The Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins made a surprising trade on Wednesday night, one that sent Luke Schenn and Tomas Novak to the Penguins in exchange for Michael Bunting and a fourth-round pick. The deal was mostly a surprise because, with Schenn potentially being a sought out target for a team’s playoff run, why are the Penguins acquiring him when they aren’t in playoff contention?

Frank Seravalli talked about Wednesday’s trade, and why the Penguins may have made this move, on Daily Faceoff Live.

Frank Seravalli: This was one of those [trades] that wasn’t really on anyone’s radar because you’re going “two non-playoff teams, term”. On its surface, when you think about it, this could be one of the dumber trades that we’ve seen over the last 25 years. What’s the impetus to do any of this now.

But then you take a step back and think about the connections. Kyle Dubas did come out after the trade via email to say they really value Luke Schenn and his character and all those things, and he obviously traded for him in Toronto and knows him.

But I think immediately to the connections that Kyle Dubas has in the league and who he’s closest with. If Ron Francis isn’t his closest friend or connection, then it’s Doug Armstrong and the St. Louis Blues. So then you think of the other guy that’s in St. Louis, Brayden Schenn, and does he trade Luke Schenn to St. Louis to unite them, and then they go somewhere else? Or does he just help Armstrong facilitate a deal that we’ve heard talked about a lot, which is that some team out there is trying to get the Schenn brothers together. That’s the other dot to connect here.

So on its surface, it doesn’t make a ton of sense, especially because Bunting is not part of the foreseeable future of the Predators. The Penguins obviously get who I would say is the most impactful player in the deal in Tommy Novak, so I could understand wanting to get him, but would that have been a move that waited until the summer? There’s obviously a reason to do it now.

You can watch the full episode here…

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