The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired the New York Rangers’ 2025 first-round draft decide (conditional), ahead Danton Heinen, defenseman Vincent Desharnais, in addition to 2024 third-round draft decide Melvin Fernstrom from the Vancouver Canucks in change for defenseman Marcus Pettersson and ahead Drew O’Connor, it was introduced at the moment by President of Hockey Operations and Basic Supervisor Kyle Dubas.
“Shifting two long-time Penguins isn’t a straightforward choice,” 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 at the moment.
The acquisition of the conditional 2025 first-round decide provides the Penguins 29 choices over the following three NHL drafts, which incorporates 4 first-round choices and 15 picks within the first three rounds. No staff has extra draft picks, or choices within the first three rounds, over the following three NHL Drafts than Pittsburgh.
“Tonight’s commerce continues to maneuver us within the path 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 rivalry 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 sit up for seeing each in uniform within the coming days. The addition of Melvin Fernstrom additionally provides us a prospect that was extremely regarded on the 2024 NHL Draft, and the Rangers’ first-round draft decide gives us with one other sturdy asset that we are able to use to accumulate an elite younger participant within the draft or through commerce.”
Heinen is signed by the 2025-26 marketing campaign and his contract carries a mean annual worth of $2.25 million. Desharnais is signed by 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 components of 9 seasons within the NHL cut up between Boston, Anaheim, Pittsburgh and Vancouver and has tallied 93 targets, 136 assists and 229 factors in 537 profession video games. This season, Heinen has registered six targets, 11 assists and 17 factors in 50 video games with Vancouver.
Heinen established a profession excessive in targets (18) and power-play targets (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 targets, 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 targets, 57 assists and 93 factors.
Heinen was initially drafted within the fourth spherical (116th 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 components of 4 seasons within the American Hockey League between 2019-23 with Bakersfield. He recorded 5 targets, 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 (183rd general) of the 2016 NHL Draft by Edmonton.
Fernstrom, 18, is at present enjoying abroad with Orebro HK of the SHL, Sweden’s high skilled league. In 35 video games with Orebro HK, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound ahead has notched three targets, 5 assists and eight factors. He’s additionally suited up for 12 video games with Orebro HK J20 in Sweden’s high junior hockey league, registering 11 targets, seven assists and 18 factors.
Previous to being drafted by Vancouver within the third spherical (93rd general) of the 2024 NHL draft, the native of Balsta, Sweden represented his house nation on the 2024 World Below-18 Championship, bringing house a bronze medal.
