Sutter: 'It's tough'

Brandon Sutter has heard his named mentioned – prominently and frequently – in speculation about a trade that would bring Vancouver center Ryan Kelser to the Penguins before the NHL trade deadline Wednesday at 3 p.m.

And it was clear after the Penguins’ game-day skate in Nashville today that all the talk about him changing teams has had an effect.

“It’s tough,” Sutter said. “You just want to go out there and play and try not to worry about it too much. It’s a little tricky, but you try to stay focused and worry about my job. It’s kind of out of my control, so I just go out there and try to play.”

Sutter is scheduled to center the Penguins’ No. 3 line, as usual, when they face Nashville tonight at 8:08 at Bridgestone Arena. He has 10 goals and 11 assists in 60 games this season.

Sutter was acquired from Carolina in June 2012 in the deal that sent Jordan Staal to the Hurricanes. That time, however, his name wasn’t the subject of rampant speculation for days before a trade was worked out.

“I never knew anything, so it’s definitely a different feel,” he said. “This is kind of dragging on, and we don’t really know what’s going to happen.”

The Penguins are widely regarded as the frontrunners to land Kesler if the Canucks decide to trade him, but Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit and the New York Rangers also appear to have serious interest.

Kesler has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he can veto a deal with any team for which he does not want to play.

Coach Dan Bylsma did not deny that Sutter could be dealt, but said he must continue to focus on his duties with the Penguins.

“Brandon’s probably heard his name, and you have to put that aside,” he said. “We have to be focused on playing this game.

“We haven’t gotten a win in the last three games (0-1-2) and our focus has to be there and Brandon has to be there, because we need him tonight to be good.”