PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The NHL trade deadline March 21, Pens GM Ron Hextall wants to make a deal. How he does it or if he can do it is another question.
"Would we like to add a little bit up front, that would be a fair statement, but I think every team would like to add a little bit up front or on the back end," Hextall said Friday. "I feel good. I don't feel like I have to do anything, but if we can do better we are certainly going to try."
Size
We hear often about the Pens not being big enough. They need to add size to compete in the post-season.
"You always want to be a big team, but you also want to be fast," Hextall said. "You want to be skilled. It's always that fine line, do you want to get big and slow and a little bit more unskilled or do you want to keep your skill."
"It's not all about being 6'4", it's the thickness. Sid is a great example. Sid is not the tallest guy, but he's thick and Sid is considered a big player."
Scoring
Only once in the last eight games have the Pens scored more than three goals. Pens Head Coach Mike Sullivan is holding a tryout for wingers to play with Evgeni Malkin. Would Hextall go searching for a scorer?
"When you look at our first 35 games, the depth scoring was there," Hextall said. "Recently, we can look at the numbers and show who it's dried up for. They are certainly capable of it."
The only player Hextall mentioned by name was Kasperi Kapanen, who is rotating on the fourth line currently in practice. Even with that, it seems it's going to be improving the current group more than addition.
"I think it's there," Hextall said of balanced scoring. "There are some guys that need to play a little bit better. I think scoring is a little bit of a feel and I think even top scorers, it comes and goes. I think our guys need to do a better job of when you are not scoring of digging in a little bit more and getting to the net. I think we can do a better job of that."
"I do have confidence if we can't do something that we do have enough scoring. Would we like to add a little bit, of course."
More edge
One statement that sounded more like a promise than a threat, Hextall wants more from the team. Hextall and Mike Sullivan could explain some of that as the ebbs and flows of a season.
"I would like to see a little more energy to our game, a little bit more consistency," Hextall said. "We will see what happens tonight and address those things as we go along. We will continue to evaluate."
That doesn't mean, contrary to what some believe, that Hextall wants to change the style of play.
"Our puck pursuit, our puck pressure are a staple of this team," Hextall said. "You create turnovers, you create puck possession. I love the way we play. We play fast. We play hard. We play through."
Hextall believes they played the right way against the Islanders and deserved to win last year's playoff matchup.
"The way that we play, history tells you it's been successful in Pittsburgh. I would envision things being the same."
"Would we like a big power forward that can run you over, go to the net and score goals? Of course, everybody wants one, but there's not a whole lot of them out there. That's obviously something every team would like to add including us."
Not about fighting
The reputation for the team Hextall is most closely associated with is about toughness and fighting. While he loves toughness in teams, you may be surprised he's not a fight fan.
"I like hard players, players that go to the net, not necessarily fights," Hextall said. "That's more '80s and '90s to me, once in a while if it happens it happens. It's more about fighting through. Playing through traffic, playing through sticks, getting to the net."
"You watch the playoffs, that's what it's all about. As you get further in the playoffs, goals are harder to come by. You've got to check, got to be relentless. I like the way we play."
Untouchables
Asked about keeping the few young prospects they do have, Hextall said he would part with a prospect if the right thing comes along.
"You hear this all the time, untouchable," Hextall said. "Wayne Gretzky got traded. That's the reality of sports."
Actively looking
He said he has talked to a few teams, but the first deal to set the market hasn't really happened yet. Once that does, it will tell us more about the cost.
Hextall points out it's a rare year where there is a significant gap between the buyers and sellers and there are many offering deals in 2022, particularly in the East. He does anticipate a busy trade deadline, but is concerned about the lack of cap room. The Pens GM noted they are not the only team strapped by lack of money to spend.
"I think in a cap world we all have areas where we would like to fill in a little bit," Hextall said. "I feel pretty good about the depth of our team."
We'll find out soon, the trade deadline is days away.
