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Pittsburgh Penguins add 6-foot-8 winger Elmer Soderblom in trade with Detroit Red Wings
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Elliotte Friedman says Pittsburgh grabbed Elmer Soderblom, 24, from Detroit for a 2026 third, a bold Penguins bet on size and touch.
Soderblom is a winger and Detroit's 2019 sixth-round pick, 159th overall. His cap hit is $1.125 million through 2026-27, with no clauses reported.
The Penguins' post adds that the third-rounder originally belonged to San Jose. That tells you Kyle Dubas paid a real pick for a very specific roster fit.
His 2025-26 NHL line sits at 2-1-3 in 39 games. Last season, he put up 4-7-11 in 26 Detroit games, which is why the net-front appeal feels real.
This is the hockey reason. Pittsburgh needs heavier wing play, longer puck protection, and one more big body around the crease before the stretch run.
Friedman posted the trade on X.
Pittsburgh followed with the team confirmation on X, including the San Jose origin on the pick.
Elmer Soderblom gives Pittsburgh a different wing tool
Pens fans should like the swing, but they also know the risk. Big wingers still have to win races in Dan Muse hockey.
At this cap hit, Soderblom is easy to carry and easy to test. There is no retention wrinkle here, just a cheap roster swing with upside.
Pittsburgh sits 31-17-13 on March 6, so this looks like a support move, not a franchise-altering splash. That makes sense for where the club is.
The next read comes Saturday against Philadelphia. If Muse wants more forecheck weight and crease traffic, Soderblom could get a quick bottom-six look.
It is not the loudest move of the deadline, but one greasy shift around the blue paint can change a game, and Penguins fans know March hockey usually turns on that.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 6|142 ANSWERS Pittsburgh Penguins add 6-foot-8 winger Elmer Soderblom in trade with Detroit Red Wings Should Pittsburgh Penguins fans like the Elmer Soderblom trade? | ||
| Yes | 100 | 70.4 % |
| No | 42 | 29.6 % |
| List of polls | ||