[cbuscru77]

The Pittsburgh Penguins won't be able to keep their Stanley Cup runner-up club together because of salary cap issues. It looks like the Blue Jackets are prepared to offer a helping hand.
The two clubs have had preliminary trade talks, the Dispatch has learned. The discussions have involved Pittsburgh trading the rights to one or two of their pending unrestricted free agents -- players the Penguins have decided they can't keep because of the salary cap -- to the Blue Jackets for draft pick or player compensation.
It's unclear who the players are, but Ryan Malone and Brooks Orpik seem like logical choices. Hey, why not Marian Hossa?
My guess is the Blue Jackets will be giving up draft picks.
I don't think anything is imminent. Right now, Penguins GM Ray Shero has to be sweating it out deciding who he's going to keep or let go. He's got to be having 12 hour days. When he figures out how he's going to build the roster, the trading could commence.
The conventional wisdom each summer is that talks won't get serious until the draft gets underway on on June 20. But that's not true anymore.
Here's how the trade would likely work: the Blue Jackets and Penguins would agree to a trade, but it only goes down if the Blue Jackets can get the player signed.
So, Pittsburgh would grant the CBJ negotiating rights with the player. When the player is signed, the Blue Jackets would complete the trade by sending the pick or a player to Pittsburgh. If no contract is reached, nothing happens. We might not even know about it.
It's starting to get interesting. Stay tuned.
Other matters:
-- No news to report on the Pascal Leclaire negotiations. It's not a standstill or anything of that sort. It's just that Howson is busy and so is Meehan. They'll talk in a couple of days. It's likely, I'm told, that Leclaire's deal will be done before July 1.
-- Congrats to Ross Yates and Trent Cull, who are back behind the bench in Syracuse next year.
-- Jakub Voracek, Tom Sestito, Derek Dorsett and Nick Holden are in Columbus, beginning their off-season workouts. Derick Brassard is to arrive tonight or Wednesday. Alex Plekhanov, Adam Pineault and Aaron Rome will arrive soon. These guys are working closely with strength and conditioning coach Barry Brennan to bulk up and get ready for the season. They're copy-catting Jared Boll, who came out of no where to make the big club last season.
-- Aaron Portzline
aportzline@dispatch.com

[blueandwhite]

I would be surprised if Malone leaves Pittsburgh.
I won't be surprised if Hossa leaves.

[cbuscru77]

Here are few clarifications from Mr. Portzline - -

-- I don't know that the Blue Jackets are trying to get both Ryan Malone and Brooks Orpik from Pittsburgh. They could be. Or they could be just going for one of them, likely Malone.
-- What would they have to give up? Hard to say. Some have asked if it would take the No. 6 and No. 19 picks. No way. Pittsburgh would jump all over that. They'd probably throw Ryan and Brooks in the car and drop them off at Nationwide to get that deal. Howson would never do that. I don't think Howson would even give up the No. 6 by itself. At most it would cost Columbus the No. 19. I mean, look at it this way. Pittsburgh might be losing both of them on July 1 anyway. Wouldn't they like to assure that the two don't end up in the Eastern Conference? Say, the Philadelphia Flyers? I don't think the price tag would be all that high, frankly. But, one never knows.
-- Here's a possible measuring stick: The Flyers last summer gave up the No. 23 overall pick to get negotiating rights to both defenseman Kimmo Timonen and right winger Scott Hartnell from Nashville.
-- Olli Jokinen is NOT going to join the Blue Jackets. Just cross his name off the list right now, folks. Trust me on this one.
-- Aaron Portzline
aportzline@dispatch.com

[Lefty Noob]

Rumor or not, I think Malone would be a nice pickup for Columbus. They should make a run for him.

[blueandwhite]

definitely.

[cbuscru77]

The scuttlebutt is picking up around the NHL. Here's what today has revealed (so far):
-- Ryan Malone is not going to sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins, unless the Penguins significantly up their offer. It's looking more and more like the Penguins will get Evgeni Malkin signed to a contract extension and be able to keep right winger Marian Hossa. That will show Malone to the door.
An NHL source said that Malone has been low-balled twice by the Penguins and is ready to leave July 1 as an unrestricted free agent. Malone's rights could be traded before that day, of course, and the Blue Jackets are a likely destination.
The source said the Penguins have already made the Blue Jackets an offer for Malone's rights. Not sure what the offer was, or if the Blue Jackets are still contemplating it. But this could go down pretty quick, folks.
Malone would definitely be happy to play for the Blue Jackets, a source said.