The talk in Philadelphia is that the Penguins will pursue Flyers free agents Alexei Zhamnov and Mark Recchi.
Others predict the Penguins will chase Alexei Kovalev, whose contract with the Montreal Canadiens expires on Wednesday.
This has no doubt sparked visions of an all-star team performing at Moldy Arena next season (when and if next season occurs).
Please.
It's true that big-name players without much leverage will flood the free-agent market Thursday, as teams drop into the financial equivalent of a neutral-zone trap in anticipation of a new NHL economy.
It's also true that the Penguins are committed to less than $10 million in NHL-only salaries for next season.
But they still have a bunch of their restricted free agents to sign.
They still have to pay Mario Lemieux.
They still might have to pay Marc-Andre Fleury $8 million in bonus money over the next few years.
And they're still not exactly rolling in dough.
After years of sitting out summer free agency, the Penguins would do well to sign one significant player.
If the three choices were Kovalev, Zhamnov and Recchi, I'd take Recchi in a heartbeat.
Look at it like a stock. Recchi is a safe investment. Kovalev and Zhamnov are high-risk.
Recchi has been at least a point-per-game player throughout his career.
Kovalev and Zhamnov have underachieved, producing less than a point per game, despite their enormous natural talents.
At 36, Recchi is no spring penguin, (Bwahahahaha... no seriously, that's just bad - Chris) but there isn't a better-conditioned player in the league, and he is coming off a season in which he played all 82 games and had 75 points.
He also had 14 power-play goals and a plus-18 rating.
When he left Pittsburgh, Recchi was branded a one-way player who didn't care much for defense. He has since learned the trade in Montreal and Philly, where he bought into Coach Ken Hitchcock's defensive system and helped sell it to his teammates.
If Recchi can be had for, say, $5 million over two years, the Penguins should get him. 
Zhamnov, insanely, wants $5 million per year. (Yeah, it's insane because you don't think you'll be able to get him... "it's only insane if you can't afford it..." Glen Sather School of Finance)
Kovalev could have signed a five-year deal worth about $30 million with the Penguins in 2003, but had visions of a $10 million salary dancing in his head.
That will never happen.
The logic to pursuing Kovalev, among his supporters, seems to be that he flourished in the Penguins' loosey-goosey, goal-happy environment.
They don't play that way anymore.
The Penguins have implemented a team concept. Kovalev is an individualist. They play a structured game. Kovalev is a free spirit.
Don't get me wrong. This club obviously could use Kovalev's offense. On some nights, he is the best player in the world.
On many others, he morphs into Kovy The Cosmonaut, floating in a most peculiar way.
Ground Control to Kov-a-lev ...
Besides, Recchi is better up front on the power play.
One of the reasons Kovalev flourished here was that he played the right point on power plays. That spot now is ably manned by Ric Jackman, an actual defenseman who can stop those tragicomic short-handed breaks that often featured Kovalev in the role of bumbling defender.
Kovalev sometimes plays great. Recchi always plays good.
Joe Starkey is a sports writer for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com
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