Bulletin: Penguins Place McGinn and Friedman on Waivers

The Penguins’ waiver train continued today. The latest to hit the shinny version of a slag pile? Forward Brock McGinn and defenseman Mark Friedman.

Signed as a free agent in the summer of 2021, McGinn is in the second year of a four-year deal with an AAV of $2.75 million. Although solid defensively and a capable penalty killer, McGinn’s blown hot and (mostly) cold offensively during his stay with the black and gold.

Indeed, after scoring eight goals over a 21-game stretch earlier this season, the “Brock Star’s” been goalless (and pointless) in 26 games since. Lest you think it’s an anomaly, he netted only three goals over his final 32 regular-season games last season. 

The first player acquired by Ron Hextall after assumed the GM reins from Jim Rutherford, the feisty Friedman has generally served as a seventh or eighth defenseman. Given his aggressive nature…a rare commodity on our lightweight Pens…not to mention his speed and ability to play both sides of defense, I would much rather have waived Chad Ruhwedel, a tad more expensive and five years older.

Such is the way of things during the Mike Sullivan era.

Obviously, a prelude to more moves. As reported on Pensburgh, could one involve Canucks forward and Pittsburgh area-native J.T. Miller?