Since Penguins GM Jim Rutherford promised changes in Pittsburgh nearly a month ago, the team has reshuffled its roster trying to find the perfect combination. The Penguins are 4-5-2 in that span, and still have many of the same inconsistencies that Rutherford has been troubled by. They're giving up about 3.36 goals per game in those 11 games, so Rutherford is trying to shore up the defense by sending forward Daniel Sprong to Anaheim for defenseman Marcus Pettersson
It's a trade between two young high-upside players, but the Penguins appear to be prioritizing defense for the time being. Sprong has four goals and five assists in 42 games with the Penguins, and last year in the AHL the 21 year old had 32 goals.
Pettersson, meanwhile, was a 2014 second-round draft pick. He's just 22 years old, and in 27 games played he has a plus-minus rating of 4 and six assists. It's clear that the Penguins are trying to bolster a defense that has struggled, and add some depth to No. 1 duo Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin. The Ducks have enough defensive depth that they can make the deal and try to groom Sprong into a legitimate goal-scorer.
The Penguins have had problems on different parts of the ice all season, and it's clear Rutherford wants to try to build a team that will play with some consistency moving forward. The Penguins play the Avalanche on Tuesday while the Ducks will be up against the Blackhawks on Wednesday, which can be streamed locally on fuboTV (Try for free).
