Confirmed with Link: Penguins sign Matt Hunwick (3 years, $6.75 M | $2.25M AAV)

[Cherpak]

Meh. This deal neither excites nor disappoints me.

 

[Corvidae]

Sounds like a lesser Brian Dumoulin.

In skill and size, but importantly, price and place on the depth chart.

 

[EliteGoaltending]

In a perfect world something around 2 years at $1.5-1.8 would be ideal for his role and age, I think...but we don't live in a perfect world, so it's not bad.

 

[Empoleon8771]

In a perfect world something around 2 years at $1.5-1.8 would be ideal for his role and age, I think...but we don't live in a perfect world, so it's not bad.

I was expecting 2 years at $2 million, so this really isn't that much more. The Penguins adding the 3rd year took the AAV down to $2.25 million, it would have been at like $2.5 million if they wouldn't have done that.

 

[Mike Lange Version 2]

Apparently he's better than Hainsey (who the Leafs just replaced him with lol) and a good bit younger. I think he'll be fine on our bottom pairing.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Apparently he's better than Hainsey (who the Leafs just replaced him with lol) and a good bit younger. I think he'll be fine on our bottom pairing.

Different kind of defender. I prefer Hunwick for the Pens because he's more mobile than Hainsey and he can actually make a tape to tape outlet pass. But Hainsey (largely due to his size) is better at boxing out and better at winning board battles.

If you combined the two's strengths you'd have Brian Dumoulin.

 

[Tender Rip]

I'm OK with this. It doesn't really move the needle.
We get exactly what JR said/implied he'd get.... a veteran D-man who can PK and skate.

Compared to Hainsey I think he is less capable at the bend don't break type D we had in the last playoffs and he clearly doesn't have the offense Daley did. He is an in-between of those two and 1 million less per than Daley.

Again, for what we need, this was adequate... not spectacular, but adequate.

 

[edog37]

Another good signing & he will replace Daley for nearly a $1M less cap hit. So far, very good GM work by Rutherford....

 

[edog37]

Different kind of defender. I prefer Hunwick for the Pens because he's more mobile than Hainsey and he can actually make a tape to tape outlet pass. But Hainsey (largely due to his size) is better at boxing out and better at winning board battles.

If you combined the two's strengths you'd have Brian Dumoulin.

And the best part is, we have Dumoulin already on the roster....

 

[SEALBound]

I like this. Hunwick was a target I had picked out awhile ago but I figured he would resign in Toronto. When we went against Toronto I really like his game. I watched a lot of him in the playoffs vs Washington and was impressed with his body of work. I mean, he's a 3rd pairing guy. I would say if you took both Daley and Hainsey and mushed them together, Hunwick is what you'd get.

Defensive minded guy who can move the puck well. Not a huge guy but can still take a body. At 32 he's older than what I would have liked, but at 35, he'll be done. Bottom line though, this was market value. So I say good signing knowing what we need on defense.

 

[davemess]

Like that he can play both sides. Its maybe a couple of K more than ideal but its the UFA market so as things go that's pretty reasonable.

 

[Giskard]

Really didn't want Daily or Hainsey back ... Hunwick seems like a good replacement, also younger and cheaper.

 

[Captain Hook]

It is kind of meh deal. Not a steal but not an overpay. Maybe a year too long but that's about the only complaint.

Seems like he was a bit of a whipping boy with some Leafs fans but Daley was for both Dallas and Chicago before coming here and that turned out fine.

Rutherford talked about finding someone who fits what they do and Hunwick seems very similar in size and style to other guys that have done well in Sully's system. Daley and Ruhwedel in particular.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Can't say anything good OR bad about this as I don't know much about hunwick to be honest.

It's not a lot of term for not a lot of money so I'll be happy

 

[Shady Machine]

I think it's a good value deal. If he doesn't work as expected, the cap hit isn't immovable

 

[Darth Vitale]

Is he a durable player?

He's had some injury issues in recent years. It's the only concern I have about the move but hopefully over and done with.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

He's had some injury issues in recent years. It's the only concern I have about the move but hopefully over and done with.

Wouldn't matter. The pens crush players durability.

Except Phil. He made of marshmallows.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Again, we have 4 LD and 2 RD. Can Hunwick play the right side?

Cole and Hunwick can both play the right side.

 

[Riptide]

Sounds like a lesser Brian Dumoulin.

I keep using a non gritty version of Cole... and I've seen "Paul Martin lite", but this too is a decent comparison. Have been talking about this guy a bunch the last few days as I thought he would be a great depth move. Cost a little more than I thought (I figured 1.5/1.75m), but I still think this would be worth it.

We lose transition and mobility with Daley leaving... but we were always going to lose that. Hunwick is going to be another guy that can play minutes and can skate and move the puck half ass decently, and as long as he's not the best D on his line, they should be fine. Which for 2.25m is reasonable.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I keep using a non gritty version of Cole... and I've seen "Paul Martin lite", but this too is a decent comparison. Have been talking about this guy a bunch the last few days as I thought he would be a great depth move. Cost a little more than I thought (I figured 1.5/1.75m), but I still think this would be worth it.

We lose transition and mobility with Daley leaving... but we were always going to lose that. Hunwick is going to be another guy that can play minutes and can skate and move the puck half ass decently, and as long as he's not the best D on his line, they should be fine. Which for 2.25m is reasonable.

We haven't really had all three of Letang, Schultz, and Daley healthy at the same time anyway. I'd basically say Schultz already took Daley's role. Now Hunwick just needs to take Schultz's role from 2016.

 

[Gurglesons]

Term makes no sense. I'll give this board until November until they are eating this guy alive. Honestly, I would've been fine trying to run a Pouliot - Cole third pairing or a Maatta - Ruh third pairing if we had to give up three years for a UFA that could've potentially been an AHLer last year.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Term makes no sense. I'll give this board until November until they are eating this guy alive. Honestly, I would've been fine trying to run a Pouliot - Cole third pairing or a Maatta - Ruh third pairing if we had to give up three years for a UFA that could've potentially been an AHLer last year.

At the start of last year, yeah. But what about the 2nd half of last year into the playoffs when he was playing more like a 2nd pairing guy? And by like a 2nd pairing guy, I mean 25 minutes a night.

 

[Brandinho]

This signing is the hockey equivalent of eating an incredibly bland meal when you're starving. Happy that I'm not hungry anymore, but I can't say that I particularly enjoyed it.

 

[JTG]

Solid depth deal. The 3rd year doesn't really both me because it stems the tide with Cole coming up for a contract.

 

[Riptide]

Solid depth deal. The 3rd year doesn't really both me because it stems the tide with Cole coming up for a contract.

Cole's contract is up after next year, so Hunwick's 3rd year mean's little in regards to that.