NHL Defenseman Swap
Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas Golden Knights Complete Defenseman Swap to Reshape Defensive Strategies
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Key Points
1
Parker Wotherspoon posted a career‑high 30 points in 80 games for Pittsburgh last season, also recording a team‑high 112 blocked shots and a +17 rating (second on the Penguins in plus/minus).
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Kaedan Korczak was a healthy scratch for nine of Vegas’ 22 playoff games, signaling a limited postseason role before the trade.
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Korczak was the 41st overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and has represented Team Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship (silver) and the 2019 World Under-18 Championship.
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Wotherspoon has NHL experience with three teams, including the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders, totaling 188 career NHL games.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas Golden Knights swapped defensemen on June 30, sending Kaedan Korczak to Pittsburgh and Parker Wotherspoon to Vegas. Pittsburgh retained 50% of Wotherspoon's salary, dropping his cap hit to just $500,000 for the final year of his deal, according to Penguins Team Media.
Korczak, 25, is entering a four-year, $13 million contract — a $3.25 million cap hit per season. Wotherspoon, 28, is coming off a career-high 30 points in 80 games with Pittsburgh last season. Both teams addressed clear defensive needs in a single, clean one-for-one exchange, news3lv.com reported.
Wotherspoon's Career Year Made Him a Target
Wotherspoon put together the best season of his career in Pittsburgh. He posted 30 points in 80 games, led all Penguins defenders with 112 blocked shots, and finished second on the team with a +17 rating. Those numbers caught Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon's attention.
McCrimmon said Wotherspoon "brings a rugged, shot-blocking element that we missed in the postseason last year." At a $500,000 cap hit — well below his actual value — McCrimmon called him "an elite value addition," according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Wotherspoon has played 188 NHL games across three teams, including the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders.
Korczak Arrives in Pittsburgh Seeking a Bigger Role
Korczak was the 41st overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. He logged 78 games with Vegas last season, posting 16 points. But he was a healthy scratch for nine of the Knights' 22 playoff games — a sign his role had a ceiling in Vegas.
Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas sees more upside. "Kaedan is a player we've tracked since the 2019 draft," Dubas said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Getting a 25-year-old with four years of term provides our defense with stability and a high ceiling." Korczak has 37 career points in 155 NHL games and has represented Team Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship, where Canada won silver.
50% Salary Retention Made the Trade Work
Salary retention was the key to getting this deal done. Pittsburgh agreed to cover 50% of Wotherspoon's remaining salary. That cut his cap hit from $1 million down to $500,000 for Vegas — a number that fits easily under the Golden Knights' cap ceiling, ca.headtopics.com reported.
For Pittsburgh, taking on Korczak's $3.25 million cap hit is a long-term bet. Analysts note the four-year deal locks in a young, developing blueliner at a manageable rate. Pittsburgh fans have widely embraced the move, viewing the contract as a bargain if Korczak grows into a steady 20-minutes-per-night player, according to wpxi.com.
Two Teams, Two Directions After the Swap
The trade reflects where each team is headed. Vegas is in win-now mode. The Knights move a long-term asset for a veteran who can contribute right away — especially on the penalty kill, where Wotherspoon is expected to be the top option. Some local analysts called the move "short-sighted but on-brand" for Vegas's aggressive style, per news3lv.com.
Pittsburgh is thinking longer term. This trade came one day after the Penguins also sent Jack St. Ivany to Winnipeg for David Gust, signaling a broader defensive overhaul, wpxi.com reported. Korczak is expected to slot into Pittsburgh's second pairing and gives the club a young, team-controlled piece for years to come.
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