Sydor requests trade

According to the Trib, Darryl Sydor has asked the Pens for a trade.

Not shocking, even with Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney out with injuries, Sydor couldn’t find his way into the lineup due mainly to rookie Alex Goligoski playing so well at the NHL level. Further, sooner or later Gonchar and Whitney will re-join the team and that’s just going to push Sydor even further down the depth chart, if not off the team entirely.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that Sydor has seen the writing on the wall and requested a change of venue. The bigger question is, at 36 years old, are there any takers for him? Surely the Penguins would be willing to shed Sydor (and his $2.5 million salary) for little more than a late draft pick or far-flung prospect.

Sydor hasn’t been ineffective when he has been in the lineup but it is clear time is starting to pass him by and he’s not the player he once was. Still, it’s hard not to think he could be a 5/6 defensemen on any number of NHL teams and as injuries mount up perhaps another team will be willing to get Sydor.