Penguins' Dubas denies rumors of fire sale: 'Not accurate'
Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas denied recent rumors that suggested the executive is considering cleaning house ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
"I think every team in the league knows what we're trying to achieve," he said, per NHL.com's Michelle Crechiolo. "As our actions have shown from last March on, we're trying to bring in younger NHL players, we're trying to bring in prospects, and we're trying to bring in draft picks, with the goal being to quickly develop those assets into people that can help the core group of the team here win one more time and then set the team up for the long-range future. ... We're not going to stray from that.
"But to say that it's a fire sale, and we're willing to retain money on very long-term deals - you know, I understand how that stuff starts to get out and take on a life of its own, but it's not accurate. So, we've had lots of conversations. But, are we telling teams that everything must go? No, we're not."
RG Media's Marco D'Amico reported a potential Penguins fire sale Monday, saying a league source informed him that captain Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Philip Tomasino, and Owen Pickering were the only off-limits players on the roster.
The source also told him Dubas would be willing to move contracts with term.
Reports emerged earlier in January indicating that no Penguins players were safe from a trade aside from those with full no-move clauses, including Crosby, Malkin, Rust, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson.
Though Dubas doesn't sound keen on making wholesale changes, he has made some moves, such as placing struggling goaltender Tristan Jarry on waivers last week. He also made two trades in November, sending Lars Eller back to the Washington Capitals for two draft picks before acquiring forward Philip Tomasino from the Nashville Predators.
The Penguins (20-21-8) missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
Pittsburgh entered Wednesday's action just four points behind the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators for a wild-card spot, but both teams have two games in hand.
The Penguins are in the midst of a seven-game road trip and won two of their first three games. They'll play the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.