The Pittsburgh Penguins are still looking to add center depth after losing Nick Bonino to the Nashville Predators this summer, and Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said in a mailbag this week that the repeat Stanley Cup champions could be eyeing a trade that comes as late as September to do so.
Pens general manager Jim Rutherford is working against the salary cap, but that hasn't stopped Pittsburgh from being linked to longtime trade chip Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche. And Werner said other names, like the Toronto Maple Leafs' Tyler Bozak, could be on the Pens' radar as the team looks to fill out its offense for 2017-18.
Something theoretically could happen any day, and Jim Rutherford will certainly keep his phone turned on, but I also wouldn't be surprised if the 3C trade wasn't actually made until September. As Rutherford said at the draft, they don't have to field a team until Oct. 4.
Werner also noted that Pittsburgh might have to be creative in shedding salary to afford Bozak, Duchene or any other available forward. Phil Kessel was floated by Werner's fellow Post-Gazette writer Ron Cook as a potential candidate to land on the trading block, but all indications from both Kessel and the team -- not to mention common sense -- suggest that's unlikely. The Pens, Werner said, could instead consider dangling Olli Maatta or prepare for 2018 free agency departures of Ian Cole and Patric Hornqvist.
