The Pittsburgh Penguins are a team without a first-round pick in the upcoming 2015 NHL Draft. The Penguins shipped their first-round selection (16th overall) to the Edmonton Oilers in the deal which brought in David Perron. Now, the Penguins are trying to jump back into the first round and they’re talking trades with several teams.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Penguins recognize this year’s draft is deep and they’re eager to grab a first-round selection. GM Jim Rutherford admitted he has talked to several teams about the possibility of acquiring a first-round pick.
“I’ll certainly pursue it. I don’t know if we’ll be able to pick up one or not. There are some teams that have acquired an abundance of first-round picks, and they may not need them all. I’ve actually talked to a couple of those teams already.”
Which teams has Rutherford spoken with in his hunt for a top pick? Those details haven’t been reported, but there are only six teams (Arizona, Buffalo, Edmonton, Philadelphia, Toronto and Winnipeg) who have multiple first-round picks which should narrow the speculation.
Will the Penguins be able to land a first-round pick? It’s unclear what they’re offering and it’s believed the price may be higher than in previous years due to the quality of this year’s draft. Once again, this is yet another example of how dumping picks for immediate upgrades can cause long-term headaches.
