Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now writes about a potential link between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nicholas Robertson. It’s not the first time that rumors have surfaced about a potential Robertson to Pittsburgh trade as Kingerski wrote back in May that the Penguins, and more specifically general manager Kyle Dubas should target the undersized Maple Leafs forward. However, Robertson remains a Maple Leafs despite asking for a trade in June and the Penguins have just under $900K in available cap space. While a move seems unlikely at this point, it should be noted that the Penguins have 15 forwards on their active roster and could likely bury an additional $1.7MM in the minors.
Kingerski writes that the Penguins could offer sheet Robertson for below $2.29MM and the cost would only be a third-rounder, but the Maple Leafs would likely match that number and shut the door on the Robertson to Pittsburgh talk. It appears that the Penguins’ best option, should they want to acquire Robertson would be to make a hockey trade using a roster player with value and perhaps a draft pick to try and pry the 22-year-old loose.
In other Penguins notes:
- Kingerski also wrote about the Penguins’ lack of a winger for superstar Sidney Crosby. The Penguins have spent the summer trying to find someone to play with Crosby after trading Jake Guentzel at the trade deadline, and with the summer coming to an end Kingerski believes that Drew O’Connor is likely the Penguins’ best option for the first line left winger role. O’Connor finished last season playing with Crosby and showed glimpses during that time. The 25-year-old finished the year with 16 goals and 17 assists in 79 games, including seven goals and five assists in the final 19 games of the season when he played alongside Crosby.
- The Penguins acquisition of young forward Rutger McGroarty has changed the potential makeup of their forward lines (according to Dan Kingerski). The Penguins boast as many as 19 potential NHL forwards including newly acquired Kevin Hayes, Cody Glass, and Anthony Beauvillier and it could make for an interesting training camp in the Steel City. McGroarty could get a look alongside Sidney Crosby on the first line, but he could also slide into a third-line role alongside Hayes and Beauvillier. It isn’t even clear which side of the ice McGroarty will play on, but one clear thing is that his presence in Pittsburgh makes things very interesting when it comes to the Penguins’ forward ranks.