NHL Trade Rumors: The Top 10 Teams That Could Deal for Edmonton's Dustin Penner
Who is Dustin Penner?
A casual hockey fan probably knows about Penner's size and a casual hockey fan probably knows that Penner can score. In my opinion, the best quality he has is his puck shielding ability. When he is in the zone, it's nearly impossible to take the puck from him.
With Dustin playing for the struggling Edmonton Oilers, it's no surprise that his name has been all over the rumors sites.
In this slideshow I will take you through the top 10 teams that I feel have the best shot at acquiring Dustin Penner this season.
This list of teams is purely my opinion based on what I have heard and what I think. I will be very interested to see my readers' opinions.
Do you think Penner will be traded?
If yes, who do you think will acquire him?
Enjoy the read.
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No. 10: Buffalo Sabres
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It's no secret that the Sabres rely heavily on the play of one Ryan Miller. Wouldn't they love to add a big body to their rather shallow forward line?
Dustin Penner would fit nicely in with Buffalo's attack. He can play a big game or he can play a skill game. Having versatile players like Dustin is so important in the ultra-skilled Eastern Conference.
The one thing we haven't seen from Buffalo in years past is that ability to make a key move. Could Dustin Penner be the player that finally takes Buffalo to the next step? Could he be tempting enough to make Buffalo management tip their hat to desire?
The Sabres are making do with what they have right now, though it really isn't enough. Whether it's Penner or not, the Sabres need more offensive help than a lot of teams in the league.
As a result, I feel like Penner could land himself in Buffalo.
No. 9: New Jersey Devils
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Now I realize that the Devils are one of the teams that really doesn't have any cap room to work with. My thinking as I put them on this list is that it could be a salary dump for them.
Penner is a player with size who can produce (as I've said before). Patrik Elias out of New Jersey is a player who has long thought to have been on Edmonton's radar. Could this swap be something that would interest either GM?
It would free up cap space on the New Jersey side of things. My problem would be from the Edmonton point of view.
The Oilers could also try to pull a defenseman out of New Jersey if talks were to start between the two general managers. There is no doubt that Edmonton needs help in that department.
If there's one thing we have learned over all these years, it's to never count Lou out of anything.
No. 8: Nashville Predators
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Although they are a cash-strapped team, the Nashville Predators should never really be counted out of any potential deal.
At just over $4 million, Dustin Penner is an affordable top line option for teams like Nashville.
There is no doubt that Barry Trotz, who is in my opinion the best hockey coach in the game today, would love to have the talented winger on his team. He would come in and immediately be a force for the Predators.
Once again, the Oilers would probably want a defenseman in return as they are rather short in that department. It just so happens that Nashville doesn't seem to have a problem drafting gems on the blueline. Names like Suter, Hamhuis and Weber are all Nashville draft picks.
Would a player like Shane O'Brien help the Oilers?
I know he's had some issues in the past, but would he be a step up on Vandermeer? In my opinion, he would.
Obviously the Preds would have to throw in quite a bit more, but I think that we have a basic starting point for a deal.
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No. 7: Pittsburgh Penguins
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When Matt Cooke is your second line winger (no offense), you can pretty much say that you need help in the scoring department. That is, unless you are the Pittsburgh Penguins.
With Sidney Crosby scoring like never before, the Penguins look like they are ready to make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals. I know it's early, but he has been on fire. All of the talk about Stamkos has really made Crosby fly under the radar this season.
Now, could you imagine if Crosby had a solid winger to play with? He would be virtually unstoppable.
You can bet that if Penner was given the opportunity to play with Sid the Kid, he would do everything in his power to make it work. Wingers like Penner aren't given the opportunity to play beside guys like Crosby on a daily basis.
Penner has all of the things that Crosby needs in a winger. He has size, an ability to protect the puck, and great offensive awareness. I can already see the red light turning on.
What do you think Penguin fans?
No. 6: St. Louis Blues
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After an incredibly hot start to the season, the St. Louis Blues have finally come back down to earth.
Not only has their record come down to earth, their scoring has slowed to a snail's pace. Penner could help fix that problem.
While the Blues may not have exactly what Edmonton would be looking for on the blueline, you can bet that they would try to put a package together if Penner became available.
The Blues house a plethora of small players. That system can really work for some teams. However, the Blues lack a true powerhouse that can open up the ice for the incredibly small and gifted players. Penner is that guy.
As I've mentioned in previous slides, Penner has the ability to open up ice. It's a rare gift that really enables other players to reach their full offensive potential. I liken it to the good old days of Bertuzzi and Naslund.
By no means am I comparing anyone on the Blues to Naslund in his prime, I'm just saying that Penner could help the Blues in the same way Bertuzzi helped the Canucks.
No. 5: Minnesota Wild
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There seems to be a recurring theme with the teams that I put on these slides.
It doesn't take long to realize that the theme I'm hinting at is a lack of goal production. Through 24 games this season, the Minnesota Wild have only managed 58 goals. Under Jacques Lemaire, that would have been okay considering many of his games were won by a score of two to one. However, under Todd Richards, things are different.
The Wild are in desperate need of some serious scoring help. They can't continue to count on their captain and true leader for everything.
Penner would be a huge addition to the Wild's front end. He would suit up nicely beside Koivu and he would really create one of the more dynamic duos in the league. They are two big guys who can play with the best guys in the league.
On a side note, Mikko Koivu is one of the most underrated players in the league.
Would Edmonton ever give up Penner to a division rival? It's tough to say. If I were an Oiler fan, I would love to see Steve Tambellini put together a package with Penner to try and acquire Brent Burns.
No. 4: Florida Panthers
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Dale Tallon is trying to do what he did in Chicago, in Florida. It's no secret that Tallon really wasn't given a lot to start with when he took the job as Panthers' General Manager.
Wouldn't it be great to have a player like Penner in Florida who can be marketed to the fans as one of the core guys in the future?
Tallon may be happy sitting right at the bottom of the standings in order to acquire high lottery picks, but at some point he will need to acquire some top end talent. Penner fits the bill.
With some good young players coming up, Penner could be seen as a leader in the room for years to come. The only downside to this trade scenario is that it could be tough for Tallon to get Penner to buy into losing. Although, he's used to it in Edmonton.
Could this trade happen? My gut feeling is no, but I could be surprised. What would Edmonton want out of Florida?
No. 3: Ottawa Senators
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If it weren't for Dany Heatley, Penner would already be a member of the Ottawa Senators. You can bet that Murray would still love to acquire Penner if he could.
Ottawa is another one of those teams that is having a lot of trouble putting pucks in the back of the net. The core in Ottawa is getting older and their window of opportunity is closing quickly. Could Penner be the player to get things turned around?
A lot of people under value Penner's great hockey sense. He's a big player who knows how to use his size like he did last season. Everyone remembers just how good Penner was in Anaheim, right? He was a dominant force.
Any team trying to make a move for Penner this season will want to reach in and get some more of that untapped potential out of the power forward. He has got to be one of the more enticing trade options in the league.
The Senators fell just short in their last attempt to acquire Penner. Can they succeed the second time around?
No. 2: Toronto Maple Leafs
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While the Leafs are stuck in this huge losing streak, can Brian Burke check his ego at the door and make a deal with Kevin Lowe? Now I know it seems far fetched, but hear me out.
What does Brian Burke have a lot of? Defensemen.
What do the Oilers need? A solid defenseman.
What do the Oilers have? A scoring forward with size.
What do the Leafs need desperately? A scoring forward with size.
Make no mistake, if Steve Tambellini was able to open talks with Burke about Penner, it would be the best day for Edmonton Oiler fans.
Brian Burke is dealing from a position of incredibly weakness here. Everyone knows that his plan is failing and that he needs scoring quickly. Tambellini could use this to acquire a solid defenseman like Komisarek or a younger player like Schenn. Burke really won't have a choice.
Does anyone think that Penner for Schenn (as a base; throw in prospects/picks at will) is possible? I would love to see it.
Ryan Whitney and Luke Schenn. Wow! That's all I can say.
No. 1: Los Angeles Kings
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I almost had to take my beloved Kings off of this list today after news broke that they had "acquired" Marco Sturm. Well, sadly, the Kings did not complete any trade today and Marco remains a member of the Boston Bruins.
That being said, if Lombardi could somehow acquire Penner, it would be the greatest day for Kings' fans. Sorry, Scott Parse, you just aren't cutting it as a top line winger.
Penner would be exactly what the Kings need. They need a top line winger to play with Kopitar. Penner would slip in relatively easily getting top line minutes while receiving beautiful passes from one of the best centers in the league.
Having an all-star defense behind him wouldn't hurt either.
Personally, I believe that if Penner was to play in Los Angeles that he could score 30 goals quite easily. There would be pressure, but nothing like there is in Edmonton.
Plus, the prospect of having a true number one center playing with him has got to be enticing.
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