In recent years, the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect system has been rather lackluster to say the least. That makes sense when one considers the Penguins have gone all-in for Stanley Cups ever since they won in 2009. Since their Cup win in 2009, the Penguins have drafted someone in the first round just eight times. In order to keep their dynasty and chasing Stanley Cups, the Penguins have traded their first-round picks to add onto their solid core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. Most of their trades worked out as the Penguins also won the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017 and had a franchise record 16 straight playoff appearances.
Unfortunately now, it is a different era for the Penguins. Mainly because of the lack of talent in their prospects is showing and the Penguins have one of the oldest rosters in the league. The Penguins have missed the playoffs two years in a row and now see themselves in a long and painful rebuild.
In efforts to rebuild their prospect system, the Penguins have kept and acquired draft picks in recent years including trading for prospects. This started this past March when the Penguins traded star forward Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes for a haul of draft picks and prospects. Also, this past summer when they traded for prospect Rutger McGroarty from the Winnipeg Jets.
Included in the Guentzel trade headed to Pittsburgh is Ville Koivunen. Koivunen the 23 year-old forward from Finland was drafted in the second round in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Hurricanes.
Ville Koivunen Tearing It Up In The AHL
This season has been a solid one so far for Ville Koivunen. He nearly is a point per game player as he has 14 points in 19 games this season. Two of Koivunen’s biggest strengths are his IQ and his playmaking abilities. Koivunen has the IQ to be able to take advantage of the defense as well as knowing where his teammates are going to be. Then, he has the ability to create scoring chances for his team and dish out assists which is evident this season as he has nine.
How Should The Penguins Make Room For Koivunen?
Before the season started, Koivunen was listed as the third best prospect for the Penguins and could make his NHL debut next season. However, due to his good play so far, he may be called up earlier than the Penguins have planned on. Some trade targets the Penguins could move are Matt Nieto, Cody Glass, and Kevin Hayes. In order for Koivunen to get called up, the Penguins would first need to create room for him in the lineup.
Matt Nieto
Matt Nieto would be the most preferable option as he is not having a good season this year. Nieto is making just $900,000 this year and is a pending free agent. In just nine games this season, he is still without a point. Also, he has a +/- of -6. Whether he is traded, sent down, or bought out, he would be the easiest to move on from.
Nieto has struggled mightily to stay healthy and on the ice as he is in his second year with the Penguins. He has appeared in just 31 total games and only has four total points. Also, he is not taking care of the puck as he has seven giveaways this season. Defensively, he does not have much upside either as he generally is not one to throw a hit or use his body to block a shot.
His play this season has been so poor that Nieto has been a healthy scratch since the Penguins overtime win against the Florida Panthers. His expected goals for is a mere 3.1 which is the lowest of his career. With a cheap contract, the Penguins should easily move him to make room for a younger player who will contribute more to the team.
Cody Glass
Another guy that could be moved is forward Cody Glass. Glass was acquired via trade in the summer. Since then, he has five assists and just one goal in 17 games and has a +/- of -8. Since returning from injury, Glass has been performing better offensively as he logged his first goal of the season in a crushing loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Also, he has two points in his last three games.
At 6’3, 206 lbs., the Penguins were hoping Glass would be more physical. However, he has just eight blocked shots and 13 hits this season. General manager Kyle Dubas wanted his bottom-six forwards to also contribute offensively. However, as mentioned earlier, Glass is still searching for his first goal on the season.
His expected goals for (9.3) and expected goals against (6.8) have been the second worst of his career. Unless Glass can stay hot since returning from injury, he is another guy who could be traded sooner rather than later.
Kevin Hayes
Another guy that could be traded is veteran forward Kevin Hayes. Hayes was also acquired via trade in the summer. In 22 games, he has just seven points and has a +/- of -11. Most likely Hayes is going to be traded at the trade deadline in a couple of months. However, if they have confidence in Koivunen, they might as well trade Hayes now.
Similarly to Glass, Hayes at 6’5, 216 lbs. he should be more aggressive on the defensive end. However, he has just one blocked shot and 14 hits in 22 games.
Since becoming a Penguin, Hayes has massively regressed. His expected goals for (6.0) and expected goals against (8.2) have been the worst of his career. Hayes is two years removed from being an All-star. Now, Hayes is struggling in the bottom six.
Out of Hayes, Glass, and Nieto, Hayes should be the most preferred to move. Hayes should also ask to be moved to a potential contender. In the loss against the Avalanche, Hayes struggled on both ends of the ice.
Dumping one of those players allows the Penguins to also get younger. Currently, the Penguins have an average age of 30.1, which is the second oldest in the league.
It does not necessarily need to be soon, but, Koivunen should make his NHL debut this season. If so, he can join Crosby or Malkin on the top-six.
Main Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
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