Penguins Expose Tanev to Expansion Draft

The Penguins have released their protection list for the upcoming expansion draft. Without further ado, here’s who we’re protecting:

Forwards: Teddy Blueger, Jeff Carter, Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, Kasperi Kapanen, Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust

Defensemen: Brian Dumoulin, Kris Letang, Mike Matheson

Goal: Tristan Jarry

Now…the unprotected:

Forwards: Pontus Aberg, Anthony Angello, Zach Aston-Reese, Josh Currie, Frederick Gaudreau, Mark Jankowski, Sam Lafferty, Sam Miletic, Evan Rodrigues, Colton Sceviour, Brandon Tanev, Jason Zucker

Defensemen: Cody Ceci, Kevin Czuczman, Mark Friedman, Jesper Lindgren, Andrey Pedan, Marcus Pettersson, Juuso Riikola, Chad Ruhwedel, Yannick Weber

Goal: Casey DeSmith, Maxime Lagace

Most notably absent from the Pens protection list? Buzz-saw forward Brandon Tanev. I confess, a development that both pains and puzzles me.

To my eye, the black-and-gold is lacking in spirit, spunk and aggression. Qualities Tanev provides in spades. Indeed, the ice fairly crackles with electric energy whenever he hops over the boards. This kid never takes a shift off.

When Boston’s Jarred Tinordi injured Malkin’s knee this past season? The very next game, Tanev raced across the ice like a wild dog and buried Tinordi with a bristling check. For the record, that’s 6’0” 180 pounds laying out 6’6” 230 pounds.

That’s Tanev in a nutshell. Pure heart and soul. Utterly fearless. 

A kamikaze on skates.

With seven goals and 16 points in 32 games, he’s no slouch as a hockey player, either.

But I digress. Due to the Pens’ quality depth up front, GM Ron Hextall faced some difficult decisions. Choices that led him to deal talented and versatile Jared McCann to Toronto only the day before. The old hockey adage that you want to be strong down the middle…exacerbated by Malkin’s knee injury…no doubt dictated that he protect Blueger and Carter. But, man, I hate the thoughts of exposing Tanev.

Perhaps Hextall and his staff are privy to some insider information concerning Seattle general manager Ron Francis and his preferences. Perhaps they’re hoping Tanev’s contract…four seasons remaining with an AAV of $3.5 million…will scare off the Kraken GM. It’s a lot to pay for an energy forward approaching his 30s. One who missed a sizeable chunk of time due to injuries this past season.

Or maybe they think Francis will bite on former 30-goal man Jason Zucker or UFA-to-be Cody Ceci.

A more insidious thought. Perhaps the Pens are trying to shed Tanev’s salary…for the very reasons stated above. Intentional or not, it’s almost like Hextall hung a neon sign over Brandon’s head saying, “Pick me.”

Anyway, as we used to say back in the day when swapping baseball cards, “no takebacks.” For better (and hopefully not for worse) what’s done is done.

I, for one, hope and pray Seattle passes on Tanev.

Ex-Pens Exposed

A number of former Penguins were exposed to the draft, including…quite surprisingly…McCann. Washington left Carl Hagelin, Justin Schultz and Conor Sheary unprotected.

Ottawa exposed two-time Cup winning goalie Matt Murray. Los Angeles chose not to protect once-promising Olli Maatta.