Penguins give up 2 players in trade for a draft pick.

The Pittsburgh Penguins had their eyes on a prize at the 2025 National Hockey League Entry Draft and general manager Kyle Dubas has made the necessary moves to ensure that the Penguins got their man.

In an official announcement the Penguins confirmed on Saturday that they had struck a deal with the Buffalo Sabres, a deal that secured pick #39 at this year's draft for the Penguins. First let's look at a breakdown of the trade.

Penguins receive:
Pick #39
Connor Clifton

Sabres receive:
Conor Timmins
Issac Belliveau

Fans in Pittsburgh did not have to wait long to learn who they will be getting with that pick either with the Penguins having already selected 17 year old defenseman Peyton Kettles from the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. Kettles has spent the last 3 seasons of his hockey career with the Broncos and is coming off a season that saw him put up 5 goals and 9 assists for a total of 14 points in 53 games.

Kettles is still a long ways away from becoming a factor at the National Hockey League level, but it speaks to just how much the Penguins believed in this young player that they were willing to make this type of move in order to get him.

The Sabres on the other hand add some depth to their blue line that can help them right away with Timmins able to step into the lineup immediately, and add a prospect in Belliveau who at 22 years old hasn't really come close to breaking into the NHL.

A relatively minor trade for both sides but one that could prove to be an important piece of the future for the Pittsburgh Penguins.