Pittsburgh Penguins' offseason got off to an active start. The Penguins sent a defense prospect to the Florida Panthers on June 13 and received forward Oliver Okuliar in return.

The deal was announced by their general manager, Kyle Dubas, as they traded defenseman Emil Pieniniemi.

This trade is more significant for Pieniniemi than for Okuliar. Pieniniemi was drafted in the third round by the Penguins in the 2023 NHL Draft, which was Dubas' first with the organization. 

Things started to get rough early this past season when he refused to do an assignment to Wheeling of the ECHL and was suspended for the first two months of the year.

He eventually played 26 games with Wheeling and scored 11 points in 15 playoff contests. He then played in 39 games with Karpat of the Finnish professional league and earned the Liiga bronze medal just in his second season with the team.

Given how the relationship between the Penguins and Pieniniemi progressed this season, the organization’s decision to part ways was not entirely unexpected. At 21, he still has two seasons remaining on his entry-level contract.

In return, Pittsburgh acquired the rights to Okuliar, a 26-year-old forward from Trenčín, Slovakia. Okuliar spent the 2025–26 season with Skellefteå AIK in the Swedish Hockey League. He holds a record of 15 goals and 29 points in 46 games. Okuliar helped the club to the league's best regular-season record. 

He also tied for the SHL lead in playoff goals with six and finished second in postseason points. Okuliar represented Slovakia at the 2026 Olympics and the World Championship. He finished tied for third in scoring on his national team at the latter event. 

Analysts do consider this as a low-risk trade. The Penguins are set to start off with their new forward depth at a low cost while moving on from a player who was clearly at the end of his course.

How the Move Fits Pittsburgh's Long-Term Plan

Although the Okuliar trade does not entirely change things in the Penguins' roster, it fits perfectly into the goal Dubas has been aiming at. 

At his end-of-season press conference, Dubas was blunt about Pittsburgh's setbacks, saying the team lacked impact players in their mid-to-later 20s. And lower-risk trades like with Okuliar help them add depth without giving away the bigger assets.

Sidney Crosby made clear that after this season, he has no intention of retiring. He told The Athletic's Josh Yohe that he definitely wants to keep playing for as many years as possible. That stance keeps Pittsburgh in a better position as they move on to improve their prospects for the next season.

Okuliar has no NHL experience and went undrafted. He played two years of junior hockey in Canada and spent the 2024-25 season with Charlotte in the AHL, his only pro year in North America.

What do you think of the Penguins' trade decision? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar