Following an expensive season and a furious Stanley Cup Playoff race, the Pittsburgh Penguins stood pat at the 2026 trade deadline. The team’s most notable moves are coming in the months and weeks beforehand. In contrast to the previous few deadlines, which saw a flurry of activity from Pittsburgh, the Penguins made just one trade on deadline day this season. They moved a 2026 third-round pick to the Detroit Red Wings for winger Elmer Soderblom. Outside of that, general manager Kyle Dubas fought temptations to add to a solid Penguins roster, even in the face of key injuries and an upcoming suspension.
A Surprise Season, and Even More Surprising Names Staying with the Team
Coming into this season, to say the Pittsburgh Penguins were expected to be at the bottom of the league is an understatement. The organization was famously pointed out by insiders last summer as the only team trying to sell. As such, general manager Dubas sold assets and opted to sign players to one or two-year contracts in free agency. This, however, blossomed into a team that is currently sitting second in the Metropolitan Division. Acquisitions at forward like Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau, as well as the unexpected readiness of rookie Benjamin Kindel, have contributed to a strong forward group for the Penguins. Mantha has scored 21 goals and 45 points this season. Brazeau, meanwhile, has a career-high 16 goals. Kindel, as an 18-year-old, has 15 goals and 30 points through 59 games.
The trend of unexpected players acquired for cheap through trade or free agency spilled into the defensive group as well. The biggest addition in free agency was Parker Wotherspoon. he played 55 games for the Boston Bruins last season. In his first year with the Penguins, Wotherspoon has appeared in all 61 games, smashing his career-high in points with 19, including three goals. In addition to Wotherspoon, Dubas acquired Connor Clifton as a cap dump in a move with the Buffalo Sabres. He’s been important when in the lineup. In 31 games, Clifton has produced five points while playing a physical game and assisting the organization’s top-five-ranked penalty kill. Finally, a move to bring in Arturs Silovs from Vancouver shored up the team’s goaltending. Silovs is 13-8-8 this season.
Making Moves Throughout the Season and Moving Off the Idea of Selling
With all the new pieces set in place, the Pittsburgh Penguins got off to a hot start. They’ve battled their way to a 31-17-13 record through 61 games this season. This places the team second in the Metropolitan Division. Contributions from the aforementioned players and rebound seasons from players like Erik Karlsson didn’t necessarily justify doing nothing, however. The organization moved Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a package including Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak. The most significant move, however, was acquiring Egor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in late December. The disgruntled Russian winger had shown flashes of brilliance, but could never find consistency. Paying a relatively high price for him, Chinakhov was slotted next to Evgeni Malkin on the team’s second line. He quickly settled in and has scored 10 goals and 14 points in 23 games this season.
Coming off the Olympic break, the Penguins kicked off the return of the NHL season by moving Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche in a package that included defenceman Samuel Girard. By moving pending free agent Kulak for Girard, Kyle Dubas once again held steady to the idea of acquiring younger players that could contribute. Girard has slotted in next to Kris Letang on the second pair. All of this led to the trade deadline, where it became obvious quickly that Dubas would not move assets for older players or ones that didn’t fit the original plan of the team.
The Stretch Drive
Even with an injury to Sidney Crosby and a suspension to Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins made a single move. They acquired young forward Elmer Soderblom for a third-round pick. By adding a young forward with the potential to contribute in the bottom-six for a relatively low cost, Dubas has signaled to the organization that he will not callously rip apart a team doing better than expected, but will also avoid moving off the plan he has set in place long-term. With just 21 games left until the playoffs, the Penguins have their roster set in place, and rather than looking to draft reports and the lottery, the team will be playing meaningful hockey down the stretch, and potentially into late April.
Main Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
