A Penney for your thoughts, Derek Keenan. The Saskatchewan Rush G-M attempted to kick-start his National Lacrosse League’s recovery to a playoff spot by acquiring veteran goaltender Eric Penney from the Philadelphia Wings Wednesday in a deal that only involved draft picks beyond Penney.

Saskatchewan is outside of a West Division playoff spot with a 2-6-0 record, good for 5th place. The Rush sent the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 N-L-L Entry Draft to the Wings for goaltender Penney and a second-round selection in the 2023 N-L-L Entry Draft. Penney joins Adam Shute as Saskatchewan’s goaltending tandem. The 28-year-old Rexdale, Ontario, product played five years with Vancouver before joining Philadelphia this season. The Rush are home to Colorado Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at SaskTel Centre. Following is the news release from the Saskatchewan Rush…..

Saskatchewan Rush General Manager Derek Keenan announced today that the club has traded the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NLL Entry Draft to the Philadelphia Wings in exchange for goaltender Eric Penney and a second-round selection in the 2023 NLL Entry Draft.

Penney, who spent five years with Vancouver before joining Philadelphia this season, will slide into a netminding duo alongside Rush goalie Adam Shute.

“We think Eric gives us more experience as a starter in the NLL,” said Keenan. “We are at a critical stage in our season and believe Penney and Shute can form a really solid tandem in goal.”

The 23rd overall pick the Rush dealt was a compensatory selection for the team losing Jeremy Thompson via free agency. The second-rounder in 2023 is actually a pick returning to the Rush that had originally been part of the trade with Philadelphia that saw Ben McIntosh and two 2020 draft picks head to the Wings in exchange for Josh Currier, the seventh-overall pick in 2020 (Marshall Powless) and a 2021 first-round pick (Ryan Barnable).

Penney, who stands 6-foot-0, 225 pounds, has appeared in only one game for the Wings this season, but it was a memorable outing. Signed as a free agent due to a depleted Philadelphia roster, the Rexdale, Ontario, product immediately jumped into action and turned in a 50-save performance as the Wings beat Georgia 12-11 in overtime.

Originally a fifth-round pick of Vancouver in 2013, Penney managed 11 wins with the Stealth/Warriors franchise and compiled a .762 save-percentage, including a career-best .789 save-percentage in 2020.