I watched Pittsburgh closely those years. Bonino not only benefitted from playing with two speedy wingers but he greatly benefitted from having a first line caliber player on his line in kessel,while feasting on lesser competition. Pittsburgh is a very unique team in that they have two of the top players in the league, and two that can entirely carry a line, similar to how the sedins could carry a third linemate. But they only need a single player to do that. This allows them to move down very talented players to feast on other team. This is a huge reason they were able to win the cups with a lack of D men. They were so far ahead of other teams in talent throughout their lineup on the front end.
It was a good fit for Bonino, the team didn't really lose huge on that deal, at all. But again, good luck arguing anything on this board with these specific posters who are negative about every single thing. And they feel like they are right because look at his past track record! by default, that means theyre right about Bonino as well.
Bonino was so invisible in those playoffs and they needed change, so somebody who looked like he didn't fit in at all, was giving very little effort and was extremely slow, had to be moved. They went for a faster guy who provides a better all around game. I still don't think it was the best trade, I think Sutter makes his linemates worse. His ability to work off of linemates is one of the worst ive seen in a top 9 player. The guy has enough IQ in other areas that its truly astounding how he works off other players on the ice, this is why he plays with very low iq players, because he is poor at utilizing them and the coach knows this. It's not the other way around
Focusing on such a nothing trade is definitely due to bias. There are clear losses for this management team, that bonino trade isn't one of them. Should have done whatever it takes to pry Theodore from them in the Kesler trade and thats not hindsight, i was screaming for it, I recall some other posters were as well, he was undervalued there, as evident by them trading him for a 3rd or whatever it was, to protect manson. They didn't target the right players due to poor pro scouting and wanting players more ready right that moment. The bonino/sutter deal was nothing to waste a thought about. Him thriving for a while just gave people who already think hes a terrible manager something to bitch more about.
Teams make Bonino/Sutter types of deals all the time. You win some, ya lose some. There was logic behind it, the team didn't like his fit on the team for playoff type of hockey and the perception is clearly clouded by ones clearly better opportunity and the other team overselling a player and him ending up overpaid. They paid a couple million for a player they saw a future on the team, who played faster and more playoff style hockey
Canucks had made the playoffs and werent planning on a rebuild. They underperformed in playoffs and were trying to address the reasons why. I am curious what people's thoughts would be if Sutter had stayed playing with Kessel and Hagelin and Bonino remained here, being a poor fit and went down with the Canucks team. Would it be an equal trade then?
