Free agency isn't quite the frenzy that it was last week but there are still some names out on the market that can help a team looking for depth. Some make more sense for the Penguins than others.
Jim Rutherford has come out and said that he is looking for a fourth line center. That doesn't mean there aren't players in other roles still available that could help the Penguins
Cody Franson: Top defender on the market. Pittsburgh would have to find a way to move Rob Scuderi to make the money work. Jim Rutherford has said publicly that he is not in the market for a top four defenseman.
Christian Ehrhoff: The next best top four defender on the market. His house is for sale in Pittsburgh and it does not appear that he will be in the plans moving forward.
Eric Fehr: He is the top bottom six forward on the market. Pittsburgh would need to deal Brandon Sutter in order to make move for him on the roster.
Alex Semin: It appears that Semin's agent was trying for a multi-year deal and the market has told him and his client no way. Alex Semin on a one year deal is a lot different risk than him on a multi-year contract. Seems like a good risk/reward situation. I personally think it is likelier that Sergei Plotnikov returns to the KHL than becomes Evgeni Malkin's regular mainstay on the left wing. The truth will more than likely fall somewhere in between (4th line LW prediction).
Mike Santorelli: It has been rumored that the Penguins have interest in bringing in Mike Santorelli. That would be quite the 4th line center if they were to make it happen. He has the ability to play the role of third line center as well.
Shawn Matthias: Another bottom six center option still looking for work. Matthias is pretty mediocre on the possession front (read that as below average) but he did score 18 goals last year with a career high shooting percentage of 13.6%.
Jiri Tlusty: Jim Rutherford has a history with this player but he always felt like the fallback option if something big like the Phil Kessel trade didn't come to fruition.
Sean Bergenheim: One of the best bottom six forwards in the possession department over the past few years. Starting to show mild signs of decline and being a healthy scratch for Minnesota could potentially bring his value down. Lee Stempniak: Definition of a value player. All his underlying numbers flirt with being at a top six level, but he gets paid like a bottom six guy. Cheap effective depth that all teams could use.
David Moss: A fourth line player that is not a liability and plays on the cheap.
These are just some names that are still available. Something to think about as we wait for some relevant news to talk about.
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