Appearances Can Be Deceiving

After making what at least one well-known person in the world of hockey felt was the biggest splash on the first day of free agency -- http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=5347486 -- things have been quiet for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Or have they?

On the surface, they seem to have been. But behind the scenes, things are happening.

I mentioned the other day that reports existed saying the Penguins were looking hard at trying to add free-agent forward Christopher Higgings. Since that time, Higgins has signed a one-year deal with the Florida Panthers, so he's no longer an option.

That hasn't stopped the Penguins from continuing to look around, however, and there are rumblings that they are now taking a look at free agents Rob Niedermayer and Jeff Halpern.

Of course, it's no secret that the Penguins could use a little help up front. It's also no secret they are trying to do it as cheaply as they can, because of the limited (read: about $2 million) salary cap space they have. And that could mean trying to bring someone in -- like Niedermayer -- who might bolster their 3rd line and allow them to move Jordan Staal up to the wing this season on one of the top 2 lines.

Pittsburgh isn't finished with Bill Guerin necessarily, either. Shero continues to have occasional contact with Guerin's camp and, while Guerin also continues to shop around for other teams (on the East coast, mainly), I don't think there's any doubt that he and the Penguins will have at least one final chance to strike a deal before either side makes an official move. With Guerin's obvious preference to return to Pittsburgh, the impetus of the Penguins potentially signing someone else may be just enough to get the veteran leader to drop his demands enough to pull him back into the fold for one more year.

Meanwhile, the Penguins are making some off-ice news as well.

First, they signed former Ottawa Senators' and Florida Panthers' General Manager Randy Sexton to be their Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting, where he will assist Jay Heinbuck in helping identify top young talent for the organ-I-zation.

Beyond that, the team is fast narrowing its list of potential candidates for their open assistant coaching vacancy.

They interviewed former Minnesota Wild assistant Mike Ramsey within the last few days. Ramsey resigned from his position in Minnesota after this last season, but the Penguins really like him as a guy who could join their bench and work with their defense. Of course, only time will tell if they move on him, or in a different direction.

Another familiar name who Pittsburgh has interviewed for the job is former Pens' assistant coach Barry Smith. Smith has been coaching in Russia the last several years since departing the Detroit Red Wings franchise about 3 years ago.

I would suspect the Penguins to make a hire for their assistant vacancy sometime this month.

More soon.