Back in the summer of 2015, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford stuck quickly and decisively to trade, in essence, Brandon Sutter for Nick Bonino and then signed Eric Fehr as a free agent. Suddenly what looked like a weakness for bottom-6 centers became a strength for Pittsburgh.
Two years later, Rutherford needs to strike again. With Bonino on the verge of free agency (and attracting many suitors and perhaps $4-5 million a year in salary), Pittsburgh can’t afford to keep him. The free agent market is pretty grim, along with Bonino there’s only Joe Thornton (who’s 38 years old, coming off knee surgery and rumored to be interested in staying in San Jose or LA) and Martin Hanzal, also in high-demand.