pettersson. “We felt like if we lose one man with Ouellet being out for the yr, we may have been in bother,” Hextall stated. “Frieds can play over there, however we do not have one other left shot. We felt like that was a necessity.

“Dmitry is a heavy participant, he is obtained defensive presence, he can kill penalties. So we’re enthusiastic about that.”

And with No. 1 netminder Tristan Jarry again wholesome, and showing to spherical again into high kind, Hextall stated he likes the look of the Penguins – who’ve received 4 video games in a row and moved into the highest Wild Card spot within the Japanese Convention with their 5-4 extra time win towards Tampa Bay on Thursday.

“I feel that we made our workforce higher at present,” Hextall stated. “I feel there’s plenty of groups which are able to profitable the Cup, and sure, I would say we’re certainly one of them. I feel that the variety of groups who’re succesful is lots larger than it was once with the wage cap and the best way groups are constructed these days. I feel plenty of groups loaded up, and it will be attention-grabbing to see how these groups do. There’s some good groups on the market, for positive.

“We have got a confirmed group, we have a hungry group, and we obtained a bunch of men that all of us consider as winners. So, you bought to make the playoffs first, and proper now that is our goal. Then we’ll see the place we go from there, however I be ok with this workforce.”