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Penguins Gonchar and Guerin appear headed to free agency

Sergei Gonchar

*** CORRECTS SCORE ** Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar (55) of Russia skates during the first period against the St. Louis Blues in an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009. Gonchar didn’t play over the final 27 minutes because of an undisclosed injury. The Penguins won in 5-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

With tomorrow bringing the NHL free agency apocalypse, tonight provides teams the last chance to try and retain some of their key players set to become free agents at noon tomorrow. The Pittsburgh Penguins appear to be headed towards possibly losing out on two of their biggest performers from the last few years according to Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Just heard from the agent for D SERGEI GONCHAR. “No movement,” JP BARRY said via text. I followed by asking if it seemed likely Gonchar was going to the market tomorrow. “Yes,” Barry said.

RW BILL GUERIN informed me that he is likely headed to the market because he "(doesn’t) know what (the Penguins) are thinking or doing.”

Fortunately for the Penguins, filling the spot vacated by Bill Guerin should be seemingly easier to do either via free agency or trade. Sergei Gonchar’s spot on the blueline, however, won’t be as easy to fill should the Penguins officially part ways with the veteran. At 36 years-old, Gonchar is one of the older defensemen available on the market this year but his production has been steady his whole career.

Whether Pittsburgh feels that their young defensemen on the team like Alex Goligoski or Kris Letang are ready to step up in a big way or if they can get a more defensively responsible defenseman remains to be seen. Meanwhile, the Pens are still trying to work something out with Dan Hamhuis, whom they acquired the rights to from the Flyers during the NHL draft. No new progress has been reported there.