Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said Wednesday he's more likely to add a top-nine forward than a defenseman prior to the NHL Trade Deadline, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The Penguins are battling the New York Islanders, New York Rangers and Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division, with the four teams separated by five points entering Wednesday.
With the trade deadline set for March 2 at 3 p.m. ET, Rutherford said he isn't on the verge of pulling the trigger on a big trade.
"That doesn't mean there won't be [a trade] in the next week or so," he said, according to the Post-Gazette.
Rutherford has already traded for a top-six forward this season, acquiring wing David Perron from the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 2 for forward Rob Klinkhammer and a first-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. Perron has nine goals and four assists in 19 games since joining the Penguins.
Perron is signed through the 2015-16 season, and Rutherford told the Post-Gazette anyone else he might acquire before the trade deadline won't necessarily be a player with an expiring contract who would be viewed as a rental.
Rutherford seems content to head into the final quarter of the season with the Penguins current roster and stay out of the trade market if it means having to pay an exorbitant price.
"I don't want to do something just to do something, and overpay," he said.
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