Pittsburgh Penguins May Get Their Hands on Coveted Draft Pick Due to Major Trade Condition

2024/25 was a bad season for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and as a result they've now got the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft following some very bad lottery luck, with the team hoping to land a future star with the selection.

However, that may not be their only pick, as the New York Rangers will need to choose between giving the Penguins their first-round pick this season or in 2026 as a result of the trade that sent Drew O'Connor and Marcus Pettersson to the Vancouver Canucks.

If the Rangers were to give away their 2025 pick, it would result in the Penguins having picks No. 11 and 12, and while they'd prefer a much higher pick, that would give them the opportunity to add not one but two potentially high level prospects.

Now, General Manager Chris Drury will have until 48 hours before the draft to inform Kyle Dubas and the Penguins of their intentions, but with the Rangers expecting to be a much better team in 2025/26, it's more likely than not that they'll hold onto this years pick.

However, next years is unprotected, so if they were to hold on to that pick and then struggle next season, it could be catastrophic for the Rangers, so this decision will not be an easy one for New York.

For now though, Pittsburgh fans will likely be looking to the potential prospects they can add with the 11th overall pick, and if they get the other one, this could be a huge summer for the Penguins.