Last week, the Pittsburgh Penguins made a big move by acquiring forward David Perron from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Rob Klinkhammer and a first round draft pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. The Penguins have been needing a top six forward all season because they have been riddled with injuries and illnesses. Let’s take a look at what this means for the Penguins going forward.
What the David Perron Trade Means for the Penguins
Perron is going to be playing with Sidney Crosby for the rest of the season most likely and that could mean Perron could put up big numbers for the Penguins for the final couple months of the season. He’s a very good goal-scorer and the best part about this acquisition is that he’s under contract not only for the rest of this season, but for the next season as well. Perron could have a chance to get to 30 goals next season if he plays with Crosby.
This deal also makes sure that when Blake Comeau and Patric Hornqvist come back, the Penguins top six is arguably the best in the league. We’ll see how long it takes for Perron to adjust to the Penguins.
This deal also means that the Penguins are in a win-now mode and it’s very understandable that GM Jim Rutherford wants the team that way. Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in the prime of their careers and have been for the past few seasons but still haven’t won another Cup since their first in 2009, when they were both young.
By acquiring Perron, this makes the Penguins one of the favorites to come out of the East because they have some great depth in their lineup which was something that has been lacking from the Penguins the past couple seasons. Combine that with Marc-Andre Fleury‘s Vezina-caliber season and they could be Cup favorites come playoff time.
The Penguins are in very good shape right now as they sit atop the Metropolitan division with the New York Islanders, but once they get back some of their best three of four players, they’ll be a force in the Eastern Conference for the remainder of the season if they stay healthy.
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