LAS VEGAS — At the moment, the Pittsburgh Penguins don’t have a selection in the first round of the NHL’s Draft in Las Vegas this weekend. They parted ways with that pick as a result of their trade in August with the San Jose Sharks that brought defenseman Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh.
This is nothing new for the Penguins. Nor is it even exclusively a recent practice for this franchise.
Dating to the earliest years of the organization, the Penguins have routinely dealt away their first-round selection in the name of improving the club in the immediate sense.
1969
Traded to the Boston Bruins for forward Jean Pronovost and defenseman John Arbour, May 21, 1968
The Penguins: This proved to be a wonderful transaction for the Penguins as Pronovost became one of the most prolific players to ever wear the team’s jersey. During the 1975-76 season, Pronovost became the first 50-goal scorer in franchise history as part of the “Century Line” along with Syl Apps, Jr. and Lowell MacDonald. … As for Arbour, he spent a single season with the organization, primarily in the minor leagues.
The pick: The Bruins selected forward Frank Spring No. 4 overall. Over five seasons, he played in only 61 NHL games, with only one coming as a member of the Bruins.
1971
Traded to the St. Louis Blues for forwards Craig Cameron, Ron Schock and a second-round selection in 1972, June 6, 1969
The Penguins: Schock was the primary return in this deal for the Penguins as he was a dependable two-way center for eight seasons with the team and pivoted of the popular Schink-Schock-Shack line along with wingers Ken Schinkel and Eddie Shack. … Cameron never played for the Penguins and went to the Los Angeles Kings in the intra-league draft three days later. … With the 30th overall selection in the 1972 draft, the Penguins chose forward Bernie Lukowich, who played one season (1973-74) for the Penguins before being traded to, of all teams, the Blues in 1975
The pick: With the fourth overall selection, the Blues chose forward Gene Carr, who played all of 14 games for that franchise, all in the 1971-72 season. Carr bounced around the NHL, primarily playing for the Kings and New York Rangers but wound up enjoying his most prolific season (1977-78) as a member of the Penguins, posting 54 points (17 goals, 37 assists) in 70 games.
1972
Traded to the Minnesota North Stars for defenseman Bob Woytowich, Oct. 1, 1968
The Penguins: Woytowich wound up becoming one of the most popular players in the early years of the franchise as he had his own fan club (Bob Woytowich’s Polish Army). The right-hander was among the franchise’s top-100 career scorers until 2021.
The pick: The North Stars traded the pick in a multi-player deal to the Montreal Canadiens, who selected forward Dave Gardner No. 8 overall. Gardner had trouble cracking the powerful Canadiens’ lineup and bounced around the NHL over seven seasons with four different teams.
1977
Traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a deal for forward Rick Kehoe, Sept. 13, 1974
The Penguins: Kehoe wound up becoming the most prolific player in franchise history before the iconic Mario Lemieux overtook him in all those metrics. Even after being lapped by a handful of other luminaries, Kehoe is still the Penguins’ sixth-leading career scorer with 636 points in 722 games.
The pick: Right-handed defenseman Trevor Johansen was selected No. 12 overall by the Maple Leafs and spent parts of three seasons in Toronto over his nondescript five-year career.
1978
Traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for forwards Orest Kindrachuk, Ross Lonsberry and defenseman Tom Bladon, June 14, 1978
The Penguins: Having been on the wrong end of a cross-state rivalry with the Broad Street Bullies, general manager Aledge “Baz” Bastien decided to import a handful of Flyers, all of whom were closer to the end of their careers than the start. … Kindrachuk served as the Penguins’ captain for three seasons but injuries sapped his effectiveness by 1981. … Lonsberry was the most productive of the trio as he routinely reached double-digit goal figures in all three seasons he spent in Pittsburgh. … Bladon’s offensive skills didn’t translate to results with the Penguins as he lasted less than two seasons with the team.
The pick: The Flyers selected productive and pugnacious defenseman Behn Wilson No. 6 overall. An All-Star selection in 1981, Wilson fit in well with the Flyers as he recorded a handful of seasons with 200-plus penalty minutes.
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1979
Traded to the Washington Capitals for forward Hartland Monahan, Oct. 17, 1977
The Penguins: This wound up being an unremarkable transaction for the Penguins as they dealt away Monahan less than a month later, sending him and Apps, Jr. to the Kings on Nov. 2 in exchange for Carr and forward Dave Schultz.
The pick: The Capitals flipped this pick to the North Stars one day later for forward Denis Maruk, one of the first stars in that franchise’s history. … As for the North Stars, they selected forward Tom McCarthy No. 10 overall. A talented player who reached 39 goals in 1983-84, McCarthy had his career derailed by injuries as well as a bout with alcoholism that landed him in a rehabilitation facility in 1985.
1981
Traded to the Canadiens for forward Rod Schutt, Oct. 18, 1978
The Penguins: Legend has it, Bastien confused Schutt with Canadiens star Steve Shutt. Regardless, Schutt had a pair of 20-goal seasons over the six years he spent with the Penguins and even helped the team reach the postseason four times.
The pick: The Canadiens took power forward Mark Hunter No. 7 overall. An All-Star selection in 1986, Hunter carved out 12 seasons in the NHL and was a key contributor to the Calgary Flames’ only Stanley Cup title in 1989.
2008
Traded to the Atlanta Thrashers as part of a deal for forwards Pascal Dupuis and Marian Hossa, Feb. 26, 2008.
The Penguins: After more than a quarter century of keeping first-round picks, the Penguins swung a major blockbuster trade to bring in Hossa, a future Hockey Hall of Famer. Placed on a line with center Sidney Crosby, Hossa was dominant in helping the Penguins reach the Stanley Cup Final but left in the ensuing offseason as an unrestricted free agent. … Dupuis was something of a “throw-in” but wound up being a contributor to a Stanley Cup championship in 2009 and was affixed to Crosby’s line for parts of nine seasons.
The pick: The Thrashers selected forward Daultan Leveille No. 29 overall. In five professional seaons, Leveille primarily played in the ECHL and never reached the NHL. He has not played since 2017.
2013
Traded to the Flames as part of a deal for forward Jarome Iginla, March 27, 2013
The Penguins: After Iginla executed his contract control and requested a trade to the Penguins — after the Bruins were famously expected to land his services — Iginla joined a stacked roster in Pittsburgh but never quite found a steady role as the Penguins were swept by — of all teams — the Bruins in the Eastern Conference finals. Iginla wound up joining the Bruins in the ensuing offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
The pick: Forward Morgan Klimchuk was selected No. 28 overall. In seven professional seasons, he played in one NHL contest and became a coach in 2022.
2015
Traded to the Edmonton Oilers as part of a deal for forward David Perron, Jan. 2, 2015.
The Penguins: The skilled Perron showed flashes of his talents but was rarely consistent. Just over a year later — Jan. 16, 2016 — he was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks.
The pick: The Oilers flipped this pick to the New York Islanders, who used it to select forward Mathew Barzal No. 16 overall. Today, Barzal, an All-Star, is one of the foundational pieces of the Islanders.
2016
Traded to the Maple Leafs as part of a deal for forwards Tyler Biggs, Phil Kessel, defenseman Tim Erixon and a second-round pick in the 2016 draft, July 1, 2015.
The Penguins: This wound up being one of the most celebrated trades in franchise history as the quirky but dynamic Kessel was a leading force in the Penguins winning Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017. … Biggs and Erixon largely languished in the minor leagues and never reached the NHL with the Penguins. … The second-round pick was used to select forward Kasper Bjorkqvist No. 61 overall. His only NHL action came in the form of six games during the 2021-22 season.
The pick: The Maple Leafs dealt the selection on June 20, 2016 to the Ducks, who chose forward Sam Steel No. 31 overall. Steel spent parts of four seasons with the Ducks before leaving in 2022 as an unrestricted free agent. Since then, he has spent time with the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars.
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2017
Traded to the Blues as part of a deal for forward Ryan Reaves and a second-round pick in that same draft, June 23, 2017
The Penguins: The Penguins wanted to add toughness and brought in the NHL’s unofficial heavyweight champion in Reaves. Those designs never materialized, however, as Reaves failed to gain substantial playing time under coach Mike Sullivan. Exactly eight months later, he was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights. … The second-round pick was used to select defenseman Zachary Lauzon No. 51 overall. Concussion woes forced him to retire two years later.
The pick: The Blues selected forward Klim Kostin No. 31 overall. Since reaching the NHL in 2019, Klostin has bounced between the Blues, Oilers, Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks.
2018
Traded to the Ottawa Senators as part of a deal for forward Derrick Brassard and a third-round pick in the same draft, Feb. 23, 2018
The Penguins: With hopes of three-peating as Stanley Cup champions, the Penguins brought in Brassard to serve as a third-line center but a late-season groin injury hobbled him in the playoffs as the Penguins were eliminated in the second round by the Capitals. Brassard was ineffective to open the ensuing season and was dealt to the Florida Panthers only 11 months later. … The third-round pick (No. 64 overall) was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a second-round pick in the same draft that was used to select forward Filip Hallander (No. 58 overall). Hallander has played in three NHL games and spent the past season in his native Sweden.
The pick: The Senators flipped this pick on June 22, 2018 to the New York Rangers, who chose defenseman K’Andre Miller No. 22 overall. Today, Miller is a stalwart on New York’s blue line.
2020
Traded to the Maple Leafs as part of a deal for forwards Pontus Aberg, Kasperi Kapanen and defenseman Jesper Lindgren, Aug. 25, 2020
The Penguins: Kapanen, the Penguins’ 2014 first-round pick, returned to Pittsburgh and spent parts of three mostly unfulfilling seasons with the team before being jettisoned via waivers in 2023. … Aberg and Lindgren never played for the organization.
The pick: The Maple Leafs selected forward Rodion Amirov, who tragically died in 2023 as a result of brain cancer at the age of 21.
2021
Traded to the Wild as part of a deal in exchange for forward Jason Zucker, Feb. 10, 2020.
The Penguins: When he was healthy, Zucker fit in well with the Penguins and provided a legitimate scoring threat in a top-six role off the left wing. Injuries largely pockmarked his time with the Penguins, however, and he left as an unrestricted free agent in 2023.
The pick: Defenseman Carson Lambos was selected No. 26 overall. He turned professional in 2023 and spent the entire 2023-24 season with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.