Looks like I picked a bad morning to sleep in.
While I was sound asleep, sawing the proverbial logs, Penguins POHO/GM Kyle Dubas was burning the midnight oil, in the process hooking up on a big trade with Jimmy Rutherford’s Canucks.
In exchange for UFAs-to-be Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor, Dubas acquired towering physical defenseman Vincent Desharnais (pictured), veteran forward and ex-Pen Danton Heinen, forward prospect Melvin Fernström and…drum roll please…a conditional 2025 first-round pick (via the Rangers).
Wow.
A lot to unpack.
First things first, the first (?!), freshly acquired by JR & Co. earlier in the day as part of the J.T. Miller blockbuster. It’s top-13 protected, which means if the Rangers finish among the bottom 13 teams in the league, the pick reverts to an unprotected first-rounder in 2026.
Given the comparatively shallow talent pool available in the upcoming draft? Root extra hard for the Rangers, currently 11th from the bottom, to tank. The better to have the unprotected first-rounder in ’26 (aka, the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes).
Heinen, we know. The rangy 29-year-old left wing is a solid middle-sixer, capable of putting up decent numbers. He netted 18 goals for us in 2021-22 and 17 for the Bruins last season. Like the departed O’Connor, he’s a bit streaky and prone to extended dry spells, but competent.
As for Desharnais? I’m very pleased to get him. I wrote the other day that we lack a physical, stay-at-home defenseman to clear pucks and bodies away from the net. That pretty much describes the 28-year-old Desharnais to a T.
Too, he’s a desperately needed right shot, one who skates okay and is fairly mobile for a big…make that huge…man (6’7” 226). He’s not shy about dropping the gloves and, while not the NHL’s heavyweight champ, fights at least reasonably well as this 2023 battle with Jonah Gadjovich attests.
What he doesn’t do well? Handle and move the puck. IMHO, we have enough guys who can do that. What we needed was someone to protect our net front…and netminders.
Desharnais fits the bill.
Fernström? He’s an 18-year-old right wing and third-round pick of the Canucks last summer who’s currently skating for Orebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League. At first blush, he sounds like a poor man’s version of Ville Koivunen, skilled, not a great skater, not especially physical, etc. For more deets, here’s a link to Pensburgh.
As for the departed? Pettersson was arguably our best all-around defenseman, not to mention a stand-up guy and outstanding citizen. O’Connor was a big, fast, honest forward who gave everything he had game-in-and-game-out.
I’ll be especially interested to see how the latter develops under Rick Tocchet. I’ve always felt DOC had another gear to his game. One that he may (or may not) possess.
Both will be missed.
In terms of dollars and cents, Heinen ($2.25 million AAV) and Desharnais ($2 million AAV) add a combined $4.25 million. Both are under contract through next season.
Pending UFAs Pettersson and O’Connor had a combined cap hit of just under $5 million.
All-in-all, a nice bit of work by Dubas to snag the first and add some much-needed physicality. Which segues to…
Make Way for the Pengoons?
A result of the trade, intended or otherwise? If coach Mike Sullivan sees his way clear to dressing Desharnais and heavyweight forward Boko Imama, the Pens will boast a physical one-two punch the likes of which we haven’t employed since Ryan Reaves and Jamie Oleksiak patrolled the ice for us back in 2018.
Rick
This is a good trade with the Canucks. Picking up a 1st rounder, a prospect, a physical Defenseman
with size and a capable forward has to be considered a WIN for the Pens. Pettersson was struggling,
and O’Conner just couldn’t get over the hump in terms of offensive production. Even though I think
Drew has limitations as a scorer it wouldn’t surprise me if his point total improves playing for Tocchet
or any other Coach not named Sullivan. Dubas did a great job of maximizing his assets
Hey Mike,
Agreed, this was a good trade – a serious win for Dubas. I am not sure how or why JR gave up a 1st round pick for Pettersson and DOC, plus players, I’ll take and whistle sheepishly. As you say Pettersson was struggling under Sullivan, but then again pretty much every D-man is struggling under HIS “system”. I would have bet that at best Bubas would only be able to get a 3rd or 4th rounder for either of those players (I am glad I didn’t bet). Of course JR is known for over-paying. In DOC’s case, he is 26 years old and pretty much at the extent of his development. He is almost out of his prime as a forward and has been nothing more than a journeyman, even though he has had considerable time with Crosby. Perhaps if Sully hadn’t yo-yoed him up and down to WBS for the bulk of his career and bench him often for making 1 mistake while players like Nieto and Harkins make/made thousands of mistakes he may have developed better, but at 26 he is not going to get much better.
I have to say I am a happy camper today, after that trade; add that to Jarry being sent down, 2025 is starting to look up!