Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager, Ray Shero still has some work left this offseason as the Penguins are currently $1.1 million over the cap. History shows that Shero likes to have breathing room under the cap to make trades throughout the season. It’s really quite simple — someone needs to go from the Pens lineup.
Matt Niskanen looks like the logical choice to be forced out of Pittsburgh due to the salary cap compliance. With the salary cap falling to $64.3 million from $70.2 million the year before, the Pens find themselves in a bit of a situation. Niskanen is making $2.3 million and for a third pairing defenseman, that is entirely too much money.
As we know, the Pens have already seen fan favorites such as, Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy move West. Jarome Iginla, Douglas Murray and Brendan Morrow — who were brought in for a Stanley Cup charge — also will not return. When the Penguins signed defenseman Rob Scuderi, it became very apparent that he was brought in to upgrade the defense and someone would be sent packing. Scuderi will give the Penguins a shutdown defensive partner for Kris Letang and arguably one of the most solid top four defenseman in the league with Brooks Orpik, Paul Martin, Scuderi and Letang. With those four spots set and Simon Despres ready to make an impact, as well as Robert Bortuzzo being re-signed, there is just no room for Niskanen.
In Niskanen’s case, this trade would be made for the simple fact that the Penguins have a plethora of defensemen throughout the system. The 26-year-old has improved his defensive game since being brought out over from the Dallas Stars. Unfortunately, he didn’t put up the offensive numbers the Penguins were looking for when he tallied 35 points in the 2008-09 campaign with the Stars. Next year, Niskanen becomes an Unrestricted free agent and as I’ve said with the abundance of youth defenseman in the system, he won’t be re-signed.
However, the Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled mightily the past three seasons on defense and as we know from the Steelers, defense wins championships. For Niskanen to stay in Pittsburgh, his contract would need to be restructured and his shutdown defensive skills would need a boost. If not Niskanen, where else do the Pittsburgh Penguins look to create room under the cap? Furthermore, with the current players in line and the future players waiting in line, Niskanen will be placed on the trading block.
