Well that was fast.
Barely a month after we acquired towering defenseman Vincent Desharnais from Vancouver as part of the return for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor, Kyle Dubas sent him right back out the apparently revolving door for a fifth-round in 2028 Entry Draft.
Hope Vinny knows the way to San Jose, who acquired his services.
The leash keeps getting shorter and shorter for big, physical defensemen around these parts. Jamie Oleksiak lasted 83 games, Erik Gudbranson 26.
Desharnais? Ten whole games.
Wow.
Okay, so the former seventh-round pick of the Oilers wasn’t exactly the second coming of Zdeno Chara. During his extremely brief stay in the ‘Burgh, Desharnais displayed heavy feet and a tendency to get caught betwixt and between defensively. But he also demonstrated at least a passing interest in playing the body, as his 19 hits in 10 games will attest.
For now, it appears this latest move shoves Ryan Graves back into the regular defensive rotation, unless Dubas has another trick up his sleeve.
Anyway, Vinny we hardly knew ye.
Bunts Too
In a second, rumored, deal that’s now official, the Pens traded feisty forward Michael Bunting (pictured), currently on IR following an appendectomy, to Nashville for 27-year-old center Thomas Novak and veteran hard-rock defenseman Luke Schenn.
We’ll also part with a 4th-round pick in the 2026 Entry Draft.
Coming on the heels of two productive seasons that saw him collect a very respectable 35 goals and 88 points in 122 games, Novak has gotten caught up in the general malaise that’s afflicted the Preds this season, dipping to 13 goals.
Still, a veritable bonanza in Penguin-land.
He also has very strong underlying metrics.
Lest you think Novak’s too good to be true, the lanky 6’1” 179-pounder doesn’t have a physical bone in his body (all of six hits this season). He’s weak in the faceoff circle as well (a poor 43.3 percent career rate).
Perhaps the Pens will be counting on Schenn to fill the physical gap created by the departures of Bunting and Desharnais. The rugged 225-pound, right-shot defenseman is traditionally among the leading hitters in the NHL. With 228 body knocks in 61 games with the Preds, this season is no exception.
He’ll drop the gloves when the situation calls for it and can still throw ‘em pretty fair.
Instinct tells me the Pens might flip him. However, Dubas acquired the 35-year-old vet at the 2023 deadline when he was GM of the Leafs, so maybe not.
Novak’s signed for two more seasons at $3.5 million per, Schenn one more season after this one at $2.75 million.
Rick & The Other Rick
Sorry, the 2nd and 4rh round picks were for Schenn. Which I’m sure you already knew.
Dubas just picked up a 3rd round pick from New Jersey for Cody Glass
Mike, Rick,
I haven’t watched any of his games yet but that kid we got in the Glass – Gruden Deal, Max Graham appears intriguing – on paper (20 yrs old, 6′-3″, 209lbs, 40 GP, 41 Pts, and 93 PIM this season for the Kelowna Rockets). He really doesn’t look like a Sullivan man.
Chase Stillman (the other guy in that deal), a 21 yr old RW, I am unsure about.
I do have a friend and former client close to the NJD Org (Rick, you actually know of whom I speak or at least some of their family, but I don’t think you know were they left Pgh) and am trying to get some Penguin Poop on them. If I hear anything interesting, I will let you know.
Not really a fan of Conor Timmons or Connor Dewar, but it only cost Dubas 1 of 3 5th round picks; not a big risk.
The Beauvillier and Schenn trades look like the best best moves Dubas made.
Hey Other Rick,
According to reports, Stillman (the son of former NHLer Cory Stillman) plays a power game and has a high motor. Very willing to tangle and is a capable scrapper.
So for that matter, is Graham. The kid can throw ’em pretty fair.
Stillman was a first-round pick (29th overall), which was regarded as a stretch…he was rated as a second-rounder. Doesn’t have big offensive numbers. But if he can emerge as a bottom-sixer who competes and plays a hard game, I’ll be more than happy.
We so desperately need that element.
Rick
Rick,
As I wrote above, a former client of mine of whom you also know their family members may have deeper info than a scouting report, maybe not. As soon as they get back to me, if it is different, I will post it. However, they understandably are kind of busy right now.
Hey Mike,
Thanks so much much for the updates. Don’t know if you saw it, but I did put up a Penguins Trade Deadline Tracker where I provide the details and personal opinions.
Think you’ll appreciate at least a couple of them…lol.
Rick
Rick,
Looking at this trade, it doesn’t appear that Dubas is looking to even retool let alone rebuild. He appears to be grasping at straws. Schenn is 3, he may provide some steadiness on the RHD but he is 35, his best season are way behind him.
With Novak, the team saves 2 years over Bunting (27 v 29) and Novak does have a decent S% over the last 3 seasons 15.64% with a positive CORSI 53.60% but his CORSI is not doubt inflated by the fact that he has averaged only 3.34 defensive zone starts per 60 minutes 5-on-5 over this past 3 seasons. If a player isn’t starting in his own zone then it shouldn’t be hard to be on the positive side of CORSI. And as you note, Novak is not going to separating people from the puck, nor does he draw penalties, block shots, win FOs, and is on the negative side of the Gv-Tk equation.
Hey Other Rick,
It appears for all the world that Dubas’s aim is to acquire youngish players who possess some pedigree (Glass, Tomasino and now Novak). Players who, for whatever reasons, haven’t quite fulfilled their promise elsewhere. I think he stated as much in an early season interview.
Kind of trying to catch lightning in a bottle if he can.
For what it’s worth, Novak’s JFresh WAR chart is glowing…an 89 percent overall WAR, 86 percent offense and 90 percent finishing. Unlike most of the guys on our roster in a good way.
Hopefully, the kid can rediscover the traction he appeared to lose this season in Nashville.
I don’t like the fact that we lost one of our few if not only gritty forwards in Bunting, but I kind of thought he might be going. Schenn is an upgrade over Desharnais and by all accounts a character guy, which we can certainly use.
Rick
Rick
I saw a question on another site asking, “What does trading Bunting & Desharnais mean for the Penguins?” The answer is simple: it makes us a softer/smaller team. Schenn, by all accounts, is likely to be traded again in the next couple of days, and it seems like a solid strategic move by Dubas. My guess is there’s a team in Nashville’s conference that wouldn’t be able to secure his services in a trade, and this move could be a way to work around that obstacle. As we all know, Schenn will bring a better return to a team that’s in the playoff hunt. IMO Sullivans hands are all over this
move – He hates toughness “Bunting” and size “Desharnais”
The Other Rick
I couldn’t agree with you more. I might have been okay with the trade if Schenn was staying for at least one more year, but from everything I’m hearing, he’ll be gone before he even gets the chance to unpack his bags. If that’s true, Dubas definitely made a slick move. But when it comes to Novak, I only needed to see one stat – 6 hits in 52 games. Honestly, I think I could hit the ice right now and accidentally rack up more than 6 hits in 52 games. “Jesus”
Even if Novak is skilled and can deliver offense, in the playoffs players like this are absolutly a non-factor.
Mike,
I have heard similar about Schenn that we were just being a 3rd party to move him around for someone else. The worst part of that will be when Dubas trades in a real hockey player/Defenseman (Schenn) for another Ice Capades figure skater to sink this team even lower.
Hey Mike,
I absolutely agree that you don’t win in the playoffs with skill-first players who don’t bring a whole lot else to the table. As talented as he is, Elias Pettersson fell flat for the Canucks last postseason. (This regular season, too, for that matter.)
Jack Hughes is another one who comes to mind. He’s incredibly fast and skilled, but in the 4 Nations tournament he did next to nothing.
You win with the Tkachuks and Sam Bennetts. And, yes, even the Buntings.
It’s what makes Sid so special. All that talent, yet he can play (and excel at) at a grinding game, too.
Rick
Rick & The Other Rick
Two nice moves by Dubas this morning. – he picked up a 2nd and a 4th for 2026 and 2027 and
a 2nd for Beauvillier for this year. IMO both are outstanding moves.