Trade: Penguins acquire forward Kevin Hayes on Day 2.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have added a new forward at very little cost.

On Day 2 of the National Hockey League's Entry Draft, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has pulled off a deal that has added a veteran forward and a draft pick to the Penguins cupboard in exchange for no return whatsoever. The Penguins will be receiving a player and a pick from the St, Louis Blues in what appears to be a salary cap dump.

Let's first take a look at the trade:

To the Penguins:
Kevin Hayes
Second round draft pick (2025)

To the Blues:
Future considerations

As mentioned this appears to be a pure cap dump on the part of the Blues, who get out from under Hayes' contract for both this season and next season. Hayes is currently on a 7 year deal that carries a cap hit of $7.14 million per season, but that deal has already been part of a salary retention transaction in a deal between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Blues.

The Flyers are currently retaining 50% of Hayes salary which left the Blues, and now the Penguins, with a cap hit of $3.57 million per season for Hayes. It would seem that the Blues felt that was too high of a price to pay for Hayes for the next two seasons.

Kyle Dubas and the Penguins either did not agree, or place high value on the second round pick they have received in exchange for taking on Hayes' cap hit.