Canadiens trade for trio of Penguins players as part of three-team trade

The Montreal Canadiens have acquired the Pittsburgh Penguin's 2025 second-round draft pick along with defenceman Jeff Petry, goaltender Casey DeSmith and forward Nathan Legare. Petry (26) moves the puck as he is pressured by Anaheim Ducks' Jayson Megna (7) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Jae C. Hong

The Montreal Canadiens have acquired the Pittsburgh Penguin's 2025 second-round draft pick along with defenceman Jeff Petry, goaltender Casey DeSmith and forward Nathan Legare.

The trio were acquired in exchange for forwards Mike Hoffman and Rem Pitlick, with the Penguins also retaining 25 per cent of Petry's contract.

Petry, 35, previously played eight seasons with the Canadiens, collecting over 40 points in four consecutive seasons from 2017-18 to 2020-21 to lead the team's defence in points every season during that span.

DeSmith signed with the Penguins in 2017, splitting time between Pittsburgh and its AHL affiliate.

Legare, a native of Montreal, Que., was selected 74th overall in the 2019 NHL entry level draft by the Penguins and has 35 points in 125 games for the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

The acquisitions come as part of a three team trade that saw the San Jose Sharks deal defenceman Erik Karlsson to the Penguins in exchange for a 2024 first-round draft pick (top-10 protected), forward Mikael Granlund, defenceman Jan Rutta and the former Hab Hoffman.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Aug. 6, 2023.