Penguins expected to lose key players in free agency

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- For the first time in a long time, the Pittsburgh Penguins face significant change.
Last offseason, general manager Jim Rutherford managed to keep a Stanley Cup-winning roster nearly intact. He knew he wouldn't be as successful this July 1.

Within four hours of NHL free agency opening at noon ET Saturday, Pittsburgh lost third-line center Nick Bonino to the Nashville Predators, left wing Chris Kunitz to the Tampa Bay Lightning, top-four defenseman Trevor Daley to the Detroit Red Wings, and defenseman Ron Hainsey to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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In response, Rutherford signed defenseman Matt Hunwick to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $2.25 million; and goalie Antti Niemi, who will back up Matt Murray, to a one-year, $700,000 contract. Niemi replaces Marc-Andre Fleury, who was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL Expansion Draft.
Those moves, though necessary, didn't address Bonino's departure.
"I'm not surprised that we didn't get anything done today," Rutherford said. "We have a long ways to go before we play."
Rutherford said he expects to add a center in a trade before this season begins with another banner-raising on Oct. 4.
"We weren't really looking at one in free agency," Rutherford said. "The prices were a little high on a few guys that we had talked about. … I've talked about enough different things that I'm confident we'll get somebody."
The Penguins don't feel pressured to make a move, though; Rutherford said coach Mike Sullivan has expressed confidence in his lineup, if centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin enter the regular season healthy.
"I think it's important now that we don't panic and just go after somebody just to say we got a center," Rutherford said. "I talked to [Mike] about this and he says, 'As long as I got my two big guys healthy.' He says, 'I can work around anything early in the season.'
"We'll move on one when we're comfortable with somebody that we like. It could be in the next day, it could take us a couple months. It could take us until early in the season to make it happen."
With Bonino gone and 40-year-old fourth-line center Matt Cullen an unrestricted free agent and considering retirement, the Penguins could start the season with two sizable holes in the middle of their bottom-six. But Rutherford said he doesn't expect that to be the case.

"We feel as long as we can fill our third-line center role, which we feel comfortable that we will, we feel good about the guys that we still have," Rutherford said.
Rutherford said the Penguins were able to save cap space while replacing Daley with Hunwick.
Daley had 41 points (11 goals, 30 assists) in 109 games with Pittsburgh since being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 14, 2015. Hunwick had 29 points (three goals, 26 assists) in 132 games over the past two seasons with the Maple Leafs.
"When we looked at what Trevor was probably going to get, we felt that [Hunwick] was equal to him as a player," Rutherford said. "Maybe a little bit different, more on the defensive side. Trevor may have put up more points, but we're very comfortable with Hunwick."
The Penguins did re-sign restricted free agent Justin Schultz, who had 12 goals and 39 assists in 78 games last season.
Rutherford knew changes were coming and he's prepared to retool.
"We have some good players that have gone off our team, not only from a playing point of view but from a character, leadership point of view," he said.