The Pittsburgh Penguins continued their trade deadline acquisitions Monday afternoon, dealing for forwards Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for center Dominik Kahun.
The 26-year-old Rodrigues reportedly made it known that he was interested in a trade earlier this season after his role diminished under new coach Ralph Krueger. He is averaging 11:19 of ice time this season, down 4:30 from last year. Rodrigues had career highs of nine goals and 29 points last season, resulting in him getting a one-year, $2 million contract in arbitration. But he has only five goals and four assists in 38 games this season.
Sheary, 27, a former Penguin, was seen as another building block around Jack Eichel when Sabres general manager Jason Botterill acquired him from Pittsburgh before last season. Botterill was an assistant general manager in Pittsburgh when Sheary went from an undrafted free agent to a reliable winger on Sidney Crosby's line, winning two Stanley Cups.
He hasn't been able to rediscover the scoring touch that saw him score 23 goals and post 53 points in 61 games in 2016-17, though, and Buffalo hasn't been able to turn promise into results. The Sabres missed the playoffs last season and are on the outside looking in this year, which would extend their postseason drought to nine years -- the longest active streak in the NHL.
While Sheary didn't help advance the Sabres, he offers an inexpensive and productive rental for a contender has a comfort level with the Penguins. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, carries a $3 million cap hit and is a solid 200-foot player.
Kahun, 24, will also be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He has 10 goals and 27 points this season. In 132 career games, he has 23 goals and 64 points. He was injured Thursday when he blocked a shot off his left knee during the Penguins' 4-0 loss in Toronto. He missed Saturday's loss to Buffalo and Sunday's loss to the Capitals.
Earlier in the day, the Penguins acquired left wing Patrick Marleau from the Sharks.