The trade which netted the Pittsburgh Penguins forward David Perron from the Oilers in exchange for Rob Klinkhammer and a first-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft has left Pens GM Jim Rutherford mostly empty-handed where the annual NHL rookie selection process, set to kick off this summer, is concerned.
The Perron deal, combined with the Marcel Goc trade in 2014 and the trade deadline Daniel Winnik addition have left Rutherford with just one pick, a second-rounder, in the first four rounds of this year's draft.
According to Rutherford, who recently spoke to Dave Molinari of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it's a situation he's spending quite a bit of time attempting to rectify.
"I'll certainly pursue it," Rutherford said, via Molinari. "I don't know if we'll be able to pick up one or not."
It's become something of a theme for the Penguins - forfeiting future draft selections for help in the present. The merits of the strategy can be debated at length, but the most important aspect is that it hasn't resulted in a Stanley Cup victory for Pittsburgh - the team's last win was in 2009 and time is starting to slip as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin won't stay young forever.
For Rutherford, his pursuit of a first-round pick will likely focus on one of a number of teams with two selections in the initial round in late June.
The Oilers, along with the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers and Winnipeg Jets all hold two first-round picks at present.
"There are some teams that have acquired an abundance of first-round picks, and they may not need them all," Rutherford said. "I've actually talked to a couple of those teams already."
As Molinari notes, Sabres GM Tim Murray has already stated his openness to dealing the lower of his two first-rounders, No. 21.
Another avenue for additional draft compensation exists for Rutherford as well - former head coach Dan Bylsma is still under contract with Pittsburgh, but is drawing interest from several teams.
If he is hired by another team - the Sabres and Murray were one of the franchises given permission to interview him, per Molinari - the Penguins could ask for a pick, just as the Red Wings will receive a third-round pick from the Maple Leafs for landing Mike Babcock.
Pittsburgh did not seek compensation from the New Jersey Devils when they hired Ray Shero as their new GM - they've also reportedly interviewed Bylsma, per Molinari - but if Rutherford is able to work out a deal to obtain a higher pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, should a team hire Bylsma, they may not get off so easily.
