Penguins Acquire Conditional 2025 First-Round Pick and Three Players From Vancouver for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor

The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired the New York Rangers’ 2025 first-round draft choose (conditional), ahead Danton Heinen, defenseman Vincent Desharnais, in addition to 2024 third-round draft choose Melvin Fernstrom from the Vancouver Canucks in alternate for defenseman Marcus Pettersson and ahead Drew O’Connor, it was introduced right now by President of Hockey Operations and Basic Supervisor Kyle Dubas.

“Shifting two long-time Penguins isn’t a straightforward resolution,” mentioned Dubas. “Marcus and Drew have competed day-in and day-out for the group because the day they arrived. Each gamers are high-quality folks, extremely aggressive gamers and nil upkeep for his or her fellow teammates and the workers of the Penguins.”

As a part of the commerce, Pittsburgh will obtain whichever of the New York Rangers’ 2025 or 2026 first-round draft picks that Vancouver receives as a part of their commerce with the New York Rangers earlier right now.

The acquisition of the conditional 2025 first-round choose offers the Penguins 29 alternatives over the following three NHL drafts, which incorporates 4 first-round alternatives and 15 picks within the first three rounds. No staff has extra draft picks, or alternatives within the first three rounds, over the following three NHL Drafts than Pittsburgh.

“Tonight’s commerce continues to maneuver us within the course set one yr in the past which is to proceed so as to add younger prospects, younger gamers, and draft capital to the Penguins as we chart our course to return the membership again into competition as urgently as doable,” mentioned Dubas. “We’re happy so as to add Danton Heinen again to the Penguins and Vincent Desharnais to the membership and look ahead to seeing each in uniform within the coming days. The addition of Melvin Fernstrom additionally offers us a prospect that was extremely regarded on the 2024 NHL Draft, and the Rangers’ first-round draft choose supplies us with one other robust asset that we will use to amass an elite younger participant within the draft or by way of commerce.”

Heinen is signed via the 2025-26 marketing campaign and his contract carries a mean annual worth of $2.25 million. Desharnais is signed via the 2025-26 season and his contract carries a mean annual worth of $2 million.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Heinen returns for his second stint with the Penguins, beforehand enjoying in Pittsburgh from 2021-23. Heinen has skated in elements of 9 seasons within the NHL cut up between Boston, Anaheim, Pittsburgh and Vancouver and has tallied 93 objectives, 136 assists and 229 factors in 537 profession video games. This season, Heinen has registered six objectives, 11 assists and 17 factors in 50 video games with Vancouver.

Heinen established a profession excessive in objectives (18) and power-play objectives (3) as a member of the Penguins in 2021-22. His career-high help and level totals have been set with the Bruins in 2017-18, tallying 31 helpers and 47 factors that season.

The Langley, British Columbia native has 48 video games of Stanley Cup Playoff expertise with Pittsburgh and Boston, the place he is picked up six objectives, seven assists, 13 factors and is plus-5.

Previous to his skilled profession, Heinen spent two seasons enjoying collegiate hockey on the College of Denver from 2014-16. In 81 profession video games, Heinen scored 36 objectives, 57 assists and 93 factors.

Heinen was initially drafted within the fourth spherical (116^th general) of the 2014 NHL Draft by Boston.

Desharnais is in his third NHL season and has tallied three assists in 34 video games. The 6-foot-7, 226-pound defenseman has performed in 148 profession NHL video games with Vancouver and Edmonton, tallying one purpose, 18 assists and 19 factors. He has additionally skated in 28 profession playoff video games, tallying three assists with the Oilers.

The Laval, Quebec native started his skilled profession skating in elements of 4 seasons within the American Hockey League between 2019-23 with Bakersfield. He recorded 5 objectives, 34 assists and 39 factors in 122 profession AHL video games.

Desharnais performed 4 seasons of collegiate hockey with Windfall Faculty, tallying 29 factors (8G-21A) in 131 video games between 2015-19.

Desharnais was initially drafted within the seventh spherical (183^rd general) of the 2016 NHL Draft by Edmonton.

Fernstrom, 18, is at the moment enjoying abroad with Orebro HK of the SHL, Sweden’s prime skilled league. In 35 video games with Orebro HK, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound ahead has notched three objectives, 5 assists and eight factors. He’s additionally suited up for 12 video games with Orebro HK J20 in Sweden’s prime junior hockey league, registering 11 objectives, seven assists and 18 factors.

Previous to being drafted by Vancouver within the third spherical (93^rd general) of the 2024 NHL draft, the native of Balsta, Sweden represented his residence nation on the 2024 World Underneath-18 Championship, bringing residence a bronze medal.