NHL Trade Deadline: Pittsburgh Penguins Live Trade Tracker

The NHL Trade Deadline has passed and the Penguins stood without making any changes to their roster.

A poor buyer’s market and the team’s almost-complete lineup (barring injuries) was enough to convince GM Ray Shero to avoid breaking the bank on an unnecessary deal. The Penguins will move forward on the strength of players like Malkin, Staal and Fleury as well as their offense, power play and penalty kill—each of which ranks among the top-five teams in the league.

As has been repeated ad nauseum, the team will make its biggest acquisition when Sidney Crosby returns to the lineup.

Slim Market, Looming CBA Dictated Pace of 2012 Deadline
[The Hockey Writers]

Pittsburgh wasn’t expected to make a splash at the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline. As it turned out, they didn’t even make a ripple.

“It was pretty quiet,” Penguins GM Ray Shero said in a press conference following Monday’s 3:00 PM deadline. For the first time in his six years with Pittsburgh, Shero didn’t make a single deadline deal. His only considerable transactions this month were acquiring Cal O’Reilly off waivers from Phoenix and extending winger James Neal’s contract for six more years.

“We did make some offers on some players. But those players never even got moved. It was a long day to really come up with nothing, but as I said going into it, we were fine with that.”

Considering the Pens’ recent play, there’s little for Shero not to be fine with. The team has won three straight by a combined score of 14-3, including a shutout of the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers. Evgeni Malkin leads the league in points. Marc-Andre Fleury is near the top in goaltender wins. Jordan Staal and James Neal are turning into two of the most productive players in the game.

Does that mean the Pens wouldn’t have swung a deal if the market conditions were any different? Perhaps. While the roster as currently constructed didn’t long for upgrades, factors outside the CONSOL Energy Center were the more likely reasons for Pittsburgh’s quiet deadline.

CBA Affecting Trades

The NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement that was signed at the end of the 2004-05 lockout is set to expire this summer. A number of factors have raised concerns about the coming negotiations, including the hiring of Donald Fehr as NHLPA chief, the expansion of the salary floor to nearly $50 million and the effects of cap-circumventing contracts on the free agent market (like Ilya Kovalchuk’s 15 years or Johan Franzen’s $3.9 million cap hit).

“It’s maybe a combination of the CBA (collective bargaining agreement) moving forward, if a guy has term on their contract, (teams) are not willing to take that on,” Shero said. “I think it’s a combination of everything.”

As an uncertain summer of negotiations rounds into form, more pending free agents seemed content to re-up with their current teams and thereby guarantee themselves a contract than in years past. Tuomo Ruutu and Tim Gleason, to name a few former free-agents-to-be, went the way of contract certainty and re-signed with 14th-place Carolina instead of taking the chance to play for contenders elsewhere.

“There are less and less trades at the deadline, it seems. It seemed a lot of teams had cap space this year…The cap had gone up. It’s just the parity in the league, I think, where a lot of teams are not trading players.”

Standings Squeeze

If the looming CBA talks are doing their part to scare players into signing guaranteed deals, the bonus points of the shootout and overtime losses are doing their parts to fool lesser teams into lofty hopes of a late playoff push.

“Some teams went all the way through yesterday’s games to make some decisions on players, whether to trade them or keep them,” Shero said.

As of the deadline, only two NHL teams were more than 10 points removed from playoff position with about 20 games to go. In the Eastern Conference, only ten points separate eighth-place Winnipeg from last-place Montreal.

Call it parity. Or, call it the cap-forced distribution of assets. Either way, the post-lockout NHL has become a much more even playing field, and that point has never been so great as at the 2012 Deadline.

“…I think it’s the parity, with the exception of a few teams. Teams are within four or five points of a playoff spot and there are still 20 games to be played. There’s still a lot of hockey to be played and teams are still optimistic they’ll make the playoffs.”

With only a few bona fide sellers to choose from, the possibility of swinging a deal was considerably dimmed. Teams interested in rentals players grew in number. The cost of a big-name trade chip became too much for most contenders to justify. Teams which made significant acquisitions likely overpaid to do so.

The Penguins’ needs weren’t nearly so great that they’d swing such a high-cost, high-risk deal.

“You were kind of getting the usual, ‘If I get blown away by an offer I might consider moving my player.’ Well, a lot of these players didn’t move because teams wouldn’t pay that price…But I said this six weeks ago when we had lost six in a row, I like our team and I believed in our hockey team. I still do and I’m comfortable with this team moving forward. That’s where we are.”

Shero should be happy with his club. As of Monday, they held home-ice position in the Eastern Conference standings and the team’s stars are playing at levels greater than during the 2009 Stanley Cup campaign.

If the team can benefit from the continued strong play of its franchise assets (and a little good luck as far as soft-tissue injuries go), no one will question the club’s decision to stay quiet during a mostly uneventful deadline season.

“Our power play has been very good, obviously. Just a lot of things have come together for us and we’ve got some of these injured players back. We have a number of those guys who have [Stanley Cup] rings in the room. That counts for something as we move forward towards the playoffs.”

This was the first deadline under Shero in which the Penguins didn’t see the need to address any area of concern. It’s possible that market factors were non-factors, and the Penguins have covered all bases from within.

When healthy, that’s a scary team to add to the playoff mix.

Pens Stand Pat at Deadline Citing Poor Market, Strong Roster
[Bleacher Report]

Count the Penguins amongst the group of NHL teams to have stuck with their current rosters by Monday’s 3:00 PM NHL Trade Deadline.

“Nobody going and nobody coming,” Penguins GM Ray Shero said in a Monday press conference. “Our roster’s our roster moving forward.”

This wasn’t unexpected. The market favored sellers. The Penguins sit near the salary cap. James Neal recently signed a $30 million contract extension which all but concretes next year’s cap space and roster and the team is in strong standing in the East (fourth as of Monday morning).

Outside the organization, the conditions just weren’t in place to necessitate a big deal from the Penguins.

“It was just one of those trade deadlines,” Shero said. “I think this is my sixth trade deadline here and we’ve always been active doing something. This is the first time we have not done anything. It just really wasn’t there for us in terms of the players that were available.”

Certainly, the market didn’t favor a team like the Penguins. As players like Ales Hemsky and Tuomo Ruutu gradually re-signed with their current teams in the lead-up to the deadline, the price for remaining trade targets increased.

“You really see it with the standings being so close. Some teams went all the way through yesterday’s games to make some decisions on players, whether to trade them or keep them. You were kind of getting the usual, ‘If I get blown away by an offer I might consider moving my player.’ Well, a lot of these players didn’t move because teams wouldn’t pay that price.”

Those players who did move were mostly overpaid for. Buffalo’s Paul Gaustad cost Nashville a first-round draft choice despite never having scored in 38 career playoff games. Andrei Kostitsyn also moved to Music City, at the cost of two draft picks, despite playing on pace for the worst PPG and plus-minus numbers of his career this season.

“Whether it was the price, in our opinion, was too high on some players, or there was just wasn’t a fit on our end…we did make some offers on some players, but those players never even got moved. It was a long day to really come up with nothing.”

What this means for the Penguins is that they’ll continue to rely on the roster as its presently constructed.

That roster happens to have gone 3-0-0 in its last three games, outscoring opponents 14-3 over that span while moving to within seven points of the New York Rangers for the Atlantic Division lead.

“We have a lot of guys here who have won the Stanley Cup. We’ve had the most man-games lost in the league due to injury and we are finally starting to get healthy again.”

It’s easy to stand pat on a roster that includes a goaltender with the second-most wins the NHL, the league’s leading power play scorer and the favorite to win the Art Ross and Hart Trophies.

“We’re shooting the puck and getting it through. Neal and Malkin have made a big difference. And you have Jordan Staal with 21 goals. Obviously, these guys are making a difference.”

That’s to say nothing of players Shero anticipates the team will get back from injured reserve.

“We’re going to get a few injured players back here, hopefully Arron Asham soon and Tyler Kennedy, and we’re going to go forward with our team.”

And what of that other guy?

“As I said (Sunday), I’m hopeful [Crosby] will be able to come back and play. There’s no guarantee of that.”

For the Penguins, a deal just wasn’t in the cards. The market was soft. The roster is strong. The team had climbed to a home-ice playoff position as of Monday morning despite playing in what might be, from first place to fifth place, hockey’s best division.

Shero has spent years building a good product in Pittsburgh. Even if the team’s league-leading man games lost to injury numbers keeps it incomplete at the moment, Shero and his staff have to be more optimistic about the conditions inside the organization than the cost of assets on the market.

“The special teams have been good. Our penalty kill has been amongst the top in the league. Our power play has been very good obviously. Just a lot of things have come together for us and we’ve got some of these injured players back. We have a number of those guys who have rings in the room. That counts for something as we move forward towards the playoffs.”

Unless otherwise attributed, all quotes obtained and used with permission.

—

Transcript of Ray Shero Deadline Press Conference
[Audio courtesy Jason Seidling, Pittsburgh Penguins]

Introduction

RS: Just confirmed that we were not active today, so nobody going and nobody coming. So, our roster’s our roster moving forward.

On if the team came close to making a deal.

RS: It was pretty quiet, but even though you don’t make a deal we had a number of conversations with teams. Whether it was the price, in our opinion, was too high on some players, or there was just wasn’t a fit on our end…we did make some offers on some players, but those players never even got moved, so it was a long day to really come up with nothing. But as you said going into it, we were fine with that, and we’re gonna get a few injured players back here, hopefully Arron Asham soon and Tyler Kennedy, and we’re going to go forward with our team.

On if the team’s inactivity pertain to Sidney Crosby’s status.

RS: No…as I said yesterday, I’m hopeful [Crosby] will be able to come back and play, [but] there’s no guarantee of that. It was just one of those trade deadlines—and I think this was my sixth trade deadline here and we’ve always been active doing something—this is the first time we’ve not done anything and it just really wasn’t there for us in terms of the players that were available, and you really see it, I think, in that the standings are so close, and some teams went all the way through yesterday’s games to make some decisions on players, whether to trade or to keep them, and it was the usual, “If I get blown away by an offer, I might consider moving my player.” Well, a lot of these players didn’t move because teams wouldn’t pay that price and in our case, speaking from the Penguins standpoint, is that we’re happy with our team going forward. I said that, and what I said yesterday, too, was that…it’s easy to say [we're happy with our team] as a manager, and when you can’t make a deal or don’t make a deal or whatever it is, you can say that. But I said this six weeks ago when we had lost six in a row, that I like our team. You know, I believe in our hockey team and I still do and I’m comfortable with this team moving forward. So that’s where we are.

On if a lean trade market played into the team’s decision not to deal.

RS: There’s less and less trades at the deadline, it seems. A lot of teams had cap space it seemed this year, the cap had gone up, and it’s just the parity in the league, I think, where a lot of teams are not trading players. It’s maybe a combination of the new CBA moving foward, if a guy has term on the contract, [teams] aren’t willing to take that on…I think it’s a combination of everything, but most importantly I think it’s the parity and, with the exception of a few teams, teams are within four to five points of a playoff spot with still 20 games to be played. Its still a lot of hockey to be played and teams are still optimistic they can make the playoffs. So I think it’s a combination of everything, but as I said back on July 1, when you make a few deals and let some players go, its kind of how you set your team up for the season and hopefully we can get a few of these injured players back. Right now we’re in a home-ice position, we’re fighting for home ice, and I’m happy with that.

On the strengths of the current lineup.

RS: Well I think from the net out we’ve got great goaltending, we’ve got a lot of guys who won a Stanley Cup and…we’ve had the most man-games lost in the league to injury, and now we’re finally starting to get healthy it seems, so I think its a combination of everything. I think we have some really good play out of players and after you miss Jordan Staal for 20 games and you get him back in your lineup, you see the big difference it makes in your team. I just think that we have a pretty good hockey team here with our leadership and the character we have in our hockey team. Our special teams have been very good, our penalty killing has been amongst the tops in the league and our power play’s been very good obviously, so just a lot of things have come together for us and we’re going to get some of these injured players back. We have a number of those guys who have rings in the room and that counts for something as you move forward towards the playoffs.

On the success of the team’s fifth-ranked power play.

RS: Well, we got James Neal with I think the most power play goals in the league, and the year that Evgeni Malkin’s having, he’s taken it to another level. Chris Kunitz has done a fantastic job as a net-front guy and I think Steve Sullivan has made a big difference on that power play in terms of transition [with] the puck and going up the ice, gaining zone time. He’s really smart up top and of course, having Kris Letang back after the number of games he missed has really helped us, and the coaches have worked hard at this over the last year or so. They’ve come up with some different variations in the power play, and with Sullivan on that one side they can open up the left-hand side of the power play, I think that’s been helpful. We’re shooting the puck, getting it through and Neal and Malkin have made a big difference, and you got Jordan Staal, obviously, with 20 goals or wherever he’s at…these guys are making a difference.

On Brad Thiessen’s performance Sunday and the three-center model.

RS: On the goaltending issue, I think that with Brad, when we signed him as a free agent out of Northeastern, we were hopeful he’d become a professional goalie here. Last year, being the Goalie of the Year in the American Hockey League, these guys at times need an opportunity, and the way Brent has played for us in the past they never really got that. Fortunately, we didn’t have any injuries, knock on wood, in that position, but for the goaltenders that were [on the market] in terms of the price to get them, and I’m not sure if any of them moved today, but we’re obviously we’re very happy with our number-one guy in Fleury. Brent Johnson, if he can get healthy here, which we think he will…and of course if Brad gets some experience in the National Hockey League, it bodes well for us moving forward. I think we’re confident in that area. The three centers, that’ll be up to Dan. I think the way—if we get the three centers back together—the way that Dan has done this in the past is that guys tend to move around a bit. You see Geno playing center, you see Geno at the odd time playing wing, you see Staal moving up to the wing depending on the match-up situation. The beautiful thing is that they can all play well over 20 minutes a night, so you put them in different situations depending on the game  and the score. So, it just gives us a lot of options and flexibility and creates more problems for the other team matching up.

—

A list of Penguins transactions in the weeks leading up to the deadline.

21 Feb 2012
Brad Thiessen recalled from AHL Wilkes-Barre
22 Feb 2012
Thiessen returned to Wilkes-Barre (emergency recall)
24 Feb 2012
Thiessen recalled from AHL Wilkes-Barre

Original Story [Penguins]
Career Stats [NHL]
Cap Hit & Contract Status [CapGeek]

20 Feb 2012
Penguins recall F Eric Tangradi from WBS, move F Tyler Kennedy to LTIR
Original Story [Penguins]
Career Stats [NHL]
Cap Hit & Contract Status [CapGeek]

  19 Feb 2012
James Neal signs 6-year, $30 million contract extensions (beginning 2012-13)
Original Story [Penguins]
Career Stats [NHL]
Cap Hit & Contract Status [CapGeek]
Slew Footers Story [Duh]

17 Feb 2012
Arron Asham returns from LTIR
Original Story [Penguins]
Career Stats [NHL]
Cap Hit & Contract Status [CapGeek]

1 Feb 2012
Cal O’Reilly claimed off waivers (PHX) by Pittsburgh Penguins
- update -
O’Reilly was re-assigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre Thursday, Feb 23
Original Story [Penguins]
Career Stats [NHL]
Cap Hit & Contract Status [CapGeek]

A collection of the best headlines we’ve found regarding the trade deadline. If you’ve seen a great story that’s not listed here, please let us know and we’ll get it posted right quick.

Do the Penguins Need a True Top-Six Winger
[Nick Vucic - Faceoff-Factor]

Why the Pens Should Buy at the Trade Deadline
[Nick Richter - thePensNation]

Why the Pens Should Be Quiet at the Trade Deadline
[Nick Richter - thePensNation]

Recent Moves May Impact Penguins’ Plan
[Mike Colligan - The Hockey Writers]

Pittsburgh Penguins Trade Deadline: The Options
[Mike Colligan - The Hockey Writers]

Atlantic Division: Four of Five Teams Could be Deadline Buyers
[Ian Altenbaugh - Hockey's Future]

Trade Deadline: Possible Targets for Pittsburgh (Forwards Edition)
[Jimmy Rixner - Pensburgh]

Penguins Trade Deadline Speculation: David Jones
[Brian Metzer - From the Point]

2012 Pittsburgh Penguins Trade Deadline Preview
[Mike Colligan - The Hockey Writers]

Pittsburgh Penguins Trade Deadline: The Gameplan
[Mike Colligan - The Hockey Writers]

No Hal Gill? No Problem.
[Stephen Catanese - Pensburgh]

Pittsburgh Penguins Trade Deadline: The Pieces
[Mike Colligan - The Hockey Writers]

Is a Big Trade in the Cards for Shero & the Penguins?
[Matt Paul - Faceoff Factor]

Could the USS Hal Gill be Sailing Back Into Pittsburgh Waters?
[thepensblog]

Penguins Trade Rumors 2012: Travis Moen & David Jones Realistic Targets
[Kevin McCauley - Pensburgh]

Pittsburgh Penguins: Looking to Add a Gritty Forward
[Fred Poulin - The Hockey Writers]

Targets of the Penguins at the Trade Deadline
[Chris Bradford - Beaver County Times]

A list of players who may fit the Penguins needs and salary cap limitations. Remember, these aren’t rumors coming from inside sources. Anyone quoting this page as proof that the Penguins are engaged in talks with the following teams over the following players should be flogged in direct proportion to the amount of misinformation they’ve disseminated and the number of people to whom they’ve disseminated said misinformation. These are looks at players who may fit the Penguins’ needs, and the rationales by which their acquisitions are at least possible. Keep all that in mind, lest ye nominate thyself for right and proper e-flogging.

Lubomir Visnovsky
D, 35, Anaheim Ducks

Annual Cap Hit: $5.6 million
Contract Expires After: 2012-13
Upside: Offensive Defenseman, Short-Term Contract
Downside: Injury History, Steep Cap Hit
Source: The Hockey Writers

David Jones
F, 27, Colorado Avalanche

Annual Cap Hit: $2.5 million
Contract Expires After: 2011-12
Upside: 25-Goal Potential, Low Cap Hit, Expiring Contract
Downside: Poor Season So Far
Source: From the Point

Ryan Malone
F, 32, Tampa Bay Lightning

Annual Cap Hit: $4.5 million
Contract Expires After: 2014-15
Upside: Known Asset, Legitimate Net-Front Grit/Scoring
Downside: Cap Hit, Term, Trade Return
Source: PensBurgh

Bryan Allen
D, 31, Carolina Hurricanes

Annual Cap Hit: $2.9 million
Contract Expires After: 2011-12
Upside: Size, Physicality, Expiring Contract
Downside: Mobility, Turnovers
Source: The Hockey Writers

Our previous coverage of the Penguins & the NHL Trade Deadline. James’ work from The Hockey Writers and Bleacher Report is linked below, but be sure to keep up with all of our in-house Penguins coverage by following the Slew Footers NHL Feed.

Pittsburgh Penguins Can Approach NHL Trade Deadline with Caution
[Ernest Hindman]

Trade Winds Blow Fickle, but Penguins Need Paul Martin
[via Bleacher Report]

James Neal Signs 6-Year, $30 Million Contract Extension
[James Conley]

Neal Extension Signaling Move Toward Longer Deals?
[via Bleacher Report]

Grading Ray Shero’s Deadline Deal History
[via Bleacher Report]

For Pens’ Shero, Boring Has Been Better (& Will be Again)
[via Bleacher Report]

Paul Martin Expendable Thanks to Simon Despres
[via Bleacher Report]

Jordan Staal’s Return Good for Penguins, Bad for Trades
[via Bleacher Report]

Penguins’ Shero Should Add Depth, Grit at NHL Trade Deadline
[BJ Zagorac]

TSN has a trade bait tool that looks at potential trade targets that’s worth a good read [TSN]. Also, keep up with their Transaction Tracker, which is sure to pick up steam in the coming weeks.

The NHL trade tracker is equally awesome, and lists transactions far preceding the weeks leading up to the deadline.

—

Friday, Feb 24 — ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun thinks the Pens are in the backup tendy market and may be in on Minnesota’s Josh Harding. Harding is 9-9-3 (2.59/.919) this season. Brent Johnson is 3-7-2 (3.17/.882) and is contributing to Marc-Andre Fleury career-appearance mark this season. Harding will be a UFA at the end of the season. Half the Minnesota staff are from the Penguins coaching/management tree so it shouldn’t be hard to imagine these teams working with one another, should they be so inclined.

Tuesday, Feb 21 — The Penguins recalled goaltender Brad Thiessen from AHL Wilkes-Barre Tuesday morning ahead of a 7:00 game with the Rangers. Neither Brent Johnson nor Marc-Andre Fleury were among the four players receiving maintenance days in Monday’s practice. The Pens haven’t announced a counter-move just yet. Tangradi’s call-up required no additional moves after Tyler Kennedy was placed on retroactive LTIR. There are no remaining roster players who can be moved to LTIR, at least as far as injury news has been released Tuesday morning. - updated - Dan Bylsma announced that Brent Johnson was under the weather Tuesday and that was what prompted Thiessen’s call-up, saying Thiessen’s NHL stay would be on a “short-term basis.” Brooks Orpik was also announced out of Tuesday’s game with an upper-body injury. It, too, was described as short-term.

Monday, Feb 20 — The Penguins recalled Eric Tangradi from Wilkes-Barre Scranton Monday after moving Tyler Kennedy to injured reserve. The move won’t put the Penguins over the roster limit, but barring an unannounced injury that could hold someone out of Tuesday’s game against the Rangers, it will give the Penguins three healthy scratches until another move is made.

Friday, Feb 17 — Hal Gill had been linked to the Penguins by more than one reputable source, and fan interest in bringing the former Cup-winner back to Pittsburgh grew in equal proportion to Paul Martin’s descending plus-minus numbers. Gill has been taken off the trade table, though, as Nashville acquired the veteran defenseman and a 2013 conditional fifth-round pick in exchange for F Blake Geoffrion, F Robert Slaney and a 2012 second-round draft choice. The negative is that with Gill, Kubina & Grossman already having moved, the price tag for others, like CAR’s Bryan Allen, increases.

Friday, Feb 17 — Former Penguin and veteran pain in the ass Dominic Moore was also mentioned as a possible low-cost, low-risk addition not outside the mold of previous Shero deadline acquisitions. However, the San Jose Sharks took Moore and a 2012 seventh-round pick off Tampa Bay’s hands Thursday, in exchange for a 2012 second-round pick.

Understanding what the Penguins are capable of in terms of salary cap flexibility and trade implications can be maddening, and people like Shero and Penguins Assistant GM Jason Botterill make a lot of money because they understand it much better than we do. Much of what the Penguins do at this and every trade deadline is dictated by the cap space they have available, the space they anticipate having in the future and how future re-signings and expiring contracts may affect their ability to make deals now.

CapGeek is the best thing going if you’re trying to understand the NHL salary cap. The Penguins have an as-yet-undetermined amount of cap space available because of injuries, namely to Sidney Crosby, whose status remains a mystery.

Here’s a look at the Penguins cap space (as of February 17) and roster stats via CapGeek:

(Click to view real-time savings at CapGeek)

According to those numbers, the Penguins are very close to the cap ceiling, but injury considerations could allow them to spend above that ceiling without violating the terms of the CBA. A look at how that might work:

As listed above, the Penguins are barely $600,000 under the salary cap ceiling. That number is dictated by the current contracts on the payroll for this season and is the number by which the Pens will be under the cap if nothing changes (trades, waiver claims, injury savings) from now until the end of the regular season. This is a number the Pens, by penalty of the CBA, have to keep in check. Shero has traditionally been good about staying under the hard cap number, leaving several hundred thousand available after the deadline for low-cost, prorated waiver moves and non-emergency call-ups (Colligan explains this much better in his articles linked above, but we’ll try our best to paraphrase).

The Max LTIR Remaining number is how much more salary the Penguins can gain in LTIR savings from now until the end of the season if, once again, nothing changes.

The Max Cap Hit number is the one on which most people hinge their belief that the Penguins can add a big contract at the deadline. It is based on the contracts of players who are currently on long-term injured reserve, and the number is immediately affected by players added to or subtracted from that list (for example, the Max LTIR number went from more than $11M Thursday to just over $10M Friday, when Arron Asham was removed from injured reserve and his LTIR savings were rescinded). Indeed, short of moving salary to gain salary, the Penguins can lean on their LTIR savings to add such a contract. But that carries a few implications:

1 - While under the cap, the team will be paying out of pocket for the added salary. Given those LTIR figures, they could max out at some $75 million. Shero, Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle have shown consistent commitment to spending to the cap ceiling, but $75 million is $75 million.

2 - A significant portion of that $11 million figure comes from Sidney Crosby’s contract ($8.7M cap hit per season). Acquiring contracts and leaning on the LTIR number to make them cap-compliant means Crosby, under no circumstances, can return to action this regular season. That doesn’t preclude him from playing in the postseason (players are not paid for postseason games and the cap then becomes a non-factor). But unless Crosby, his doctors and the team all understand and agree that he won’t be healthy by the end of the regular season in mid-April, shutting him down until that point by acquiring players on his LTIR savings could send the wrong message.

So the Penguins have options. But they aren’t free to add salary unconditionally. As the team has repeatedly stated, they won’t be making any moves that force them to shut down Crosby for the remainder of the season. Given that knowledge (and assuming the statement is sincere), the Penguins likely won’t be acquiring a big contract before 3:01 PM on February 27.