The speculation has been out there for months, and possibly years, concerning the future of Jordan Staal and the Pittsburgh Penguins. With their depth at center and the impending contract extension of captain and superstar Sidney Crosby, the Penguins are nearing crunch time concerning the future of Staal. Some speculate that Staal could command at least $7 million a season, the Penguins may not be in a position to play hardball with the two-way center. A trade may be the only answer for GM Ray Shero if the Pens cannot extend Staal this summer.
↵Last night, trade talks became more concrete when Trib beat writer Rob Rossi cited an unnamed league source who claimed the Carolina Hurricanes are offering Justin Faulk, Brandon Sutter, and the No. 8 overall pick this season, for Jordan Staal and Paul Martin.
↵As always, this should be taken with a grain of salt, but if true, the Pens should really think about making a deal like this. Being able to bring in some young talent and emptying Paul Martin and his salary on someone else are a plus. Yes, Jordan Staal is extremely talented and deserves to be a first-line center somewhere. Unfortunately, he'll probably never get that chance with the Penguins. I'm not in the "trade Staal" camp, but a deal like this cannot be overlooked. I would rather get something in return for Staal now rather than watching him walk in free agency next summer.
↵For more on the Penguins, check out PensBurgh.
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