BIG TIME MOVE, LADIES AND GENTS. Right before you were about to get ready to punch out for the weekend, Darren Dreger goes out and drops a bombshell on us.
Brassard to Pittsburgh for a 1st, goalie Gustavsson and other cap related elements.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 23, 2018
Boom. Just like that, the 3rd line center position in Pittsburgh has officially been filled. Derick Brassard is now officially a member of your back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Beautiful.
But we all knew acquiring a guy like Brassard would come at a pretty hefty cost. He’s got two years left on his contract with an AAV (average annual value) of $5 million and a modified NTC (no trade clause – but that doesn’t really mean shit here, I just felt like including it to make it sound interesting). The possibility of the Penguins trading for Brassard was such a dilemma last night for Pittsburghers after the Devils acquired Michael Grabner, even the mayor was up losing sleep trying to figure how the GMJR could pull it off.
He was a rental who would’ve played a bottom 6 role with Pens. The need is Center. Need depth for Sid & Geno. Brassard has 2 years, has Bonino+ stats, could play top six, if injury. Yes, I realize requires clearing almost $4M in cap space – worth it. https://t.co/GzoMvD58yb
— bill peduto (@billpeduto) February 23, 2018
So what’s the answer?
A 1st round pick, goaltending prospect Filip Gustavsson, and “other cap related elements.”
“Other cap related elements?”
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Ian Cole to Ottawa part of deal as well. https://t.co/1BOxvKhY2d
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 23, 2018
Ian Cole makes $2.1 million, so there's your cap equation to make it work for Pittsburgh https://t.co/QhzRS1rbuD
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 23, 2018
So long, Ian. You served us well.
So perhaps a high cost to lose a 1st rounder, high level prospect, and Ian Cole, but here’s the thing:
A. The Penguins didn’t include Daniel Sprong in the package for Brassard like many were speculating (including yours truly), B. Derick Brassard is a VERY good two-way center who has the ability to raise his game in the postseason (. 71 PPG career average in the playoffs compared to say, Nick Bonino, who has a .53 PPG career average) ,and C. This gives them another opportunity to win now. Not next year. Not five years from now. NOW. 2018.
Like John Yohe says, sometimes you have to pay a pretty steep price when you’re in the business of winning championships. And that’s exactly what the Penguins did today.
The Penguins have paid a pretty steep price for Brassard. But then, when you're trying to win a third straight Cup, such things are probably necessary.
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) February 23, 2018
So what’s it take to win three cups?
Brass… ard.
(h/t to @PenguinsMarch for the gif.)
Buckle up, ladies and gents! It’s time to defend the throne again.
P.S. – If this doesn’t give you goose pimples then you should probably go get checked out by a neurologist.
Here’s the problem for the rest of the NHL:
Sheary-Crosby-Rust
Hagelin-Malkin-Hornqvist
Guentzel-Brassard-Kessel— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) February 23, 2018
And oh yeah, Riley Sheahan is now a 4th line center. Not bad.
P.P.S. – This guy Phil Turkas owes me a buck.
https://twitter.com/pturkas/status/966040837921665025
UPDATE: Nobody knows what the actual fuck is going on. Safe to say Brassard is a Penguin, though.
PIT-OTT deal involving Brassard is ultra-complicated, so much so that Brassard will likely first be traded to a team other than PIT. Then flipped to PIT. Hearing that third team is likely VGK. Potential for layers of salary retention.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 23, 2018
UPDATE (9:06 pm EST): Looks like Reaves is part of the deal as well.
VGK end up with Ryan Reaves and a fourth-round pick (VAN in 2018) from PIT.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 24, 2018
UPDATE (9:22 pm EST): Here’s the official breakdown:
The #Pens have acquired forward Derick Brassard in a three-team trade with Ottawa & Vegas.
PIT also received a 2018 3rd-round draft pick and prospect forward Vincent Dunn from the Sens and prospect forward Tobias Lindberg from the Golden Knights.
Info: https://t.co/Rpdk3eWxw3 pic.twitter.com/OUjBBc3Znq
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 24, 2018
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