- Penguins acquire forward Hendrix Lapierre from the Capitals for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder
- The 24-year-old former first-round pick gets a fresh start after his role stalled in Washington
- Read below for the full terms and what Lapierre gives Pittsburgh
Hendrix Lapierre is on the move.
The Penguins acquired the 24-year-old center from the Capitals on Thursday. Washington picks up a 2027 third-round pick and San Jose’s 2028 fifth-round pick in the deal.
Here’s the announcement from Pittsburgh:
Lapierre got squeezed out by a busy week in Washington. The Capitals added Alex Tuch from Buffalo and landed Jordan Kyrou from St. Louis over the past few days, and the forward group got crowded fast.
Washington’s announcement leaned on the picks coming back:
Drafted 22nd overall by Washington in 2020, Lapierre never grabbed the top-six job the Caps were hoping for. He bounced between the NHL roster and AHL Hershey and settled in as a bottom-six option, with the flashes there but the consistency never quite following.
This past season Lapierre managed four goals and 16 points in 74 games while averaging 8:50 a night. Two years ago he looked closer to a steal, posting eight goals and 22 points in 51 games on the third line.
For Pittsburgh, this is a cheap swing on a young center. Lapierre drives play well and holds his own defensively, and the Penguins have minutes open in their bottom six. He becomes a restricted free agent with arbitration rights within days, so a new contract is the next item on Kyle Dubas’s list.
Pittsburgh is betting a change of scenery pulls more out of Lapierre than Washington ever got.
