The mission to get younger is starting early in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a trade a day after a blowout loss to Dallas and have furthered the process of their rebuild. Veteran center Lars Eller was sent to Washington, in return the Pens will get a third round pick all the way in 2027 and a fifth round pick in the upcoming draft in 2025.
The Penguins have acquired a 2027 third-round draft pick and a 2025 fifth-round draft pick (originally belonging to Chicago) from the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Lars Eller.
Details: https://t.co/EsojIpr7gk pic.twitter.com/EMZCK2tgIs
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) November 12, 2024
For Pittsburgh, this is as simple as getting younger. Eller, 35, has been among the team’s few bright spots this season. The Pens called up 23-year old Sam Poulin, a former first round pick who has been playing well in the AHL. Eller was an impending free agent. It would be difficult for Poulin to get an opportunity with a veteran ahead of him on the depth chart. Problem solved in that regard.
The compensation isn’t much to get excited about, a mid-round pick that is still three drafts away won’t be of much value or use to the Penguins for a long, long time – if at all. If anything, the timing is curious since Eller (who was traded for a second round pick at the deadline in the spring of 2023) might have seen his value increase deeper into the year when more teams accumulate enough cap space to swing trades.
But the message behind the trade is very clear, the Penguins are not good enough to go anywhere as they’re currently constructed and changes are coming. Listed as the 31st oldest team in the NHL, Pittsburgh could stand to pare as many veterans as they can from the lineup, while figuring out what they may or may not have in younger players who are in the minor leagues. Step one of that was accomplished today.
Pittsburgh now possesses 10 picks in the upcoming draft, nine in 2026 and 10 in 2027. The upcoming picks are as follows, with notation of original owners of the selections:
- First round: 1 (PIT)
- Second round: none
- Third round: 3 (PIT, OTT, MIN)
- Fourth round: 1 (PIT)
- Fifth round: 3 (PIT, NYR, CHI)
- Sixth round: 1 (PIT)
- Seventh round: 1 (PIT)