NHL Trade: Panthers & Penguins Swing A Deal
The Pittsburgh Penguins have bid adieu to a former third-round pick who was suspended for a chunk of last season, in exchange for the rights to a player who spent this past year winning a championship in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
🚨 An AHL-level TRADE 🚨 #Pens traded LHD Emil Pieniniemi to Florida in exchange to the rights to forward Oliver Okuliar.
— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) June 13, 2026
Okuliar, 26, is an unsigned RFA on a 2-year deal with Skellefteå AIK (SHL) through 2026-27.
He had 15G-14A in 46GP there in 2025-26.@InsideAHLHockey
Emil Pieniniemi, a third-round pick by the Pens in 2023, is a left-shot defenseman who originally refused an assignment to the ECHL at the beginning of this past season. He was suspended indefinitely. He sat out two months before deciding to return, and eventually made his way up to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
He'll join the Panthers organization, with two years to run on his entry-level deal.
Penguins receive unsigned RFA from Panthers
The Penguins received the rights to unsigned restricted free agent Oliver Okuliar. The 26-year-old Slovakian center signed with Florida in 2024 and spent the '24-'25 season at the Panthers' AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. But he elected to sign a two-year deal with Skelleftea in Sweden last summer. He registered 13 points in 15 playoff games to help the team to the SHL title.
The Penguins could elect to retain his North American rights if they so choose. But at the very least, they now have one less NHL contract on the books as we quickly head towards the NHL Draft two weeks from now.
Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
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