RUTHERFORD WAS WHEELING AND DEALING ON DRAFT DAY

Penguins’ General manager Jim Rutherford had an extremely busy day yesterday, the second day of the NHL draft.

Rutherford started with a trade of two-time Stanley Cup winning goaltender Matt Murray to the Ottawa Senators, in exchange for a second round draft choice and 20-year-old minor league forward Jonathan Gruden. Murray spent five years in a Penguins uniform, winning the Cup as a rookie in 2016 and repeating in 2017.  This past year, he struggled to a 20-11-5 record with a 2.87 goals against average and an .899 save percentage in 38 games, alternating with Tristan Jarry, who was 20-12-1 with a 2.43 goals against average and a .921 save percentage in 33 games.  Jarry signed a new three-year contract last week.

Ironically, Rutherford said Murray’s game started to slide when  the Pens traded Marc Andre Fleury three years ago and Murray no longer felt pushed by the competition with the former All-Star.  He said it’s hard to trade guys like Murray who were part of the Pens’ Stanley Cup winning teams.

Rutherford said he is very comfortable with Jarry and backup  Casey DeSmith as the teams prepares for the new season.

The Pens’ GM says he is probably not done making moves yet, even though it most likely won’t signing be a big-name free agent.

With the draft pick acquired for Murray, the 52^nd overall, the Penguins chose 18-year-old Finnish goaltender Joel Blomqvist, and they followed that pick the next round with another 18-year-old goaltender, Calle Clang, out of Sweden.

Pens’ chief scout Patrik Allvin said both goaltenders are true prospects.

The other selections by the Penguins yesterday were all forwards:

• Lukas Svejkovsky (4^th round)
• Raivis Ansons (5^th round)
• Chase Yoder (6^th round)

The prospect acquired along with the draft pick for Matt Murray is   Jonathan Gruden.  He was the Senators’ fourth round choice in  2018 and played for London in the Ontario Hockey league last season, scoring 30 goals and adding 36 assists.  He says he’s excited to come to Pittsburgh.

Rutherford traded his 5^th round pick to Colorado for the Avalanche’s 5^th round pick, ten slots lower at #149, and their seventh round pick, which he then traded to Washington for the Capitals’ 7^th rounder next year.  The Pens will again have no first round selection next year, having traded that pick to Minnesota in March.  They also have traded away their picks next year in the third, fourth, and sixth rounds.