Penguins’ Ron Hextall listens on Jakob Chychrun, J.T. Miller trades. Could either happen?

PITTSBURGH — Penguins general manager Ron Hextall is trying to clear salary-cap space to potentially make a trade before the NHL trade deadline on Friday.

Hextall has had discussions with the Arizona Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks about separate deals that could bolster the Penguins for this season and beyond, multiple team sources said Tuesday. The sources are familiar with Hextall’s thinking, but were granted anonymity because they are not permitted to speak publicly about personnel matters.

From the Coyotes, Hextall has re-inquired about defenseman Jakob Chychrun — but also discussed with Arizona a potential multi-player acquisition that would include Chychrun and an unnamed forward, the sources said.

The Athletic reported last week that coach Mike Sullivan wanted Hextall to add Chychrun, but Hextall was not willing to part with multiple future first-round picks. Sullivan has continued to push for Chychrun, but Hextall was still hesitant to trade multiple first-round picks that Arizona was insisting upon for any trade, the sources said.

The Canucks approached Hextall about his interest in forward and Pittsburgh area-native J.T. Miller, though Hextall was not initially all that interested in doing a deal, the sources said.

Hextall expected to stay in touch with the Coyotes and Canucks about each potential trade over the next few days, the sources said. It was unlikely the Penguins could do deals with Arizona and Vancouver, the sources said.

On Tuesday, Hextall potentially positioned the Penguins to significantly increase their prorated cap space with the intention of using it on a pre-deadline acquisition. Forward Brock McGinn and defenseman Mark Friedman were placed on waivers, though McGinn was eligible to play in the Penguins’ game in Nashville on Tuesday night.

According to Puck Pedia, the Penguins would have $4 million in prorated space if McGinn and Friedman went unclaimed and were re-assigned to the AHL. If McGinn was claimed and Friedman was also claimed (or re-assigned after clearing waivers), the Penguins would have $5.7 million in prorated space.

The Penguins were essentially out of usable cap space only a week ago. However, Hextall began clearing more room when he waived winger Kasperi Kapanen, who was claimed by the St. Louis Blues this past Saturday.

In waiving Kapanen and McGinn, Hextall basically conceded that two of his recent offseason moves had failed. McGinn was Hextall’s first significant unrestricted free-agent signing in July 2021, and Kapanen was signed to a two-year extension this past summer.

Neither player delivered to the Penguins what Hextall initially hoped.

McGinn, who was signed to a four-year deal at a $2.75 million annual cap hit, scored 22 goals and 37 points in 123 regular-season games. He scored 10 goals this season, but hadn’t marked in 26 games before Tuesday night.

Primarily projected to fill a bottom-six role and help solidify the penalty kill, McGinn proved only a streak scorer — and the Penguins had surrendered 22 goals on their last 89 power plays allowed since late December.

Kapanen was also a streaky scorer, and he finished his final two seasons in Pittsburgh with only 18 goals and 34 points in 122 regular-season games. He was signed to a two-year contract at a $3.2 million cap hit this past summer.

Hextall tried to trade Kapanen and McGinn but was unsuccessful, which is why those players were placed on waivers, the sources said.

McGinn and Kapanen formed two-thirds of the Penguins’ third line for most of this season. Along with center Jeff Carter, those three players combined for only 25 goals before Kapanen went on waivers last week.

Miller conceivably could fit as a third-line center with the Penguins, though he generally has been a top-six forward in recent seasons. He would bring size and nastiness — two assets Hextall and president of hockey operations Brian Burke have professed to crave for the Penguins — along with offensive production.

Miller had scored 20 goals and 54 points in 59 games before Tuesday. However, he is 30, and beginning next season will count $8 million annually on a seven-year contract.

Chrychrun, 24, would have two years remaining on a contract that counts $4.6 million against the cap. He is viewed by Sullivan as being an ideal first-pairing defense partner for Kris Letang.

(Top photo of Jakob Chychrun: Zac BonDurant / Getty Images)