All signs point to the Detroit Red Wings holding the answer to the long awaited third line center search for Pittsburgh.

Elliotte Friedman had this to say in his 31 thoughts column:

5. Ferris also represents Andreas Athanasiou. The longer this takes, the more you think a Detroit-Pittsburgh trade is contingent on his signing with the Red Wings. At his season-opening media conference, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford indicated there were three options for the Penguins to consider. Riley Sheahan is one, and I think the parameters are all but agreed to. (I’m wondering if Derrick Pouliot is a possibility, he seems like a sensible gamble for Detroit.) But, I don’t know how the Red Wings feel about potentially losing both Athanasiou and Sheahan, which could be holding up the deal. Of course, Pittsburgh could decide to move on, too.

I wrote about Adam Johnson yesterday and he is certainly having a nice camp, but I don’t believe he is realistically being considered for the third line center role. Something has to give with the dead horse that is the third line center situation. Riley Sheahan is cheap and has had successful NHL seasons in the past. All signs point to the cost of acquisition being a player that the team has never and will never give an extended look to. To the Penguins it is like trading nothing for something.

Riley Sheahan is the easy contingency plan if Rutherford doesn’t swing for the fences.

I think it is well documented by now that I think the Penguins totally botched Derrick Pouliot’s development. Using him as a trade chip to get a short term third line center is probably the best value you are going to get for the former #8 overall pick. They aren't going to play him on a regular basis. It's the end of the line for Pouliot in Pittsburgh.

My prediction is that Sheahan will end up being the fourth line center for the playoff run and that the Penguins won’t give up their search for another center. With Nick Bonino the Penguins could play for stretches of time without Sid or Geno in the lineup, especially so in 2015-16. Riley Sheahan as a second line center option really isn't all that appealing. Sid and Geno aren't getting any younger and predicting full health for both megastars seems foolhardy.

I also think the following could play in a role in that:

6. Part II of this whole scenario is the Penguins may be waiting to figure out this move before making Evgeni Malkin happy and taking the plunge with Danis Zaripov.

Zaripov has really impressive numbers in the KHL even at his advanced age (36). If Zaripov were to sign and Pittsburgh and not go full Plotnikov on them I could see Pittsburgh using some of their winger depth later in the year as a way to either acquire another legit center or perhaps even a defenseman.

As far as how much it would cost to sign Zaripov it shouldn’t be much. Playing in the NHL is his only option at this point and given his age and no experience in the NHL it is primed for a classic low risk/high reward situation.

7. Reports from overseas indicate Jaromir Jagr is prepared to make an announcement about a future club on Oct. 5. That indicates he’s got a KHL situation sorted out, and is just waiting to see if anything shakes loose in the NHL. HC Neftekhimik’s Rail Yakupov told Sport-Express’s Igor Eronko that his club is “very interested” in Jagr.

As we know October 5th is Mario Lemieux’s birthday. It’s no coincidence… #JagrWatch

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