Report: Penguins Try But Fail to Acquire Blackhawk's Brandon Saad
Instead, the Pittsburgh-area hockey phenom is headed to Columbus.
Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks
Pine-Richland’s Brandon Saad is moving closer to Pittsburgh, but not close enough for Penguins hockey fans.
The Chicago Blackhawks traded the rising star to the Columbus Blue Jackets late Tuesday, the Chicago Tribune reports, and the Pittsburgh Penguins may be the reason why.
The trade come just hours before the opening of free agency, when Saad would have been eligible to sign an offer sheet from an opposing team that the Blackhawks would either be forced to match or let Saad leave with only draft picks as compensation.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Dave Molinari tweeted that Chicago feared Saad was about to get a sweet offer from the Pens.
Can confirm that Penguins made a failed attempt to acquired Brandon Saad, who has ended up in Columbus.
— Dave Molinari (@MolinariPG) June 30, 2015
The Penguins' effort to acquire Saad probably explains why discussing Alex Semin wasn't at the top of their to-do list this afternoon.
— Dave Molinari (@MolinariPG) June 30, 2015
Penguins are tight-lipped about what assets they offered for Saad. Presumably because the same ones could turn up in future trade talks.
— Dave Molinari (@MolinariPG) June 30, 2015
At 22, Saad already has his name etched twice on the Stanley Cup.
Saad played for two years at Pine-Richland before leaving home to play in the Ontario Hockey League. PM spoke with Saad last May, as Blackhawks geared up to defend their Cup in the 2014 playoffs.
