Penguins acquire defenseman Dmitry Kulikov for forward Brock McGinn, draft pick

The Penguins have acquired defenseman Dmitry Kulikov from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Brock McGinn and a third-round pick in the 2024 draft.

Kulikov, 32, has appeared in 61 games this season and has 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) while averaging 20:13 of ice time per contest.

A left-handed shot, Kulikov (6-foot-1, 201 pounds) is in the final year of a two-year contract that has a salary cap hit of $2.25 million. The Ducks will retain 50% of Kulikov’s cap hit ($1.125 million)

A first-round pick by the Florida Panthers (No. 14 overall) in 2009, Kulikov has largely had a nomadic existence as an NHLer. In addition to the Ducks and Panthers, the native of Russia has played for the Buffalo Sabres, Winnipeg Jets, New Jersey Devils, Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild.

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McGinn is in the second year of a four-year contract that carries a salary cap hit of $2.75 million.

In 60 games this season, the left-handed McGinn has 16 points (10 goals, six assists) while clocking an average of 13:11 of ice time per contest.

The 29-year-old bottom-six winger has largely struggled in recent weeks — including a stretch of 26 consecutive games without a point — and was waived Wednesday. After going unclaimed, McGinn (6-foot-1, 187 points) was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League by Thursday.

Signed in July of 2021, McGinn was general manager Ron Hextall’s first prominent unrestricted free agent addition after he took over the Penguins earlier that year in February.

According to Cap Friendly, the Penguins now have $1,376,215 of salary cap space.