The Vancouver Canucks further reshaped their lineup by acquiring defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O’Connor from Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night.
The Penguins will get forward Danton Heinen, defenseman Vincent Desharnais, the New York Rangers’ 2025 first-round draft pick (conditional) and forward prospect Melvin Fernstrom, Vancouver’s third-round draft pick in 2024.
Earlier in the day, the Canucks acquired veteran forward Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini and that 2025 first-round draft pick, which is top-13 protected from New York. The Rangers received forward J.T. Miller, defenseman Erik Brannstrom and defense prospect Jackson Dorrington from Vancouver.
The Canucks, who lost a road game to the Dallas Stars 5-3 on Friday, are one point out of the second wild-card berth in the Western Conference. They return home to face the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.
Pettersson, 28, who is in his eighth NHL season, has been part of Pittsburgh’s defensive core. He also has three goals through 47 games, needing just one more to match his career high set last season, when he also notched a career-best 30 points.
Pettersson could be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
O’Connor, 26, is in his fifth season, all with the Penguins. He has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) through 53 games. Last season, he set career highs in games played (79), goals (16) and assists (17).
Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas said in a statement, “Tonight’s trade continues to move us in the direction set one year ago which is to continue to add young prospects, young players, and draft capital to the Penguins as we chart our course to return the club back into contention as urgently as possible.”
Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said, according to NHL.com, “We are really happy to add to the depth of our team with the acquisitions of Marcus and Drew. Marcus has good size (6-foot-5, 174 pounds), reach, and makes solid decisions with the puck while Drew is an intelligent player with versatility and a bigger frame (6-4, 209).”
The Penguins have seen their win totals decline each year since last making the postseason in 2021-22. Their 50 points this season are only five ahead of the Sabres for the fewest in the Eastern Conference.
Heinen, 29, spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons in Pittsburgh, combining for 26 goals and 29 assists. The native of British Columbia also had two stints with the Boston Bruins and compiled his highest point totals with them: 47 in 2017-18 and 36 in his return to Boston in 2023-24.
Desharnais, 28, had no goals and three assists in 34 games for Vancouver this season. He spent the prior two campaigns with the Edmonton Oilers, logging one goal and 15 assists in 114 total games.
Fernstrom, 18, was Vancouver’s third-round draft pick in 2024. He is currently playing in his native Sweden.
The Penguins will host the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.
–Field Level Media
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