The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the 2023-24 NHL season with their eyes on the Stanley Cup. After all, a massive trade for Erik Karlsson gave them a huge amount of offensive firepower. If their defense could hold it down, they'd be contenders heading into the NHL Trade Deadline. However, things have gone the exact opposite of how we expected it to.

Pittsburgh is one of the best teams in the league defensively. That said, their offense has lagged well behind. In fact, they rank near the bottom of the entire league in terms of goal-scoring this year. This has certainly hampered their chances of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024.

The Penguins are nine points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild card spot. Pittsburgh have also lost five of their last six games, and seven of their last 10. With the playoff race heating up, the Pens are falling behind at the worst possible time to do so.

However, there is time to provide a spark. The 2024 NHL Trade Deadline is less than two weeks away now. And Pittsburgh could go in a number of different directions ahead of March 8. But which direction is the ideal scenario? Let's break down the dream NHL Trade Deadline scenario for the Penguins in 2024.

To buy or to sell?

Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) skates with the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel (2) during the second period at PPG Paints Arena.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh faces two paths for the NHL Trade Deadline this year. They could sell off assets leading into March 8. And to be fair, you could argue they should have done this over the summer. Pittsburgh has one of the thinnest prospect pipelines in the entire league. They need to restock the cupboard to ensure future teams have a fighting chance.

However, they could also buy at the NHL Trade Deadline. They could trade the few premium trade assets they have to try and make a run. If they turn things around before March 8, it'd make some sense. Even if they don't, it's certainly hard to punt this season after the offseason Pittsburgh had.

The Penguins are caught between a rock and a hard place here. While the next few weeks should provide clarity, it could also muddy the waters further. Before anything happens involving Pittsburgh, they must decide how they will approach the March 8 deadline.

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Penguins' dream for NHL Trade Deadline in 2024

For this scenario, I believe the Penguins ideally want to buy. It's hard to envision Kyle Dubas punting on this season, espeically with the work he put in during the offseason. Furthermore, he made it his mission to compete while they have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin performing at a high level.

So, with Pittsburgh buying, what do they do? The obvious answer is to acquire scoring help. They have some underperformers on the defensive side of the ice. However, they are strong enough that the focus should be on offense. Even with Reilly Smith and Sam Poulin returning from injury.

There are two interesting candidates for the Penguins. First, Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano. The 29-year-old is having the best season of his career. Vatrano scored twice on Monday to increase his season total to 26 goals in 55 games. He is signed through next season, which will impact the acquisition cost.

The other target is veteran Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle. Eberle has had a bit of a down season, with just 10 goals and 30 points this year. However, he has eight points in his last 10 games. He looks to have found his game, and he's finding it at the right time. The 33-year-old is a free agent in the summer, and he has a 16-team no-trade list, as well.

The Penguins need scoring, and both of these players can provide that. If Pittsburgh can add one of them, it'd go a long way toward fixing their offensive woes. And it'd certainly give them a major boost as they look to salvage their fading playoff hopes.