With the NHL’s trade deadline scheduled to hit at 3 p.m. Monday, the Penguins swung a deal several hours in advance.
Pittsburgh acquired defenseman Nathan Beaulieu from the Winnipeg Jets for a conditional seventh-round pick.
Beaulieu, 29, has been injured since March 4 and is on long-term injured reserve. So he will not be able to immediately contribute to the Penguins roster.
He is signed through the end of the season and comes with a salary of $1.25 million. According to reports, the Penguins will only have to send the seventh-round pick to Winnipeg should they advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
“I just think he brings a different dimension,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He has an edge to his game. He’ll bring us some physicality back there. He adds more depth to the group that we already have. It just gives us more flexibility and more depth, which is critically important with some of the hockey we have in front of us.”
The season, the Strathroy, Ontario native has played in 24 games and has assisted four goals. He has been in 24 fights in the NHL in his career, including three this season. In January, he fought Penguins forward Brian Boyle.
“Uh, it’s fine,” Boyle said with a smile. “That’s part of the game. That’s part of the game, it’s a big part of the game and I think an important part of the game. There’s a respect there when guys are willing to do it.”
“He’s obviously a heavy guy, a tough kid. It’s exciting to see what he can bring.”
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defenseman has played in 419 NHL games and has scored 12 goals and assisted 82 more. He is a career plus-9.