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Pens GM aims to strike deal with Sutter by next week

Pittsburgh Penguins v New York Rangers - Game Four

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 07: Brandon Sutter #16 of the Pittsburgh Penguins shoots the puck past Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers for a second period short handed goal during Game Four of the Second Round in the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 7, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Depth was one of the biggest knocks on the 2013-14 Pittsburgh Penguins, so it’s no surprise that’s been a focus during this offseason (maybe even to the detriment of their higher-end). Such a change of pace might help to explain why they’re taking some time to reach a deal with Brandon Sutter.

On the bright side, new GM Jim Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that a deal might come to fruition next week.

“The best way to characterize the process is it’s moving in the right direction,” Rutherford said. “I would suspect by next week we might be able to get something done.”

Sutter, 25, received a $2.7 million salary and generated a $2.067 million cap hit in his most recent season. In a way, the more relevant contract might be someone else’s; Marcel Goc can play a very comparable role and he carries a team-friendly $1.2 million cap hit.

Obviously, Sutter is five years younger, yet that also makes him an RFA. Term is actually where things get interesting; back in July, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that Sutter wants a one-year deal so he can hit the market as a UFA next summer while Rutherford would prefer a longer one.

Will it be a bridge deal that compromises a year or two of UFA status for Sutter? Might he take less for the chance at a bigger pay day later? The Penguins currently have about $4.23 million in cap space and would likely want to retain some wiggle room during the season, so it could be an interesting situation to watch.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins