Penguins
Kingerski: Dubas Gets BIG Win; Penguins Reap Additional Trade Benefits

After nearly two years in the big chair at the head of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey organization, Kyle Dubas has taken a few big swings in hopes of quickly resurrecting the Penguins’ flagging trajectory. His biggest attempts were in the first weeks of his tenure. Some moves that looked like wins soured, and the Penguins have been fighting uphill ever since.
Late Friday night, just before midnight, Dubas picked up his first undeniable win as general manager of the Penguins. The Penguins traded Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor, and the prized return was the New York Rangers’ first-round pick, either in 2025 or 2026 (the 2025 selection is top-13 protected).
The Penguins also received winger Danton Heinen, 6-foot-7 defenseman Vincent Desharnais, and 2024 third-round pick Melvin Fernstrom.
Getting a first-round pick, which could be in the mid-first round, is a resounding win, and not even bungling the pick can take away the obvious trade victory. The Penguins essentially got a good first-round selection for Marcus Pettersson and roster help for O’Connor.
With the new vice president of player personnel Wes Clarke in charge of the drafts, there is ample recent evidence that the Penguins will do pretty well with the selection.
Read More: TRADE & ANALYSIS: Penguins Deal Pettersson, O’Connor to VAN, Get 1st & More
Dubas has certainly reached for victory before. The Erik Karlsson trade is the primary example of high hopes that didn’t meet expectations. A regrettable contract for Ryan Graves also dots the resume, as does not getting a first-rounder in the Jake Guentzel deal (though it appears they may have done well by getting Michael Bunting in the deal instead).
Last summer, Dubas traded salary cap space for draft picks by acquiring Cody Glass and Kevin Hayes on the receiving end of salary dumps, but those weren’t wins. The moves weren’t meant to be winners but were builders.
Now, Dubas can claim a win.
This season, O’Connor gave away much of his trade value. Rather than playing his way into a healthy contract for next season, he was caught in quicksand. Slump became a struggle in a season-long spiral. Last season’s 16-goal total looked impossible to duplicate with just 29 games remaining and only six tallies on the board.
The value of the first-rounder will vary based on the Rangers’ performance the rest of this season and maybe into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vancouver acquired the Rangers’ first-rounder in the J.T. Miller trade executed a few hours earlier Friday. Hopes of making the playoffs and making a playoff run are running high in New York because they gave up comparatively less in the deal and are now stacked three-deep down the middle.
Depending on how well Miller fits with the Blueshirts, that first-round pick could also be as low as 32nd overall if New York does indeed win the Stanley Cup. Still, getting a pick at the back of the first round meets our top-end projects and valuations for Pettersson.
4 Things Penguins Get in the Trade
1. More Penguins Prospect Hope
This time, Dubas won the trade by not only getting more than he gave but also snaring another coveted first-round pick, which realistically could be as high as 14th. The trade isn’t a second or third-rounder in 2027 that might show up before the comet buzzes Earth with a nearly 1.5% chance of smashing into the planet in 2032 (according to NASA), but an asset that could arrive in Pittsburgh during Sidney Crosby’s next contract.
The Penguins are starting to become flush with prospects.
Ville Koivunen is beginning to track toward the NHL after an adjustment period in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Left defenseman Owen Pickering proved he could play in the big show. Right defenseman Harrison Brunicke, who was the Penguins’ 2024 second-round pick (44th overall), performed exceptionally well in training camp and preseason and almost made the final roster before being sent back to juniors. Fellow 2024 second-rounder Tanner Howe (46th overall) jumped a lot of high draft picks to make the 2025 Team Canada World Juniors team.
Tristan Broz and Rutger McGroarty are very close to the next step and becoming bonafide NHL contributors, and both could be middle-six forwards with offensive contributions. The Penguins are grooming Broz at the center, but he has been out for some time due to illness (mononucleosis).
The Penguins’ current arc places them in the bottom 10 of the NHL, which also means a spiffy draft pick of their own. Dubas might wear out the company credit card with flights around the world scouting for a pair of potential picks in the top 25.
2. Resolution
Most everyone else can relax because the big trade has happened. A few others, such as pending UFA Matt Grzelcyk, could be on the move, but it seems unlikely Dubas will rock the team with additional moves of long-time veterans. Rickard Rakell is the only other one who may need to avoid X for a while.
Clarification: More trades are likely, but this summer will be the likely time for larger trades.
As Pittsburgh Hockey Now described in our conversation with Pettersson just a few days ago, the situation was visibly wearing on him. He was not resolute or assured when answering the big question about his future but instead spoke in a melancholy tone. There was no doubt he wanted to stay, but there was also no doubt Dubas had decided that wasn’t going to happen. A few weeks ago, PHN also confirmed there had been no contract talks.
Read More: Final Days as Penguins? How Pettersson, O’Connor Are Handling It (+)
The team and Pettersson now get some closure on the process, and Pettersson will have a chance to chase a Stanley Cup with two other players named Elias Pettersson.
The same goes for O’Connor, who may have been pressing to fill the top-six role given to him at the start of the season and to earn the big bucks he’s surely capable of receiving. Perhaps Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet will give him a whirl as a center, where he’s most comfortable.
Tocchet and Sullivan have undoubtedly already communicated on their swapped players.
Sadly, we won’t get to thank Pettersson for the countless times he stood in his dressing stall to face the media, field tough questions, and take the heat for a struggling team. Fare thee well, Petey. You too, Drew.
3. More Salary Cap Space
According to PuckPedia.com, the Penguins are up to just over $6 million in salary cap space. Since they will not be acquiring veterans for a stretch run, that means Dubas can again sell off cap space for more draft picks. The Penguins can be the pass-through that holds salary in a three-team deal or outright take on a salary dump so a contender can swing a big deal.
4. Clear Direction
Dubas could say it until he and his staff were blue in the face, but until it happened, the trade talk was just talk. The deal sends a clear message that Dubas is retooling the organization “as urgently as possible.”
The words were backed by action and there can be no doubt now.