Penguins acquire Mikael Granlund from Predators: How the center will fit in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Penguins are acquiring center Mikael Granlund from the Nashville Predators for a 2023 second-round draft pick, the teams announced on Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know:

Granlund is signed through the 2024-25 season and carries an average annual value of $5 million.
Granlund has nine goals and 27 assists in 58 games played this season.
Granlund was playing in his fifth season with the Predators.
The Penguins (30-21-9) are sitting in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division.

Backstory

Granlund went No. 9 to the Minnesota Wild during the 2010 NHL Draft. He spent seven seasons with the Wild before being dealt to the Predators at the trade deadline during the 2018-19 season.

For his career, Granlund’s played 729 games, registering 144 goals and 335 assists.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

How does Granlund fit with Pittsburgh?

The Penguins’ bottom six was among the NHL’s worst all season. Over the past several days, general manager Ron Hextall has remade it — whether for the better remains to be seen.

By waiving Kasperi Kapanen and Brock McGinn and trading Teddy Blueger, the Penguins created enough prorated salary cap space to land Granlund, a 31-year-old forward that could play either center or winger, but will probably be on Pittsburgh’s third line.

Was adding Granlund worth parting with Kapanen, McGinn and Blueger? He’s scored nine goals this season, compared to a combined 19 from that trio while they were Penguins.

Where Granlund fits remains a mystery. Would he supplant Jeff Carter as the center? It’s tough to see that happening, unless Carter moves to the wing. — Rossi

Granlund’s cap hit

What’s so curious about the addition of Granlund is his $5 million cap hit for each of the next two seasons. The Penguins somehow rid themselves of Kapanen’s one remaining year at $3.2 million but added money to their cap going forward.

It’s a puzzling move, especially when considering the Penguins were so cap-strapped this season they could not promote many of their top prospects due to cap constraints. — Rossi

What they’re saying

“Mikael is a versatile forward, able to play either wing or center, and contribute offensively,” said Hextall. “He has experience on both the power play and penalty kill and can add options to our lineup.”