Penguins Acquire Hendrix Lapierre
Jason Shetler
The Pittsburgh Penguins have added to their forward depth with the acquisition of Washington Capitals center Hendrix Lapierre. In exchange, Washington will receive a third round draft pick for 2027 and a fifth round pick for 2028.
Lapierre was a 22nd overall selection by the Capitals in the 2020 NHL Draft.
A native of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, Lapierre spent parts of four seasons playing in DC. His best season was in 2023-24, where he registered eight goals in 51 games.
Lapierre had 16 points (4 G; 12 A) in 74 games with Washington in 2025-26
In terms of skill set, Lapierre’s ability to move the puck, as well as chase pucks down, are his strong points. However, his face-off acumen leaves plenty to be desired, with a career face-off win percentage of just 38.4%.
The 24-year-old Lapierre is currently a restricted free agent.
This past season, the Penguins traded for younger forwards - Egor Chinahkov from the Columbus Blue Jackets last December and Elmer Söderblom from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline. Perhaps a trade to Pittsburgh can provide Lapierre with a nice, change of scenery.