There are very few perfect trades in sports.
It seems that somebody is always taking on a bad contract, losing the trade, or winning the trade.
When a team trades for a player it is not just trading for that player’s skill or production. It is trading for the entire package that comes with that player. Their skill, production, age, long-term outlook, contract, salary, etc. etc. etc.
There are always pros and cons at play.
That brings us to general manager Jim Rutherford’s latest trade on Thursday when the Pittsburgh Penguins officially sent Patric Hornqvist to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Michael Matheson and forward Colton Sceviour.