Confirmed Trade: [PIT/NSH] Michael Bunting, 2026 4th for Luke Schenn, Tommy Novak

[Empoleon8771]

To flip by Friday

See my confusion is why Nashville didn't just flip him themselves.

Novak for Bunting is a loss for them and I bet they could have done better than a 2026 4th for Schenn if they just sold him themselves.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

I actually think Novak makes a good bit of sense for the Penguins. He has been a very good ES producer for the past couple of years, with a 2.13 points/60 and a 2.79 points/60 in the last 2 years. He's having a down year, but I'd rather have him than Bunting at this point.

Schenn is super weird though. I don't understand that one at all, unless he's getting flipped. Nor do I understand why Nashville is trading Novak for Bunting. I know Novak is having a down year but I'd rather have him than Bunting.

Watch Novak get back to his Rookie Season production where he was scoring at a 70 pt/82 clip for the better part of a season

He finna cook on the power play too along the halfwall

 

[StlBigFly]

Theory:

A team wanting Luke needs double retention.

The predators cannot facilitate this. Doobey doobey do will help.

Is tonight the last game Toronto will be without Schenns?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

 

[Zman5778]

See my confusion is why Nashville didn't just flip him themselves.

They can't retain on salary anymore, and I don't think a lot of teams interested in Schenn could afford him at full cap.

So they took what they could get? Maybe?

 

[Viqsi]

Nashville got any more of them younger players. Novak Tomasino and Glass.. seriously, any more you don’t want?

Dubas noticed just how well Fabbro worked out over here, decided that's why the Jackets are in playoff position, and has been desperately trying to poach as many Preds as possible since in the hopes that he'll get a similar result and propel the Pens up the standings.

IT'S THE ONLY THEORY THAT MAKES SENSE.

 

[Three On Zero]

I am confused for what is going on

Edit: with the full trade out, I get it at least somewhat for the Penguins (Novak>Bunting IMO) but it makes no sense for Nashville to me. Absolutely perplexed why they're doing this.

Ekholm, Tolvanen…. The list goes on about how bad Nashville has been managed lately

 

[vokiel]

Unless something big happens. What was the point of this for either team.

Maybe someone put on a weird bet in Vegas and got good odds on it.

 

[BHD]

Barry gonna Barry

 

[SomeDude]

See my confusion is why Nashville didn't just flip him themselves.

Novak for Bunting is a loss for them and I bet they could have done better than a 2026 4th for Schenn if they just sold him themselves.

Trotz strikes me as a guy dumb enough to value Bunting over Novak and instead of giving up a pick to us, he gave us something that can be turned into a pick.

Or, nobody wants Schenn with a year left and he has negative value and that balanced the deal. We shall see.

 

[adsfan]

Schenn probably going to a nashville division rival.

The Wild is the retirement home for old Preds players. Last season they had FIVE.

 

[DackellDuck]

Makes sense for Pitt. Novak might be something and you know Bunting isn’t. You can flip Schenn next deadline for a 3rd and in the meantime get to have a good guy around.

Don’t get it at all for Nashville.

 

[JKG33]

Schenn will be moved but not sure to who and what is the return. The only consideration is Karlsson being moved and Pens need D.

Karlsson being on a team means they need more defence because of him

 

[Contenderorpretender]

Dubas found out Nashville was going to trade Schenn to Toronto and said hell no!

I think dubas wants to help and shipping schen and crosby for a 2nd. E5

 

[Zman5778]

Makes sense for Pitt. Novak might be something and you know Bunting isn’t. You can flip Schenn next deadline for a 3rd and in the meantime get to have a good guy around.

Hell, if Pittsburgh retains 50%, they can get something nice for him THIS deadline. Certainly something nicer than a 3rd given the price of things.

 

[JKG33]

Schenn is only 35? It feels like Holmgren traded for him over 15 years ago.

It was probably close to 15 years ago, Schenn did come in as a full time NHLer at 18

 

[Empoleon8771]

Hell, if Pittsburgh retains 50%, they can get something nice for him THIS deadline. Certainly something nicer than a 3rd given the price of things.

Dreger tweeted this out, which just seems like posturing and basically saying "we'll move him if we get a good offer for him".

That said, I can see the appeal of the Penguins keeping Schenn. Their defense is butter soft and they can still likely get a 3rd+ for him next year if they wanted to trade him then.

 

[bleuetbio]

Pittsburgh needs something to maintain Crosby and Malkin happy. That could work.

 

[Soundgarden]

Nashville got any more of them younger players. Novak Tomasino and Glass.. seriously, any more you don’t want?

Evangelista should be better than all of them

They can't retain on salary anymore, and I don't think a lot of teams interested in Schenn could afford him at full cap.

So they took what they could get? Maybe?

Makes sense.

Ekholm, Tolvanen…. The list goes on about how bad Nashville has been managed lately

Ekholm was a good haul, Tolvanen was mind boggingly but was Poile.

 

[DFC]

Theory:

A team wanting Luke needs double retention.

The predators cannot facilitate this. Doobey doobey do will help.

Is tonight the last game Toronto will be without Schenns?

This might be it.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Not sure if it's the case here, but I still struggle to understand the logic of GM's who won't trade a player within their own division.

Don't worry about other teams. Make the best deal for your team. If you're really concerned about getting "burned" by the player you're trading away down the line, maybe you shouldn't trade him all. The idea of a trade, unless I am mistaken, is to make your team better. Is your team going to get better, either now or in the future, from the trade? That should really be the only question. Thinking about some other team's future, whether you play them four times a year or one, is such a worthless distraction.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm thinking Dubas or someone Dubas aligned fed Dreger and Johnston the same thing and both tweeted out identical tweets at the same time.

 

[qc14]

Chess is 90% tactics and so is GMing, interesting to see a deal between two of the worst pro scouters in the league. Worse for Nashville as they probably could've gotten something better for Schenn. At the same time though, it still feels like re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic for Pittsburgh

 

[krutovsdonut]

outstanding work by dreger and johnston there

 

[Beauner]

I'm thinking Dubas or someone Dubas aligned fed Dreger and Johnston the same thing and both tweeted out identical tweets at the same time.

That guy really needs to f*** with them and hint about acquiring Rantanen