Categories: PenguinPoop

Penguins Trade Deadline Update: The Begeen Has Begun

Just when you thought the Penguins might stand pat at the trade deadline, they made a deal. Perhaps the first of a few?

According to reports, GM Ron Hextall has acquired defenseman Nathan Beaulieu from Winnipeg for a conditional seventh-round pick. A former 17th overall selection of Montreal back in 2011, Beaulieu is 29, goes 6’2” 201 and is a left-handed shot. During the course of his 10-year NHL career, he’s played in 419 games for the Canadiens, Sabres and Jets and tallied 12 goals and 94 points to go with a plus-9…and 301 penalty minutes. More on that in a bit.

He’s presently on LTIR and isn’t due to come off for two more games and another week.

Given our organizational depth on the left side of defense, a curious move. But the Strathroy, Ontario, native is versatile and can also play left wing or the off side and adds an element in woefully short supply on our Pens. He can fight, and pretty well. Not in the Ryan Reaves/Tom Wilson category by any stretch, but well enough to keep the opposition honest.

If he plays. We’re all aware of coach Mike Sullivan’s aversion to players with a physical bent. But at least we have that element in our organizational tool kit.

We’ve also been linked to Detroit defenseman Nick Leddy. I confess, this one excites me. A key member of a Cup winner in Chicago and then a mainstay with the Islanders, the 30-year-old Leddy can skate like the wind and is an accomplished offensive d-man, with three 10-plus goal seasons and three 40-plus point seasons on his resume. An excellent passer, he’s especially effective on the power play and would be a boon to our transition game as well.

Although not a banger, the 6’0” 206-pounder will hit and block shots, so he’s not a one-dimensional fly boy.

What makes a prospective deal especially intriguing? The Red Wings have tons of cap space and can easily take on salary, perhaps in the form of a Marcus Pettersson (or even Brian Dumoulin as suggested by Pittsburgh Hockey Now) while retaining a chunk of Leddy’s $5.5 million cap hit. Fifty percent seems to be the going rate.

Both Beaulieu ($1.25 million cap hit) and Leddy are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer.

Friedman Signs

Despite being recently shuffled to the press box, Hextall signed feisty defenseman and fan favorite Mark Friedman to a two-year deal starting next season at an AAV of $775,000.

In another internal move, the Pens have assigned forward Radim Zohorna to the Baby Pens, despite his strong play of late.

Around the League

In deals reported yesterday:

  • Dallas acquired goaltender Scott Wedgewood from Arizona for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
  • Winnipeg acquired forward Mason Appleton from Seattle for a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
  • Nashville acquired defenseman Jeremy Lauzon from Seattle for a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
  • Tampa Bay acquired forward Nick Paul from Ottawa for forward Mathieu Joseph (P.O.’s brother) and a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
  • Toronto acquired defenseman Mark Giordano and forward Colin Blackwell from Seattle for a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
  • Vancouver acquired defenseman Travis Dermott from Toronto for a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
  • Los Angeles acquired defenseman Troy Stecher from Detroit for a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
  • Ottawa acquired defenseman Travis Hamonic from Vancouver for a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
  • And last but not least, Florida acquired defenseman Robert Hagg, rumored to be on the Pens’ radar, from Buffalo for a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Check back for more updates.

2:50 Update

With the 3 p.m. zero hour fast approaching, this trade deadline may ultimately be remembered for the deals that got away…or were never on the hook to begin with.

Rumored black-and-gold targets Leddy and Montreal forward Artturi Lehkonen each went elsewhere. The Avalanche acquired the latter for defenseman Justin Barron and a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Leddy went from Detroit to St. Louis along with heavyweight swingman Luke Witkowski for defenseman Jake Walman, forward Oskar Sundqvist and a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Frankly, I would love to have gotten both Leddy and Witkowski.

In other major deals, Chicago dealt Marc-Andre Fleury to Minnesota for a conditional first-round pick in the upcoming draft. Philly sent veteran defenseman Justin Braun to the Rangers for a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Washington reacquired forward Marcus Johansson from Seattle for ex-Pen prospect Daniel Sprong, a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

3:00 Update

It’s rumored but yet to be substantiated the Pens acquired forward Rickard Rakell from Anaheim just before the deadline. The return is thought to be a second-round pick, a prospect and likely a player from our active roster.

Rick Buker

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