The Pittsburgh Penguins trade Saturday was not as inconsequential as it might appear on paper.
Saturday, the team traded prospect defenseman Emil Pieniniemi to the Florida Panthers for 26-year-old unsigned restricted free agent Oliver Okuliar, who was a member of Team Slovakia’s Olympic squad but has not yet made his NHL debut.
Pieniniemi was the Penguins’ polarizing third-round pick (91st overall) in 2023 has had issues with the Penguins organization over the last year. After training camp, the team assigned him to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, but he refused to report and tried to return home to Finland to play. However, his contractual rights prevented him from playing, so he eventually reported back to the Penguins organization in late December.
Pieniniemi, 21, spent most of his first professional season in Wheeling, though did play nine AHL games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, amassing three points (1-2-3).
PHN did not grade him well in camp or in WBS, noting his lack of first step and tepid push in the offensive zone.
Okuliar, 26, was undrafted and spent his career overseas playing two years in the Slovak league, one year in the SM-liiga, two years in the Czech league, and this season in the Swedish High League. He signed a one-year deal with Florida in 2024, and played 69 games in the AHL in 2024-25, totaling 41 points, including 19 goals.
This season in the Swedish High League, the 6-foot, 190-pound forward had 15 goals and 29 points in 46 games. He also had two points, including one goal in six Olympic games.
The scouting reports on Okuliar note that he isn’t an elite skater but a tenacious forechecker with hockey smarts. He acquitted himself well in the Olympics and would seem to be a potentially useful addition to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, with NHL potential.
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Categorized:Penguins Trade Talk