Rehan
Joined: Jul. 2017
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Understandable, and I'm not saying the package you put together is bad, it's actually more than reasonable, but like you said trading Kessel would not make the Penguins as better team right now. Rutherford has made it clear that defense will be addressed, however, it won't be of the magnitude that most people think. Letang, Dumoulin, Schultz and Maatta are the top 4 and are locked in for a few years, beyond that the bottom pair is an issue and I can see them targeting a guy like TVR from Carolina or Jack Johnson in free agency if they can shed Hunwick's cap hit. Provided the salary cap moves up to 80m for next season, Pittsburgh can really manage the cap quite easily, they don't lose anyone of note as a UFA, and will be able to sign all their pending RFA's and still be under the cap. If a trade needs to be facilitated, the likely candidates are Sheary or Hagelin.
I agree that Kessel is probably at peak value coming off a career year, but trading him away makes no sense, his cap hit is reasonable for what he produces and that leaves a gaping hole in the top 6 again and you're right back to three years ago looking for an elite winger to play with Crosby and Malkin. On top of that the trade speculations came about from a joke of a reporter who sparks this same rumour every year so I wouldn't pay it much mind.