The Pittsburgh Penguins are only two points out of last place in the Metropolitan Division standings, tied with the rival Philadelphia Flyers at 16 points apiece and ahead of only the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have 14 points.
The Penguins are likely to have several difficult decisions ahead of them in the coming months if things don’t improve as far as their record is concerned. In the past year, several players have been mentioned as potential trade candidates, and that noise is only going to grow louder.
And recently, a report emerged indicating that the Penguins had a trade in place to send a veteran forward to the struggling Chicago Blackhawks, only to have the trade vetoed.
Pittsburgh Penguins Forward Rickard Rakell Reportedly Nixed A Trade To The Blackhawks
According to former NHL defenseman and current insider Keith Yandle, the Penguins had a deal in place to send forward Rickard Rakell to the Chicago Blackhawks, but the veteran forward turned it down.
“I heard a rumor that Rakell turned down a trade to go to Chicago, and that’s why they brought up, who is the kid they brought up – McGroarty,” Yandle said.
So far this season, Rakell has performed well, scoring six goals with five assists, a pace of 26 goals over a full 84 game season. He still has one more year left on his contract beyond the current season with a $5 million salary cap hit.
Rakell Has One More Season Left On His Contract
Rakell, who was taken with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks, began his professional career in the AHL before establishing himself with the Ducks. He made his playoff debut in 2014 and scored his first NHL goal against the Dallas Stars, becoming the first player in Ducks history to score his first career goal in the postseason.
He became a full-time NHL player in 2014-15, finishing with nine goals and 22 assists. Rakell soon began breaking out offensively; in 2016-17, he scored a career-best 33 goals and 51 points while leading the NHL with 10 game-winning goals. He followed that with 34 goals and 69 points in 2017-18, earning his first All-Star selection.
Rakell remained a reliable offensive producer in Anaheim before being traded to the Penguins in March 2022. He recorded 13 points in 19 games after the move and signed a six-year, $30 million extension that offseason.
So far in his NHL career, Rakell has scored 266 goals with 312 assists in 881 games played.
Report: Penguins Veteran Refused Trade To Lowly Western Conference Club