The Penguins acquired defenseman Andrey Pedan and a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft from Vancouver.
"[Pouliot's] a player that we watched playing junior, we liked his skill set, his talent," Canucks general manager Jim Benning said. "Our pro scouts have followed him the last few years and we feel like in getting him we are betting on his talent, his skill level are going to come to rise to the top, so we think it's a gamble worth taking.
"We think he's an excellent skater, he can transition the puck up ice, he can jump up in the play. It's kind of the way defensemen and teams that are successful have defensemen that can play that style of game so just felt it was a gamble worth taking."
Pouliot, 23, has one season remaining on a three-year, $4.05 million contract, according to CapFriendly.com. He can become a restricted free agent July 1.
Pouliot has 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in 67 games for Pittsburgh the past three seasons. He appeared in two Stanley Cup Playoff games in 2016, when the Penguins defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games to win their first of back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.
Pittsburgh selected Pouliot with the No. 8 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.
Pedan, 24, played 13 games for the Canucks in 2015-16. He was selected by the New York Islanders in the third round (No. 63) in the 2011 NHL Draft. Pedan was on loan to Utica of the American Hockey League prior to the trade.
