Here's Why The Penguins Should Go After Nils Hoglander

Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has been targeting struggling young players with upside and in need of change - and Hoglander would be a great fit.

There has been a lot of talk surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins and trade rumors, as GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has already been active in the trade market this season.

But there is one name in particular that is garnering a lot of attention.

If you follow Penguins news on social media, podcasts, or anything else, really, you've probably seen or heard that Pittsburgh is interested in Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander.

And on his Wednesday 32 Thoughts Podcast, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman further confirmed that there is interest from Pittsburgh regarding the 23-year-old forward.

If you're a Penguins' fan - or if you're the Penguins - this should be a move that you want Dubas to make.

Hoglander is off to a slow start this season after a breakout season in 2023-24, when he registered 24 goals and 36 points. It was his first full season - sans two games - in the NHL, and the young Swedish forward has smarts and skills to boot.

He has only two goals and five points in 24 games this season, and he appears to have lost favor with Vancouver's coaching staff. He has no points in his last 14 games, and he has been getting buried in the Canucks' lineup.

But he has great offensive instincts and plays the kind of style that could be conducive to success in Pittsburgh's system. He is excellent along the walls, wins puck battles, is physical, is an aggressive forechecker - and he's also a defensively responsible forward.  

Above all of that, however, is his work ethic. Hoglander works his tail off on every shift, and he has the motor, the tenacity, and the smarts to help drive play on his line.

Hoglander's numbers went up last season along with his shooting percentage, as he shot 20 percent in comparison to his 7.4 percent this season. Typically, it's best to exercise caution with players who have breakouts based on a high shooting percentage that differs from their career norm.

However, Hoglander's case may be a bit different. He is still generating chances at a decent rate, as he is eighth on the Canucks in high-danger expected goals with 0.89 and tenth in Corsi at 51 percent, but he has minus-0.9 goals above expected - meaning he probably should be scoring more than he is right now.

Dubas has several pending unrestriced free agents that he's likely to sell off, including defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O'Connor, both of whom are drawing interest from other teams. Vancouver is also in need of a defenseman, especially after the injury to Filip Hronek (although Pettersson plays the opposite side). 

The Penguins' GM has also been going after younger players in need of a change of scenery - think Philip Tomasino, Cody Glass, and Jesse Puljujarvi - who have untapped upside or potential to boot. Hoglander would be the perfect addition to that collection of players, and his skill would be a great complement alongside Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin in the Penguins' top-six.

Hoglander signed a three-year, $9 million extension with Vancouver that kicks in next season. In 2024-25, the Penguins would only be on the hook for $1.1 million. If he can find the success he did last season with Vancouver and score 20-plus goals for the Penguins, he will be a nice, cost-controlled player for a few more years.

Only time will tell if any of the rumors have merit. Regardless, Hoglander is a player that Penguins fans should definitely keep an eye on. He'd be a solid addition to their top-six for the waning years of the Penguins' core.