Penguins Swap Centers in Four-Player Deal with Florida
The Penguins have traded centers Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan to the Florida Panthers for centers Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. The deal, announced earlier in the day by general manager Jim Rutherford, was the club’s second this week and fifth in-season deal since November.
JR also parted with a second-round pick and two fourth-rounders in the exchange.
My first blush? The Pens get younger. McCann is 22 and Bjugstad 26, as opposed to Brassard and Sheahan (31 and 27 respectively). They also gain some size (Bjugstad goes a whopping 6’6″ 215) and speed with McCann. Both are former first-round picks. Neither is especially physical…89 hits this season for the Panthers combined.
The locals gain an extra level of control as well. While Brassard and Sheahan were due to become unrestricted free agents in July, Bjugstad is signed through 2020-21 at an AAV of $4.1 million. McCann is secured through next season with a cap hit of $1.25 million.
Once regarded as a player of considerable promise, Bjugstad has endured an up-and-down career in South Florida similar to that of the departed Sheahan.