Penguins Trade Deadline: What the Pens Really Want (PHN+)

There were a few gaskets blown at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday. The Pittsburgh Penguins were a mess in a 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, which was the Penguins second straight hair-pulling loss, and continued a trend of disjointed play which has persisted for a large portion of 2020. The fallout seemed to reach a crescendo on Saturday, and it is shaping the Penguins trade deadline thinking.

We heard a lot on Saturday, and it took time to digest and sort through.

The Penguins want forward depth. That much is a given. What emerged yesterday from a league source and internal Penguins source is the depth forward should also be a leader. Someone able to hold others accountable.

What came as a small surprise was the word that Jim Rutherford is also angry. Perhaps as mad at his team as he’s been since Nov. 2018 when he dished Carl Hagelin to LA for Tanner Pearson, to rattle his locker room.

“Pissed,” was the word used.