#BRYAN RUST ROUGHING ERIC KARLSSON FULL#
#BRYAN RUST ROUGHING ERIC KARLSSON FREE#

The Pens have loaded up on centers in free agency (Lars Eller, Noel Acciari) and a ton of depth options that could make realistic cases to make the team (Matt Nieto, Andreas Johnsson, Vinnie Hinostroza). Time will tell, but with all the goalies the Pens now have options as to what they want to do with them. This could foretell the Penguins loading up on quantity and significant depth at the position, or it could also mean Casey DeSmith’s status with the team moving forward could be up in the air. Magnus Hellberg was also added as a free agent on a one-way contract. However, there could be more decisions to make after the somewhat surprising signing of Alex Nedeljkovic and his non-AHL friendly salary of $1.5 million. The major decision was made, but it took after the start of free agency to bring Tristan Jarry back on a high-dollar, long-ish term five year deal that will see him be the Pens’ goalie of significance for the foreseeable future.

#BRYAN RUST ROUGHING ERIC KARLSSON FULL#

With a full no movement clause, Karlsson has just as big of a say as anyone in the process. The most oft-rumored trade remains unrealized with negotiations between Pittsburgh, San Jose (and Carolina) jockeying to see what the best option for all parties is regarding the future of Erik Karlsson. The other was significant, in adding Reilly Smith and his productive pedigree for a third round pick in a salary dump for Vegas. One was minor to add a seventh round pick last year and move down one spot in the third round. There were no buyouts and Dubas has only made two trades so far. Otherwise the draft passed without too much intrigue or big movement for the Pens. Turns out that Kyle Dubas kept his first round pick, selected talented forward Brayden Yager and will now hope in the coming years that he can develop into an NHL contributor. A lot has happened since then, but it’s only been a few months of a transitional year off the ice in Pittsburgh. At that point the future was still so wide open that replacing Ron Hextall was the first key decision.

In some ways it’s hard to imagine that both it’s only been three months and it’s already been three months since the first version of the checklist. In that time, the NHL’s biggest summer moments have come and gone with the draft and opening day of free agency passing with the flurry of activity that always sees players coming in and going out. It’s been about a month since our last check in on the Penguins’ off-season road map of items to do and decisions to make.

Bryan rust roughing eric karlsson