Paul Martin Situation

courtesy of Evil Shero Follow him on Twitter @Evil_Shero

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero has a lot on his plate right now. He has most of his best player's contracts expiring in the next two years. A lot of pressure is on Shero and his team to get this team back to where it is supposed to be, and that's going far in the playoffs and contending for the Stanley Cup.



I for one trust Shero, although he is starting to have more and more blemishes on his resume as Pens GM. One current blemish is the duo-signing he made last year with Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek. Martin got five years-$25 million and Michalek got five years-$20 million. Michalek has been good at times but Martin has struggled for the most part and has been a huge disappointment to say the least.

Martin is considered a talented two-way defenseman was conisdered a huge catch for the Pens after their defensive breakdowns a few years ago. Martin has been nothing but inconsistent for the Penguins, turning the puck over often. On top of that Martin has looked lost in the defensive zone sine joining the Pens.

I'm not going to lie, I thought Martin was going to excel in the Pens' North-South system playing alongside guys like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. I don't think Martin forget how to play hockey, he was pretty good for the New Jersey Devils and he was asked to be on the 2010 US Olympic team.

I don't really know what happened. Did Martin forget how to play hockey when he came to Pittsburgh? Or has been exposed in the Pens' system under Head Coach Dan Bylsma? I have to believe that Martin can be effective on a team with a system a little more friendly to his style of play. Martin is still a good skater and skilled passer who can play more than 20 minutes a game. Sure his $5 million a year salary is a huge turnoff, but consider that there are teams out there that simply do not have d-man who can play like Martin.

Right now the Pens are in a bind in terms of the salary cap. They barely have any wiggle room and have all of their starts coming up at the end of their contracts. Right now Jordan Staal trade rumors are coming in full force. I would hate to see Staal go. Shero has to find a way to move Martin, who also has a no-trade clause attached to this nightmare of a contract. Moving Martin might be the only way the Pens can keep Staal.....Funny how things work out huh?

If I'm the Pens I literally give Martin away at this point. Take a prospect/draft pick for Martin no matter what. The Pens have a bunch of d-man in their system that are cheaper and could end up being a better fit on the team than Martin. Simon Depres, Joe Morrow, Roberto Burtuzzo, and Brian Strait all look NHL ready. Find a way to move Martin and the team's situation is helped immensely.

Moving Martin does nothing but make sense and improve the team. It's addition via subtraction, because let's face it, as a Penguin Martin has sucked....Hard. Like Lisa Hartnell.

Follow me on Twitter @MadChad412