Penguins/NHL
Brassard Headed to Pittsburgh in 3-team trade
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UPDATED 9:00 p.m. | Derick Brassard is officially a Pittsburgh Penguin, more than eight hours after the Penguins and Ottawa Senators requested a trade call with the NHL. The Penguins and Senators agreed to a complex deal to send Brassard to Pittsburgh around 12:30 p.m. EST. The deal that also included the Vegas Golden Knights as a third team was initially rejected by the National Hockey League around 4:00 p.m. Several hours later, a reworked deal has been approved by the NHL.
OFFICAL TRADE
Pittsburgh receives: Center Derick Brassard (60% of cap hit-$3 million), Forward Vincent Dunn, Forward Tobias Lindberg, 2018 3rd round pick (OTT)
Ottawa Receives: Defenseman Ian Cole, 2018 1st Round Pick, Goaltender Filip Gustavsson, 2019 3rd round pick (PIT)
Vegas Receives: Ryan Reaves, 2018 4th round pick (originally Vancouver)
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Trade Analysis
The Penguins accomplish their primary goal in acquiring Brassard, a player in the last month they’ve pegged as their No. 1 target. As well as Riley Sheahan has been playing lately, the Penguins get a game changer in Brassard when it comes to putting him into a third line role, where he’ll play a lot with Phil Kessel and Jake Guentzel, a line that would be some teams No. 1 line.
Brassard, 30, has 18 goals and 20 assists on the season. A big time playoff performer, Brassard has 22 goals and 55 points in 78 career playoff games.
The trickle down effect with the lineup is that Brassard in a third line center role next to Kessel is going to provide significant matchup problems for the rest of the Eastern Conference.
That is what the Penguins kept coming back to when they decided to go all-in for Brassard and what also drove the Penguins to Brassard is that he’s also not a rental, with one year left on his contract.
Thanks to Vegas the Penguins also get Derick Brassard for a cap hit of $3 million per season. That is huge for next season.
— The deal was so complex and initially rejected (2 times) because the teams were trying to do four transactions which basically happened as Brassard was technically traded from Vegas to Pittsburgh as the Golden Knights will retain 40% of Brassard’s salary for this season.
Vegas also includes 22 year old AHLer Tobias Lindberg who was a 4th round pick in 2013. He can play a little, has 8 goals and 10 assists in 48 games for the Chicago Wolves. In 148 career AHL games, Lindberg has 68 points and a +2 rating. Lindberg is 6-foot-3, 225lbs and whose game is being a net-front presence and winning battles below the dots.
Dunn, 22, was a 5th round pick in 2013 and is a career minor leaguer, splitting time in the AHL and ECHL.
From the Vegas end, it’s not clear what benefit they get here in the deal other than George McPhee helping the Penguins out again as he took it easy on Pittsburgh during the expansion draft where he could have played hardball by selecting an exposed player than working out a separate trade for Marc Andre Fleury.
Here they help Pittsburgh, a team they could actually face in the Stanley Cup Final (as crazy as it sounds) by taking Ryan Reaves and retaining 40% of Brassard’s salary this season.
— Ottawa accomplished two primary goals in the trade.
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They get a first round pick and most notably a high-end prospect in Filip Gustavsson. Gustavsson’s in-fact viewed as an outstanding prospect in league circles.
Sources say the Penguins tried to sell the Senators on Daniel Sprong for weeks but Ottawa had been insisting on Gustavsson and Pittsburgh eventually gave in to finalize the deal. They don’t get Brassard without Gustavsson.
Pittsburgh told teams for months Gustavsson was not available but when you have a 23 year old franchise goaltender in Matt Murray, the Gustavsson talk only ended up being a smokescreen.
As for Ian Cole, this was strictly about making the money work and [/hide] once Cole wanted out in late November, I don’t think Mike Sullivan really wanted him here, sources close to the situation have said.
Cole has been okay since returning to the lineup but I think there was a bit of media feel good story going around where his level of play was being overrated a bit.
All you had to do was see Mike Sullivan’s reaction Sunday on Cole’s third period turnover that led to a Blue Jackets goal as to why his spot on the roster/or lineup was still tenuous. He wanted to rip Cole’s head off in a game the Penguins were cruising.
Pittsburgh couldn’t get a second rounder for Cole To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
From Pierre LeBrun. This is huge.
FYI, Pens’ press release says Vegas retaining salary on Brassard for “rest of this season” but source confirms, as per CBA rules, it’s obviously for remainder of his contract through next season
When a team retains salary ins player traded, the team retaining salary does so for the duration on the players contract.
So Vegas is eating 40% this year, and 40% of next years salary as well.
Next year Brassard will be playing for the Pens for 3m.
Not a bad deal.
Was Zach Sill involved?
I know the Pens just got Brassard, which is great. But please do not lose sight of the fact that Sam still sucks.
So does McPhee feel like he owes JR because of Fleury, or does he really want to stick it to the Caps?
I’ll say a little from column a and a little from b
Team to beat in East is tampax
Apparently Brassard was on his way to Winnepeg.
From John Shannon:
It appears otherwise, Brassard was heading to a western team, VGK got involved to keep him in the east. As I was told “Better to face him in round 4 than 2”
Are there any rumors about the asking price for Jack Johnson out there?
Yes
Ian Cole, most of his starts in the defensive zone but is still a positive corsi and Fenwick. Three goals which puts him a little off the pace of a guy that sam would swallow to the taint and has played 11 less games than the same aforementioned taint and 5 minutes less a night… Second on the team in blocks, played 12 less games than the leader. Hits, fights… guys been solid and there is one fucken retard trying to down play it… he was alone until this fucking hack had to say something stupid too lol. Pens are… Read more »
I am still a bit worried about injuries. If Murray gets hurt Jarry is not playoff ready and there is no quality D men to be called up if someone goes down. Chances are someone will get hurt in the playoffs. Losing Cole is a big loss.
Jarry has shown himself to be capable and arguably better than most backups… so this is an issue all teams are weary of. It’s a non issue until it becomes one
Don’t mess with what’s hot now…but come playoffs, i’d like to see:
Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvisy
AstonReese-Malkin-Kessel
Hagelin-Brassard-Rust
Rowney-Sheahan-Kuhnhackl
Pray somebody takes Sheary and his $3 + Hunwick and his $2.5 off our hands.
Then add a cheap taxi squad for the bottom 6 like Pouliot or Maroon.
Take the money savings and go get a nice defenseman.
Of course you’d stick Kessel on a line with Malkin so they can continue to overpass to each other. With a player as skilled as Brassard you’d have to be brain dead to not play Kessel deeper in the line up… it’s a big reason why it occurred. Malkin is better when he’s forced to shoot and taking a shooter like Kessel off his line forces him.
Also wants to move Sheary but thinks Maroon and or Pouliot is a better option… Maroon couldn’t make it work with the best play maker in the game right now (under 30) and Pouliot is like James Neal without the shot!
Small money and depth with an upside? Call Edmonton about Camelleri
I don’t think either is a better player than Sheary. I think $4 million of the money you free up is better spent on a defenseman. I think the Pens have enough top 6 winger depth and if there is injury, you have 2 wingers on the 3rd line who can slide up. Much cheaper to have a $1 guy on the taxi squad to plug in vs a $3 guy on the tax squad. I don’t think they need a 20 goal scorer, they need more bottom 6 imo when talking forwards. Defense is the big need, and you’re… Read more »
But filling for the sake of filling? The team has a specific model and I think they need more tact here. Cammelleri has fallen a bit but I’d be curious to see what he would do parked deep on the Pens roster or even next to Crosby. He still has the wheels to play but has been in a couple of meh scenarios. I would be fine moving Sheary for a better D with Hunwick but hard pass on Pouliot. Maroon is a better option but he really floundered this year in Edmonton. There is a move that needs to… Read more »
What’s the hole left by Sheary? What line is he important to? He’s invisible most games and a strong candidate for a healthy scratch by Scum Sully. When he’s on, he can put the puck in the net. You don’t have time to play the “which sheary we gonna get tonight” game in the playoffs, which was evidence by him collecting a lot of splinters last year. I’m gonna pass on Maroon unless the ask comes down from a 1st rounder or top prospect. I’d try to see what we can get for a 3rd or so to provide insurance… Read more »
Debut?
VGK retains 40% next year as well. That is huge.
Agreed. Couple that with Hornqvist saying he loves playing here and the fact the Org is willing to go all in makes it that way.
Good article. D but Cole was a warrior and not a dumb player. Somewhere zero will be sad cole gone. If only npl can be gone as well
Bahahahahaha… D said he’s been okay so that’s all sam needs. D is a fucken hack on the best nights. Cole was playing terrific hockey period! Every other credible writer in town agrees period!
I have a feeling Cole won’t even play for sens and be traded again
Really going out on a limb here
King Puck tell you?
So let’s see:
Simon. Crosby. Hornqvist
Hags, Malkin rust
Guentzel brassard kessel
Sheary sheahan reese
Not sold on simon on sids wing
Gmjr will find us a depth d and a depth forward I bet.
Why would the top 2 lines change?
Sorry rust and hornqvist can swap. Either way, it’s Simon who who I’m not set on
Man we gave up a lot. Are any of the prospects any good?
Adding Brassard is awesome though. Hard to see them split up the 3rd line we have, but having a solid 4C like Sheahan now should keep Malkin and Crosby fresh for the playoffs.
Vegas retaining 40%!
So by trading cole and reaves, they pretty much opened up more cap space. Wonder what kind of D he adds by Monday.
Mike Green for Sheary or the thrid they acquired from Ottawa???
The big question, will he be in Florida for tomorrow?
Beat me to it
Tobias Lindstrom and an unspecified pick coming to the Pens(Mackenzie)
Reaves and a 4th to Vegas
Trade approved per bobby mac
Interested to hear the full details
Nice, Kessel gets the Pens back up by two after that fuckk awful screen by Letang.
Malkin with old habits took dumb penalty in the offensive zone
Kessel with 2 and 1 so far… and no one scored on that PP. fuckk you’re dumb
Have to imagine this deal is holding up deals for other teams. Pretty quiet on the rumor front right now as the world awaits the completion of this trade
Imagine fleury comes back to Pittsburgh and Murray goes to Vegas. Vegas retaining fleury 50% of salary.
And then Murray backstops Vegas to a Cup win?
He would probably fake an injury and no fleury to bail him out
Honest question: Why are you so against Murray? Everyone acknowledges how much Fleury meant here, but you constantly bash Murray. He’s injury prone, but he’s also 23 and played a huge part in the Pens winning two cups.
He is good goalie but he is way overrated then what he is. Yes he won the cup at young age but team in front was way superiors then the team fleury had. And he never played under db system. Coincidence fleury had good years under MT. Sully even under MJ 10 shutout that year and his worst times were under Db. That clown ruined fleury reputation for being an elite goalie in the league. Coincidence fleury is playing good under galand as well but you average fan don’t see that. And last I checked Murray is Canadian. So it… Read more »
Nashville series was way easier then the caps and jackets series. If it wasn’t for fleury team wouldn’t went that far I would’ve doubt Murray would’ve steal games while fleury stole 2 series alone he was the mvp up until sully went back with murray. But I don’t remember if Murray stole a series or a game. He did steal a game the year before but last year no. While fleury stole 2 series
I think we own the Jackets, no matter who’s in net. For them or us.
Pens were getting outplayed by jackets and the crazy saves fleury did you forgot how flat pens were starting their games when jackets were heavily outplaying pens each game for the first 10 mins
And Bobrovsky forgot to show up… in a similar fashion to Rinne in those first two games in Pittsburgh, difference was Rinne was much better at home and improved as the series went on.
Jesus now the Nashville series was easy? You really are a fucken retard
Fuck off lol! With that same team Murray’s numbers were vastly superior to Fleurys. While they could have won with either it was clear Murray was playing better goal
Man that 59 sucks… only 20 goals… what a bum
Rumour circulating that Reaves could be on his way to Vegas to help create the cap space… not sure the quality of the source though
LOL there you go with your fantasy world again.
Hahahahahahaha
Damn dreams do come true for some people LOL.
Bet you feel silly as fuckk… first you thought he was a legit NHler then this lol
No not really but now you can put white robe away. He is an NHL’er and a player Sullivan had no idea how to use one of two weaknesses in Sullivan’s coaching. The other he doesn’t let players out of his dog house such as Cole. Unless we get another D Cole absence will come back to haunt us.
This trade better be finalized by the next roster update on NHL 18
Ahh now we know why you not here often you just got yourself a ps4. And just discovered NHL game. If you were a real hockey fan and bought NHL games regulary you would’ve known after trade deadline rosters are updated
Wow. Youre way cooler than me.
Anyone or anything is cooler then you. You fat slob. Now that you have NHL make me not play that game even more. Noobfest
There will be an update to the trade rejection on here on Tuesday.
Swap Hunwick for Cole. Problems (plural) solved.
Brassard has to be on Vegas’ Reserve list first, then he can be traded/moved along to Pittsburgh.
They just have to reword the deal and it should be approved.
Keep in mind that these are legal contracts so they have to spell terms out explicitly to make sense.
You can’t just go by a verbal agreement
Trade was REJECTED???
from the looks vegas was involved and its rumored both ottawa and vegas was retaining salary which i guess isnt allowed
They were each retaining salary from the same player? That’s weird.
Sheary traded yet ?
Cole and his dumb penalties will be missed
Maybe our power play specialists were complaining Cole was killing momentum for them
Crosby is a talker!
Comments like this are sure fire proof you have no fucken clue what you’re talking about. Losing Cole sucks, guys a warrior and plays a solid game! Yes that game includes the type of aggression that leads to penalties so be it. That’s part of the game. There is a trade off but he’s hardly James fucken Neal and that’s a good thing
Oddly enough, Letang takes penalties at the same pace… reconcile fuckhead
Neal was a 5 star moron and when he left malkin became like him
Just heard the trade was rejected by the NHL.
?
Bobby Mac is saying third team involved is Vegas and there could be layers of cap retention
Richie Walsh spotted scuderi at the airport
JR i THINK WILL ADD ONE MORE DEFENSE MAN TO REPLACE COLE….HE CANT BE SOLD ON HUNWICH AS A REGULAR….
MAYBE JORDIE BENN FROM MONTREAL SOLID BOTTOM PAIRING GUY MAKES LESS THAN A MILLION ON AN EXPIRING CONTRACT
Sprong, ZAR and Hunwick for McDonough
Might need to throw in a third.
I’d do it in a second
Potentially a 3rd team involved according to lebrun. I like the trade. I had hunwick instead of cole but I understand Ottawa’s desire for not wanting hunwick. Interested to see what the and deal is. Every site is quiet and haven’t heard from any tweets from any of the big guys.
Too much for brassard
Best center depth since Eric Staal was here. Wow.
*Stall
-Yinzers
At this point I’d do Ruhwedel over Hunwick.
Doubt GMJR doesn’t make a run at a Cole-type though
Me, too!
Ottawa retains 18% or 900k
Brassard for a 1st and portion. If his salary
Now tbj can start drooling over another player
What an absolute steal. Can almost guarantee a separate deal for a d-man.
HUNWICK BLOWS
I don’t think he is that good.
Get ready for Hainsey 2.0. GMJR can’t be done
Cole will be missed. bet pens try to acquire a Dman. Otherwsie, Ive been saying it or moinths now, move Oleksiak to leftside and play him with Ruhwedel.
Cole wanted out anyway. I don’t think the Pens are done yet either.
Maybe a Winger or 6/7 dman
oh shittt thats awesome. Will miss Cole but our center depth is fucckinn insane now