In a move that essentially ends Sergei Gonchar's run in Pittsburgh, Penguins general manager Ray Shero made a move to aquire the rights to defenseman Dan Hamhuis. The Pens traded a 2011 third round pick to arch rival Philadelphia for the exclusive rights to deal with Hamhuis before the July 1 free agent market opening.
The Flyers had aquired Hamhuis last week for a seventh round pick and dman Ryan Parent.
Conventional wisdom would have you believe that Hamhuis is the heir apparent to Gonchar's spot in the lineup. However, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, there are still hopes from Shero and Gonchar's camp, that the Pens can successfully maneuver a way to keep both defensemen.
Hamhuis, 27, is near the top of the defensemen crop in this year's free agent market. While he doesn't have the hoopla that surrounds Gonchar, he has been a solid 2-way player for the Nashville Predators. In 483 games, he has amassed 32 goals and 129 assists.
Shero, who was an assistant GM with Nashville when Hamhuis was selected 12th overall in the 2001 draft believes that the defenseman has more to offer offensively than his numbers from Nashville indicate.
While in Nashville he was relagated to playing behind Olympians Shea Weber and Ryan Suter on the powerplay.
Give Shero credit, if he is indeed able to sign Hamhuis, that will be a big step in replacing Gonchar on the Pen's blue line.
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