Staal’s situation is different than Johnson’s, being as the former Ranger only has one year left on his contract. Johnson has three years, though a lower cap hit at $3.25 million.
It’s also reasonable to ask is the best the Pens can do is burn a draft pick in order to drop Jack Johnson? And would the cost be a 2022 first round pick? A 2021 second round pick plus probably something else? Is that the best Pittsburgh can do? Is that what they want to do?
The commenters on this article are real happy to make such a deal that would cost the Penguins just a first rounder and if that’s not evidence enough that you shouldn’t like that idea, then we can agree to disagree.