The NHL Trade deadline approaches - Who should the Pens target?

The NHL Trade deadline approaches - Who should the Pens target?

The NHL Trade deadline is ticking ever nearer and as always with every other season the rumours are starting to build. The deadline is on the 2nd March this year and the Pens need to make some changes to their lacklustre team which has sunk since the New Year like a lead weight in a pool. The Penguins biggest area of concern is their bottom 9 which is needing a retool along with a change in the lines in the top 6.  The top 6 could do with another player but that isn't as much of a priority as the bottom 6. Should a decent defensman become available I dare say that with Maatta out Rutherford will enquire. Below are three forwards who I believe the Penguins should target who shouldn't cost much.

Jiri Tlusty, Jaromir Jagr, Sean Bergenheim are the players in question. One of the most important things are good possession numbers as it is something that the Penguins have struggled with this season with 4 of their worst players being regulars on the bottom six. Tlusty and Jagr both currently play for teams outside of the play-offs so could be cheaper than other options whilst Florida and Bergenheim could make it and be reluctant to trade.

Jiri Tlusty

Jiri Tlusty is a player I love to watch as he is an underrated player I feel who could really add something to the team, especially on depth. I believe he has the ability to play on both the second and third line and is able to interchange between the two. He currently plays for the Hurricanes who are outside of the play-offs and will be a lottery team. They'll be looking to get a best draft position as possible to give them the best chance of getting McDavid. Tlusty is fourth in terms of production on the Hurricanes and in Corsi % at 54.90%. Carolina have only scored 129 goals this season so far which means that Tlusty has been involved in 18% of them (Points/Team Goals * 100). Lastly, Tlusty also seems to have a closer average shot location than most of his team mates at 29 which indicates a willingness to get in the kitchen sink and look for tips in front of the net, something which is missing from the Penguins play. In terms of cap hit he would be the second highest out of the three mentioned at a pro-rated $634k. I believe the Penguins could do a deal with the Canes that involves Sutter going back but I'd want more in return than a UFA player like Tlusty. If the Canes could part with Tlusty + Nash or Tlusty + 2nd then I'd be inclined to think about it as we could use that second to acquire another piece.

Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir  Jagr has played for the  Penguins before, that is well document but despite now being 43 years of age he is still an effective impact player on a beleaguered New Jersey Devils team. Jaromir Jagr is 2nd in points behind only Adam Henrique and currently has the third best Corsi % on the team of 50.98%. One of Jagr's biggest skills is his shot which is one of the most accurate in the league and this season he is currently carrying a 9.7 S% which is currently his third worst season. However, Jagr is a big power-play player, evidenced by the fact that in his career he has over 200 goals on the power-play. The power-play is an area that the Penguins have struggled greatly with since the turn of the year and this is something that I believe Jagr would help with greatly. Some people may reference Jagr's cap hit as being too high but at the cap you pro-rate the salary over the days left so Jagr's hit would be $1.183m which is entirely manageable if we send down Sill. What would Jagr cost?  Well, I wouldn't pay more than a 3rd + prospect for him as I believe he isn't worth much more than that partly due to this play-off performances with Boston which would remain my one reservation but for a 3rd + prospect I'd be willing to take that risk.

Sean  Bergenheim

Sean Bergenheim is the last of the three players that I have mentioned and I think would be the most in demand out of the three. Bergenheim carries the smallest cap hit at just $591k out of the three which would be a bonus to a contending team as it would allow them room to add more pieces. The biggest problem with obtaining Bergenheim is the fact that the Florida Panthers are just outside the play-offs and have a good chance of catching up with Boston and over-taking them. His value will be slightly higher because of that but if Florida believe that they can improve the team through a trade and give them just as good a chance of getting into the play-offs then I believe they'd do it. Bergenheim is just under a .500 Point per game player but he also leads the teams in Corsi % at 55.43%. His percentage improves even more when his team is behind to 58.03%. Lastly, this season he is carrying a 9.5% shooting percentage which above his career average of 8.2% showing an improvement on that end. In terms of cost I think he could go for a 2nd or a 3rd + roster player. I believe the best the Penguins could offer would be a 3rd as I don't see any roster players we could deal that would make sense for both so this one is tricky, but possible.

In all, I believe the above three would improve our team and our bottom 6 and give us a better chance going forward without having to give up too much in terms of assets. The Trade deadline is only a week and a bit away and I can't wait.