An unexpected move? : Ranking 2025 – 26 years of potential penguin industry – Hockey writer – Pittsburgh Penguin
As the NHL season approaches, trade speculation around the Pittsburgh Penguins has not slowed down. In fact, once the season begins and the Penguins start to struggle (many would have hoped they would), trade rumors will rise to fever.
While some names seem to move almost certainly, others are a sensational possibility. Let’s break down Pittsburgh’s top trade candidates this season, sorted by possibility.
Penguin Trading
Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell sit on the “possible” trade list. Both are the types of players that will have value around the NHL, and both may not be part of what Penguin ultimately tries to build for a long time.
If the Penguins find themselves struggling, they may move out of their careers and enter their careers with 31 goals and 65 points. As the cap rises, he is locked into a pay-friendly deal that will have value around the NHL. At the age of 33, his playoff experience and consistent scoring made him a valuable bargaining chip in trade.
Meanwhile, Rakell posted a career high of 35 goals and 70 points, making him extremely attractive to his competitors. Penguin has discussed taking action, but Lacker’s asking price is high. He stayed because no one was willing to pay the asking price.
If this change or the Penguins fall down in their inquiry, Rakell (still $5 million for the remaining three seasons in his trade) may be moved.
Possible trading of penguins
Not in the possible category, but around the conversations of two players, we should include them in the possible category, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson have caused a lot of conversations over the past few months.
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Malkin, 39, said in the final year of his contract that he was going to complete his career in Pittsburgh, but the Penguins seem to be working on doing this season with the team. If Malkin feels he has more time in the NHL after this year, he suggests he might be willing to consider other options.
Meanwhile, the Penguins are willing to move Karlsson’s $10 million block. The question is, will anyone take on his deal? Do penguins have to keep their salary? They don’t want to, but if moving Carlson is a priority, they may not have much choice.
Contenders like Carolina, Detroit, Ottawa and Dallas may show interest in defense, but it is a barrier to trade dialogue.
A Penguin blockbuster is unlikely
Sidney Crosby remains the ultimate “long-range shot” trade target. Despite his publicly expressing his desire to stay in Pittsburgh, he has linked him to Montreal Canadians in recent weeks. He denied any interest in moving, but his agent seemed to be sending mixed signals to the media to ensure that potential deals are not entirely out of the desktop.
Crosby’s trade seems to be something most people outside Pittsburgh want to see. The argument is that he deserves another shot in the Stanley Cup and he won’t get it in Pittsburgh. He has been fighting his legacy all the time and is loyal to the only NHL city he has ever played.
The complex thing is the potential sales of the team and the importance of Crosby’s value to the franchise in these sales discussions.
While unlikely, if the season is horizontal and Crosby and the organization think it’s time, then such a shocking deal could happen.
Who trades first?
The Penguins are likely to be one of the more talked-about teams in the NHL this season. It won’t be because of their cup chance or dominance over the idea. This will be because of potential industries involving Rust, Rakell, Karlsson, Malkin and even Crosby.
Who really plays a role, and how big is any of these works? Bryan Rust seems like an easy choice, but can you make a surprising move first?
