Penguins OffSeason

I will continue to rework this post as I have more time, but I wanted to get some thoughts out there asap..........the Pens need to address their defense and their scoring from the wing during this offseason.......to that end, it is a very limited crop UFAs on the wing that make sense for the Pens........they cannot afford Kovalchuk, the most talented by far of the bunch.........they dont need another lazy enigma, though Alexander Frolov at times seems tempting.............they dont need any of the older guys, unless a guy like Ray Whitney would take a 2 year deal for reasonable money.......the only wing that is available by free agency that really interests me from a cost and production standpoint is Lee Stempniak of Phoenix, who led the Coyotes down the stretch and into the playoffs with a very productive goal scoring streak. If the Pens cannot get Stempniak, I like the idea of approaching the Hawks about young winger Patrick Sharp via a trade....the Hawks will be about 8M OVER the cap to start next season based on the contracts of Toews, Kane and crew taking affect......that will put them in a position to have to trade salary for prospects/draft picks........Sharp is a 200lb winger, signed through 2012-2013 at a cost of 4M per year......he has scored 36, 25, and 26 goals in his three full NHL seasons, and would make a perfect fit on one of the Pens top 2 lines. Do not sign Gonchar, Fedotenko, or Ponikarovsky if you can get this deal done for a prospect and a 2nd round pick, or even a first rounder........Sharp is signed long term, and he is young, playoff tested and productive. Losing Fedostinko and Ponikarovsky clears the space necessary to bring him in.........if Tangredi would be ready by mid season to make the jump to the NHL, the Pens could have turn a weakness into a strength....ALSO....please sign Matt Cooke....and Pens, I would draft a lot of forwards this year!! On defense, one player as a UFA would make so much sense for the Pens, it hurts...........Dear god, I promise to be nice if the Pens can trade for Sharp AND sign 230lb Anton Volchenkov as a UFA.........The Pens need some nasty and some general defensive strenght on the blue line and Volchenkov brings both in spades.......he blocks shots like a machine as well............the Pens lacked a shut down pairing in this year playoffs............how intimidating would Orpik and Volchenkov look as a shut down pairing??? He is also only 28 years old......Ray, please take 80% of the Gonch money and lock up Volchenkov..........his shot blocking, and physical play would be an immediate upgrade over your current situation...........then you pick either Eaton or Leopold or both, plus Lovejoy and you have your 7 defensemen........with Simon Despres, Derek Engellend, Carl Snoop, and Bortuzzo all highly coveted AHL defensemen in reserve, you could be set up there long term. You dont need quantity Ray, get one difference maker on the wing, and one on the defense......if you cannot get Volchenkov, win the battle for Dan Hamhuis of Nashville, the closest thing to Rob Scuderi that is available..........