Feb 25, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Vincent Desharnais (7) in the tunnel against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Penguins Trade Recently Acquired Defenseman to Sharks

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Nick Horwat | Last updated Mar 5, 2025 8:26 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to be sellers at the upcoming NHL trade deadline, and have already made a few sales as the season has progressed. With the deadline days away, the Penguins are continuing their activity, this time by dealing away a defenseman they just acquired.

The Penguins announced that they have sent 28-year-old blue liner Vincent Desharnais to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick at the 2028 NHL Draft. Desharnais wasn’t with the Penguins long, appearing in just 10 games in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins have acquired a 2028 fifth-round draft pick from the @SanJoseSharks in exchange for defenseman Vincent Desharnais. pic.twitter.com/HFiuC9s9ky
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 6, 2025

Desharnais started the 2024-25 season, signing a two-year deal with the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent. The Penguins nabbed him when they sent Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor to Vancouver.

The Sharks are taking on the entirety of Desharnais remaining salary, which is $2 million against the cap through next season.

No small player on the ice, Desharnais stands at 6-foot-7, 226 pounds and has 158 career NHL games under his belt. Split between the Penguins, Canucks, and Edmonton Oilers, he has one goal and 18 assists for 19 total points in his career.

Desharnais was originally a seventh-round pick (183rd overall) of the Oilers in 2016 and helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final last season. He played 16 postseason games last year, picking up an assist along the way.

The Sharks are another team in sell mode, but still need players to fill out a roster for the remainder of the season. The sizable defenseman is sure to jump straight in to the Sharks starting lineup.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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