The Pittsburgh Penguins added some toughness on their quest to a third straight Stanley Cup title.
The Penguins acquired forward Ryan Reaves and the 51st overall pick from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for forward Oskar Sundqvist and the 31st overall pick, the Blues announced.
The Blues ended up selecting Russian forward Klim Kostin with the 31st pick.
Related: Blues nab Klim Kostin with final pick in 1st round
The Penguins were apparently eager to acquire some toughness to protect the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel. Reaves has racked up 695 penalty minutes and 1,324 hits across 419 career NHL games.
In doing so, the Pens passed up on a chance to acquire some high-end skill.
By all reports, Kostin has elite offensive upside. He was the No. 1 ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting heading into the draft, but he was limited to just eight games for Moscow Dynamo in the KHL this season due to a shoulder injury.
Kostin stands at 6-foot-3 and is considered a mobile power forward who plays a physical game. In addition to his size, he is also a strong skater with good speed and possesses a high hockey IQ.
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