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Regal Rundown: Could Penguins and Kings swap goalies?

What does a front office change in Pittsburgh have to do with the Los Angeles Kings?

First, we’ll start with this: Ron Hextall, the new general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, was vice president and assistant general manager of the Kings back in 2012, earning a Stanley Cup on the shoulders of Jonathan Quick’s Conn Symthe winning performance. If anyone is to believe that there’s still some gas left in Quick, Hextall is a pretty good candidate.

And as it turns out, Hextall is in the market for a goaltender. The team at least inquired with the Vegas Golden Knights about potentially re-acquiring 36-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury, who was taken in the 2017 Vegas expansion draft. Vegas, who sit first in the West Division, have little motivation to move Fleury.

The Kings, however, could certainly benefit from a swap. As Eric Duhatschek of The Athletic points out, a swap in net between the Penguins and Kings could be reached.

If Fleury isn’t currently available, and yet you believe you need a Fleury-like presence in goal, then you can imagine a scenario where the Penguins turn to Quick as an option. […] Quick is 35 and has two years after this one remaining on a contract that pays him $5.8 million.

If the Kings were to retain half of that contract, and the Penguins were to offer up Casey DeSmith ($1.25 million cap hit) and other considerations to acquire Quick, that would be an avenue they might want to explore. The Penguins were pretty direct in their messaging this week: This year anyway, and maybe next year as well, they owe it to their fans and to their core group to push all the chips in, and stay competitive and see how things unfold.

Read more about it, linked below.

Kings Things

Hockey Things

  • The NHL’s best and worst this week: The secrets to Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith’s longevity [ESPN]
  • Flyers see addition and subtraction for COVID protocol list as they face new week [NBC Sports Philadelphia]
  • Krueger rejoins Sabres after having COVID-19, ‘scarred by the experience’ [NHL.com]
  • Calculating an NHL team’s finances and plan for expanding revenue [The Athletic]
  • NHL’s division-only format results in tunnel vision [Boston Globe]
  • Marquette native turned beer hockey league legend after video goes viral [UP Matters]
  • With Indoor Rinks Closed, Players Turn to ‘Speakeasy Hockey’ [The New York Times]
  • ‘He hit him until the stick broke’: Ice hockey aces’ horror as shock clips show player soaked in blood from brutal beating [RT.com]
  • High school hockey teams face unique challenges due to COVID [WHEC]/

Scores & Recaps

  • Washington Capitals 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 6
  • Colorado Avalanche 0, Vegas Golden Knights 1/

Click on a team name to find a recap on their SB Nation site!

On the Schedule

  • St. Louis Blues at Arizona Coyotes, 1 PT/4 ET on NHLN, FS-A, FS-MW
  • New York Islanders at Buffalo Sabres, 4 PT/7 ET on NBCSN, MSG-B
  • Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 PT/7 ET on TSN4, TSN5, RDS
  • Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning, 4 PT/7 ET on SN1, SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS, SUN, FS-F
  • Columbus Blue Jackets at Carolina Hurricanes, 4 PT/7 ET on FS-CR, FS-O
  • Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings, 4:30 PT/7:30 ET on ESPN+, FS-D, NBCSCH+
  • Nashville Predators at Dallas Stars, 5 PT/8 ET on FS-SW, FS-TN
  • Winnipeg Jets at Edmonton Oilers, 6 PT/9 ET on SNW, TSN3
  • Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks, 7 PT/10 ET on ESPN+, SN1, SNP
  • Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks, 7:30 PT/10:30 ET on NBCSCA, FS-W/

Talking Points