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Pittsburgh Penguins: Nick Bonino is Essential to This Team

By Matthew Rodrigopulle

Jun 11, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Bonino (13) skates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Nashville Predators in game six of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 11, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Bonino (13) skates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Nashville Predators in game six of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Once free agency begins on July 1st, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino will be an unrestricted free agent.

At his current salary cap hit of $1.9 million, Nick Bonino is one of the most affordable third line centres in the league. The Pittsburgh Penguins would love to sign him right now, but as his performance advanced this season, his price tag increased.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins /

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are our one-two punch down the middle, but Bonino’s role is very important. Let’s take a look at why he’s so important.

Production

Let’s all take a moment to remember how big of a contributor Bonino was last season, especially in the playoffs. He was one third of the coveted HBK line, and truly helped propel our team to the top of the league.

This season, Bonino scored 40 points in 75 games on the third line. This is an excellent performance for a third line on a team that was dealing with a lot of injuries. The HBK line was no more as Carl Hagelin dealt with injuries, but yet Bonino was able to remain consistent.

In the playoffs, Bonino still put up four goals and three assists in 21 games even without the HBK line. He was a big factor in the team’s Cup run yet again, and his consistency surprisingly makes him one of the Penguins most important players.

Compared to Other Options

Taking a look at other centre options heading into free agency, there doesn’t seem to be anyone like Nick Bonino. We can sign a Joe Thornton or a Mike Fisher, but they are just too old for our liking.

We can sign someone like Martin Hanzal who is only 30, but he is most likely going to be more expensive as he is coming off a contract worth $3.1 million per. Nick Bonino only made $1.9 million this season. Yes he will be asking for more, but I’m sure his cap hit won’t be as expensive as others.

This is why Bonino is so essential. He is the most affordable third line centre who gets his job done effectively. The Penguins need to figure out a way to keep him in Pittsburgh if we want to keep our core strong.

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