Kyle Dubas' moves this summer have alleviated the pressure surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins defensive group. When the Pittsburgh Penguins made the biggest trade of the summer, the centerpiece and all the attention was focused on three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. It’s obvious why Karlsson caught all of the eyes, but the Penguins may have found a useful piece as a throw-in of the deal. As part of the three-way deal, Rem Pitlick found his way to Pittsburgh from the Montreal Canadiens, and he has a chance to be a difference maker. The Penguins have often found ways to get great usage out of throw-in pieces; Pascal Dupuis far exceeded expectations form the Marian Hossa trade, and Jared McCann turned out to be the better piece when acquiring Nick Bjugstad. Pitlick surely won’t out-perform the future Hall of Famer, but he can be a key contributor on a Penguins third line that is under a complete overhaul. Dubas has put in a lot of effort to revamp the third and fourth lines and Pitlick has a sneaky chance of standing out. Through his 123-game NHL career, Pitlick has recorded 21 goals for 54 points and can bring an offensive pop to a defense heavy group. Pitlick has an underrated advantage to reach the lineup thanks to his ability to play all three forward positions. The Penguins are likely set with Lars Eller as the third line center, but the fourth role is still up for grabs. Pitlick will have to fight through Noel Acciari, Jeff Carter, and Colin White, but it’ll be a battle to keep a close eye on. If Pitlick misses out on the center position, though, either wing is still an option. At $1.1 million against the salary cap, Pitlick will likely be given an upper hand in the position battles, but depending how the lineup is built, that dollar amount could be axed quickly. The Penguins are going to get great use out of Karlsson, but Pitlick has a chance to regain traction in the NHL with a prosperous depth role. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more. Sidney Crosby Wants To See Changes in NHL Suspensions [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-sidney-crosby-wants-changes-suspensions] Offensive Outburst Pushes Penguins Prospects Over Senators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/offensive-outburst-pittsburgh-penguins-prospects-ottawa-senators] Penguins Legend To Play 35th Year of Pro Hockey [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-jaromir-jagr-play-35-year-hockey] Sidney Crosby Opens up About First Meeting With Kyle Dubas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-sidney-crosby-opens-meeting-kyle-dubas] Slow Start To Challenge for Key Penguins Prospects [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/pens-talk/slow-start-key-pittsburgh-penguins-prospects] * undefined * undefined Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTkwMDEyNjI0OTM4MzYw/img_6014.jpg]
