Dejan Kovacevic of DKPittsburghsports.com wrote a column today titled, "The Penguins’ management is starting to come across as pointlessly panicky."
I couldn't disagree more. Jim Rutherford didn't flip Carl Hagelin in a desperation panic move, he traded Hagelin because it's what he does.
Jim Rutherford is a wheeler and dealer. He hasn't historically waited until the trade deadline to make those moves. When he thinks the team needs to be improved, he does it.
--Trevor Daley was brought in on December 14th.
--Hagelin was dealt for January 16th
--Perron was acquired January 2nd.
--Jamie Oleksiak was brought in December 19th
--Riley Sheahan was traded for on October 21st.
That's not panic, it's business. Carl Hagelin was a big part of this team when they won the cup in 2016. He's a dogged penalty killer and an excellent forechecker. But the team didn't give up on Brassard. Phil Kessel wasn't moved. It's not like they fired the coach. Those would be desperate moves.
This was hockey one.
Pearson scored 15 goals last year and 24 the year before. He can add some bottom-six scoring punch. "Panic" implies chaos. Jim Rutherford was shrewd. He got a 26 year old with some term and gave up a pending UFA who wasn't going to be with the club next year.