The Penguins were able to earn two points after a last minute goal by Olli Maatta. The Penguins played a great game even with the score being as close as it was. They beat down the Coyotes
It doesn't get much better than that.
It was a nice game, but a win over the lowly Coyotes in December isn't going to move the needle. Pittsburgh is in a dogfight in the standings and is in need of some help on the roster. I have a player I think would make a lot of sense for the Penguins and it probably isn't out of the question to deal for him. Jonathan Marchessault of the Vegas Golden Knights might be the perfect fit for what this team needs. He's a center, he can skate, and he can contribute offensively, his cap hit is a non-issue (750k), and the team would be able to give him a competitive contract extension.
Marchessault used to be an underrated bottom six player on the Tampa Bay Lightning team that faced the Penguins in the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals. He then graduated to a top six role with the Florida Panthers scoring 30 goals on the year. This year he is having another great year with the Vegas Golden Knights after the Panthers inexplicably gave him away for nothing. Let's take a look at his last three NHL years.
Even his bottom six numbers in Tampa (1.61) would be a great improvement for what the Penguins are currently getting from their forwards. Only Evgeni Malkin (2.01) and Phil Kessel (1.88) are better than that. The fact is that the larger Marchessault's sample grows the more legit it is. While the NHL sample isn't huge when you combine it with his AHL production he has generated offense on a consistent basis as a professional player.
He's also a good possession player
Great raw possession numbers combined with positive relative numbers is a good sign.
This is the kind of player that fits perfectly with what the Penguins want to do. He can help them get back to having three competent scoring lines. He can also provide some injury insurance if Crosby or Malkin have to miss a few games. He's shown that he can handle that top six role.
As with any trade proposition you have to think about the cost to acquire. Vegas is currently in a playoff spot. If you asked George McPhee if he thought the team would be as successful on the ice as it has been I bet he would tell you no. He has an interesting decision on whether to break away from his long term planning for the team or breaking that and making the most of the surprise short term situation he finds his team in. That will ultimately be the deciding factor if Marchessault is in play or not.
Vegas was supposedly interested in Ian Cole. Obviously that is not going to be enough to land Marchessault, but perhaps coupled with a first round pick it might be. And while I'm usually not one to suggest using a first round pick for a rental, I'm definitely in favor of using one in that kind of situation rather than for a fourth liner with no upside.
If I had to pick a player for the Penguins to target based on cost to acquire and impact it would be Jonathan Marchessault. I'd definitely find out if it was a possibility.
Thanks for reading!
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