NHL Rumors: Over 20 candidates for Penguins vacant GM job, Taylor Hall likely to be traded, and is Evgeni Malkin on the move?
Anthony Scultore
|
The NHL Rumors mill is full due to fallout from Jim Rutherford’s abrupt resignation. “It’s important to me to leave the Penguins on a positive note, and that’s what I’m going to do,” he told The Athletic. “I’m not going to get into the details of the past couple of days.”
NHL Rumors: Is Evgeni Malkin and other veterans in the move?
It sounds like Rutherford is eluding to a giant philosophical difference between him and ownership on the direction of the team. Was Rutherford being forced to change his vision of winning now?
Last night on TSN’s Insider Trading they touched on the subject and started licking their chops at what a trade market would look like with Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang on it.
Now, Malkin has one more year after this season remaining on his contract, but do those players, especially Sidney Crosby, want to chase a Stanley Cup elsewhere, or is retiring as a Pittsburgh Penguin equally important? The direction of the club of the next two years is going to determine how that discussion goes as early as this summer. But, imagine if those names were in play at some point in the near future?
Darren Dreger
NHL Rumors: Over 20 candidate up for Penguins GM job
There’s absolutely no shortage of candidates who want the Penguins job. Whether it’s people they are looking at, or those contacting the Pens, there are some big names in the mix.
And believe me, there is a ton of interest of his position. How much? As of late Thursday afternoon, 20 different candidates had expressed and reached out interest to the Penguins for that job. Some on their own directly, others have other people doing it on their behalf. Some of the names on the radar for the Penguins include Jason Botterill, Chris Drury, Ron Hextall, Mark Hunter, Tom Fitzgerald – who was just a GM in New Jersey – Peter Chiarelli, Scott Mellanby, Mike Gillis, Laurence Gillman, John Ferguson Jr., Mike Futa. And again, as I said, including others. Now, Patrik Allvin, the interim GM, will also be a candidate. In fact, he’s getting the first interview. While the Penguins are going to talk to a lot of people, they’re going to get to their shortlist in a hurry and I’m told they want to have a GM in place within two to three weeks from now.
Pierre Lebrun
NHL Rumors: Taylor Hall to be traded at the deadline?
The Hockey News’ Matt Larkin believes that Taylor Hall is a very likely candidate to be traded at the deadline. His reasoning is sound, especially when you consider that Hall only signed a one year deal.