Pens GM can’t hide trade plans anymore after stunning elimination

For years now, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has mortgaged the future to allow his team to win three championships in the last 10 years. 

However, with the window of time closing in on star players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, things need to change for the 2019-20 season if the Penguins want to compete longer and with more success in the next few years. 

When Rutherford faced the media on Thursday as players cleaned out the dressing room, he simply couldn’t hide it anymore. He knows he needs to make significant changes this summer, via the trade and free agent markets. Here is some of his quotes by the transcripts on the Pens' website. 

“I don’t think as is, but the window’s still open,” Rutherford said when asked if the window is still open for you to win a championship as is. “I think it should be open for more than just one year also. I’ll say the obvious, based how things finished, we’re not going to be able to do it the way we finished.”

“We are still a bit emotional with how this ended. The best thing for me is to take a little time to think through this… Some big decisions will be made. Obviously there will be changes in our team.

“Some big decisions will have to be made.”

In just the past few days, trade chatter has come back with a vengeance when it comes to veteran forward Phil Kessel. The team could also focus on moving Jack Johnson, Olli Maatta, center Matt Cullen, and left wing Garrett Wilson this summer. 

The team has over $79 million invested in 18 players for 2019-20 and needs to shed salary this summer if they want to get younger and faster for next season. 

Changes are probably already underway in Pittsburgh. Watch out.