Penguins Update: Brain Dumpin’

Hey all. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the Penguins essentially losing two players in the expansion draft, the only NHL team to have the dubious distinction of doing so if I’m not mistaken. Two good ones, I might add.

Yes, I know, it’s all about dumping dollars (or dowhers as some in the ‘Burgh would say). But still…

I’m also trying to recover from the giant bucket of ice water dumped on my off-season expectations by black-and-gold general manager Ron Hextall during a recent video conference.

Actually, I’d opined in previous articles that I had a difficult time seeing us making any significant additions either through free agency or trades due to cap constraints. So Hextall’s assertion that we’re unlikely to be very active in the free agent market doesn’t come as a complete surprise.

It does, however, bring a certain finality or set quality to the proceedings, not to mention putting a damper on the rest of the summer. Truth be told, I was kind of hoping Hextall would prove me wrong.

I mentioned this before, but I thought we had a pretty darn good team last season. With some puck luck and judicious bounces, I honestly felt we had an outside shot at the Cup.

Turns out we were about three bricks shy…a productive power forward, a physical stay-at-home defenseman and a goalie.

I had high hopes we’d be able to address those needs this summer and maybe…just maybe…tool up for one last run at the Cup. Hopes that were dashed by the recent flurry of activity and Hextall’s rather sobering remarks.

I’m going to draw a rather disturbing analogy and compare us to the Pittsburgh Pirates, circa winter of 2015-16. Yeah, you read that right.

The Buccos were coming off three-straight winning seasons and postseason appearances. With a lineup packed with accomplished veterans like Andrew McCutcheon and Neil Walker and up-and-comers Gerrit Cole, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco (yes, he had promise back then) the Bucs had a strong nucleus to build around. Had owner Bob Nutting chosen to invest in the club and allowed his management team add a couple of front-line players, who knows? Another playoff run or two wasn’t out of the question.

Unfortunately, Nutting elected not to invest. Walker, Charlie Morton and Pedro Alvarez were allowed to walk (or more accurately, shown the door). Replacing them were ham-and-eggers like damaged goods catcher John Jaso and pitchers Jon Niese and Kyle Lobstein. With a name like Lobstein, you knew this cat wasn’t throwin’ heat.

As a result, a team that still had some promise tumbled. Culminating in our present-day “Bad News Buccos.”

While I can’t imagine any team owned by Mario Lemieux falling to such depths, this summer kind of has the same feel to me. Instead of improving the team, I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach we’ll be lucky to tread water.

Perhaps we can replace Jared McCann with Radim Zohorna, who has a strong track record and dazzled during an eight-game cameo last season. Except the hulking Czech forward is an RFA with arbitration rights and Hextall neglected to mention him when discussing young players who have a shot at making the team this fall.

Let’s see, a 6’6”, 220-pound forward who skates well, possesses a high hockey IQ and great hands?

I sure hope that was an oversight and Hextall intends to re-sign him. If not…well…my wailing and gnashing of teeth (at least the ones I have left) in the wake of losing Brandon Tanev will seem like child’s play.

Not that I don’t empathize with Hextall’s plight. Former GM Jim Rutherford left us between a rock and the proverbial hard place, cap-wise. With only $7.5 million available, give-or-take a few hundred thousand, it’s going to be very difficult if not downright impossible for our new GM to sign our existing free agents while at the same time taking a stab at significantly improving the team.

There’s always hope Hextall might be able to clear cap space through a trade. In the wake of Shea Weber’s potential career-ending injuries, Montreal is rumored to be looking for defensive help. Perhaps they’d bite on Marcus Pettersson. That would allow us to promote Pierre-Olivier Joseph and free up an additional $3 million or so in cap space.

Or perhaps Hextall can pull a rabbit out of his hat and move Jason Zucker and his onerous $5.5 million cap hit.

Obviously, there are no guarantees that such deals can be struck. Especially with most teams in the same boat as the black and gold and looking to shed salary.

I hate to finish on a sour note. But it almost feels as if we crossed an invisible line and the recent moves were the first steps in what’s sure to be a long, grinding Flyer-esque rebuilding process.

Hope I’m wrong.