The Pittsburgh Penguins have been quiet before the deadline, but they made sure to make some type of move near the buzzer. In a deal with the Detroit Red Wings, they were able to acquire some forward depth, bringing Elmer Soderblom into their fold.
“The Penguins have acquired forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick (originally belonging to San Jose),” the Penguins wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Soderblom has some versatility, as he's able to play center and on the wing, while also being a big body that the Penguins can deploy. He had the best season of his career last year, where he recorded four goals and 11 points in 26 apperances.
It will be interesting to see where he fits in with the Penguins, but he has a chance to play a key part in their rotation if needed.
The Penguins are in second place in the Metropolitan Division and have played well this season. The one piece they're waiting to return to the ice is Sidney Crosby, who was injured during the Olympics. The latest update about him was over a week ago, and it seems as if he could return sooner than his original timeline, according to Penguins beat writer Josh Yohe.
“Some clarification on Sid’s injury timeline: There is a chance he could return sooner than 4 weeks. The minimum was 4 weeks from the time of the injury. However, he didn’t undergo the typical rehab routine because he tried to get ready for gold medal game. So there is gray area,” Yohe wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
If the Penguins can keep winning while Crosby is sidelined, they should be in good shape for the coming weeks.
