Penguins Organization Bolsters Forward Depth At Deadline

The Pittsburgh Penguins didn't make the blockbuster deal a lot of respected journalists and insiders believed would go down at the deadline, but the Penguins still made some moves to add depth in their forward core heading down the stretch.

The Penguins made two separate moves acquiring forward Marcel Goc from the Florida Panthers and forward Lee Stempniak from the Calgary Flames today, sending their 2015 third round and 2014 fifth round picks to the Panthers and their 2014 third round pick to the Flames.

The Skinny on NHL Pens Acquisitions:

C/LW Marcel Goc

An unrestricted free agent at the end of the season with a cap hit of $1.7 million this season. Goc has tallied 23 points (11G-12A) in 62 games with the Panthers this season. It's possible that Goc can eat up some penalty kill minutes left from the loss of Pascal Dupuis. Goc is penciled in on the crew of bottom six forwards at the Pens disposal.

RW Lee Stempniak

Also a UFA at seasons end with a cap hit of $2.5 million. On his way from Calgary where he spent the last three seasons, Stempniak has tallied 23 points (8G-15A) in 52 games. and looks to add a secondary scoring touch. Whether he slots in on the top line with Sidney Crosby or on a third line with Brandon Sutter, Stempniak looks to add some secondary scoring. 

Kobasew Re-Assigned To Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Chuck Kobasew, who cleared waivers yesterday, was officially re-assigned to the AHL Penguins today to make room in Pittsburgh and thus is eligible to finish the rest of the regular season and playoffs with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (WBS).

Kobasew tallied two goals in 32 games with the NHL Penguins this season but is a former two-time 20-goal scorer of the Boston Bruins and gives WBS head coach John Hynes another right handed shot to add to a lineup that was already pretty solid up front.

Paper Transactions & Possible Conditioning Stints

Also eligible to be re-assigned to the WBS Penguins and play in the AHL is forward Brian Gibbons and Simon Despres who were re-assigned to the AHL Penguins, at least on paper, making them eligible if they are re-assigned down the road.

One caveat to the AHL rule of needing to be on an AHL roster at today's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline to be eligible in the AHL the rest of the regular season/playoffs is the fact that injured players can play up to 14 days in the AHL on rehabbing conditioning stints.

Chris Conner and Beau Bennett are currently injured and while they weren't on the list of paper transactions, they could be sent to the WBS Penguins on what would be a 14-day maximum re-assignment this season. It's even possible that Penguins goaltender Tomas Vokoun could come down to the AHL on a rehab assignment this season.  

Quick Recap of Trades Around The East Division

I plan to have an Eastern Conference and Western Conference update coming soon heading down the stretch, but some trades that directly affected teams in the East Division:

Binghamton
- Traded for defenseman Patrick Mullen from Utica
- Traded Andre Pettersson to Norfolk for Alex Grant.
- Mike Hoffman and Codi Ceci re-assigned and eligible to join Binghamton this season.

Norfolk
- Traded goaltender Viktor Fasth to the Edmonton Oilers for a 5th round draft pick
- Traded ex-WBS defenseman Alex Grant 20 points (7G,13A in 52 games) to the Senators in exchange for Andre Pettersson (17G-23A in 47 games)
- Sami Vatanen, Devante Smith-Pelly, Emerson Etem, Rickard Rakell all eligible to play in AHL playoffs

Hershey
- Traded forward John Mitchell to Portland for forward Chris Brown
- Ryan Stoa called up to Capitals (NHL) but eligible for the Bears

Syracuse
- Traded Dana Tyrell and Matt Taormina to Columbus in exchange for Jonathon Marchessault and Dalton Smith