There’s no question Penguins POHO/GM Kyle Dubas had big plans entering the off-season. It’s just as evident that those plans almost entirely fell through. Leaving Dubas little choice but to build “brick by boring brick” as he was quoted as saying.
Casting an eye back over the summer, we might be able to reconstruct what Dubas intended to do based on the moves he did make.
Specifically, he loaded up on forwards and right-shot defensemen. Likely in anticipation of making some moves in those areas.
It’s pretty much a dyed-in-the-wool fact that Dubas had an interest in acquiring two high-profile players, Stars forward Jason Robertson and now ex-Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.
While we can’t be certain which players may have been offered in return, we can take an educated guess who they might’ve been. Or uneducated, as the case may be.
Jason Robertson
What we know: Robertson signed a 1-year contract with Dallas for $12 million on July 21, after rejecting a trade to Seattle that would’ve earned him $120 million ($15 AAV) over eight seasons. To clear cap space, the Stars traded 20-goal scorer Mavrik Bourque, a promising young forward, and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to Nashville for draft picks.
My guess: The Pens were willing to trade Rickard Rakell (or Bryan Rust), a mid-to-upper-level prospect (not Ben Kindel) and a first-round pick (perhaps two) to the Stars.
Darnell Nurse
What we know: Nurse and his $9.25 million cap hit were traded to San Jose on July 1 for defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zack Sharp, in the process saving Edmonton a cool $7.5 million in cap space. Money that helped Oilers GM Stan Bowman sign Pens UFA defenseman Ryan Shea to a five-year-deal at a cap hit of $4 million.
My guess (and it’s sketchy): Dubas offered the Oilers Rust (or Rakell) and albatross defenseman Ryan Graves, perhaps with plans to eat a portion of the latter’s $4.5 million cap hit to balance the ledger financially.
OTHER TARGETS?
Simon Edvinsson
Okay, so this one wasn’t in the rumor mill, but rather a product of my fevered imagination. But the towering Edvinsson, a 23-year-old left-shot defenseman (and RFA to boot), fits the Dubas mold to a tee—a talented young player who has some developing to do. Lord knows, we could use an up-and-comer on the left side.
The price? Had he not been dealt elsewhere? Rust. The Wings lack forward depth, have cap space aplenty and could easily absorb Rusty’s $5.125 cap hit. With all the turmoil surrounding Dylan Larkin’s trade request, not to mention long-time GM Steve Yzerman being booted upstairs, the Red Wings could sorely use a hustling, productive, salt-of-the-earth citizen with leadership qualities like Rust.
Did I mention No. 17 is from nearby Pontiac?
Alexander Nikishin
Although there were no overt rumblings, I wonder if Erik Karlsson was in play? The three-time Norris Trophy winner and last season’s team MVP will be a UFA following the upcoming season if not re-signed.
This is going way (waaay) out on a limb. But I wonder if the Hurricanes may have had an interest in the quicksilver defenseman? If the defending Cup champs have a weakness, they’re a little thin on the right side of defense.
Would a Karlsson-for-Alexander Nikishin swap have made sense, with the Pens holding back some of EK65’s $10 million cap hit and the ‘Canes ponying up a pick or two? For the unfamiliar, the 23-year-old Niskishin is a left shot who scored only four fewer (15-11) goals than Karlsson last season.
TO SUM UP
Had the deals gone through in one form or another, here’s quick summary of who’d be here and who wouldn’t:
In: Jason Robertson (lw), Darnell Nurse (ld), Simon Edvinsson (ld) or Alexander Nikishin (ld)
Out: Rickard Rakell (lw), Bryan Rust (rw), Ryan Graves (ld) and…maybe…Erik Karlsson (rd)
In aggregate, the moves would have added star power to the top line while opening up a forward slot for one of the kids. They also would’ve balanced out our defense while adding some youth and physicality to the backline. However, our transition game and power play obviously would’ve taken a hit, and not a small one, sans silky Swede Karlsson.
