Penguins trade Patric Hornqvist to Florida for D Mike Matheson, F Colton Sceviour

General manager Jim Rutherford’s quest to reshape the Penguins roster after a second straight quick playoff exit has claimed one of the team’s most beloved players.

Winger Patric Hornqvist, lauded for his warrior mentality while helping the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016-17, was traded Thursday to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Mike Matheson and forward Colton Sceviour.

“I have nothing but great things to say about him as a person and as a player,” Rutherford said. “But we talked about getting younger, making some changes, trying to transition on the fly, if that’s possible in this league, and we had a chance to get a good young defenseman that has a high skill level.”

Hornqvist, 33, scored no fewer than 17 goals in each of six seasons with the Penguins, acting as the team’s most dogged net-front player and most vocal locker room presence.

After early playoff exits each of the last two seasons, Rutherford has bemoaned his team’s lack of drive and desperation in critical moments. It would be reasonable to think subtracting a player with Hornqvist’s personality would hurt, not help, in that regard.

But Rutherford noted Hornqvist’s presence didn’t make a difference in that area the past two years, and that it’s time for new players to step into the role.

“When you miss a player like that, other players have to fill in the gap,” Rutherford said. “Players have to mature, and hopefully there are players that learned from Patric and learned some of the things he does so well to help other players. But without question, we will miss his leadership.”

Matheson, 26, is a strong skater who put up eight goals, 20 points and a minus-1 rating for the Panthers this season. He has had an up-and-down four-year stay in Florida. Two years ago, for instance, he led the league with 135 turnovers.

In the past, the Penguins have had success acquiring skilled defensemen who can skate but needed a change of scenery. Think Trevor Daley and Justin Schultz.

Rutherford envisions a similar scenario unfolding with Matheson.

“I just feel with the skill level that Mike has and the way that Mike Sullivan handles players and the addition of Todd Reirden, how he handled the Penguins defense when we was an assistant coach, is going to be helpful to Mike,” Rutherford said. “He’s got a pretty good package there. He can really skate. He plays the way we like to play.”

Matheson also plays left-handed, which presents a problem. The Penguins have five left-handed defensemen on the NHL roster — Matheson, Brian Dumoulin, Marcus Pettersson, Jack Johnson and Juuso Riikola — and prospect Pierre-Olivier Joseph waiting in the wings.

“Somebody’s going to have to play the right side. Matheson has played the right side a little bit,” Rutherford said. “But … there’s a logjam there, and something will have to give.”

The move also doesn’t give the Penguins any added room under the salary cap.

Hornqvist has three years left on a deal that pays $5.3 million annually.

Matheson has six years left at $4.85 per season. Sceviour, a 31-year-old fourth-line right wing who can hit, block shots and kill penalties, will make $1.2 million next season before hitting free agency.

According to capfriendly.com, the Penguins are about $6 million under the $81.5 million limit with 11 forwards, eight defensemen and backup goalie Casey DeSmith under contract.

Presuming restricted free-agent goalie Matt Murray is traded, the Penguins probably could re-sign RFAs Tristan Jarry, Dominik Simon and Sam Lafferty without going over the cap, but they wouldn’t have much room to spare without slicing salary elsewhere.

“I’m not comfortable with it,” Rutherford said. “I think we’re like probably two-thirds of the teams in the league. We were told last January the cap might be 86, 87 (million). Then we were told it was probably only going to be 84. Then, of course, with covid, everything changed and then we have a flat cap this year and next year.

“It’s difficult to manage. At least we’re in a position now where we can be cap compliant within our own control.”