Confirmed Trade: [PIT/MIN] Nick Bjugstad (50% retained) for cond. 2021 7th round pick

[57special]

This trade gives JR flexibility to get the best possible deal in a Murray trade. To expect MN to take all of Bjugstad's cap, and salary(which is more than his AAV) is unreasonable. I mean, it's possible that Guerin offered to PIT Pateryn and his 2.25M salary, but I am guessing that JR wasn't crazy about taking back a player who missed the playoffs and most of last season because of a core injury similar to what Bjugstad had.

We know Bjugstad from his days with the Gophers, but as is, he sounds like a really tall Victor Rask who gets injured a lot.

 

[5 Hole]

He doesn’t suck, but when he’s healthy you spend a lot of time wondering why he’s not much better than he actually is.

You just kind of have to experience it to understand.

This is the most accurate way to put it.

 

[Riptide]

Essentially 2 first round picks were traded for McCann.

Pittsburgh traded Brassard (who was a disaster in Pittsburgh), Sheahan (who I liked, but was purely a 4c in most of his time here) a 2nd and a 4th for McCann and Bjugstad. That's not "Essentially 2 first round picks were traded for McCann." Even if you look at what it cost Pittsburgh to get Brassard at 50% for 1.5 seasons, that still doesn't add up to "essentially 2 firsts".