The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Colorado Avalanche completed an interesting trade on Tuesday, signaling strategic positioning on both sides.
NHL Trades Today as Penguins, Avalanche Swap Depth Pieces
News about NHL trades today went ahead with the swap of depth pieces between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avalanche sent defenceman Ilya Solovyov to the Penguins in exchange for depth forward Valtteri Puustinen and a 2026 seventh-round pick.
Solovyov is a 25-year-old Belurusian blueliner whom the Avalanche claimed off waivers earlier this season. He appeared in 16 games this season, scoring one goal and adding two assists. He’s been predominantly Colorado’s seventh defenceman, hitting the ice amid injuries befalling the Avalanche.
Going the other way is Puustinen, a pretty solid AHL-level forward. The former seventh-round pick from the 2019 NHL Entry Draft became a part of NHL trades today due to his relative ineffectiveness as a depth forward. Despite getting an opportunity to stick, Puustinen could not hold a bottom-six role in Pittsburgh.
Puustinen has not appeared in the NHL this season. Last year, he appeared in 13 games, scoring two goals and totalling three points. His best season came in 2023-24, when he played in 52 games, scoring five goals and topping 20 points.
Perhaps the biggest piece of this Avalanche-Penguins swap is the Avalanche landing a seventh-round pick. The Avs are desperately short of draft picks after years of trading away futures for rentals and upgrades. The pick is the prize of NHL trades today for the Avalanche.
How Penguins-Avalanche Trade Works for Both Sides
Adding Solovyov could signal the Penguins are looking for depth heading into what looks to be a serious playoff push. He comes cheap, carrying a $775K cap hit.
Meanwhile, Puustinen will likely head down to the Colorado Eagles of the AHL. The NHL trades today should have no bearing on the Avalanche’s main club. The team has plenty of defencemen who could make the jump to the NHL.
Puustinen should also provide a welcome boost to the Eagles’ forward group. Still, the Avalanche may give Puustinen a call-up at some point. The team has used a revolving door between the AHL and NHL to fill the gaps, mainly on its fourth line.
Main Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images