The Pittsburgh Penguins are an intriguing team in the 2025 NHL offseason. At this time, it appears as if Pittsburgh is the only true seller on the market. Pittsburgh is not exactly embracing a full rebuild, at least not now. However, they are open to moving their veteran players to open roster spots for young talent at the NHL level.

Pittsburgh has added some younger players over the last few seasons. This past season saw them make moves for the likes of Cody Glass, Philip Tomasino, and Rutger McGroarty. Glass was traded to the New Jersey Devils at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. However, Tomasino and McGroarty could play prominent roles in 2025-26.

The Penguins could still work to add young talent, however. Pittsburgh has just one player — McGroarty — who is under the age of 25 and signed through next season. Four players in their top six are 32 years or older. And there are rumors that Evgeni Malkin could be playing his final season with the Penguins this coming season.

The need for young talent is clear to see. Of course, trading for a young player is easier said than done. Teams are not trying to trade their young stars. Especially in a market where 31 of 32 teams are trying to improve rather than take a step back.

Still, there is one player that makes a lot of sense for the Penguins. This player is coming off potential the worse year of his short career to this point. But he has shown the ability to act as a top-six playmaker at the NHL level.

Mammoth's Matias Maccelli makes sense for Penguins

Utah Hockey Club left wing Matias Maccelli (63) warms up before a game against the Detroit Red Wings at Delta Center.
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There are a lot of obstacles when it comes to adding the sort of player Pittsburgh is after. You need a team willing to move on from a young talent. But more importantly, you need to identify a player who has shown the ability to contribute at the NHL level. Utah Mammoth winger Matias Maccelli has shown this ability.

The Mammoth are a team who are looking to be aggressive this season. And this could work in tandem with the Penguins' offseason aims, as The Athletic's Josh Yohe pointed out on Monday.

“(Penguins general manager Kyle) Dubas isn’t looking to acquire draft picks or prospects. Instead, he’s interested in bringing in young NHL players who, for whatever reason, aren’t long for their current teams. Teams looking to be aggressive or those dealing with salary cap problems are most likely to be in conversations with Dubas. Keep the Utah Mammoth in mind as a team that might do business with Dubas,” Yohe wrote.

Maccelli played just 55 games in 2024-25 while scoring eight goals and 18 points. Before this, though, he racked up 106 points across 148 games in two seasons with the now-defunct Arizona Coyotes. He is a restricted free agent in 2026.

The Mammoth want to make a splash this summer. They have the cap space to do it and the motivation. In saying this, they need to clear some roster spots to make it happen. Maccelli was used as a healthy scratch for parts of the season. He is already on the outside looking in, so he is certainly a trade candidate.

The Penguins could use an element of playmaking in the middle-six. Especially with Malkin's statistical decline. Maccelli is young enough to bounce back from this past season. If he does, he could make a significant impact for the Penguins or any team he's traded to this summer.