The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to make adjustments after a rough start and have made an unexpected trade for former No. 24 overall pick Philip Tomasino. With a record of 7-12-4, the situation for Kyle Dubas and the veteran team is dire, especially given their high Stanley Cup expectations at the beginning of the season, no matter how realistic those hopes were.
The team has already made a hasty decision by trading Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals, and on Monday, they announced another surprising trade involving the Nashville Predators. This time, however, they are taking on a player instead of letting one go, acquiring the former first-round pick in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round draft selection. The Pens shared the news of the trade on social media, and considering their current situation, it’s understandable that there is confusion about the team’s direction under GM Dubas.
At just 23 years old, Tomasino has not yet met the expectations of his draft position in Nashville, scoring only 23 goals and 71 points in 159 games since being selected in the 2019 NHL Draft. Nevertheless, he has good size at 6 feet tall and demonstrated his scoring ability in the AHL, where he recorded 18 points in 22 games last year. As he is approaching free agency, the Penguins might be able to maximize his potential during this contract year.
In any case, this is an interesting buy-low opportunity for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who believe that with the right motivation, they can turn their season around. If that doesn’t happen, they only gave up a later draft pick in 2027, making this a risk that Dubas feels is worth taking.
