Penguins trade Conor Sheary and Matt Hunwick to Buffalo Sabres for a draft pick

As we pointed out in yesterday’s post about re-signing Bryan Rust, there would likely be some salary cap implications for the Pittsburgh Penguins. It looks like this is happening sooner than later.

Sheary and Hunwick combine for $5.25 million against the salary cap. Sheary only scored 4 goals in his last 44 games and was demoted to the 4th line in the playoffs so it’s not a shock the team might look to move on from him.

What is coming back, stay tuned. The Pens need cap space to re-sign Riley Sheahan and are also rumored to be very interested in free-agent-to-be defenseman Jack Johnson.

Much more updated on this story as it breaks.

Straight up salary cap dump by the Pens. They get out of the last two years of Hunwick, which is a plus considering how poorly he played. However the cost was Sheary a still young player who does score quite a bit of even strength goals. Sheary may have been out of favor, but left wing was the weakest point on Pittsburgh’s roster and it’s weaker still today.

That probably won’t last for long, as now the team has more cap room to operate and find a fresh look for 2018-19.