The Penguins have traded centers Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan to the Florida Panthers for centers Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. The deal, announced earlier in the day by general manager Jim Rutherford, was the club’s second this week and fifth in-season deal since November.
JR also parted with a second-round pick and two fourth-rounders in the exchange.
My first blush? The Pens get younger. McCann is 22 and Bjugstad 26, as opposed to Brassard and Sheahan (31 and 27 respectively). They also gain some size (Bjugstad goes a whopping 6’6″ 215) and speed with McCann.