The Pittsburgh Penguins have gotten off to a modest 3-2-1 record through the first six games of the 2026-27 campaign, in which they’ll attempt to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive year.
But Penguins GM Kyle Dubas, who already acquired defenseman Spencer Stastney from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forward Filip Hallander, has swung another trade – this time with an Eastern Conference rival.
The Pittsburgh Penguins Have Completed A Trade With The Buffalo Sabres
On Monday afternoon, the Penguins traded defensemen Caldeb Jones and Daniel Laatsch to the Buffalo Sabres, and in return, they’ve acquired defenseman Ryan Johnson, a former first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
“The Penguins have acquired defenseman Ryan Johnson from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch,” the Penguins confirmed on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Johnson played junior hockey with the Sioux Falls Stampede before Buffalo selected him 31st overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. He then played collegiately at the University of Minnesota.
After finishing his college career, Johnson signed a two-year entry-level contract with Buffalo in May 2023 and joined the American Hockey League affiliate Rochester Americans. He made his NHL debut during the 2023-24 season, appearing for the Sabres against the Toronto Maple Leafs in November 2023.
Last year, he played in 56 games with the Americans, scoring five goals and 14 assists. In his NHL career, he’s skated in 47 games, registering seven assists.
The Penguins Traded Caleb Jones And Daniel Laatsch To The Sabres
Jones played for the U.S. National Team Development Program and Portland Winterhawks before the Edmonton Oilers selected him in the fourth round (117th overall pick) of the 2015 NHL Draft.
He made his NHL debut with the Oilers in December 2018. Jones was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021 and later spent time with the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings before signing a two-year, $1.8 million contract with the Penguins in July 2025.
In February 2026, Jones was suspended for 20 games without pay for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. In 255 career NHL games, he has 14 goals with 42 assists.
Laatsch, who was taken in the seventh round (215th overall pick) of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Penguins, has yet to appear in a regular season NHL contest.
After playing four years at the University of Wisconsin, he split last season between the American Hockey League’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers.
Penguins GM Kyle Dubas Trades Two Defensemen for Former 1st-Round Pick