Penguins Acquire Blandisi from the Ducks

Pretty soon they’ll be calling us the Monongahela Ducks. Or referring to Anaheim as the Left Coast Penguins.

In the wee hours this morning, Pens GM Jim Rutherford and Ducks counterpart Bob Murray swung their third trade over the past four seasons. Almost three years to the day after the watershed David Perron-for-Carl Hagelin swap…a deal that propelled the Pens to the 2016 Stanley Cup…JR acquired peppery forward Joseph Blandisi in exchange for forward Derek Grant.

At first blush, this trade won’t have nearly the same impact. On the surface it appears to be pretty much tit-for-tat…one fringe forward being dealt for another. Both guys are centers by trade who can slide to the port side. Each has shown the ability to be nominally productive at the NHL level…Grant with 14 goals and 36 points in 177 career NHL games…Blandisi with eight goals and 26 points in 74 career big-league contests. Salaries are similar, too, with Blandisi ($680K) weighing in at a slightly higher average annual value than Grant ($650K).

However, that appears to be where the similarities end. Although strong on faceoffs (57.1 percent this season) and a decent penalty-killer, Grant…a sluggish skater…never really fit with the Pens’ up-tempo style. He’s likely to be more at home out west, where his size (6’3” 215) and style of play seem better suited for the heavier Western Conference game.

Although Blandisi figures to be little more than a fill-in, there are elements of his game that intrigue me. Feistiness, for one. The Hockey News describes him as a “versatile, agitating energy forward with some upside.”

Indeed, the Markham, Ontario native scored 52 goals and 112 points his final year in junior, which indicates at least a modicum of talent. During his rookie season, Blandisi scored a stunning, Crosby-esque between-the-legs-backhand goal from the side of the net against the Flyers that made the highlight reels. The Star, Canada’s largest online news site, described the 24 year old as a “quick, explosive skater.”

One thing Blandisi doesn’t bring to the table is size…he’s listed at 5’11” and 187 pounds. However, by the sounds of it, he’s a Mike Sullivan-type player who should blend in with the coach’s favored north-south game.

In my humble opinion, the black and gold still lack a little bite and aggression…especially with Patric Hornqvist and Zach Aston-Reese on the shelf. While Blandisi most assuredly ain’t the second coming of Ryan Reaves, he’s a guy who can at least stir the pot. Maybe even draw a penalty or two.

Whether the trade is a prelude to a larger swap involving rumored-to-be-on-the-move Derick Brassard is anybody’s guess. But, even if a small one, hopefully it’s another win for Rutherford.