Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings Make Trade Involving Young Defenseman

The 2025 NHL trade deadline has come and gone, but that hasn't stopped the Pittsburgh Penguins wheeling and dealing, as they've now made another deal on Tuesday.

This time, they've sent 26-year old defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations, with the AHL regular now finding a new home, likely with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Knyzhov arrived in Pittsburgh this season after a solid stint with the San Jose Sharks where he tallied 3 goals and 12 points in 81 games played between 2019 and the 2023/24 season.

Over the last two seasons however, he's mostly played in the AHL, posting 2 goals and 7 points with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season, with many believing he may get the opportunity to play at the top level with the Penguins this season.

The undrafted defenseman has experience in the KHL before coming to North America, and while he's yet to find his groove at the top level, the blue liner that stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 222 pounds still has plenty of potential moving forward.

While he'll likely start his Red Wings career at the AHL level, that's a team that may be looking to boost their defensive stocks over the next 18 months, but with Knyzhov set to hit free agency in the summer of 2025, he'll be looking to show off what he can do down the stretch to earn himself a new deal for next season, as he's shown he can be a solid depth piece at the pro level in North America.