Could the Penguins be on the Outside Looking in Come Free Agency?

When I was a little kid, I confess on more than one occasion to standing outside a store, my nose pressed against a display window, staring at a toy I coveted but couldn’t afford. Kind of like Ralphie ogling the “official Red Ryder carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time” through Higbee’s window in A Christmas Story.

I’m no capologist. However, after taking a cursory glance at our present salary cap situation, I wonder if the same thing’s going to happen with our Penguins when free agency hits on July 28.

According to CapFriendly, we’re presently sitting at $82.7 million…roughly $1.2 million above the limit. Puckpedia, which lists Anthony Angello, Kasper Bjorkqvist, P-O Joseph, Drew O’Connor and Juuso Riikola as non-roster players, paints a somewhat rosier picture, giving us roughly $2.5 million of cap space.

When you consider the Pens have four unrestricted free agents and four restricted free agents among their present roster? I’m scratchin’ my head trying to figure out how GM Ron Hextall is going to work this out, let alone fill some areas of perceived need (a goalie, a physical forward and defenseman) from the free-agent market or through a trade.

An unfortunate end result of Jim Rutherford’s spend-to-the-hilt ways.

Among the internal candidates, I figure we’ll let Colton Sceviour (UFA) and Mark Jankowski (RFA) walk. That still leaves RFAs Zach Aston-Reese, Teddy Blueger and Radim Zohorna and UFAs Frederick Gaudreau and Evan Rodrigues among the forwards and UFA Cody Ceci on defense.

While I’d think Hextall would have an interest in bringing all of them back, obviously that’s wishful thinking unless we somehow clear a significant amount of cap space.

A lot hinges on the upcoming expansion draft, slated for July 21. There’s always hope the Seattle Kraken will select Jason Zucker, sure to be left unprotected. That would lighten our cap load by a cool $5.5 million and give Hextall some much-needed wiggle room.

Perhaps some sort of deal can be struck to induce Kraken GM Ron Francis to pick Zucker, similar to what Rutherford did back in 2017 when he sent a second-round pick to Vegas to ensure the Golden Knights took Marc-Andre Fleury.

Problem is, we don’t exactly have prime draft picks and/or expendable young talent growing on trees. And it’s hard to imagine Francis taking on that kind of salary, especially when comparatively inexpensive and more appealing players such as Aston-Reese and Blueger (and possibly Jared McCann and/or Brandon Tanev) will likely be available.

Although Hextall might opt to open up cap space by trading a Jake Guentzel or a Marcus Pettersson, most teams aren’t looking to take on added salary in the face of COVID-induced flat-cap economics.

What’s a GM to do?

Wish I knew.

Muddying the waters even further, all of our RFAs except for Bjorkqvist are arbitration eligible, giving them extra leverage in negotiations. It’s been suggested on other sites that the Pens non-tender their RFAs and try to work out team-friendly side deals to avoid the arbitration process.

Bottom line? It adds up to a pretty messy situation that’s going to be a real test of Hextall’s management skills. While I have a lot of faith in him, it’ll be a monumental challenge to say the least, one that’ll require a Midas touch. Let’s hope he’s up to the task.

If not, our Pens could be a lot like that little kid from Bethel Park, nose pressed against the glass, staring longingly at the free agents and potential trade targets as they pass on by.

Movin’ On

Two players who were on the black-and-gold payroll last season have moved on. Forward Josh Currie signed to play for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL on June 11. Goaltender Emil Larmi signed a two-year pact with Lahden of Finland’s Liiga on May 31.

Puckpourri

Assistant coach Mike Vellucci was a candidate for the vacant Columbus Blue Jackets coaching position. The Blue Jackets wound up hiring long-time assistant Brad Larsen.