Pittsburgh Penguins' Worst Trade Of The Past Year

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a fairly busy past year during both the offseason and trade deadline altering their team in order to stay in contention. The offseason moves were more significant and shaped how the Penguins' back-end would look like this season. It hasn't gone how they would have liked as there is a debate as to what move has been worse.

The Penguins first traded John Marino and acquired Ty Smith and a third round pick. That move freed up some cap space, but also set the team back in terms of value right now on their blue line. The Penguins followed that up by trading Michael Matheson and a fourth round pick in exchange for Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling.

Matheson has been the Montreal Canadiens' top defenceman this season, despite how he played last season for the Penguins which made them want to trade him away. In return, they got a now 35-year-old Petry coming off a season where he majorly declined. After four consecutive 11+ goal, 40+ point seasons, he recorded six goals and 27 points last season. He has similar numbers this season with 16 fewer games played, but still isn't where the Penguins had hoped he would be this season for them.

With the stellar season Marino has had for the New Jersey Devils, the deal to trade him away is looking like the worst trade of the past year for the Penguins. He's only 25 years old and has been very good defensively for the Devils in their great season. He's not counted on to provide a ton of offence, but he does his job defensively really limiting shots and chances against. The Penguins' goaltending has struggled this season while Smith has played just nine games for them.