Rumors are starting to heat up around the league with some teams looking to take full swings at improving their clubs. This may be especially true in the Central Division. Some of those teams will ultimately miss on their original targets. That’s where the Penguins can do some damage as sellers. With Pittsburgh perhaps being the only full-blown seller this offseason, patience will be a virtue. They can do business with the desperate and maximize the value they get in return.
Who may be in play from the Penguins?
Here’s what I would add to the Bryan Rust situation in particular: There is a lot of interest in the 33-year-old winger, who has three more years on his deal paying him $5.125 million annually, which is a steal for what he produces and the utility that he brings in different roles. He’s also a big character guy.
The Penguins are listening but they’re in no rush, if they in fact trade him at all. And I think the reason they’re in no rush is that some teams who don’t accomplish what they’re looking to do in free agency or on the trade market in the next 10 days may need to circle back to the Penguins. The market for Rust is already strong, but it may become even more robust as the summer goes.
Back to my comment about potential August trades above to start this article: There’s still a world in which Rust is moved this week if a team really, really steps up, but I think it’s more likely the Penguins wait it out.
This really highlights the advantageous position Dubas has put the franchise. They don’t have to force anything unless another team goes over the top with an offer. They don’t have to panic on the initial flurry of moves that will happen in the next week or so. The market will be favorable to them when things will be more volatile for other teams. He can deal from a position of strength with time on his side. This is very ideal. Now, you still have to assess the trades properly even if the market is favorable, but you can’t really ask for much more as a seller.
Penguins receiving 12th overall pick from Rangers
In what I consider a real suprise the Rangers are forfeiting this year’s 12th overall pick to the Penguins. The Rangers had the choice of either giving the Penguins this year’s 12th overall pick or an unprotected first round pick in 2026.
Given the Mike Sullivan hire and still having one of the best goaltenders in the league I would have thought the Rangers would be banking on being better next season. Ultimately, I think it is advantageous for the Penguins to get the pick earlier with no guarantee of it being better than 12th next year. I don’t think the Rangers will be toiling around in the McKenna lottery, personally.
This gives Pittsburgh some more ammunition for making trades and targeting quality younger players around the league. I find it to be a potentially very good development for the Penguins offseason.
Other rumors
Take things with a grain of salt during this time of year. People love to lie and misdirect to their own benefit. That said, here are some Penguins adjacent rumors
I don’t think this one is too surprising. Karlsson is a rich man, already. He wants to become a Stanley Cup Champion. At the time of his trade from the Sharks the market was cold and he didn’t have a ton of options. The Penguins were almost a compromise to get him out of a team completely bottoming out. The Penguins tried for a couple of years and failed at being competitive. Pittsburgh has the ability to retain some of his contract given that they are not a competing cap ceiling team. I think there’s potential for a move here.
But what about the 11th overall pick? Rossi himself is a former ninth overall pick and has an NHL sample size. I’m personally not married to using the 11th overall pick on a player from the 2025 draft class. I would be willing to move it for a promising younger player with NHL experience. Going back 10 years (2021 pick was forfeited) here is the list of names who were drafted at 11th overall: Sam Dickinson, Tom Willander, Conor Geekie, Yaroslav Askarov, Victor Soderstrom, Oliver Wahlstrom, Gabriel Vilardi, Logan Brown, and Lawson Crouse
I’d shoot my shot on a player like Rossi. It would be unfortunate to wait 3-5 years for a player to just be meh
Thoughts on Zegras
I think it was a good piece of business by the Flyers to acquire Trevor Zegras from the Ducks for what amounts to a disappointing return, in my opinion. The Ducks gets a few second day draft picks and Ryan Poehling who has a ceiling as a middle of the lineup guy
This is the kind of trade Dubas has mentioned before. Targeting RFA’s from around the league who are not in great situations. The cost to acquire was basically nothing as far as I’m concerned. I would love to know if the Penguins even entertained Zegras.
Zegras has flashy skill, but also some warts in his game. He has an expiring contract paying him 5.75M as an RFA. There’s some uncertainty with Zegas’ ceiling and what the next contract will look like. I think the risk was definitely worth the reward for the Flyers. Might be a missed opportunity for quite a number of teams, including the Penguins
Thanks for reading!
Getting the Rangers pick is excellent. I would bet their pick this year is higher than next year’s. Dubas is well positioned and should be able to take a nice hack at the rebuild timeline this offseason.
Love getting their pick this year. Love seeing fresh RW bogs and familiar usernames.
I noticed of on HB SuperHenderson is still posting on other blogs if someone wants to fire him a DM
I DM’d Superhenderson. I sent Tojo a DM a couple of days ago. No way of knowing if they are being read. I have a feeling Tojo got banned like you.