Blues acquire Corey Andonovski from Penguins for Mathias Laferriere

A little trade has occurred during the NHL’s break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

On Thursday, the St. Louis Blues acquired forward Corey Andonovski from the Pittsburgh Penguins. In return, the Penguins have received fellow winger Mathias Laferriere.

Though each player has spent a few years in the professional ranks, neither has appeared in an NHL regular-season game.

Andonovski has spent his entire pro career with the Penguins’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Uxbridge, Ontario native entered the 2024-25 season after a career year last season, which saw him post seven goals and 23 assists for 30 points. However, scoring has been tough to come by this year, as Andonovski has posted just two goals and five points in 27 games.

In 157 AHL appearances, the 25-year-old has scored 18 goals and 36 assists for 54 points, appearing in two Calder Cup Playoff games last spring.

Andonovski is on a one-year, two-way contract with a cap hit of $775,000. He is set to report to the Blues’ primary affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

That is where Laferriere has spent most of his career. Outside of a brief stint with the Worcester Railers of the ECHL, the former Cape Breton Screaming Eagle has been in the AHL. He scored a career-high 26 points in 50 games during the 2022-23 campaign, helping the Thunderbirds qualify for the postseason. After going down to 25 points last year, Laferriere has just two goals and 10 points in 33 games and is on pace to score under 20 points.

Laferriere was taken by the Penguins in the sixth round, 169th overall, of the 2018 NHL Draft. He has since appeared in 207 AHL games, scoring 21 goals and 49 assists for 70 points.

The 24-year-old is also on a one-year, two-way deal with a $775,000 cap hit.