The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a very unique position this offseason. Nearly every team in the NHL is looking to get better. As a result, many free agents re-signed with their current teams. Moreover, top trade candidates have remained with their teams. For now, this includes Penguins forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell.
However, Pittsburgh is not like these other teams. In fact, they seem to be the only team willing to trade core pieces in exchange for future assets. In a sense, there is one seller in the current trade market. And the Penguins hold significant leverage in the market as a result.
Trading Rust and/or Rakell makes sense for this team. They are not likely to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026. As a matter of fact, they have a non-zero chance of winning the NHL Draft Lottery next spring. This would land them the prize of the 2026 NHL Draft, Penn State star Gavin McKenna.
Not everyone is on board with Pittsburgh trading their veterans, though. Bleacher Report writer Joe Tansey has urged the franchise to retain Rakell and Rust. He cites captain Sidney Crosby as a major benefactor of this decision.
“The goal is to be competitive enough to be in games, but also lose them to improve lottery odds for 2026. With Rakell and Rust still on the roster, the Penguins can achieve that goal while also providing Crosby with the best opportunities to have at least one more productive season in Pittsburgh,” Tansey wrote.
Penguins Must Contend With Improved Rebuilders
Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesRickard Rakell and Bryan Rust could fetch a good return for the Pittsburgh Penguins on the trade market.
Tansey pointed to the teams conceivably around Pittsburgh at the bottom of the standings, as well. He noted that a good amount of these teams got better this offseason. He pointed out two, in particular, who did impressive work this summer.
“A handful of the league’s worst teams already look better on paper, like San Jose and Philadelphia, and should either be on the same level of points as the Penguins, or higher, as the spring rolls around,” Tansey wrote.
The San Jose Sharks were potentially the most active team in NHL Free Agency this summer. They signed the likes of Jeff Skinner, John Klingberg, and Dmitry Orlov on the open market. Furthermore, they traded for Ryan Reaves and Alex Nedeljkovic in separate deals.
The Philadelphia Flyers, meanwhile, signed goaltender Dan Vladar and forward Christian Dvorak. Their biggest move, though, came on the trade front. Philadelphia traded for Trevor Zegras in a deal with the Anaheim Ducks.
Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell May Near Peak Value
The counterargument to Tansey’s is that this may be the best chance Pittsburgh has to trade these players. Rust and Rakell are productive players, without a doubt. But the landscape of the league may change next summer, lowering their trade value.
Rust and Rakell will remain valuable to some extent. Rakell, in particular, has value as a right-handed shot who can play center. These two are also each signed for three seasons. Their term alone gives them value.
However, if the league sees more balance between sellers and buyers, Pittsburgh loses a lot of leverage. There will be other teams who decide to kickstart a rebuild. And the Penguins need to decide if they are comfortable waiting, or if they want to strike while the iron may be the hottest it will ever be.
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