The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded Steven Oleksy, Eric Fehr and a 2017 fourth-round draft pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire defenseman Frank Corrado, according to ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun.
Trade: Frank Corrado to PIttsburgh in exchange for Olesky, Fehr and 2017 4th-RD pick
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 1, 2017
This move came down to the wire with the announcement being made 18 minutes past the 3:00 pm EST deadline, though the deal was agreed to and confirmed by the NHL prior to the deadline passing. While it may seem like a depth move for the Penguins, the deal is actually bigger than it would appear on the surface.
For the Penguins, with injuries to defensemen Kris Letang, Olli Maatta and Trevor Daley all occurring at the same time, it was clear that the Penguins needed to make a move. In acquiring Corrado, as well as Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit, the Penguins appeared to have dealt with their defensive depth issues due to injuries.
A Fresh Start
Corrado’s journey over the last year, however, has been a story in and of itself. The 23-year-old blueliner was claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs after being placed on waivers by the Vancouver Canucks in 2015. After being acquired by the Maple Leafs, Corrado played in 39 games, scoring one goal and six points. He’s only played in two games at the NHL level this season, however, and has seen many other defensemen come and go on the Leafs roster while he remained in the AHL with the Marlies. In 18 games this season, Corrado has scored one goal and 12 points and has compiled a plus-6 rating. While he’s not an offensive threat, Corrado is still a solid, mobile defenseman that has struggled to develop properly to this point in his career due to his inconsistent playing time in Toronto.
With the Penguins, Corrado will get a chance to play and showcase his ability. It’s unclear if he’ll remain in the Penguins’ lineup as their players start to get healthy, but for now, Corrado will certainly be happy to get a chance to play in the NHL while also competing for a deep playoff run in Pittsburgh.
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