NHL Trade Deadline: Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire Marcel Goc From Panthers
By Matt Shetler
With the 3 p.m. NHL trade deadline ticking closer and Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero expected to pull the trigger on a major move, all had been quiet on that front.
Jan 16, 2014; Sunrise, FL, USA; Florida Panthers center
Marcel Goc(57) before a game against the San Jose Sharks at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
But with an hour to go before the deadline, Shero did pull a deal with the Florida Panthers to bring in center Marcel Goc.
Goc isn’t the high-profile winger many may have wanted but he does fill a void and can prove to be valuable down the stretch.
In exchange or Goc, the Penguins send Florida a third- and fifth-round pick, according to Sportsnet. The third-round pick is a 2015 pick, while the fifth-rounder is a 2014 selection.
The 30-yea- old has spent the last three years with the Panthers and is in the middle of a decent season, racking up 11 goals and 23 points in 62 games while averaging close to 18 minutes per night.
Goc could find room on the Pens’ third line next to Brandon Sutter and could also be used in penalty-kill situations. Goc is a left-handed shot that can play the wing, so he could become a decent fit next to Sutter if he is not moved in the next hour.
He also is a pending unrestricted free agent with a $1.7 million cap hit, so it’s a fairly low-risk move from the Pens.
The Penguins are still being linked to Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler, among others.