With head coach Mike Sullivan debuting behind the bench for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Washington Capitals tonight, general manager Jim Rutherford completed a trade behind the scenes, sending shutdown specialist Rob Scuderi to the Chicago Blackhawks for puckmoving blueliner Trevor Daley.
Sometimes outspoken, Scuderi, a member of the 2009 Stanley Cup team and a winner again in 2012 with the Los Angeles Kings, expressed some dissatisfaction with the state of the team after the announcement of the Mike Johnston firing on Sunday.
In 25 games with the Penguins in 2015–16, Scuderi, 36, recorded four points, all assists, last recording a point 14 games ago on Nov. 4. In 745 career NHL games in 11 seasons between the Penguins and the Kings, Scuderi boasts eight goals, 104 points and a +22 plus/minus rating.
Daley, 32, joined the Blackhawks in the offseason as part of the Patrick Sharp trade with the Dallas Stars. Daley played 11 seasons with the Stars, scoring 67 goals and recording 231 points in 756 games, including 16 goals last season. Off to somewhat of a slow start in 2015–16, Daley finishes a 28-game stint in Chicago with five assists.
Behind the likes of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Nik Hjalmarsson with the Blackhawks, Daley averaged only 14:46 of ice time after averaging at least 21 minutes per game the past seven seasons. Expect the mobile veteran to see a jump in ice time in Pittsburgh.
Daley, a lefty, potentially pairs well with Kris Letang, a righty, when Letang returns from injury. The addition allows the Penguins to separate Letang and Olli Maatta and better balance the defense.
The salaries end up being a near-wash with Scuderi counting $3.75 million against the cap compared to Daley at $3.3 million with both contracts expiring after next season.
With adding speed to the blueline a growingly apparent need for the Penguins, Rutherford appears to be the winner on paper, but Daley needs to rekindle some of the offensive touch seen last season in Dallas to to ensure the Penguins win the deal. If tonight gives any indication of the Penguins style of play under Sullivan going forward, Daley seems to be in the right place at the right time.
