8:35pm: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ release fills in the remaining blanks as to the Vegas Golden Knights’ role in the deal. The Pens confirmed that they acquired Brassard, Dunn, and Ottawa’s 2018 third-rounder, but have also added forward prospect Tobias Lindberg from the Golden Knights. In exchange, Vegas received Reaves and the Penguins’ 2018 fourth-round pick, as previously confirmed, and the Knights retained 40% of Brassard’s salary, or $2MM against the cap this season and next . So, in exchange for the added cap space this year and Lindberg, a 22-year-old winger being traded for the third time in his pro career, the Penguins gave Vegas an NHL-caliber checking forward and a draft pick. It is highly speculated that Ottawa, who retained no salary in the deal, will quickly flip Cole to a contender, while it remains possible that Vegas could flip Reaves. The Knights could also hold on to the veteran energy-liner with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and William Carrier currently sidelined .
8:20pm: The Ottawa Senators have now officially announced the trade, with even more twists. The Senators have indeed acquired Cole, Gustavsson, and the Penguins 2018 first-round pick in the trade. They will also receive a 2019 third-round pick from Pittsburgh. Additionally, Brassard is joined by young forward Vincent Dunn and a 2018 third-round pick on their way to the Penguins. Essentially, the teams added a swap of third-rounders into the mix, as well as Dunn, a 22-year-old ECHL veteran.
8:00pm: The trade has been re-worked and approved by the league, with some interesting twists. TSN’s Bob McKenzie was the first to report that the deal had been completed, with Brassard headed to Pittsburgh. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman then added that Cole would still be going to Ottawa, rather than Vegas, as some had speculated. However, Vegas will be getting a return in the form of Penguins enforcer Ryan Reaves, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun announced. The Penguins acquired Reaves from the St. Louis Blues for a first-round pick and Oskar Sundqvist in last June’s draft, but have moved on from the energy line forward less than a year later. McKenzie adds that Pittsburgh also sent a fourth-round pick to the Golden Knights. More details about the three-team deal are still to come.
4:58pm: Hold everything, as Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet is now reporting that the deal has been rejected by the NHL unless it is restructured. The league would not allow Brassard to pass through Vegas simply for the purpose of retaining salary. This decision is understandable, as it would set a dangerous precedent for further cap space exploitation if allowed. Dreger and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet both report that the three teams are working to come up with something that will be approved.
4:05pm: Derick Brassard appears to be on his way to Pittsburgh, as Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that the Ottawa Senators are closing in on a deal that would send the veteran center to the Penguins. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the Senators will receive a 2018 first-round pick, goaltender Filip Gustavsson, and defenseman Ian Cole. There also is expected to be some level of salary retention of Brassard’s contract, and could be another part of the move still to come. Bob McKenzie of TSN tweets that the deal is very complicated, and likely includes the Vegas Golden Knights.
Brassard was arguably the top center option available on the trade market this weekend, and had as many as seven teams interested in acquiring his services. Pittsburgh finally won the bidding, and will part with a solid package of assets.
The Senators were insisting on a first-round pick in any Brassard deal, but they’ll get one that falls near the end of the round. The Penguins are pushing the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division, and are doing everything in their power to try and three-peat as Stanley Cup Champions.
Gustavsson may be the jewel of the package, as he has shown really high-end potential since being selected 55th-overall in 2016. Playing in the SHL, the 19-year old goaltender has a .917 save percentage and excelled at the World Juniors winning a silver medal and being named the tournament’s best goaltender. Still, Gustavsson is very young and could still be years away from making a real impact at the NHL level.
Cole will likely be flipped in the next few days, as he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. The 28-year old defenseman was included to even out salaries, but probably won’t have a very long Senators career unless the team approaches him with an extension offer. Cole was rumored to be on the block for almost the entire season, and could net the Senators another draft pick or prospect for their rebuild.
In adding Brassard, the Penguins once again become a favorite in the Eastern Conference. Though he isn’t expected to carry the load offensively, he now gives them their familiar three-line attack with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel all able to drive a group. Almost no one in the NHL can match that kind of depth down the middle, especially if Brassard can find another gear playing against weaker competition. Already with 18 goals and 38 points through 58 games, he’ll give them another option on the powerplay as well.
Brassard actually has 78 games of playoff experience, mostly going back to his days with the New York Rangers. In those appearances he’s recorded 22 goals and 55 points, an impressive total that Penguins GM Jim Rutherford no doubt took into account. He’s also been extremely durable the last few seasons, playing in at least 80 games for four straight years coming into 2017-18.
In all, the trade seems like a good fit for both clubs, even if it is a bit surprising. Ottawa was playing Pittsburgh in the seventh game of the Conference Finals less than a year ago, and is now selling off assets in order to reload on talent. This could be just the first of several moves this weekend.
– Zach Leach contributed to this post.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
penguins first definitely has to be in play
1st and Gustavsson…?
sens need to take a contract back to make this work cap wise.
Hunwick ? Then flip him.
Ian Cole, 1st, and Gustavsson for Brassard. Good trade for both.
Cole Gustafson and 1st. nice haul for sens
Good job Ottawa
Wow great get for the Pens.
I thought the Pens would keep Cole but move Hunwick in a separate deal and Sheary and maybe Gustovsson with a pick. Wonder if another deal is in the works too.
another deal for What?
Another defenseman. Hunwick and Ruhwedel are ok but not the caliber of Cole. Just saying I could see JR trying to get a decent defenseman if he can.
Karlsson? Lol
Dare to dream but just thinking they need another shot blocker type like Cole was. Someone who can play some offense but still good on the back end too.
Sounds a lot like Hunwick to me.. Just because he got hurt doesnt mean hes not proven capable, and will have every opportunity now.
At worst, Pens use Ruhwedel.. Guy they won a cup with last year.
Pens have no cap space and at best, claim a minors depth defender
HUGE haul for the Sens. Don’t know if would have given up that much with the way the Pens are playing right now.
Why? The first would of had to be moved for almost any quality center, Cole was added to even out salary, and Gustavson didn’t have a future in PGH with Murray and Jarry both being young keepers.
And DeSmith has proven quality as well. and he is young as well.
Doesnt mean they dont think Gustafson is a god in canada.. Just cuz Pens had no need for him.
this just starts the year down. rumours in Ottawa is owner has directed to shed salary as he has lost a ton of money. expect more trades with either Hoffman or Smith or Ceci next likely to go.
LOVE this trade.
The Pens have added Brassard and Letang to last year’s championship team.
Not bad.
F***ing Phil Kessel and Derick Brassard on a THIRD line…probably with last year’s playoff goal leader Jake Guentzel.
Nice depth.
Stacked on offense. Hope they have enough D to keep it out. Mentioned above that I somehow think JR is also trying to get another defenseman. Maybe Hunwick and Ruhwedel are better than I think.
I agree I think we need 1 more defenseman. Needed 8 in last year’s playoff run, but Letang being healthy goes a long way.
I’d be willing to move a 2nd to anyone who takes Hunwick and sends back a decent D man.
It’d probably take a second rounder for a decent dman to begin with, Hunwick and a 2nd probably doesn’t get back a decent dman. My reasoning for this is that Holden got a 3rd rounder who was a third pair defensemen, so a better dman than Holden would probably cost a 2nd and another piece if they’re taking Hunwick back.
Sheary, Hunwick, 2nd for a mid tier Dman?
Don’t think they’d need to move Sheary unless they really want to/to be cap compliant. Hunwick and a 2nd sounds good for a second pair dman (if its cap compliant) though.
No, that’s way too much. Don’t give up on Sheary just yet. Love Ian Cole, but Ruhwedel and Hunwick are good enough as your 8th D man. And that’s just the thing. They have two D men for that one spot. Depth allowed them to facilitate this trade without concern about exposing the blueline.
Dorion hit a home run on this trade.
Flip Cole to a team like the leafs, Tampa, Vegas or jets for a 2nd a minor prospect. Good trade for Ottawa
As a NYR fan I absolutely love Beads are. Great trade for Pens. Ottawa did well too I think. Now who wants Nash?
This trade basically solidifies the Rangers quest for a number one and possible prospect for Nash. Can’t imagine what they’d get for McD.
Over pay by the Pens in my opinion. Cole should not have been a part of this deal. If they were moving a d man it should have been Hunwick. Getting a first and a highly regarded goalie prospect is essentially 2 #1 picks and likely a 3rd if they flop Cole.
But as a Pens fan I’m excited considering it’s not every season you get a shot at 3 titles in a row. Plus they still have Sprong and other pieces they can move to pick up a defenseman.
Nobody wanted Hunwick with his salary and term. Cole wasn’t going to be here next year anyways so it was better to move him for something now while they could. Gustavson didn’t have a future in Pittsburgh with both Murray and Jarry ahead of him on the depth chart. Don’t forget Brassard has another year left after this one and that has value.
Sprong is not going anywhere. At least he shouldn’t You might see someone like Sheary and a minor leaguer go for a mid tier defenseman.
I honestly expect that they add another cheap third pairing shot blocking guy, and those guys are a dime a dozen.
^ exactly. No one wants Hunwick. His contract realistically isn’t that bad, but no one wants to pay that much for two years for a third pairing dman. Adding Hunwick would’ve costed another high pick/prospect. I mean if the Penguins and their fans don’t want Hunwick, I doubt another team does so I didn’t understand why Hunwick was being tossed in every deal without something else being attached to him.
yeah cause teams always trade a 1st for a #5 d man with no term.
Hall Gill says hi… now he was trade for a 2nd a couple times but still shows #5 guys are worth a bit
Also remember 3 years ago when Roman Polak was trade for not 1 but 2 2nd rounders
That deal also had Spaling in it who had value at the time
Good move for Penguins chance to another cup. He steps it up in the playoffs.
Good haul for the Sens. They can flip Cole now for another pick/prospect. If the Penguins had insisted on Hunwick, the Sens probably would’ve insisted on another pick/prospect being sent their way. This deal slightly delays the pick/prospect going to Ottawa, but Ottawa is also likely to rid themselves of Cole’s salary.
I do wonder what Vegas’ role is in this trade. Maybe Ryan heading to Vegas for a signed Vadim Shipachyov puck? Or maybe the Pens got them to eat a contract? Something like Hunwick and a pick for one of Vegas’ dmen (not named Theodore, Schmidt, or Engelland)?
So Vegas also somehow ate 40% of Brassard’s salary, or did you mean Ottawa in the most recent update? If Vegas absorbed some of Brassard’s salary, I don’t see how that solved the NHL’s issue with a third team eating salary just to pass the player along to the intended destination.
Vegas did. They need to get contracts gone in order to make moves
I don’t know how the original deal was structured but I imagine there was not a player going to Vegas at first. So the league probably balked at a player being passed through a team for a pick in exchange for simply salary retention.
Ahh ok thanks.
Man Reeves is one of my favorite players and he’s always getting tossed around. Why they gotta do it to him
So because Vegas and Pittsburgh swapped Reaves and Lindberg it’s ok for Brassard to pass through Vegas to have salary retained? This still sets a dangerous precedent.
Seriously. It’s not like Brassard would go to Vegas based on what Vegas gave up, and then they decided flip him to Pittsburgh or something. The entire thing is completely illogical and the league’s like, “nice one, good trade”.
I think the trade is fine if they want to be ok with letting teams pass players through for retaining salary, but saying it’s not ok for a pick and there has to be some sort of player involved is a bizarre ruling. Either say it’s fine to pass a player through for salary retention or say it isn’t, but there shouldn’t be any gray area.