Important Pieces Still With Penguins After Erik Karlsson Trade
The Pittsburgh Penguins got their big fish, and didn't have to sacrifice any important assets.
When the speculation began that the Pittsburgh Penguins were targeting a trade for Norris Trophy winning defenseman Erik Karlsson, there was immediate questions over who would be heading the other direction.
Sure, having Karlsson in the lineup would be huge, but he isn’t a cheap piece, and the Penguins were likely going to have to shell out a lot to acquire his talents.
As it turns out, though, president and general manager Kyle Dubas was not only able to nab Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks, he did so without giving up massive pieces.
Arguably the biggest piece lost from the Penguins organization was either the 2024 first-round pick or defenseman Jan Rutta.
Dubas pulled off the deal to add Karlsson, and managed to maintain many of the player rumored to be leaving Pittsburgh.
Rutta, Jeff Petry, and Mikael Granlund highlight the assets departing the Penguins, but those all fall under Ron Hextall misshaps.
Who are the key faces Dubas held on to while adding Karlsson?
Owen Pickering
Usually in massive deals like this, a top prospect has to be involved, and Owen Pickering usually topped the rumor mill.
When Dubas arrived in Pittsburgh, he stated that his goal is to build a team that can not only win now, but remain competitive in the future.
By adding Karlsson and maintaining the likes of Pickering, Dubas is already walking down the right path.
Pickering is still a season or two away from seeing regular NHL ice time, but he is one of the organization’s top prospects and could be a force for years to come.
P.O. Joseph/Ty Smith
It was almost a forgone conclusion that one of P.O. Joseph or Ty Smith would be on their way out just to make the deal appealing to the Sharks.
Both young defenders with a ton of upside and bright futures in the NHL, and the Penguins can usually only play one of them at a time.
Joseph and Smith are definitely appealing trade assets, but they also serve as key pieces to the Penguins’ future.
The two will battle for a spot in the NHL lineup once again, but with a little more breathability on the roster, it’s possible both see regular playing time in 2023-24.
Marcus Pettersson
If the Penguins were to lose Marcus Pettersson in a Karlsson deal, it may not have even been worth it.
Pettersson had himself an outstanding season in 2022-23, and should only continue improving from there.
This upcoming season will be huge for Pettersson, not only in his growth as an NHL defender, but he likely becomes Karlsson’s newest linemate.
The two Sweden natives should work out well together with Karlsson bringing loads of offense and Pettersson being mindful defensively.
Had the Penguins flipped Pettersson for Karlsson, there would have been a huge discrepancy in options to play with Karlsson.
The present and future of the Penguins’ defensive core is strong; not only will Karlsson add plenty in the next few seasons, but the young, future pieces are still around.
Adding Karlsson and keeping key pieces was huge for Dubas, all the while he managed to subtract from the total salary cap hit.
It can’t be said enough how impressive of a deal this is for the Penguins.
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