The Pittsburgh Penguins may be approaching a decision that could shape the rest of their season and even beyond.
GM Kyle Dubas is reportedly listening on several veteran pieces such as Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Erik Karlsson and even Kris Letang.
The whole point here is that the organization is looking to turn veteran players into future assets and create opportunities for younger talent.
A predictive analysis model utilized by Heavy determined that Pittsburgh has a 35% chance of completing a meaningful veteran trade within the next seven days. That’s a broad forecast based on the reporting, not an indication that a trade is imminent or based on betting odds.
The Penguins have a legitimate reason to explore a sell-off. But they also have a reason to be careful: After making the playoffs last spring, they could still give themselves an argument for staying competitive if their early-season struggles prove temporary.
Penguins May Have to Move Aging Veterans Before Their Value Slips
Pittsburgh’s problem isn’t simply that its veteran core is getting older. It’s that the team has to decide how much longer it wants to build around that core when the next generation needs room to develop.
Rust, Rakell and Karlsson look like the most logical starting points.
Rust and Rakell offer proven scoring, while Karlsson is playing on an expiring contract and could interest a contender looking for an offensive defenseman. Moving one or more of them for picks and prospects would give Dubas assets to work with while opening opportunities for younger players.
There are complications, of course. Rust is expected to miss several weeks with a lower-body injury, which could make an immediate trade difficult. Rakell has an eight-team no-trade list, while Karlsson has a no-movement clause that gives him control over a potential destination.
Oh, and let’s not forget Karlsson’s massive cap hit.
Letang is another name on the board, but his full no-movement clause and longstanding connection to the franchise make him a more complicated candidate.
Still, the Penguins don’t need to trade everybody to make a meaningful change. Moving one veteran for a worthwhile return could be enough to signal that the organization is finally prioritizing its future over squeezing another season out of its aging core.
A Rebound Could Complicate the Sell-Off
There is one reason Dubas might hold off: Pittsburgh could still play its way back into the playoff conversation.
The Penguins recently snapped a difficult stretch with a 3-2 win over Nashville, and their 5-6-1 record through 12 games isn’t an insurmountable hole. They sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division, so a strong run could quickly change the conversation.
That doesn’t mean one victory should derail a longer-term plan. It does, however, create a decision for management. If Sidney Crosby and the veteran group start producing consistently, Pittsburgh could decide it has enough left to compete rather than immediately dismantling the roster.
The danger is allowing a brief bounce-back to obscure the bigger picture. The Penguins need to determine whether they have a realistic path to contention or are simply good enough to hover around the playoff race while delaying necessary changes.
For now, it looks like trading a veteran could happen within the next week or so, with Rust’s injury making an immediate move involving him less straightforward. If the team continues to struggle, the likelihood should rise. If Pittsburgh strings together wins, Dubas may have more reason to wait.
The Penguins don’t have to choose between rebuilding and competing overnight. But they do need to decide which veterans still fit the plan, and whether holding onto them is worth the opportunities their departure could create.
Penguins Face a Trade Decision as Rebuild Gets Complicated