Pittsburgh Penguins center Jeff Carter spoke about how the team's third line has progressed in recent games and what it was like seeing Kris Letang back on the ice at Penguins practice. PITTSBURGH - Trade season across the NHL is heating up as teams enter the second quarter of the 2022-23 season. Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall has been looking to make a trade since his last deal that brought Jeff Petry to the organization in July. Since then, the Penguins have carried nine NHL-caliber defensemen in the organization, a fact that Hextall said wouldn't last. "Well, we're certainly not going to have nine on the opening roster," Hextall said. "So yeah, that's a fair assumption". Five months later and a trade has yet to be made, and Hextall is still looking to give the Penguins more breathing room under the NHL salary cap. Late last month, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman mentioned on 32 Thoughts The Podcast that Hextall is testing the waters of the trade market [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-ron-hextall-looking-around-trades]. “Ron Hextall hates trade rumors, and I don’t feel like being beaten up by Hextall,” Friedman said. “But I have heard he is looking into things.” The Penguins are currently up against the salary cap with only 22 of the allotted 23 spots on the NHL roster filled. Which Penguins players are in danger of a departure? And which players are not on the block that may have been over the summer? [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o_8HAozuKw[/embed] Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Penguins Named Landing Spot for Brock Boeser: How He Fits [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-named-landing-spot-for-brock-boeser] 3 Things to Watch: Penguins vs. Sabres [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-3-things-watch-buffalo-sabres] Penguins React to Kris Letang Returning to Practice [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-react-kris-letang-return-practice] Kris Letang Opens Up on Stroke and Eventual Return to Penguins Lineup [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-kris-letang-stroke-eventual-return-lineup] Kris Letang Considered Day-to-Day by Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-kris-letang-day-to-day] * undefined * undefined