Dreaming of James Neal is like dreaming of that ex-girlfriend that laced your food with poison. He has zero ability to control himself, taking terrible penalties at terrible times (like twice in the cup finals that cost his team games) and he HAS to play with Malkin to be worth his contract. He must have been a small kid, because he's constantly challenging people to fights you has no reason to.
There's a reason NSH let go of him in expansion draft and it's not because they couldn't protect him, it's because they know he's not worth protecting ... and the Pens know trading him was a huge win for them, not considering who they got back.

We do not need Neal. I think even Geno doesn't need him when he has already got at 31 how it clicks... So you actually change a playoff underachiever (pending UFA Neal) for a playoff warrior (signed through 2022 Kessel). I wouldn't do that. But I do like Karlsson. It would be great to get Karlsson for a 2nd + maybe smth.

As for trade with WPG I'm not sure about this. You trade a cost controlled still young dman with two Cups (Maatta) and a player who is specifically great in playoffs (Rust) for a maybe a good dman with no playoff experience but who is supposed to command more money (pending RFA). One can dream but IMO it would be a GM's nightmare with disastrous playoffs after loosing key playes.

You mean the same Maatta whom has missed roughly over 100 games in the last 4 years +Rust for Trouba not nearly enough doubt Pittsburgh has what Chevy would be seeking for Trouba.

You might have said it better from the Jets' side. This trade does nothing to both parties. It actually could make PIT a weakened team to battle in playoffs and would bring contract issues in the off season. And it gives WPG players that won't help much to take much more points during the season.

If you're feeling nostalgic, that 2nd would get you Neal. Kessel could probably get you Orpik back, as a mutual salary dump/new faces in new/old places kind of move, although you might have to throw in a $3M defenseman, for a different third line forward, like Connolly or Smith-Pelly, to balance salary caps out.