The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to try and rebuild for the 2025-26 campaign. Pittsburgh is reportedly taking calls for possible trades on forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, per The Athletic.

Rakell is a player that the Penguins have shopped for awhile. The team was reportedly not pleased with what they would have received in return for him before the NHL Trade Deadline. He ended up having a great year with 70 points last season.

Rust posted 65 points this past season for the Penguins, and is a fan favorite to many Pens fans. He has played his entire NHL career for the team, and has skated on two Stanley Cup championship clubs. Rust is also known to be a friend of Pens star Sidney Crosby.

The club once again missed out on the postseason this last year. Pittsburgh was once again a disappointment, with just 80 points. The Pens won 34 games.

Penguins are hoping to rebuild their roster

Benjamin Kindel is selected as the 11th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Less than a decade ago, the Penguins were one of the strongest franchises in the NHL. Pittsburgh won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Those days are gone, as the team hasn't made the postseason in years. Pittsburgh's last trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs was in 2022.

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The Penguins don't have too much time left to win with Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Those two players have won three Stanley Cups in the Steel City, and Crosby is one of the greatest players the NHL has ever seen. Penguins fans hope the team can win at least one more title before these two players retire.

It appears that other players may also be moving on, and not just Rust and Rakell.

“Crosby is the only Penguin completely off limits in a trade, though fellow franchise icons Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are unlikely to be moved due to no-trade clauses and declining play,” Josh Wegman wrote for The Score.

Last season, the Penguins had a great deal of problems. Most of their issues appeared to be on defense. The Penguins allowed 293 goals, and had the worst goal differential in their division. Pittsburgh was -50 in that category.

The team had to rely on several different goaltenders to try and stop opposing teams. Alex Nedeljkovic appeared in the bulk of games, although Tristan Jarry also carried a lot of the weight in net. Pittsburgh though must find better answers on defense this coming season, in order to return to the postseason.

Time will tell what the Penguins decide to do with their veteran wingers.

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