3 major trade acquisitions the Pittsburgh Penguins could pull off for a deep playoff run
The narrative is that the Pittsburgh Penguins are out of the running, having accumulated just 51 points through the 2024 All-Star Break.
If one potential contender is in a bad spot following the 2024 All-Star Game and looking toward the trade deadline, it’s the Pittsburgh Penguins. This organization has little cap space to work with, and they don’t have much going for them in terms of draft picks or prospects to give away.
Luckily for the Penguins, they ironically also have a lot going for them, as their core players can get hot at any time, and they are players who excite any potential trade acquisition to join either as a rental or longer. They also have a general manager who, based on his track record from his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, is no stranger to making jaw-dropping deals even in the least ideal situation.
Therefore, if the Penguins go on a run over the next few weeks, don’t be surprised if Kyle Dubas surprises us by once again working his magic at the deadline. This would also dissipate the current trade rumors surrounding Jake Guentzel.
The names listed below could be game-changers for the Penguins, but keep in mind, they wouldn’t pull off all three of these trades given cap limitations. Therefore, you will see similar trade packages for each, reflecting that they only have room for one big trade should they opt to make any.
Chris Tanev could give the Penguins some help at the blue line
Tanev Trade
Chris Tanev wouldn’t be the left-handed defenseman the Penguins would ideally seek, but he would also make an excellent complementary piece to Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang. Therefore, trading for Tanev makes sense here, and the Penguins could likely get by if the Calgary Flames agree to retain a portion of the contract.
The Penguins would give up a pair of picks for the rights to acquire Tanev, but they must also clear up some cap space to give this trade a realistic chance to work. Therefore, in this scenario, Lars Eller is the player they could most realistically give away, something you will see as a recurring theme here and in the other two scenarios.
Eller is an older player who will carry an AAV of $2.45 this year and next season, but he would also provide a strong veteran presence for teams that need them.
Vladimir Tarasenko could add a legitimate scoring option to the bottom-six
Tarasenko Trade
The Ottawa Senators will be selling at the trade deadline after their major acquisitions from last season, and the previous offseason have not delivered the results they were looking for. Someone like Vladimir Tarasenko can still play and thrive in a middle or bottom-six role, but his presence has done nothing to improve Ottawa’s situation.
While it would be tough to see many teams willing to offer a first-round pick for Tarasenko these days, it could play into Pittsburgh’s hands. However, the $5 million cap hit is a major obstacle standing in the Penguins way, so Dubas would have to do some serious work in such a scenario.
For this trade to work, the Senators must retain 25 percent of Tarasenko’s contract. The Penguins must drop a player whose contract they no longer want, and Lars Eller is again someone they can afford to cut ties with. With some lineup shuffling on Pittsburgh’s part, Tarasenko wouldn’t just realistically fit in here, but he would be a legitimate scoring option that the Penguins still need.
For the trade to be completed, Pittsburgh would drop a second-rounder in 2024 and in 2026 to complete the deal. Sure, it would cause the Penguins to be short on draft picks should such a situation occur, but Kyle Dubas is the kind of executive who shouldn’t surprise us when he finds ways to get them back.
The Penguins could opt for some major help from Ottawa for Jakob Chychrun
Chychrun Trade
Yep, there is a realistic way for the Penguins to bring in Jakob Chychrun. Sure, they need to win games, and a lot of them between now and the deadline or when the Ottawa Senators see a deal they can’t pass up for the blueliner.
You may feel that the price listed for Chychrun is too low here, but it’s also worth remembering that he was supposed to put the Senators over the top and at least contend for the playoffs. It didn’t happen last season, and the same holds true for 2023-24.
However, Chychrun has still been effective this season, generally staying healthy while putting up 28 points in 47 contests. He’s also gotten in the way of shooting lanes with 81 blocks, and at 25, you can argue his best days are still to come.
While the Senators will realistically look for a first-rounder for Chychrun, which would make total sense, his injury history coupled with his inability to push a team forward in the past could devalue him slightly. And if that’s the case, which is the scenario in this piece, then Ottawa will settle for second and middle-round picks.
The Senators also have enough cap space to take a player like Lars Eller off of Pittsburgh’s hands, which, combined with retaining 25 percent of Chychrun’s contract, makes this trade work.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)