The Buffalo Sabres are shopping JJ Peterka.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have two options that could fit as the other half of a Peterka trade.
Pro Hockey Rumors’ Josh Cybulski proposes a pair of ideas that could work to get the talented, 68-point winger heading to Pittsburgh.
One suggestion is Bryan Rust.
“Bryan Rust is the most valuable of the Penguins’ available veterans and is probably the one Pittsburgh would prefer to trade the least,” Cybulski writes. “Nonetheless, his no-movement clause expires in the next week, and with three years remaining on his contract at $5.125MM per season (according to PuckPedia), he holds significant value. He would be an excellent addition for Buffalo. The 33-year-old just finished a career year with the Pens, scoring 31 goals and 34 assists in 71 games, and remains one of Pittsburgh’s key leaders. He is also a two-time Stanley Cup Champion who has scored crucial goals in important games. While Rust alone wouldn’t fetch a player like Peterka, the Penguins could consider trading Rust along with another roster player or include additional assets, such as the draft picks they have in abundance.”
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If Rust isn’t who the Sabres want, maybe Rickard Rakell fits the bill, according to Cybulski.
“Another potential fit for Buffalo would be Rickard Rakell, who has three years remaining on his deal at $5MM annually (per PuckPedia),” Cybulski writes. “Like his teammate Rust, Rakell had a career year this past season, recording 35 goals and 35 assists in 81 games. Rakell has an eight-team no-trade list included in his deal with the Penguins, which could be an issue if the Sabres are on it. Rakell doesn’t bring the same intangible qualities as Rust and wouldn’t come close to netting the Penguins a player like Peterka. Still, when combined with several other pieces, he could be the centerpiece of a trade benefiting both teams.”
Cybulski goes on to suggest that aging defenseman Erik Karlsson could fit, but he has a full no-movement clause, so that seems unlikely.
There’d also be a chance for Buffalo to include defenseman Bowen Byram in a trade with Pittsburgh, writes Cybulski.
So if the Penguins and Sabres do indeed go to work on some negotiations, there’s a lot of names that need to be thrown around in there before something gets nailed down.
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