Pittsburgh Penguins Start Free Agency With A Bang

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With NHL free agency opening July 1^st, there were obviously going to be some surprises. The Penguins ended up getting some steals this offseason so far. The Penguins picked up Phil Kessel, Tyler Biggs and Tim Erixon, all former players of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Penguins in exchange had to give up a lot, including a few draft picks and some of the Pens prospects. While this is not an overall haul of the Penguins pick-ups, these three are by far the most publicized.

While that is a lot for the Penguins to give up, it looks like it’s going to be worth it. After barely making it into the playoffs this year, the Pens needed a way to beef up their roster. With some whispers swirling about Evgeni “Geno” Malkin possibly leaving the Pens, these picks allow the Geno talks to be at a minimum for now. These picks leave a lot to speculate on what this will mean for the Penguins next season.

For now, Biggs is just a prospect for the Penguins which is a pretty decent position to be in. Maybe Bigg’s new relocation will finally give him the push he needs to make it into the big leagues. On the other hand, Erixon was a strange pick-up because it seems pretty unclear where he will end up. While Erixon has the NHL pedigree in his blood and an alright career behind him, it looks like Erixon will possibly have to compete to make it onto the Penguins roster.

The biggest name of all three, however, is Phil Kessel. Kessel is going to be most influential and dominant player to come out of free agency. He is one of the NHL’s top scorers, a physical powerhouse and a welcomed presence in Pittsburgh. Today when the news broke, Penguins GM Jeff Rutherford had a lot to say about the Kessel trade but most of it revolved around how much of a positive effect Kessel will be on the team.

Of course, Sidney Crosby was asked about the trade. In an email with ESPN, Crosby emanated only positivity, saying that he was “excited” to have Kessel on the team and that “We are happy to have him, he has a ton of speed and a great scoring touch. He will help our team a lot”. While free agency has just started, it looks like the Penguins are already trying to build up their roster for a successful season.