In all likelihood, the Edmonton Oilers will need to add a player who is capable of playing meaningful minutes at center during the course of the off-season. Connor McDavid is fully entrenched as the team’s top pivot, but questions surround the second and third line spots.
Will Leon Draisaitl be Edmonton’s second line center, something he did successfully in the second round against Anaheim? Or will Leon return to right wing on the team’s top line, a spot that helped him post 77 points during the regular season?
If Leon is on the wing, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will handle the second line center duties, creating a hole for Edmonton on the third line. If that hole does in fact exist, could free agent Nick Bonino be a fit to fill it?
Why Is He Out There?:
The Penguins acquired Bonino from Vancouver in the summer of 2015 and the fit has been perfect ever since. Bonino has been the perfect complementary center behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but he’s going get a raise this July when he hits the open market.
The Penguins currently have $12,949,167 in cap space heading into the summer but have a number of players to re-sign and holes to fill. As of now, Pittsburgh only has three defenders under contract for 2017-18 and only ten forwards under contract. There isn’t a lot of room to give Bonino a big raise on his current $1.9 million AAV.
It’s likely that after two highly successful seasons in the Steel City, Bonino hits the market and prices himself out of Pittsburgh.
What Does He Do Well?:
Bonino is a classic two-way center who plays a very responsible game but can also contribute enough offensively to be a factor. He’s strong defensively and can matchup with the best that the opposition has to offer. A good comparable for Oiler fans is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, in the sense that he very rarely makes mistakes in his own end and doesn’t give up many good chances against.
Bonino can play on the penalty kill, giving the Oilers depth there, and can also help out on the powerplay. That said, because Bonino is a left-shot, I’m not sure how much time he would see on the man advantage if he were to come to Edmonton.
In terms of ability in the face-off circle, Bonino was 76th in the NHL with a 48% success rate on 1,213 draws. That, to me at least, is a disappointing total for a player who is supposed to be a shut-down center. Bonino posted a 46.4% Corsi for 5-on-5 % and started just 43.2% of his shifts in the offensive zone.
His boxcars this season were 18-19-37 in 80 games and he was a -5 for a Penguin team that overall finished at +48.
Where Will He Play/Where Should He Play?:
Nick Bonino is one of the few sexy names on the free agent market this summer, but don’t be fooled by that fact. He’s a good player, but Bonino is not a top-six center at this point. He should be a team’s third line center, and I think that is exactly what he would be with the Oilers.
If Edmonton is signing Bonino, that means they are planning on using Draisaitl on the wing and McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins in the top-six at center. At least, that’s how I would interpret a Bonino signing.
What Will He Cost?:
Bonino’s most recent contract was a three-year deal that paid him an AAV of $1.9 million. After winning the Cup in 2016 and at least getting there this year, Bonino will get a raise. He’s also been involved in some pretty damn big moments for these Pittsburgh teams, so you better believe that teams will pay for that kind of experience.
I could see Bonino cashing in with a four or five year deal at around $4.5 million per season. That, however, is likely too rich for my blood.
Closing Argument:
I like Nick Bonino as a player, but I’m not sure that he is a very good fit for the Edmonton Oilers this summer. He’s another left-shot center and there are some warning signs with the player. His offensive numbers are pretty consistent and I think he is well surrounded as a player at this point.
Essentially, with Bonino you are getting a player who plays responsible defensive hockey and posts around 40 points a year. That has value in the NHL, but I’m not sure it has value to the Oilers. Why? Edmonton has a very similar player in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who I think is actually better than Bonino.
If Peter Chiarelli decides to sign a top-nine forward this summer, which I suspect he will, then he is better off looking for a right-shot center that brings something different to the table.
Nick Bonino’s skills are already duplicated on this Oiler roster and he is likely to cost way too much. I’d pass if I were the Oilers.
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