Some Penguins are free to roam in the NHL

With the Stanley Cup awarded and the NHL season at an end, the eyes of the hockey world now focus on the NHL entry draft and free agency. The Penguins have eight unrestricted free agents eligible to look at other teams and offers on July 1.

By Kiley Fischer

With the Stanley Cup awarded and the NHL season at an end, the eyes of the hockey world now focus on the NHL entry draft and free agency. The Penguins have eight unrestricted free agents eligible to look at other teams and offers on July 1.

Forwards: LW Matt Cooke, RW Bill Guerin, LW Alexei Ponikarovsky, LW Ruslan Fedotenko

Defensemen: Sergei Gonchar, Mark Eaton, Jordan Leopold, Jay McKee

Each man contributes to the team in his own way and those differences are necessary for a rounded team. Gonchar is known as the quarterback for the Pens’ power play and has a killer long range, high-traffic shot. Leopold scored several game winning goals when the Pens needed him. The ability to block shots like no one’s business belongs to McKee. Guerin brings a leadership to the team with his 18 seasons in the NHL, a captaincy under his belt with the New York Islanders, and two Cup wins: the New Jersey Devils in 1995 and the Penguins last year.

However, not all players are created equal and Pens fans have their own views on who should stay and who should move on. Pens fan Tyler McGee said that general manager Ray Shero’s top priority should be re-signing Matt Cooke because “he gives 110 percent in every game he plays.” According to McGee, it should be Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky who are given the top option to walk: “They just stopped playing.”

Cooke faced scrutiny after a questionable hit on Boston’s Marc Savard when he sidelined Savard ane gave Savard a concussion. However, Cooke’s physical play is something that CCAC student and Pens fan Christine Sadowski does not want the Pens to have to play against.

Sadowski also wants veteran Guerin to stay with the Pens. “It’s Papa G. He plays hockey because he loves it, not for the money. He took a $2 million dollar cut last year to stay with the Pens. Unlike Gonch, he’s not greedy.”
Not all Pens fans agree on the Gonchar situation. Seton Hill Sophomore Josh Hough wants Gonchar to have first dibs on a contract. “He’s the quarterback of our power play,” Hough said.

However, Gonchar is 36. Because of his age, if he retires the Penguins are still responsible for his salary…the multi-year, $5 million plus salary Gonchar is looking for. After considering the current salary cap, Hough added, “Maybe I should rethink that.”

Rumors of trading Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin have also been floating around. While the Pens would have to get the world in return for the Calder Cup, Art Ross and Conn Smythe winning Stanley Cup Champion, the views are split on whether he should stay or go. McGee is on team “Trade Geno.” “By getting rid of Malkin, Shero would open up – what? – $8.7 million to spend on [wingers for] Sid [Crosby]. That’s almost $9 million to spend on other players and not just one star.”

However, former Seton Hill student Elyse Schneider disagrees. “Though the money could be spent in other ways on fresh, new talent,” Schneider said, “when Geno’s on fire, he’s on fire. You can’t separate the two-headed monster.”
That two-headed scoring monster – Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin – combined for 283 points in the 2008-2009 season (including playoffs) and 216 this year. (Keep in mind that Malkin was also out for 15 games this season with various injuries and the Pens played 11 more games last year throughout the playoffs.)

Shero has already stated that a deal is trying to be worked out with Gonchar, but the term of the contract will be a sticking point. According to Mark Madden, however, a deal may also be on the way for Matt Cooke.

As of now, no contracts have been reached with any of the free agents, but with a few weeks until the beginning of free agency on July 1, the speculation will continue as it does every year.

No matter what the Penguins look like next season, one thing is certain: with a new arena and new hope for another Cup run, Pens fans will always have a team to be proud of.