Penguins Update

The Penguins signed WBS captain Ryan Craig to a one year, two way deal that will pay him $525,000 at the NHL level. Craig is a great character guy on the WBS Pens but is unlikely to make the team out of camp. In other news, with the NHL draft only two weeks away, Kennedy and the Penguins remain pretty far apart. Kennedy's camp is looking for upwards of 2M per year over a multi year deal. The Penguins are in the 1.5 to 1.75 range for any multi-year deal, but are rumored to be willing to consider 2 million to 2.5 million for a one year deal. This would allow them to see how Kennedy fits into a totally healthy lineup, and if he can do anything on the power play. I am starting to like the idea of the 3 center model with Staal flanked by Kennedy and Cooke again, but the price has to be right for the Penguins. Those who want to write Kennedy off should note that the Penguins have only drafted and developed three goal scoring wingers since 1995! That would be 1995 first round pick Alexsei Morozov who scored 20 goals just once in 2001-02, 1999 fourth round pick Ryan Malone, who scored 20 plus goals three times in his four year Penguins career, netting 22 in both 2003-04 and 2005-06, while netting 27 goals in 2007-08, and Kennedy who netted 21 goals just last season. Next player to consider is 32 year 2 way winger Pascal Dupuis who badly wants to remain a Penguin. He is said to be seeking a Matt Cooke like deal of 3 years and 5.4 million dollars, and his agent thinks he can be marketed as the best two way forward in the upcoming free agent market, with the potential for a 2M per year deal. It is said though, that Duper would gladly sign HERE for the same 3 year and 4.2 M deal he signed in 2008. The Penguins are said to be interested in no more than 2 years though. Duper may have to decide how much he likes being a Penguin and living in Pittsburgh as opposed to testing the market for more cash. I like the thoughts of the Penguins signing Duper, but I also like the thought of a two year deal as opposed to three. Mike Rupp is said to be seeking a deal of 3 years at 1 M to 1.2 M per year, and the Penguins have alluded to an offer of the same $850,000 per year for two years. Rupper is said to love Pittsburgh, and he may have to decide if he loves it enough to leave some dollars and one year on the table. I like Pittsburgh to sign him for 950K to 1 M per year for two years. Max Talbot is said to be willing to sign for a 3 year deal similar to the one he has now at 1.05 M per year, but is said to be adamant about the 3 year term.. Pittsburgh has made no contact at all with Talbot's camp and is very unlikely to even consider a three deal if they would make any offer at all. I think it is time for Pittsburgh to move on here, and let a younger player for half the money take the role of Talbot who has done little in the past two years. The Penguins have not talked at all to Asham's camp or to Comrie's camp. I remain a fan of dumping Niskanen's 1.7M salary for one of the younger defensemen to allow for another 1M in cap space for a scoring winger. Time will tell.