Penguins Make 2nd Trade, Acquire Schenn, Novak from Nashville; Full Analysis

LAS VEGAS — Less than 30 minutes after making a smaller trade, shipping out Vincent Desharnais for a mid-round pick, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas made the bigger deal, trading Michael Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Nashville Predators for center Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn.

Neither Nashville nor the Penguins are expected to make the playoffs, but Nashville spent big in free agency last summer and supported their acquisitions of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei. Nashville currently has the third-worst record in the NHL.

The Penguins were reportedly scouting the 27-year-old Novak, but acquiring Shcnn is something of a surprise. Schenn, a valuable right-handed defenseman, is 35 years old and has one more season remaining on his three-year contract, which carries a $2.75 million salary cap hit.

Bunting, 29, is an energetic winger whom the Penguins acquired at the 2024 NHL trade deadline when they dealt Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. Bunting has one more season on his three-year contract, which carries a $4.5 million salary cap hit.

PHN Analysis

The curious decision is moving Bunting, who seemed to add energy and some sandpaper to the Penguins lineup. However, to get, you must give. And the Penguins may have upgraded their chip stack at the trade table in their effort to accelerate a retool.

Schenn was heavily rumored to be on the move at mid-season. Right-handed defensemen are valuable, and Schenn is a steady, minutes-eating RHD who is fit for a contender.

So, why did the Penguins acquire him? At 35, he obviously doesn’t fit into the Penguins’ long-range plans. No, it seems Dubas acquired a valuable trade chip for either this week or this summer. Schenn will have a high value.

Update: Dubas signaled his intention to keep Schenn. “…We feel that having Luke’s defensive play, character, leadership, toughness, and spirit is something we need here to help push our program through this phase…”

And by moving Bunting, the Penguins balanced their books. Novak makes $3.5 million for two more seasons, meaning the Penguins took on $5.75 million in new salary, making their net increase $1.25 million.

According to PuckPedia.com, the Penguins have over $11.4 million in salary cap space. In addition to acquiring another tradeable asset, Dubas has ample cap space to facilitate other deals by holding cap space for other teams.

More importantly, the Penguins have been interested in Novak–a quick, playmaking center. Novak is 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, and has been centering Filip Forsberg and Marchessault as part of Nashville’s top-six, but he has not performed up to offensive expectations this season. Novak has 22 points, including 13 goals in 52 games this season.

His career high was 45 points with 18 goals last season.

The trade gives Dubas more options. He can flip Schenn for a healthy haul, perhaps a later first-round pick. Novak can slot as the Penguins’ second-line center, allowing coach Mike Sullivan lineup flexibility should the team need to move Evgeni Malkin from second-line center to top-line LW because of a Rickard Rakell trade.

Yes, this deal seems to set up a Rakell deal perfectly, now or this summer. Given the seller’s market at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, which saw Seattle Kraken get a pair of first-round picks for Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstand, Rakell’s value will never be higher.

Novak and Schenn make the third and fourth former Nashville Predators the Penguins have acquired since last summer. Dubas has also acquired Cody Glass and Philip Tomasino.