THN.com/podcast. From THN On The 'A': Projecting Notable AHL Prospects with Byron Bader Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk2MjM0ODcwOTU4MDczMTM2/usatsi_19879516.jpg] The trades just keep on coming. As the NHL trade deadline approaches, the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to get in on the action early on Wednesday evening, trading forward Teddy Blueger to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for defenseman Peter DiLiberatore and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL draft. Blueger is in the final year of his current contract, which carries a cap hit of $2.2 million. You can always use more forward depth, it seems. The Golden Knights certainly managed to add that by bringing in Blueger, who arrives in town now having scored two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 45 games thus far, all while averaging a little under 13 minutes in nightly ice time. Blueger will not move the needle much defensively. Through five seasons in the NHL, Blueger has never reached double digits in goals and has a career-high of 28 points. But the 28-year-old is proficient in his own zone and has shown the ability to drive possession in a depth role, all while being given almost exclusively defensive-focused usage. In 2022-23, Blueger has begun just 16.2 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, making defensive zone draws his bread and butter. In the playoffs, when depth becomes vital and matchups rule, having someone like Blueger who can handle such an unforgiving workload could certainly come in handy for Vegas. And, as for the Penguins, what began as a deadline focused on buying has quickly turned to selling. Perhaps their next move will flip the script once again in case the Penguins are simply clearing cap space.
