The Penguins moved a healthy portion of assets to acquire Derick Brassard at the trade deadline last year. They moved who I consider their best goalie prospect, a first round pick, and Ian Cole. The goal of this trade was to recreate the center balance that the team has thrived on when winning Stanley Cups.

The team may be taking a different approach this season.

Also, confirmation that, yes, Derick Brassard will more than likely get a look on the wing. In the top-six, no less: https://t.co/iDUHtG3WDq

— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) July 13, 2018

According to general manager Jim Rutherford, the Penguins coaching staff plans to test Derick Brassard on the wing during training camp, and it would likely be in a top-six capacity to take advantage of Brassard’s skating, shooting and vision.

“That is one option that the coaching staff has talked about,” Rutherford said of Brassard in a top-six role.

Brassard has never played the wing. He’s spent 716 NHL games as a center with the Blue Jackets, Rangers, Senators and Penguins. Most of that has been in a top-six, scoring capacity, plus a regular role on the power play.

I'm not a huge fan of this because of what it does to the center depth in the bottom six. This will extend both Riley Sheahan and Matt Cullen into roles that they aren't best suited for in the long term. There's also the fact he's never played wing at the NHL level. The point of the trade was to have great depth at center. They have that with Brassard... playing center. It is like the six game point streak at the end of last year has been forgotten. He was producing before the lower body injury derailed the rest of his year.

Rutherford isn't too concerned about spending futures which has been a staple of his tenure so far. There is certainly an argument for a win now team to spend futures to maximize the Crosby/Malkin window. It isn't great if you spend them aimlessly and bail on plans. In an interview near the trade deadline he said the following

"We gave up a lot. But a lot of the things we gave up are futures. Our mandate is to win now," Rutherford said. "We can hang onto those futures and they could probably help three or four years down the road. But what we're trying to do now is win and put the best team out there to give us the best chance. This deal gives us the best chance."

"We really didn't think we could figure out how to fit him into the cap," he said.

"We tried to get more depth at center and insurance there," Rutherford said. "Our centers have played pretty well, but you've got to have a lot of strength at center. We just felt that we had a chance to get a guy like this, it's a good addition."

It isn't worth bailing on the original logic for acquiring Brassard if you think signing Matt Cullen opens the door for this change. It is wishful thinking. Very few moves so far this offseason seem to have logic associated with them. Moving Brassard to a position he's never played after you paid a premium to get him a few months ago would fall into that same category.

The bump to wing isn't going to magically get Brassard on the first power play. The top three lines for Pittsburgh seem to all get their fair share of ice time especially when Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel are split.

Sometimes you don't need to reinvent the wheel.

Thanks for reading!

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