Is this allowed

edit: nevermind I read the whole thing wrong.

I think if Detroit traded Namestinkov for "Future Considerations" with the agreement that, sometime in June, Pittsburgh would send a 3rd *or* Pettersson, I think it would be acceptable. I'm less sure if it would be okay if they traded for the 3rd in March with the implicit agreement that they'd be sending it back after the season.

The further issue to me, though, is that I don't think Marcus Pettersson's worth is equal to a 3rd. Put it this way - if you were offered Pettersson for a 3rd straight up, would you take it? I think most GMs would be happy to get a 25 year old LD who drives play to the extent that he does.

I don't see why it wouldn't be.

"If I was offered Pettersson?"
and
"If I was offered Pettersson by a GM that is in cap trouble and can't afford to say no to my offer?"
are two very different questions that would give you two very different answers.

The situation on the ground is that it's the second of the two scenarios that is at play here. Just as a fence won't pay you market value for what you bring him and a loan shark won't give you the same interest rate as the banks a GM will offer you a lower return if a team is desperate to shed salary.

A 3rd round pick for Pettersson during the offseason is a reasonable price considering the situation PIT is in and how many teams can both afford his cap cost and have a need for him.

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that the Penguins are in cap trouble next season? While they have holes they need to fill, they are going to have nearly $30M in cap space to fill those holes. And even if it gets to the point where they need to move someone, I'd have to think they'd look at moving a guy like Brian Dumoulin first - he's older, has a longer track record of playoff success, has an almost identical cap hit to Pettersson ($4.1M vs. $4.025M), and has less term, making him an easier fit for more teams around the league (also making it easier for the Penguins to eat a little salary if it makes the trade easier.) Acting like Pettersson is a cap dump is a real weird track to take.