Senators reject Penguins’ roster player offer for 25th NHL draft pick

The Ottawa Senators have confirmed that the Pittsburgh Penguins attempted to acquire the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft by offering an unidentified roster player. The revelation emerged from behind-the-scenes content released by the Senators, which details the internal deliberations surrounding their first-round selection strategy.

Senators general manager Steve Staios addressed the proposal during the draft, noting that while standard draft pick offers were deemed insufficient at the time, the Penguins’ approach involving a player on the active roster was described as "interesting." The footage shows Staios fielding this offer from Pittsburgh after dismissing a separate attempt by the Vancouver Canucks to move up to the 25th spot.

Despite the interest in acquiring a current NHL player, Ottawa ultimately declined the trade. The Senators opted to retain the selection, using it to draft Swedish winger Jonas Lagerberg-Hoen, who was ranked as the 16th best prospect on their board. The decision highlights Ottawa’s preference for maintaining draft capital rather than exchanging it for immediate roster reinforcement.

The identity of the Penguins’ offered player remains undisclosed, as does the possibility that the proposal included additional draft assets alongside the roster spot. Reports indicate that Pittsburgh had just selected Liam Ruck with the 22nd overall pick and were reportedly seeking to add his twin brother, Markus, to the organisation.

Pittsburgh did not require the trade to achieve their objective, as they successfully selected Markus Ruck with the 39th overall pick in the second round. The Penguins have maintained a conservative approach to roster movement, having traded only Jack St. Ivany and Parker Wotherspoon since the draft concluded, suggesting the initial offer was a strategic probe rather than a committed transaction.