BOSTON -- The NHL trade deadline is just 10 days away, so it's perfectly logical that Ron Hextall's focus is on exploring moves to upgrade the Penguins' roster for the stretch drive and Stanley Cup playoffs.
It's worth noting, though, anything he does between now and the deadline will happen against the backdrop of the NHL expansion draft that will be held this summer to provide players for the new franchise in Seattle.
Fact is, most general managers were factoring the expansion draft into their personnel plans long before Hextall replaced Jim Rutherford a couple of months ago. Indeed, Rutherford was one of them.
And so it is for that, in addition to all the other duties he has been juggling since joining the Penguins, Hextall has been meeting with his staff to discuss the best approach to take to the draft.
"I think we're in good shape," Hextall said. "We've looked at it. We're certainly probably going to lose a good player, but so is everybody else. That's reality."
Thirty NHL clubs -- Vegas is exempt from losing anyone in this draft -- have two options for protecting players: Seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie or eight total skaters and a goalie.
"Right now, I'd say we'd probably go three and seven," Hextall said.
Players with no-movement clauses must be protected, which means the Penguins cannot expose Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin or Kris Letang. First- and second-year NHL players and unsigned draft choices do not have to be protected.
All teams must make at least the following available for selection by the Kraken (with all either under contract for 2021-22): A goalie (restricted free agents-to-be also are eligible, if they receive a qualifying offer), a defenseman who appeared in 40 games this season or 70 over the past two and two forwards who meet the same experience criterion as the defenseman.
Hextall said he and his staff already have done some dry runs on who to protect or make available, although those could be adjusted before the draft takes place. Especially if the Penguins make significant personnel changes.
"We went through it (recently), identifying who we have to protect," he said. "You need players (at specific positions) to expose, so do you have those? Yes, we have those. We're in good shape and we have an idea -- five or six (to protect), for sure -- and then there will be a couple of tough decisions, for sure. But we'll get through it and monitor for the rest of the year, see where we go."
One big difference between this draft and the one that stocked Vegas' roster in 2017 is that Seattle GM Ron Francis isn't likely to have many teams offer him assets in return for selecting -- or not selecting -- a specific player.
Four years ago, Rutherford convinced Marc-Andre Fleury to waive his no-movement clause so he could be exposed and gave George McPhee, then GM of the Golden Knights, a second-round draft choice to claim Fleury, who promptly became the face of the franchise.
Hextall doesn't think he's likely do anything of that sort.
"That's not the way I would lean," he said. "But we'll see once we get down to that point and make a more a more informed decision."
MORE PENGUINS
• Rutherford, like most general managers, made some personnel moves that worked out wonderfully for his club, others that completely flopped. Acquiring Phil Kessel from Toronto and the rights to John Marino from Edmonton fall into the former category, trading with Ottawa to get Derick Brassard into the latter. But one move that didn't get a whole lot of attention -- and actually was somewhat controversial at the time -- was re-signing free-agent forward Jared McCann after last season. There was some sentiment then that the prudent thing to do would be to cut ties to McCann, who was mired in a lengthy offensive drought and actually lost his place in the lineup during the Penguins' postseason series with Montreal. Rutherford, though, felt McCann would rediscover his game, and negotiated a two-year deal that carries a salary-cap hit of $2.94. McCann has rewarded Rutherford's faith in him with a strong bounce-back season, which has been especially important because of the major injuries some of the Penguins' top forwards have suffered. Keeping him might not be Rutherford's signature move during his time as GM, but it's one that certainly has worked to the Penguins' advantage. -- Molinari
• There was a lot of attention paid last month to the 30th anniversary of the trade that brought Francis, Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings and understandably so, since that established the Penguins -- who had enjoyed modest success (to put it charitably) to that point in their history -- as a legitimate threat to win the Stanley Cup. Which they did about 2 1/2 months later. That was a masterful deal by Craig Patrick, and arguably the most important in franchise history, but he'd made a few other difference-making moves before and during the 1990-91 season that might be overshadowed by that trade with the Whalers. How about getting Joey Mullen from Calgary for a second-round draft choice? Jiri Hrdina for Jim Kyte? Or future Hall of Famer Larry Murphy and rugged Peter Taglianetti from Minnesota for Jim Johnson and Chris Dahlquist? That season would go down as one of the most memorable in franchise history, in part because Patrick went on perhaps the finest run of any GM ever to hold that position with the Penguins. -- Molinari
PIRATES
• Ben Cherington said this week the coaching staff at the alternate site will be the AAA coaching staff again, “with maybe an exception or two.” Brian Esposito managed the site last year, and the environment that he, pitching coach Joel Hanrahan and hitting coach Jon Nunnally wanted to create encouraged individual growth. “We really didn’t do, especially with the younger guys, a whole lot of talking and coaching about adjustments and what they need to do, as opposed to kind of letting them show what they are capable of doing,” Esposito told me. “It’s the experiences that they walk away with on their own that allow them to think about, ‘ok, here’s what happened at the alternate site. Here’s what I learned from it. How am I going to help myself to get better.’” One of the more noticeable takeaways a player had in camp was with No. 5 prospect Liover Peguero, who moved his hands up because he felt it would help him make more contact against high fastballs. In spring training games, he was able to line some of the higher fastballs he saw. It’s going to be an older group at the alternate site, featuring veterans such as Todd Frazier, Brian Goodwin and Chasen Shreve, while the younger players will go to minor-league spring training. The more relaxed, focus-on-what-you-need approach should be appreciated. -- Alex Stumpf
• Esposito is one of a handful of people in player development that was and is liked by the previous and current management regimes. I asked what differences he sees in how the two handle player development, and he cited the “level of commitment to hearing other thoughts and trying different things.” That was a common criticism of Neal Huntington's management team, especially on the pitching side, which continued to rely on sinkers and trying to get quick outs even though the game has evolved away from that strategy. Cherington has emphasized making the process much more collaborative between coaching, management and players. “I think the key thing is to have an open mind to the changes that we’re making,” Esposito said. “How we’re training, how things are perceived, and what types of edges that we can get in our player development, whether it’s technology or the numbers or how we’re using the tech and data… It’s about doing a lot of listening, asking a lot of questions, and then staying authentic to how you help players get better.” -- Stumpf
• The Pirates’ decision to carry 14 pitchers opened up the door one more time for Clay Holmes, who had his contract selected Thursday to be added to the major league roster. It’s worth noting that through his struggles in the majors, he’s actually pitched very well with Jacob Stallings as his catcher. In 23 ⅔ innings as a battery in the majors, Holmes has recorded a 1.14 ERA. It’s a small sample, but Holmes and Stallings’ relationship stems back to the minors, and Stallings is one of the game’s best framers on low pitches. Whether it’s his sinker or a high-spin breaking pitch, Holmes lives in the bottom of the zone, and never really got calls there. Perhaps Stallings can change that. -- Stumpf
STEELERS
• It wouldn't be surprising to see the Steelers get an international game in 2022. That will be the first year for mandatory international games for all teams. Under the expansion agreement to 17 games earlier this week, the NFL included a stipulation that it would play at least four international games every season. And it also stipulated that all 32 teams would have to play at least one international game every eight years. For teams such as the Steelers and Packers, who are big draws on the road, it will get them into the rotation more often. The Steelers have played one regular season game overseas, facing the Vikings in London in 2013. The Packers have never played in a regular season international game. Nobody wants to give up a home game when the Steelers and Packers coming to town ensures them a full house. The interesting part of this is that the NFL isn't looking to go to Mexico at this time -- at least not this season. The United Kingdom, Canada and Germany have been the most discussed destinations. Art Rooney II has long wanted a game in Mexico City, where the Steelers have a big following, for some time. But because of the team's stadium lease -- which calls for the Steelers to host 10 games each year -- the Steelers have been unable to host such a game. -- Dale Lolley on the South Side
• Digging around the Steven Nelson situation with the Steelers, it has become apparent Nelson didn't want to compete for a starting spot with the team in 2021. The Steelers promised Cam Sutton when he was re-signed that he would be given an opportunity to compete for a starting spot on the outside. And the Steelers weren't going to have him compete against Joe Haden. The competition was going to be between Nelson and Sutton. Nelson didn't feel like he should have to compete for a starting job and asked to be traded or released. -- Lolley
• The signing of running back Kalan Ballage earlier this week is interesting for the Steelers. Ballage converted 6 of his 10 rushing attempts on third-and-short into first downs last season with the Chargers. That was actually a down year for him. For his career, he's 18 of 24 converting third-and-short runs into first downs. Benny Snell, who the Steelers used primarily in that role in 2020, was 8 of 15. At 6-2, 231 pounds, Ballage is a bigger back than Snell, who is listed at 5-10, 224 pounds. The biggest difference between the two? Ballage ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, while Snell clocked in at just 4.66 seconds. Ballage would seem to be a bigger version of Snell. But he's not a No. 1 back, either. In fact, he's not even guaranteed a roster spot. Running back is one position you can bet on the Steelers taking a player at in the first two rounds of the draft. -- Lolley
