The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to be active before the NHL Trade Deadline on February 28, as they have traded a conditional draft pick for Ottawa Senators forward Alexei Kovalev.
Kovalev, 38, is well past his prime but should still provide some value to a wounded Penguins frontline. He has played in 54 games this season for Ottawa, scoring 14 goals and 27 points for the Senators.
In exchange for Kovalev’s services, Ottawa receives a conditional seventh round selection from Pittsburgh. If the Penguins win their first round playoff series — and Kovalev plays in half of those games — then the pick becomes a sixth round selection in the upcoming draft.
This is a zero risk move for both teams. Ottawa is far out of the playoff picture and needs all the draft selections they can obtain. Pittsburgh gets a veteran presence who could provide some short-term value at very little risk. Kovalev is in the last year of his contract.