The Penguins could open the 2018-19 regular season with a new top-six left wing, but it wouldn’t involve a trade for Jeff Skinner, Max Pacioretty or any of the other premium players they’ve been linked to over the past couple of weeks.
According to general manager Jim Rutherford, the Penguins coaching staff plans to test Derick Brassard on the wing during training camp, and it would likely be in a top-six capacity — to take advantage of Brassard’s skating, shooting and vision.
“That is one option that the coaching staff has talked about,” Rutherford said of Brassard in a top-six role.