Report: Penguins trade package completely shot down

It feels like a lot of these posts lately start with something along the lines of "Jim Rutherford and the Pittsburgh Penguins are hot on the trade market right now, with the sense that a major deal is on the way."

Well - that's because it's true, and that sense hasn't gone away. And it won't go away until it happens, or the trade deadline passes.

Either way, one package that fans have been clamoring for Rutherford to trade away for serious help involves a first round draft pick, Carl Hagelin, and Conor Sheary.

There's no doubt in anyone's mind that Rutherford is looking to move these players, as they take up a relatively significant portion of the cap and don't provide much in the way of offense. 

As Pittsburgh Post Gazette beat reporter Jason Mackey explains, there's just no way this collection of assets nets the Penguins anything significant in return.

"Sheary has one goal in 17 games, has rarely produced with someone other than Crosby and makes $3 million. Hagelin has eight goals in 97 games the past two years, two in 36 contests this season and three in 59 when you combine a little bit of both seasons. He makes $4 million.

That’s (an) overly negative way at looking at this. Both guys do things that help teams win. But expecting a trade partner to send back elite-level return for that? Maybe pump the brakes a tad."

Hagelin and Sheary have both provided good hockey for the Penguins but their stats speak for themselves. Hagelin seems to have lost his touch, while Sheary's inconsistency is compounded by the fact that the majority of his production came on Sidney Crosby's wing. How good is he as a stand-alone player? It's hard to tell right now, and at his cap hit, few teams will give up much for him at this point in his career.

What kind of package do you think it will take to acquire an elite-level talent?