Sunday, May 18, 2008

Rumors: Pitkanen, Orpik and Carter

Larry Brooks at the New York Post offers these rumors...

"Kevin Lowe wasn't selling when Rangers inquired at deadline about Edmonton's puck-rushing and power playable defenseman Joni Pitkanen, but Sather is expected to go back after the 24-year-old restricted free agent who earned $2.4M last year.

If the Rangers are not sizing up a jersey for Brooks Orpik, then Jeff Beukeboom had better be coming back, instead.

The good news (if you're not Philadelphia) is that cap issues might well prevent the Flyers from matching an offer sheet to imposing 23-year-old power forward Jeff Carter.

The good news is that compensation for a contract worth up to approximately $5.2M per is only one No. 1, one No. 2 and one No. 3, surely an equitable price to pay if you're a team a) drafting in the bottom half of the pool; b) that doesn't draft well; or, c) both, meaning you're the Devils.

The bad news is you're going to be paying $5.2M a year to Jeff Carter at this stage of his career."

...Pitkanen has been injury prone and will cost a lot. Would love to see Orpik in a Ranger jersey, but I could see Pittsburgh matching any offer. I like Carter also, but again it will cost us. We need more help on defense and the money would be better spent there.

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