Murray and Bonino get dealt at draft ahead of free agency
Two Stanley Cup-winning players were on the move Wednesday before even 10 players had been selected on the second day of the National Hockey League draft.
Trade action heated up early with the Pittsburgh Penguins dealing goaltender Matt Murray to the Ottawa Senators and the Nashville Predators continuing to shed salary by sending centre Nick Bonino to the Minnesota Wild. Despite just one trade Tuesday involving established NHL players, this is expected to be just the start of the roster shakeups leading to the start of free agency Friday.
“You just know on days like these, if you get a phone call from your GM, it’s usually a trade,” Bonino said. “We got a spam call that woke me up around 7 a.m. and it obviously wasn’t (Predators GM) David Poile. My wife slept through it luckily and then we were up at 9:30 a.m. and got the call from David and knew right away. It’s weird how it works out.”
Murray and Bonino became the third and fourth members of Pittsburgh’s 2016 and ’17 back-to-back championship teams to be traded this off-season. The Penguins previously traded winger Patric Hornqvist to Florida, and Chicago traded defenceman Olli Maatta to Los Angeles.
Vegas goalie Marc-andré Fleury could make it five after the Golden Knights committed long-term to Robin Lehner.
Several netminders will be available in free agency, including 2018 Cup champion Braden Holtby and longtime face of the New York Rangers Henrik Lundqvist. General manager Brian Maclellan said the Washington Capitals are a “solid candidate” to sign Lundqvist, who at 38 is still trying to win the Cup for the first time.
Pittsburgh got a secondround pick and forward prospect Jonathan Gruden for Murray, who split time with Fleury on two Cup runs and was in net for each clincher. Murray, 26, helped the Penguins win the Cup in 2016 and ’17, but they committed to Tristan Jarry, signing him to a $10.5-million, three-year deal after his all-star season.
The Penguins used the 52nd overall pick they got from Ottawa to select Finnish goalie Joel Blomqvist, one of hundreds of prospects who had to find out they were drafted by phone and do video interviews since they couldn’t walk on stage in Montreal.
“This wasn’t exactly what I dreamed of as a kid,” said Sam Colangelo, the Anaheim Ducks’ No. 36 pick out of Northeastern. “I dreamed of walking up on stage and walking down to get my jersey from someone there. But doing it on Zoom was incredible.”
Colangelo and the others drafted in rounds 2-7 on Wednesday had to wait, unlike No. 1 pick Alexis Lafrenière, who put on a blue Rangers jersey Tuesday night.
Bonino and new Predators forward Luke Kunin will be swapping jerseys after the trade that continues the Wild’s makeover. Minnesota got secondand third-round picks (37th and 70th overall) and sent a fourth (101st) to Nashville to take on the remainder of Bonino’s contract. He’s owed $4.1 million next season, while Kunin is a restricted free agent.
“Luke Kunin is a solid, young, up-and-coming player with a great future ahead of him,” Poile said. “He is a (2016) firstround pick with good pedigree that can play both centre and on the wing, and in all situations, including on the penalty kill and the power play.”
He will also come cheaper than Bonino, a big deal with many teams looking to clear money and space under the $81.5-million salary cap.
Nashville also put forward Kyle Turris and defenceman Steven Santini on buyout waivers. Turris had four years and $24 million left on his contract, so he’ll count $2 million against the Predators’ cap for the next eight seasons.
The Vegas Golden Knights resigned a surprise key player, giving Chandler Stephenson $11 million over the next four seasons, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.