Many people have lambasted the Penguins for handing out too much money ($3.5 million per year) over too long of a term (six years) to sign free agent winger Brandon Tanev.
There's also concern that in signing the 27-year-old former Winnipeg Jet, the Penguins may need to clear salary cap space by trading a better version of the same kind of speedy, defense-focused winger (Bryan Rust) or by trading a guy who can toggle between center and wing and has some untapped offensive potential (Nick Bjugstad).
Let's play devil's advocate for a moment and try to understand what prompted Jim Rutherford to shell out $21 million for Tanev.