Penguins Have Multiple Trade Pieces to Consider

If the Pittsburgh Penguins are starting the teardown, they have a few players that could fetch big returns in trades.

Oct 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Drew O'Connor (10) celebrates teammates after scoring a short-handed goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins are struggling to find wins as they near the 20-game mark and a fire sale may be right around the corner. Veteran forward Lars Eller was the first to be moved, but who might be next on the chopping block?

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in a written 32 Thoughts, the Penguins have quite a few names to watch in the trade mill, but made specific highlights for defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O’Connor. Both are in the last year of their contracts and could be highly valuable pieces for a number of contending teams.

“Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor are among those to follow,” Friedman writes. “Pettersson deservedly gets a lot of attention, but O’Connor’s low number ($925,000) and flexibility makes him attractive, too.”

Pettersson currently makes just over $4 million against the salary cap and has earned his way into a top-pairing role with the Penguins over the last couple of seasons. He’s completely capable of skating for over 20 minutes per game and can thrive with some of the best offensive defensemen in the game.

For the last two years, Pettersson has been paired with the likes of Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang. Neither Karlsson nor Letang are having seasons to write home about, but Pettersson has been a steady hand on the left side of the ice.

O’Connor has a unique ability to play just about anywhere in a forward corps. He’s got the right skillset and mindset to play alongside Sidney Crosby on the first line, but can also slow things down and be a depth presence in the bottom six.

At under $1 million until the end of the year, O’Connor is extremely affordable and at just 26 years old, a new team could look to lock him up for a few seasons. He’s young with a ton of future ahead of him in the NHL, including his prime years.

If the Penguins are starting the tear down, it’s safe to assume guys like Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Letang will be off limits, but almost everyone else is free game. Especially the likes of Pettersson and O’Connor who could be attractive pieces around the trade deadline.

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