from Tim Benz of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,

Do the trade rumors connecting the Pittsburgh Penguins to Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard make any sense?

Yes. But only if the Penguins are giving up on Matt Murray.

Then the question becomes, "Should the Penguins give up on Murray?"

And that answer is, "No!"...

While Murray is out, the Penguins are platooning Tristan Jarry (0-1-1/.887/3.50) and Casey DeSmith (6-3-3/.924/2.41). DeSmith's deal is only worth $650,000. He's unrestricted after this season. And Jarry is restricted after 2020 with a cap hit of $675,000 this year and next.

If the Wings decide to deal Howard, they also have 30-year-old Jonathan Bernier under contract through 2021. To buffer Bernier, they'll likely want one of those three Penguins goaltenders in exchange for Howard along with draft-pick compensation.

If that demand is a first rounder, as Seravalli suggests, the Penguins shouldn't do it. Howard would be a rental. That's too much in exchange for a player that will potentially be gone in July.

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