Why the Penguins moved Filip Hallander for Spencer Stastney, Jason Spezza says

The trade that sent forward Filip Hallander from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Edmonton Oilers, in exchange for defenseman Spencer Stastney, is being explained from the Penguins’ side by Jason Spezza, who said the organization felt it had to make a move because of its depth at forward. In Spezza’s telling, the transaction was less about one specific player “not fitting” and more about the Penguins managing a crowded position group while trying to convert roster decisions into longer-term value.

Spezza said the Penguins’ evaluation considered both past performances and future potential, suggesting Pittsburgh looked at who could best be retained or repurposed as its plans evolved. Within that framework, Spezza described Hallander as “the player we determined as expendable,” a key phrase that points to how the Penguins approached the trade calculus. The implication is that the move was designed to rebalance positional needs rather than to correct a single perceived shortcoming.

In the same explanation, Spezza’s comments placed particular weight on “depth at forward.” That matters because NHL rosters are constrained by how many players can contribute in real game minutes. When an organization believes it has more options up front than it can use effectively, it often explores trades that address defensive needs while giving itself a chance to upgrade or reshape its lineup.

The player return, Stastney, shifts the focus to the defensive side. Even without additional specifics in the report, the core structure of the deal is clear: Hallander’s value to Pittsburgh was outweighed by the Penguins’ interest in acquiring a defenseman they viewed as a better fit for what the roster needed next. Trades built on that kind of positional logic can also reflect how an organization expects its depth chart to change, including who it believes is most likely to take on higher-leverage roles over time.

Spezza’s framing also highlights how “future potential” can drive decisions that fans sometimes interpret as purely salary, style, or availability-related. In this case, the reported decision-making process emphasizes scouting judgment across multiple time horizons. That kind of approach is common for teams operating in win-now cycles while still trying to protect the pipeline of players who can grow into bigger responsibilities.

What to watch next is how each team uses the acquired piece in its forward and defense rotations. For Edmonton, Hallander represents an added option up front, which could affect how Pittsburgh’s former player is deployed and against whom. For Pittsburgh, Stastney’s role will be an early indicator of whether the Penguins’ internal assessment of positional need and upside translates into consistent ice time and meaningful minutes.