Report: Penguins Targeting Rival Forward
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been linked to a young forward from the New York Islanders.
PITTSBURGH – Under head coach Mike Sullivan, the Pittsburgh Penguins always look for ways to improve their bottom six forwards. The Penguins know their top guys will almost always carry most of the production, while the depth can primarily focus on a strong defensive game.
That mindset may continue into the 2024-25 season as the Penguins look to retool their roster with a new combination. In searching for help from the bottom six, the Penguins have been linked to a young rival forward.
According to the Fourth Period, the Penguins are among the teams linked to New York Islanders forward Oliver Wahlstrom. Along with the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks, the Fourth Period wonders what kind of trade Wahlstrom could be a part of.
“Do they package him in a deal for an upgrade elsewhere or add him as a sweetener to take on a bigger contract?”
If the Penguins land Wahlstrom, it’ll be the first choice to let the Islanders upgrade elsewhere. The Penguins can’t take on any large contracts, especially if they can’t find a dance partner for Ryan Graves.
Wahlstrom would be a solid addition to the Penguins bottom six. Coming from the slow-paced, defensive mindset of the Islanders, Wahlstrom has appeared in 193 career NHL games with 34 goals and 33 assists for 67 total points.
One caveat with Wahlstrom is that he currently does not have a contract. At 24 years old, Wahlstrom is a restricted free agent who checks multiple boxes for the Penguins. He’s young, effective on the wings, and won’t cost a fortune.
Wahlstrom is coming off of a single-year deal that earned him $874,125. His numbers aren’t through the roof, so he probably couldn’t earn north of $1 million annually on a new deal.
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