The Pittsburgh Penguins' grip on an NHL playoff spot is about as loose as the lid on all the trade deadline haggling going on in and around the league these days. Sitting one point ahead of the New Jersey Devils and sporting a 5-4-1 record in their last 10 games, the Pens are far from assured a ticket to the NHL's postseason dance and, if their lackluster performance Wednesday night against the Boston Bruins is any indication, there are plenty of flaws to be overcome before Pittsburgh can call itself a playoff team, let alone a Stanley Cup contender. Unfortunately, just as there are only so many hours in the day, there are only so many potential avenues for upgrade available to Penguins GM Jim Rutherford.
At this point, it sounds like Rutherford may very well stand pat at the deadline. Why, you ask? Well, not because he wants to. But because the area of the roster he'd most like to upgrade is defense and the market for blueliners is thin, as noted by ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.
After Ben Lovejoy's season-ending injury and despite the swap of Rob Scuderi for Trevor Daley, the Penguins remain mediocre on the backend. Adding a defender may be Rutherford's "focus," as LeBrun indicates, but that doesn't mean he'll be able to get anything done.
Sure, a guy like the Islanders' Travis Hamonic would be a huge addition, but that's not happening for any number of reasons, the biggest of which being that New York GM Garth Snow is chasing a playoff spot of his own and would want a player of similar ilk in return for Hamonic. Which, in case you skipped down here in lieu of reading the rest of this, the Penguins don't currently have.
Vancouver's Dan Hamhuis could be an option, but Hamhuis owns a no-trade clause and carries a $4.5 million cap hit. The British Columbia native can turn up his nose at any deal he doesn't like, and with serious Cup contenders like the Chicago Blackhawks said to be showing interest in him, it's likely Hamhuis would prefer to say yes to the Hawks than to the Pens.
Maybe a guy like Kris Russell of the Calgary Flames could be on Rutherford's radar, but he's not certain to be dealt and is a player the Flames would like to reach a contract extension with rather than deal. That leaves less desirable options like the Oilers' Justin Schultz or rival Philadelphia's Nick Schultz for Rutherford to pick over.
Not really the most conducive environment for a defensive trade.
Really though, it may be something of a blessing in disguise both for Rutherford and the Pens organization. For too long, the standard operating procedure in Pittsburgh has been to kick the can of responsibility down the road, trading draft picks and prospects for immediate help that hasn't yet amounted to the second Stanley Cup of Sidney Crosby's career.
Maybe standing pat at the 2015-16 trade deadline will be the kind of catalyst the Penguins need to realize there's also a long view of the roster, allowing them to take the pressure off and just play like the talented group they are (at least up front). It probably won't result in a Cup win, but really - does anyone think this team is capable of winning it all this season anyway?
