Pens' Brassard to be dealt for the fourth time in his career!

The trade deadline comes Feb. 25. and teams are getting ready to announce if they are buyers or sellers. But you already know Pittsburgh Penguins  general manager Jim Rutherford wants to get into it as soon as possible. 

According to TSN’s Darren Dreger who revealed the information on Tuesday's Insider Trading, Rutherford is listening to offers on forward Derick Brassard, and there’s an expectation that the veteran center will be dealt. 

“Derick Brassard of the Pittsburgh Penguins is another name that we have to include being in play. Now for whatever reason Brassard has not been a good fit with the Pittsburgh Penguins. That’s not to say he isn’t a quality centerman. On many teams he is a number two [second line center] - but with the Penguins he’s a number three.” 

“I know that Jim Rutherford is at least listening to some interest in Brassard. The expectation is he will get traded, and that the Pittsburgh Penguins at least in return need a number three center back.”

Brassard was acquired by the Penguins last season in a three-way trade prior to the deadline that involved the Ottawa Senators and Vegas Golden Knights. He was part of a three-team trade with Vegas as the Knights retained 40 per cent of Brassard's salary that season.

If he is on the move again, and it almost seems like a sure thing, it will be a fourth trade for Brassard ever since he was selected in the first round, sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets back in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. 

When he was moved to Pittsburgh, many believe the change of scenery would do him good, however, Brassard has had trouble producing since arriving in Pennsylvania, amassing 10 goals and 11 assists in 50 regular season games.

According to the information provided by Cap Friendly, the 31-year-old has one season left on his current contract and is owed $5 million this season with $2 million retained by Vegas. He does own a modified no-trade clause that includes a list of eight teams he wouldn’t accept a trade to so Rutherford will have to work with his forward if he wants to move him ahead of the trade deadline. 

We wonder when the trade could take place but also what could a deal look like? Time will tell...