Don't Mess With The Metro

When writing about the Penguins it’s hard to forget about Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the two superstar centers of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but after those two, their depth at center drops harder than the Detroit Red Wings in the past three seasons. You can break it down 30 different ways, but Carter Rowney and Greg McKegg, who had a combined fourteen points in seventy-three games isn’t Cup Champion caliber. These last two cup runs were built on the depth of the team, and their current center setep doesn't fit with that theme. With that said, plenty of time remains between now and October, when pre-season starts, and here are four centers the Penguins can acquire for their third line vacancy.

#1. Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche

Duchene is the biggest center on the market right now, putting it straight this trade won’t be as easy as it was trading for Nick Bonino in 2015. Joe Sakic, GM of the Colorado Avalanche, wants a future 1st round pick, a top prospect, and a top NHL player for Duchene, who was a lone bright spot in the crapshoot that was the Avs, finishing with forty-one points in seventy-seven games, not bad for someone stuck playing with Rene Bourque. The trade right now would look something like Olli Maatta, a 1st round pick (and likely another pick, seeing the Penguins’ picks are lower in valuation than, say, the Islanders), and Derrick Pouliot for Matt Duchene. This trade idea is disgusting, it gives the Penguins their third elite center, but gives up two players who could be unbelievable one day, even if Pittsburgh still have Letang. If it’s not Maata, the Pens will still give away someone like Matt Murray, Phil Kessel, or Jake Guentzel, all massive parts to the well-oiled machine. If Sakic wants less, Duchene is a clear target, otherwise, this looks like too much.

#2 Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings

Zetterberg has experienced the highs and lows of the Detroit Red Wings, and as the Wings rebuild, Zetterberg could be expendable. Zetterberg finished with 68 points last year, playing the full season, his biggest point total since 2011. 51 of those points came on assists, and pairing him up with Hagelin or Hornqvist could be perfect. He still has four years left on his 12 year $73,000,000 contract he signed with Detroit in 2009, and Pittsburgh would have to shell out six million dollars a year for him. The Red Wings do need to dump his contract soon, as Tomas Tatar and Andreas Athanasiou need new contracts. Bound for pieces to start the rebuild, giving out a second rounder and the rights to Blaine Byron or Lukas Bengtsson could do the trick. It might be a few years too late, but it would be awesome to see Henrik in the famous black and gold.

#3 Mike Fisher, Unrestricted Free Agent

This one feels unrealistic, but the sad thing is, Mike Fisher, following losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins, still could be signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Bonino just left Mike Sullivan’s team for the team he just beat, so Fisher could go anywhere. Twelve days into free agency and he hasn’t found a deal anywhere. Part of the reason could be the disappearance in the playoffs, he was injured, but never scored, and had just four assists in twenty games. I feel bad for Fish, he had a solid regular season, 42 points in 72 games, which helped the Preds stride into the wild card, and a few “it’s all your fault”, yellow smoke, and catfish later, Nashville made their first ever Cup Final. Another part of the reason is the age, at thirty-seven, he’s not getting any younger, and many teams already have their veteran centers. Fisher would be signed on a one-year or two-year deal, but he would provide as an improvement to Greg McKegg.

#4 Vladislav Namestnikov, Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts are in an odd place with their starting forwards, having to use Brayden Point as a winger to give him more play time, while using Namestnikov, a natural left winger, as their third line center. Namestnikov never complained about playing the center, and had an average year, with just 24 points in 78 games, but he never fit the system when he was center. The Lightning, like many, are in a cap squeeze so while Namestnikov enters a contract year, they could look to move him now. For the Lightning replacements are available as their prospects at center look solid with Point and Tanner Richard. Moving a left wing prospect like Thomas Kuhnhackl and a conditional pick, or a Victor Hedman-like defenseman Ethan Prow and a conditional pick, could steal a solid versatile Namestnikov.

 

 

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