Preds trade Schenn, Novak to Penguins for Bunting, pick
Published
The Nashville Predators have traded veteran defenceman Luke Schenn and forward Tommy Novak to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Michael Bunting and a fourth-round pick in 2026.
The 29-year-old Bunting has scored 14 goals and 15 assists over 58 games with the Penguins this season, his first full season in Pittsburgh after he was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes last year.
Over 326 career games with the Arizona Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Hurricanes and Penguins, Bunting has tallied 90 goals and 120 assists. He has two goals and three assists across 13 playoff games.
The native of Scarborough, Ont., is in the second season of a three-year, $13.5 million contract, featuring an average annual value of $4.5 million.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger adds that the Penguins may attempt to flip Schenn ahead of Friday's trade deadline.
"See what the market is before Friday," said Dreger on social media. "However, Pitt values his character, leadership, toughness and spirit and plans to urgently work to get this team back into contention in the next few seasons."
Schenn, 35, has a goal and five points in 61 games with the Predators this season, his second in Nashville.
The 6-foot-2 right-shot defenceman is in the second season of a three-year, $8.25 million deal with an annual cap hit of $2.75 million. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Drafted fifth overall by the Maple Leafs in 2008, Schenn has 44 goals and 203 points in 1,057 career games split between the Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Predators.
Schenn is a two-time Stanley Cup winner, helping the Lightning win championships in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021.
The Saskatoon, Sask., native has represented Canada four times at the World Championship, taking home a silver medal in 2009.
Novak, 27, has 13 goals and nine assists over 52 games with the Predators in 2024-25, his fourth season with the Preds.
The native of St. Paul, Minnesota has recorded 49 goals and 68 assists over 201 career games after being selected by Nashville in the third-round of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Novak is in the first year of a three-year contract featuring a cap hit of $3.5 million.
Both Nashville and Pittsburgh have struggled this season and have work to do in order to get back into the playoff hunt.
The Predators are second last in the Central Division with 51 points in 61 games and are 16 points out of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
The Penguins, meanwhile, are last in the Metropolitan Division with 58 points in 64 games, eight points out of a Wild Card spot in the East.
Sharks acquire Desharnais
Earlier Wednesday, the San Jose Sharks acquired defenceman Vincent Desharnais from the Penguins in exchange for a 2028 fifth-round draft pick.
The 28-year-old Canadian has three assists over 44 games split between the Penguins and Vancouver Canucks this season.
Pittsburgh acquired Desharnais from Vancouver in late January as part of the deal that sent Marcus Pettersson to the Canucks.
Desharnais is in the first season of a two-year, $4 million contract.
A seventh-round selection by the Edmonton Oilers ion the 2016 NHL Draft, Desharnais has tallied one goal and 18 assists over 158 career games with the Oilers, Canucks and Penguins. He has three assists over 28 career playoff games, all with the Oilers.