The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired right-wing Emil Bemstrom from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for left-wing Alex Nylander and a conditional 2026 sixth-round draft pick. This marks the first deal for the Blue Jackets in the post-Jarmo Kekalainen era, while the Penguins are looking to add some more assets to utilize in the bottom six.
Both teams are getting a chance with players who have each struggled to become a mainstay in the NHL, but could earn themselves opportunities to do so.
Bemstrom Improves Penguins’ Defensive Play
Bemstrom‘s role with the Blue Jackets has been limited, but when given the ice time he has shown that he can be a reliable defensive forward. However, in the time he has spent in the American Hockey League (AHL) he has shown that with the right opportunity, he can be a point producer as well. Through 33 career AHL games, Bemstrom has an impressive 47 points.
Related: 2024 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
Bemstrom has spent a lot more time in the NHL, playing in 204 games with 69 points. During his rookie season, a shortened NHL season, he played 56 games and posted 10 goals and 20 points. Since then, there have been some consistency issues with his play, and especially given the uncertain direction of the Penguins, he could be given a chance to succeed there.
Paying the price of Nylander and a sixth-round pick is well worth the risk of adding a player who could still have an NHL future. Bemstrom adds size, youth, and some more depth to the Penguins’ lineup.
Nylander Gets Another Shot
The struggling Blue Jackets are a perfect place for a struggling forward to find his footing. Nylander, like Bemstrom, has yet to become a full-time NHLer. With 98 career games, his 34 points aren’t bad by any means, and with the trade, he was immediately recalled by the Blue Jackets and is expected to be in the lineup on Feb. 23.
There was a lot of excitement about Nylander in his draft year in 2016, resulting in him being selected eighth overall. Since then, he has struggled to produce at any level. His highest total was in the AHL last season where he scored 50 points, but prior to that, he had a best season of 31 points. At the NHL level, Nylander has only spent one season as a regular and that was with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019-20 where he posted 26 points in 65 games.
The hope is that as the Blue Jackets look to add some positivity to their season, Nylander can be a part of that. There is a bit of a logjam with the forward group in Columbus, so moving Bemstrom wasn’t detrimental to the club, and if Nylander doesn’t work out there is no issue with adding organizational depth and a late draft pick.
Win/Win Trade
Both teams have the chance to get what they need out of this deal. If either player can find consistency with their new club, that is a win on its own, but for the Penguins, having the NHL depth could have a much bigger impact than just looking at someone with the history Bemstrom has. With that, they are giving up a non-roster player who can have a chance to become reinvigorated with a better chance.