Jim Rutherford may be a bigger fan than most of Jack Johnson, but that doesn’t mean the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman will be in the lineup on opening night. Rutherford, the Penguins GM, spoke with Josh Yohe of The Athletic yesterday and explained that after acquiring Mike Matheson from the Florida Panthers there may not be any room on the left side for Johnson next season.
[Brian] Dumoulin and [Marcus] Petterson are still young and aren’t going anywhere. And obviously we like Matheson a great deal. He’ll play on the left side. So, that’s our left side. Those three. That’s it.
Rutherford suggested that Johnson could play the right side or is maybe “just going to be a depth guy” for 2020-21, but it certainly wasn’t the same vote of confidence he gave when the season ended. There is still lots of offseason left and the Penguins priority may be moving a goaltender, but make no mistake that there may still be changes coming on the blue line.
- Michael Murray has been hired by the Minnesota Wild as an assistant to the general manager, coming over from his post with the AHL. Murray was named vice president of hockey operations for the minor league in 2011 and was considered the second in command behind commissioner Dave Andrews. As Michael Russo of The Athletic points out on Twitter, Murray happens to be the son of Minnesota GM Bill Guerin’s former agent. The team explained that Murray will help oversee the day-to-day of the hockey operations department and assist with contract negotiations, player development, and scouting.
- The Nashville Predators are considering moving one of their centers according to Frank Seravalli of TSN, who lists Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene, and Nick Bonino on his latest Trade Bait board and mentions Kyle Turris as well. Nashville has an incredible $26.1MM in cap space locked up in those four, with only Bonino’s deal (the cheapest of the bunch) expiring anytime soon. There wasn’t a 45-point player in the bunch of them this season, with Duchene (42) coming closest.
I just don’t think there is goin to be the movement on bad contracts this offseason that all the pundits say, I believe I’ve read an article on every nhl team shedding their bad contracts, obviously that cannot happen
I tend to agree but may see more “change of scenery” trades
Only way Johnson is moved is if JR parts with Murray as a sweetener. With a 7th round pick coming back
Detroit and Ottawa might be willing to do it. Don’t think anyone else has a big enough need in net, enough cap space and a D corps bad enough that Jack Johnson could join it.
If they can find a D man in trade or free agency who makes less than $2 million, I still think Johnson might get bought out. They save $2 million this year and next if they do. After that Letang and Malkin will either be gone or on less expensive contracts and we could eat the rest of the buyout. Might be worth it.
yes but what is the sweeter for taking both Murray and Johnson. teams may trade for Murray but he isn’t getting a 1st. if you are telling a team to take Johnson, you are likely looking at including a pick as well.
If I were a team that had the ability to take on a bad contract, I’d really try and target the Penguins 2022 1st rounder as the sweetener. JR has shown he’s not afraid to deal them and they won’t have many internal reinforcements outside of a couple prospects, so add that onto an aging roster and you could quickly find yourself in a Karlsson/Duchene situation where the first is a lottery pick.
When it comes time to take our medicine, there won’t be any sugar coating in Pittsburgh. We have traded every bit of sweetener. I think that goes too far, though, and not even Jimmy would do it. I wouldn’t blame anyone for trying, though.
At this point, the only sweetener we have left is, as noted above, giving away Murray for nothing with Johnson chained to his leg.
Rutherford doesn’t seem to care what’s left when he leaves after next season.
I can’t believe he will make it past then even if he wanted to.
This is a classic case of old GM looking after himself not the teams long term.
Pittsburg needs prospects so I really have doubts to JR trading that pick. When they fall I think it will hit hard.
We aren’t looking to be mediocre to decent once the window closes. The Pens will try for Cups as deep into Sid’s career as they can and then bottom out, snagging a few years of top picks.
Jimmy is doing exactly what the Pens want.
Buy him and LeTurnover out and start to acquire some assets to prevent another 10 years of basement dwelling after CROSBY and MALKIN retire