Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said Monday afternoon he would likely make a trade or two to create space under the salary cap.
On Wednesday, he made good on his promise.
The Penguins traded winger Conor Sheary and Matt Hunwick to Buffalo for a conditional fourth-round pick in 2019.
In doing so, the Penguins will save $5.25 million — enough for Bryan Rust's extension, plus enough to theoretically bring back Riley Sheahan and maybe even to make a run at an unrestricted free agent or two Sunday when free agency begins.
“It’s just part of the way the system works and the cap now,” Rutherford said. “Sometimes you have to move players to make it work.”
No salary was retained in the deal. The pick becomes a third-rounder if the Sabres trade away Hunwick before the 2019 NHL draft or Sheary gets 20 goals or 40 points.
The personnel involved here was hardly surprising.
Sheary struggled through bouts of inconsistency. He had one stretch where he scored four goals in 44 games during the 2017-18 regular season, then went without a goal in 12 playoff games.
Given his lack of size, Sheary never showed much value in a bottom-six role. But used in the top-six, Sheary did prove at times to be a capable scorer.
“Conor was a part of two Stanley Cups and a good player for us and a good person,” Rutherford said.
There’s a good chance Buffalo has an opening for a scoring role, while the Penguins — who plan to give youngster Daniel Sprong top-nine minutes — do not.
Sheary has two more years on a deal that pays him $3 million annually.
“Pittsburgh gave this kid a chance, signing him out of college as a free agent,” Sheary’s agent, Lewis Gross, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “They gave him the opportunity to win two Cups. We can’t thank them enough. And we’re excited about the new opportunity. Pittsburgh has been nothing but great.”
Moving Hunwick was also not surprising. Signed on the first day of free agency last summer, Hunwick was supposed to provide a veteran, stabilizing presence. The expectation was he would be someone like Ron Hainsey or Trevor Daley, older players who could find a fit because of their skill sets.
It didn‘t work out.
Hunwick battled concussion issues and never found a fit. At one point, he blamed himself for a lack of confidence and some of the issues that being in and out of the lineup caused.
“With Matt, he was a good pro for us,” Rutherford said. “I think he tried to come in and do way too much. I believe he still has some game left in the NHL, but I think it was important to give him a fresh start somewhere.“
Hunwick’s agent, Peter Fish, said the injuries played a big part.
“When Matt had those couple of injuries, including the concussion, when he came back, he seemed like he was in catch-up mode and never quite fully got on the same page,” Fish said. “I will say — and I mean this — Matt really liked coach [Mike] Sullivan. He liked the guys on the team, and he’s not complaining about the opportunity he had there. I really think if Matt never got hurt, we would not be in this situation right now.”
A key piece in making this deal happen was likely Sabres general manager Jason Botterill, formerly associate GM in Pittsburgh and Rutherford’s previous right-hand man. He also served three weeks as the Penguins’ interim general manager prior to Rutherford being hired in 2014.
Botterill was one of the first believers in Sheary — signing him to an amateur tryout contract, then pushing for him to have an increased role — and may still see value there.
The Sabres are also in great need of defensive help. Botterill could believe that Hunwick’s personality would fit on a younger team and there might be something left in the tank hockey-wise.
“I think Buffalo needs some speed on their back end,” Fish said. “Obviously they’re going to get that with their first-round pick [Rasmu Dahlin]. Jason Botterill is a Michigan guy. He’s always known that Matt has been a good player. He’s got great character. I think they’re looking to help change that culture up there.”
Saving money was the biggest thing for the Penguins.
They inked Rust to a four-year extension worth $14 million on Tuesday, and they’re expected to do something with multiple years on it for Sheahan soon.
They’ve talked with defenseman Jack Johnson and former Penguins forward Chris Kunitz about potentially coming here, but the biggest impediment has been cap space. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.
Love our Penguins coverage? Consider subscribing.
Support journalism. Subscribe today.
This story will be updated.
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: June 27, 2018, 4:10 p.m.
Updated: June 27, 2018, 4:25 p.m.