Both stats are much higher than what Schultz produced during the season. At one point, Schultz was a much-needed asset with the Penguins squad. He was able to step up and lead the top power-play unit when Kris Letang was hurt or not performing to his ability. Schultz was a top-tier offensive defenseman that the Penguins needed. Related: Penguins With Point Seasons.
He was able to win back-to-back Cups in and , while scoring multiple important goals in that second run. Being one of the highlights of the championship parade may have been the last memorable thing he did in Pittsburgh. A lifelong Penguins fan that has been watching and going to games for as long as he can remember.
Sign up for our regular 'Penguins Newsletter' for all the latest. He also missed time because of injuries, which sidelined him for two separate stints. This may end up being Schultz's final season in Pittsburgh. Seth Rorabaugh of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review recently wrote that the year-old defenseman's "forgettable campaign likely will bring his otherwise successful tenure with the Penguins to an end. However, Schultz "won't lack suitors" on the free-agent market despite having a tough season, according to Rorabaugh, as he's a right-handed defenseman who has had past success.
Perhaps a fresh start with a new team will help get Schultz back on the right track. Schultz isn't the only Pittsburgh player set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. And he may not be the only one who is likely not to return for the season.
Forty-year-old center Patrick Marleau is set to hit free agency, although Rorabaugh recently speculated that Marleau could be nearing the end of his NHL career. He had 11 goals and 22 assists last season. The Oilers look to have a better blue line next season with offseason additions like Mark Fayne and Nikita Nikitin.
That depth should allow head coach Dallas Eakins more opportunities to pick his spots a little more carefully with Schultz and that could lead to a bigger year production wise for the young defenseman. Schultz remains promising and very well could be an important piece for the Oilers for a long time. Getting past this tricky negotiation as smoothly as possible should be a priority. By Chris Peters. Schultz indeed withdrew from school in May, and the Ducks' exclusive negotiating period has ended.
That leaves him a free agent, and the frenzy has started. There are 30 teams in the NHL who could end up making a bid for Schultz. His puck-moving, skating, and hockey sense is a match for virtually any system you can imagine, and the prospect of acquiring a top-four defenseman for the price of an entry-level contract is way too much for a team to pass up. He'll have his choice, even though the steam has seemed to be headed in the general direction of Toronto. The Maple Leafs have an opening for a top-four defenseman after trading Luke Schenn to Philadelphia during the draft.
One of the returning defensemen, Jake Gardiner , is a former teammate of Schultz's at Wisconsin. I've said multiple times that I believe Schultz will end up with Toronto.
It's not the only potentially attractive option, however. Schultz is from Kelowna, B. Another Canadian team -- the Oilers -- is expected to make a bid, and it's hard to argue that there isn't a team more in need of NHL-caliber defensemen than Edmonton. The Oilers could probably offer Schultz more ice time from the outset than anyone else can.
However, Detroit -- the current NHL home of former Schultz teammate, one-time Badger star defenseman Brendan Smith -- also has a gaping hole on the blue line, thanks to Nicklas Lidstrom's retirement. Teams like Minnesota could conceivably get involved in the sweepstakes, too, assuming there is a sweepstakes.
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