CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Jim Rutherford's promised fourth-line transformation has begun, with the Penguins not giving qualifying offers to Riley Sheahan and Tom Kuhnhackl before the NHL's 5 p.m. Monday deadline to retain rights to restricted free agents.
But don't erase Sheahan from the roster too quickly.
Rutherford confirmed to DKPittsburghSports.com that he'll continue to try to work out a new contract with Sheahan. He didn't specify why he chose this route but, earlier in the day, in a meeting with select outlets that included ours, he generally described how restricted free agency can create "salary cap complications" well into the future, in part because of arbitration eligibility.
Sheahan, 26, had 11 goals and 21 assists in 81 regular-season games in 2017-18, and one goal and two assists in 12 Stanley Cup playoff games after being acquired just before the season from the Red Wings for Scott Wilson. He was a force in the first-round victory over the Flyers but was barely visible in the second round against the Capitals.
Kuhnhackl, 26, ascended through the Penguins' system, a fourth-round draft pick in 2010, to Pittsburgh in 2015. He was part of both championship teams in 2016 and 2017, primarily as a penalty-killer, appearing in 23 playoff games in that span despite producing only a goal and an assist.
Rutherford reiterated Monday his wish to see more scoring from the fourth line, and that will involve new faces. One of those could be center prospect Teddy Blueger, whose name he cited almost immediately when I asked which young forward he expected to challenge for a roster spot other than Daniel Sprong and Zach Aston-Reese.
Also not receiving qualifying offers were Frankie Corrado and Vince Dunn. Those who did receive offers: Blueger, Jamie Oleksiak, Tristan Jarry, Ethan Prow, Thomas DiPauli and Andrey Pedan.