Jordan Staal declines 10 year extension seems Carolina bound

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Link: http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/17883/jordan-staal-turns-down-pens-extension

PITTSBURGH -- Bombshell news on the eve of the NHL draft with my TSN teammate Bob McKenzie breaking the story that local star Jordan Staal of the Penguins has turned down a 10-year contract extension from Pittsburgh.

I reached Staal’s agent Paul Krepelka who confirmed the news.

"He is not prepared to enter into a contract extension at this time," Krepelka told ESPN.com.

All of which has obvious and major ramifications if the Penguins are unable to change Staal’s mind. The talented, two-way center has one year left on his deal with Pittsburgh at a $4-million cap hit before hitting unrestricted free agency. (The Penguins' 10-year offer is believed to be worth $60 million).

If Staal doesn’t change his mind this summer about an extension, it forces the hand of Penguins GM Ray Shero to possibly trade him before losing him for nothing a year from now.

As I wrote on June 8, the Carolina Hurricanes are an obvious front-runner for Staal, wanting to unite the Staal brothers Eric and Jordan in Raleigh, N.C.

There would be a long list of teams vying for Staal, including the likes of Toronto, Buffalo and Anaheim just to name a few. But as one NHL GM told ESPN.com Thursday evening, "Let’s be honest, Carolina has the hammer."

If it’s true that Jordan wants to join Eric in Carolina a year from now via unrestricted free agency, then the Hurricanes indeed have the hammer.

It really seems like Jordan is going to end up playing beside Eric on the first line at PNC either this year or next year, and I can't wait. Hockey is finally going to be relevant again in North Carolina.

[KillerKat]

Jordan is a center just like Eric so he most likely will be on the 2nd line. The first line wingers will be the two out of Ruutu, Jokinen, and Skinner if Jordan is signed.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Jordan is a center just like Eric so he most likely will be on the 2nd line.

True, but a lot of the Pens fans think that he wants to be a first line guy; so I could see him playing wing.

[KillerKat]

True, but a lot of the Pens fans think that he wants to be a first line guy; so I could see him playing wing.

It would be best for the team if he played 2nd line center instead of rotating wingmen in that spot.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

It would be best for the team if he played 2nd line center instead of rotating wingmen in that spot.

I agree, because we would finally be four deep at the center position.

Also a lot of the Pens fans are delusional, thinking they can get Sutter, Faulk, and our first round pick for Staal.

[Panther_mountain]

Tsn.ca had this about 2 hours before espn. If you don't use them for hockey news.

If he comes, Jordan will not be brought in to play second line center. He will be brought in to play beside Eric, which is what Rutherford said was his top offseason priority. Centers and forwards often switch i.e. Jeff Skinner, you can say he is a center until you are red in the face, if he comes he's playing forward.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Tsn.ca had this about 2 hours before espn. If you don't use them for hockey news.

If he comes, Jordan will not be brought in to play second line center. He will be brought in to play beside Eric, which is what Rutherford said was his top offseason priority. Centers and forwards often switch i.e. Jeff Skinner, you can say he is a center until you are red in the face, if he comes he's playing forward.

TSN is where I got it from but they didn't mention Carolina as much so I decided not to go with them.

[Panther_mountain]

Draft tomorrow night is in Pittsburgh and they don't have a first round pick. I would almost love to see us wait a year and get Jordan as an UFA next year but Pitt will be dealing big time now. Maybe we send the 8 and a minimal prospect? If Jordan refuses to sign long term deal in a trade with anyone but us, his trade value goes down dramatically.

For the first time in EVER we have solid prospects. Would hate to clean house in a trade. http://www.hockeysfuture.com/teams/carolina_hurricanes/

Don't forget we signed Jeremy Welsh last year. He will be on second line with skinner. He was a scoring machine in college. If we can pick up a solid offensive threat to go with staal we could go from not being able to finish to downright be scary over next couple years.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Send them the 8th pick, Harrison/Joslin, and Dalpe.

Dalpe hasn't lived up to expectations and trading Harrison/Joslin allows us to consider adding Murphy, Dumoulin, or even Sanguinetti to the permanent roster.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Also I will almost guarantee that if Mikhail Grigorenko/Teuvo Teravainen are gone by the 8th pick that we trade it. There is no way we go defense, we just can't.

And he me even trade the pick if Grigs is available because JR has a rule of not drafting Russians.

I think we take Teravainen or trade the pick.

If we trade the pick and move down a little, then my bet is that we take Faksa making him the third straight Kitch Ranger in the last three years to be drafted by the Panthers.

[Panther_mountain]

Would love to keep 8th pick and draft teuvo, sign parise and then sign Jordan next year....lol but then I wake up. Hey Rutherford said they are ready to spend sooooooo it could always happen.

I could def live with your proposed trade. Grigorenko is dropping for some reason, supposed work ethic question I believe. Would love to trade for jordan without giving faulk and prospects, rask, murphy, dumoulin and somehow keep 8 and maybe get teuvo. Not sure how much of a corner the pens are in and how cheap we could get him. They are seriously screwed in my opinion.

Problem with Teuvo is he may be a few years out at earliest. He has some sort of military obligation, one or two years...

[KillerKat]

Tsn.ca had this about 2 hours before espn. If you don't use them for hockey news.

If he comes, Jordan will not be brought in to play second line center. He will be brought in to play beside Eric, which is what Rutherford said was his top offseason priority. Centers and forwards often switch i.e. Jeff Skinner, you can say he is a center until you are red in the face, if he comes he's playing forward.

Just because Rutherford said getting a top line wingman to play with Eric, doesn't mean Jordan will be that guy. We have plenty of wingmen already and not as deep at the Center position. He has played center his enitre career. Why make him change? Jordan will almost certainly play 2nd line center and fill a position of need. The move will also kick Jokinen back out to wing where he can be that top line with Eric along with Skinner and Ruutu (which could also fit Rutherford's wanting of a top line wingman to play with Eric).

Btw, forwards contain centers and wingmen. Jeff in the NHL is a true wingman, based on how he plays, who shouldn't be asked to play center. Same for Jokinen. They are mostly finese sharp shooting goal scorers, where true centers should be both finese and scruffy who are also playmakers and goal scorers. They are more well round.

It wouldn't make sense to keep rotating Jokinen and Skinner at 2nd line center when we can fill all 4 center lines with true centers with Jordan Staal being that final piece.