NHL Trade Rumors: Will Penguins make push for Calgary’s Jarome Iginla?
By Matt Shetler
Yesterday I touched on the possibility that the Pittsburgh Penguins were interested in Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson. Today the NHL trade rumors are continuing as several outlets are reporting what many have already speculated: the Penguins have interest in Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla.
One of those happens to be ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun (hat tip as well to The Pens Blog Staff) who have reported that the Penguins do have some interest in the 35-year old winger.
Feb 17, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Calgary Flames right wing Jarome Iginla (12) skates through the Dallas Stars zone during the third period at the American Airlines Center. The Flames defeated the Stars 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
And why not?
Iginla would be a nice fit on a Penguins team, adding a top flight goal scorer and more importantly another veteran presence. While Iginla has six goals and 10 assists through 20 games, the calming influence a guy like Iginla would bring to the Penguins locker room would be just as important – think Bill Guerin.
But don’t get too excited, there are a lot of factors that still have to be decided, most importantly the fact that Calgary hasn’t even decided if they are willing to move Iginla.
LeBrun touches on some other points as well:
"“As I reported last week and it’s been reported elsewhere, the Penguins are believed to have interest in Flames winger Jarome Iginla but just how much they’d be willing to pay on that front, or whether Iginla would have any interest in waiving his no-trade clause to go to Pittsburgh.”"
The price on Iginla would likely be cheaper than most would think. He’s due to become an unrestricted free agent after the season and deals in the past for upcoming UFA’s (Marian Hossa to the Penguins for one), haven’t been too pricy. But there is also the chance that Penguins’ general manager Ray Shero could get into a bidding war for Iginla, which by itself would drive the price up.
The Pens do have a surplus of young defensemen- Simon Despres seems to be the first name mentioned in every rumor- but we will see how many additional assets that Shero would be ready to part with, as Iginla likely would be just a rental.
Shero has never been one to shy away from making big moves at the deadline and as my colleague Matt Gajtka mentioned on the latest edition of Three Rivers..One Show, all four Penguins runs to the Stanley Cup Final featured a big move around the deadline.
It remains to be seen if the Pens become serious players for Iginla or not, but one thing is for sure and it is the fact that these next four weeks leading up to the trade deadline should be pretty exciting.