Pittsburgh Penguins sign Nick Bonino from the San Jose Sharks

The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded for Nick Bonino from the San Jose Sharks. It was their last move before the trade deadline ends on March 3rd, according to a piece of information shared by Elliotte Friedman. According to Taylor Haase, Bonino will make a little over $2M. With Drake Cagguila going the other way, the Penguins could be retaining Bonino's salary as he signs a two-year contract with them.

NHL Twitter reacted to this information. Let's look at a few tweets about the same:

Nick Bonino's Career

Nick Bonino started his career for the Anaheim Ducks in the 2009-10 season and has played 820 games, averaging over 15 minutes on the pitch. He has scored 158 goals while assisting 195 others.

Bonino has played over 270 penalty minutes and has scored 15 game-winning goals at a shooting percentage of over 12 percent.

Nick Bonino was pictured during Buffalo Sabres v San Jose Sharks NHL game.

There has been a drop in his performances over the last two seasons, which is why he is to be traded by the San Jose Sharks to his former team.

In the current season, after making 59 starts, the 34-year-old has 19 points to claim while spending over 16 minutes on the ice. His shooting percentage has dropped below 12 percent with a single shot on goal.

Why are San Jose Sharks trading him?

The Sharks have had a poor season and are placed second-last in the Western Conference Pacific with 48 points this season. The Sharks are possibly out of the playoffs, and their focus is on the rebuilding process. The trade is one of the few steps we can see in the meantime. Plus, with a salary cap of two-million-dollars per year, the poor returns have not justified Nick Bonino's place in the team. A trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins will open up options for the San Jose Sharks to sign players in the future.

What Bonino brings to the Pittsburgh Penguins?

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been decent this season and are fourth in the Metropolitan Division standings with 71 points, just eight points behind the third spot. The Penguins have done well on the offense this season and have scored close to 200 goals. Contributions from Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel have propelled the offensive setup, with both scoring over 24 goals this season.

With the future in mind, though, the team is going for their former players, who have done well for them in the past. His experience will help them in the playoffs and the pursuit of the title. Having won their last four games, the Pittsburgh Penguins are on a solid run and would love to add more to it as they play the Florida Panthers on March 4th, 2023.