Mark Madden: Patric Hornqvist changed Penguins; Josh Anderson could do the same

The Pittsburgh Penguins were 10-10 going into Tuesday night’s game at Nashville. You can’t get more mediocre than that.

The Penguins have shown signs of life, especially against strong foes. But they don’t look like a good bet to win a playoff series for the first time since 2018 or even a lock to make the postseason. The Penguins remain stale, not least on the power play. (Which I’m sick of discussing.)

Salary cap limitations make it tough for hockey boss Kyle Dubas to adjust. Maybe it’s unfair to expect more after the miraculous offseason acquisition of defenseman Erik Karlsson, the reigning Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman. Even if Karlsson doesn’t bring improved results, look at the bums Dubas dumped.

But perhaps Dubas can learn from history and even repeat it.

In 2014, then-Penguins GM Jim Rutherford traded winger James Neal to Nashville for winger Patric Hornqvist.

The swap wasn’t initially well received by a lot of Penguins fans.

Neal scored 40 goals in 2011-12, 27 in the campaign before the deal. Neal was fast, flashy and a good linemate for Evgeni Malkin. Hornqvist seemed plodding by comparison.

But Hornqvist changed the Penguins.

Hornqvist was physical. He battled down low. He went to the blue paint. He provided a net-front presence on the power play. The payoff was never more evident than when Hornqvist scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in Game 6 of the 2017 finals at Nashville.

Is a trade like that out there now? Maybe.

Montreal right winger Josh Anderson is one of the NHL’s very few true power forwards. He’s also mired in a grievous slump, having scored no goals in 21 games. This despite playing in the Canadiens’ top six and on their first power-play.

Anderson’s fancy stats list him at 5.6 expected goals, ranking him 111th in the NHL. Zero goals has him tied for last in the league.

Anderson, 29, is 6-foot-3, 224 pounds. He skates well. He scored 21 goals last season. His career high is 27 in 2018-19 with Columbus. Anderson is signed through 2027 at a cap hit of $5.5 million.

Anderson probably wouldn’t be a good acquisition for the long run. Heck, he’d be a risky get for right now.

But he could be the net-front presence on the Penguins’ top power play, and that has the potential to fix a lot. (Full disclosure: Anderson isn’t that guy on Montreal’s power play, strictly speaking. Sean Monahan mostly handles that. But Anderson has the size, disposition and skill set to do it for the Penguins. He’s familiar with the low slot.)

The ideal exchange would be winger Rickard Rakell. No goals in 17 games. Slump for slump. Rakell carries a $5 million cap hit through 2028.

But Rakell is on long-term injured reserve. Anderson, because of his size, is a more valuable commodity. Montreal shouldn’t want that deal.

Would Dubas be willing to dangle Bryan Rust? Even Jake Guentzel?

Guentzel is inked only through this season, though, and the Canadiens are unlikely to make the playoffs and thus hardly in the market for a rental. Rust is signed through 2028. His cap figure is $5.125 million.

Disclaimer: Everybody mentioned has some sort of no- or limited-movement clause. Anderson, Rakell, Rust, Guentzel. That doesn’t mean they can’t be traded. It does mean they exercise some control.

Getting somebody like Anderson might transform the Penguins like getting Hornqvist did in 2014.

Adding Karlsson hasn’t changed the Penguins. It hasn’t even improved their power play, which is mind-boggling. Karlsson is mega-talented. But stylistically, he plays just like all the other top-tier Penguins.

Anderson doesn’t. Anderson provides a tangible fix at a problem spot. Anderson would bring change.