As the 2022-23 NHL season grinds along, the Pittsburgh Penguins are beginning to find some traction and consistency in the win column.
With every year that passes, trades are made throughout the NHL as every team eyes to improve their personnel; the Penguins may be quiet on the trade front this year, but there is a name that sticks out as an easy contender.
Danton Heinen has struggled quite a bit since putting up six points in the first five games of the season.
His inconsistencies mounted as Heinen was eventually scratched out of the lineup for Kasperi Kapanen who promptly scored game winning goals in two straight games including a hat trick.
While this spike in offensive output isn’t certain to stay for Kapanen, it sure made Heinen’s seat a little warmer.
Before Kapanen returned to the lineup, he was scratched in nine of 10 games and was the face of trade rumors in Pittsburgh.
Kapanen carries an pricy contract for his lack of production and there didn’t seem to be a way for him to work back into the fold.
Then came the explosion, forcing eyes to turn to Heinen, who might be an easier piece to move.
At the age of 27, Heinen re-signed with the Penguins for a single year worth just $1 million.
That’s a moveable contract and Heinen is a player that may be in a cold spell, can easily kick it.
Everyone in the Penguins locker room has mentioned how good of a shot Heinen possesses and always trying to get him the puck.
Head coach Mike Sullivan knows that Heinen can be a consistent player with an outstanding knack for offense.
“He has good offensive instincts,” Sullivan said. “He’ll bring an offensive dimension to the bottom six with his instincts and scoring ability.”
A trade for Heinen wouldn’t be huge blockbuster, but maybe a change of scenery trade is in the cards.
Heinen has scoring ability; he posted 33 points (18G-15A) last season and has knocked on the door of 50 points before.
If he gets sent off somewhere, maybe he finds his game again; maybe the Penguins get a cheap depth option that also finds some swagger to bolster the bottom six.
It’s not a dire situation that the Penguins make a trade; they have a good team and a solid group of forwards.
Certain forwards, however, just need to find what made them great before, and Heinen falls in that camp.
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