After a summer of will he or won’t he, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas finally pulled off his first signature deal with his new team as he landed defenseman Erik Karlsson in a three-team deal.
The Penguins continue their push to be relevant as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin hit the twilight stage of their careers. Is it enough for them to keep pace with some of the teams in their own division? Maybe, maybe not. The key player for Pittsburgh is going to be Tristan Jarry in net. If he can give them a decent season, the Pens should be among the top of the division. Karlsson isn’t necessarily going to help them keep the puck out of the net, but he could help them win some games, 6-4.
NHL / Lightning Links
NHL and ATP play a little roller hockey [NHL Twitter]
The National Bank Open kicked off in Toronto this weekend and there were a few NHL players on hand to take part in a little pre-tournament roller hockey. I spy Anthony Cirelli! I remember the tennis coach getting extremely upset at us when we would play roller hockey on the tennis courts in college.
Bid on Orlando Solar Bears jerseys [Solar Bears Twitter]
There are still a few days left to bid on and win some sweaters from the Lightning’s ECHL affiliate. As of writing this post there were no bids on Jayden Dureau’s jersey.
Arizona signs Matt Dumba [Five for Howling]
In the wake of the Erik Karlsson trade, the Arizona Coyotes made a nice little move as they locked up the services of Matthew Dumba, one of the top free agent defenseman of this summer. They secured him on a one-year deal for $3.9 million. After a rough final season in Minnesota, Dumba settled for a short-term, “prove it” deal that could get him paid next summer if he has a bounce back season. Arizona strengthened it’s defense as it eyes a possible playoff run. If they aren’t in the running, Dumba could be a trade asset at the deadline.
Penguins hit a homer with Karlsson deal [Pensburgh]
On paper, Pittsburgh is the perfect landing spot for Karlsson. The big question will be if he can hold off Father Time long enough to get Sidney one more Stanley Cup.
San Jose trades Erik Karlsson [Fear the Fin]
A view from the other side of the trade. Getting out from the long-term commitment while rebuilding was the key to the deal for the Sharks. If they get any type of production from the pieces they acquired, that’s a bonus.
Seeing past the strobe glasses [Eyes on the Prize]
Things have come a long way from medicine balls and barbells when it come to preparing for a hockey season. Our friends over at Eyes on the Prize spoke with Michael Bretenar, the trainer for Juraj Slafkovsky on some of the techniques used to get the youngster in shape for his second season in the NHL.
