Bill Guerin

Bill Guerin has been traded. No one was quite sure this was going to happen within the trading window but it has in fact happened. Bill Guerin is going to Pittsburgh.

The Islanders finally ended Bill Guerin's five days in limbo, agreeing to ship their captain to Pittsburgh about an hour before Wednesday's trade deadline for a conditional draft pick that will depend on the Penguins' playoff success this spring.

Guerin, a pending unrestricted free agent in the final year of a two-year $9 million contract, sat out games Saturday and Monday to await a trade after agreeing to waive his no-movement clause for a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup with an Eastern Conference contender.

"It was a pretty painful process," Guerin said in an interview with TSN. "We thought we had a deal done with another team a couple of days ago and then it made things a little awkward for four days or so just waiting for something to happen.

"I'm extremely excited about going to Pittsburgh. It's a great opportunity to go to a young talented team like that, with great experience of going to the finals last year. They're in a dogfight right now…and I'm looking forward to it."

Well, it's certainly true that you don't play hockey if you don't relish a fight, a challenge.

The wait has finally ended for forward Bill Guerin as he is now a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The former New York Islander has been benched waiting on a trade since Friday and will be relieved to learn that he is finally heading somewhere.

Guerin was one of the big remaining names on what is turning out to be a slow Trade Deadline Day.

Guerin adds leadership and will make a considerable impact with the Penguins, offsetting Sidney Crosby and providing some locker room punch. He can also contribute offensively on the ice and will make a nice addition to the team. The Pens are hoping Guerin can help them make the playoffs.

Taking a team into the playoffs is certainly one of those fights to be relished. And, of course, there's some good money to be made.

General manager Ray Shero made a second bold deadline move in as many seasons, picking up forward Bill Guerin from the New York Islanders today for a conditional draft pick. Guerin, 38, once was one of the NHL’s top power forwards and was the Islanders’ second-leading scorer with 16 goals and 20 assists in 61 games.

Shero can only hope this deal has an impact close to that of his last-second deal for forward Marian Hossa last year. That trade gave the Penguins the piece they needed to make a Stanley Cup run, and Hossa was a major contributor as they took the Red Wings to six games before losing in the finals.

Guerin, like Hossa last season, is in the final year of his contract — he is making $4.5 million — and is likely to remain with Pittsburgh only until the season ends. The draft pick the Islanders receive is contingent upon how far the Penguins advance in the playoffs, if they reach them.

By acquiring Guerin, the Penguins picked up a second top six forward in less than a week. Chris Kunitz (Ferris State), acquired from Anaheim in a deal involving puck-moving defenseman Ryan Whitney, has three goals in three games with Pittsburgh — two in a 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

Two things stand out. $4.5 million a year to play ball? Jeepers....there but for a lack of talent go I.

The second is, who in hell called a sports team "The Penguins"?