NHL trade rumors: Top 3 teams that should trade for Chris Kreider

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

Projected deadline cap space: $4,861,273 (as of Jan. 15)

The Pittsburgh Penguins need to add a top-six forward at the trade deadline. They certainly have the space and the desire to add Kreider, especially after Jake Guentzel‘s injury. Guentzel is out for the rest of the season and could be out for most of the postseason. If the Penguins want to make a run at the Stanley Cup, they need to add someone like Kreider.

According to Elliotte Friedman, the Penguins expressed interest in Kreider even before Guenztel’s injury.

“All of the contenders, from Colorado to Boston to St. Louis to Pittsburgh are all believed to be interested,” Friedman said.

Kreider is someone the Penguins are obviously familiar with, as they face him regularly. General manager Jim Rutherford is never shy to make trades. He usually stays away from blockbusters (the Phil Kessel trade being the exception), but he needs someone to step up and replace Guentzel. I’m not sure if they have any internal options who would be as good as Kreider.

Kreider would replace Guentzel on the left side. With his skillset, he’d be a perfect fit in Pittsburgh. Kreider would also give the Penguins a viable, physical option on the left side. He’s always done well with skilled players, so one can assume he’d have no issues playing with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin (though I think he’d be a slightly better fit with Crosby).

And if Guentzel comes back in the postseason, suddenly, the Penguins could have three really great forward lines. They won back-to-back Stanley Cups using their “three lines of death” approach. Getting Kreider on board could help them get back to that.