Hawks and Penguins pull player-for-player trade!

The Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed on a trade on Wednesday, but no, don’t get too excited, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is not in the mix.

The Penguins have acquired forward Alex Nylander from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forward Sam Lafferty.

Nylander, who is 23 years old, is signed through the 2021-22 season and carries an average annual value of $874,125. This is the second time of his career that he gets traded, he who was selected in the first round, eighth overall in the 2016 NHL draft by the Buffalo Sabres, who moved him to Chicago in the summer of 2019. He has 84 games of NHL experience under his belt, recording 13 goals, 19 assists and 32 points with the Blackhawks and Sabres. His best NHL season came in 2019-20 with Chicago when he recorded career highs across the board with 65 games played, 10 goals, 16 assists and 26 points.

This season, Nylander has split the season between the AHL's Rockford IceHogs and Chicago's taxi squad. With Rockford, the forward has tallied eight goals and 12 points in 23 games. His eight goals are tied for the team lead, while his 12 points rank second (tied). Nylander did not play in 2020-21 due to knee surgery.

Lafferty has had trouble cracking the lineup in Pittsburgh and with the imminent return of Evgeni Malkin with the Penguins, who could get a better shot in Chicago. 

The 26-year-old  had 6 points in 34 games for the Pens last season, but just two points in 10 games this year. His physicality will be a good added asset for the Blackhawks however.