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For a third straight season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have failed to make the playoffs. They have already made major moves, as the Penguins have hired Dan Muse as the new head coach. Still, they need to make moves to grow towards the future. These are the three players the Penguins must trade in the 2025 NHL offseason.
Pittsburgh has indicated that it may be looking to rebuild after this season. The Penguins have informed Evgeni Malkin that they will not be re-signing him. Malkin is part of an older core of players for the Penguins. He will be turning 39 years old before the start of the season, while Sidney Crosby will be turning 38. Currently, the average age of a Penguins forward is 29.5 years old. That is over two years older than the average NHL forward.
The Penguins have steadily declined as well. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2017, they have made it out of the first round of the playoffs just once, falling to the Washington Capitals in the 2018 second round. Further, their record has been worse each season as they have missed the playoffs three years in a row. After a 91-point performance in 2022-23, they would fall to 88 points the next year, and then just 80 last season. It is time for a rebuild in Pittsburgh, and these are the three players they need to move on from to make it happen.
Penguins must trade away a big salary
Just before the 2023-24 campaign, the Penguins traded for Erik Karlsson. Now, it is time for the Penguins to trade away Karlsson. To begin with, there are the financial reasons. Pittsburgh is expected to have just over $24.5 million in cap space this offseason, but they have plenty of needs to take care of. Karlsson will cost $10 million this year and next year. The Penguins will most likely need to retain some of that salary to trade Karlsson, but it will still bring cap savings to move away from the Swede.
Next, Karlsson will most likely bring in solid draft assets. The Penguins already have plenty of draft capital, with two first-round, three second-round, and two third-round picks in 2026. The 2026 NHL Draft is projected to have depth, so more assets for a reset will be good for the Penguins' future. Further, Karlsson may be on the decline, and moving away from him now is necessary. After having over 100 points in the 2022-23 season, he has scored just 109 points over his last two seasons with Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, his advanced stats also show a decline. On the offensive end, his chances created and percentage of points he was involved in when on the ice have declined over the last two years. Meanwhile, his takeaways have also declined in the last two years. With declining statistics, Karlsson having a high price tag, and the fact that he will turn 36 at the end of the season, it is time for the Penguins to move on.
It's time to part ways with Bryan Rust
The Penguins were the third-oldest team in the NHL this year. Of the top nine teams in terms of oldest teams in the NHL, eight of them made the playoffs, and two of them made it to the Stanley Cup Final. The odd team out was Pittsburgh. One of the aging veterans for the Penguins is Bryan Rust. Rust will turn 34 at the end of the next regular season and has been solid in recent years.
Rust is coming off a career high in points, having 65 points this past season. It was also the third time in four years he scored over 50 points. Also, his 31 goals were the most of his career, while his 34 assists tied a career high. Rust was also solid on the power play with five goals and 13 assists this past season. This may be the perfect time to sell on Rust.
Not only is he coming off career highs, but he also does not have a no-trade or no-movement clause like Karlsson or many of the other major players that could be moved. He is also under contract for the next three seasons at a cost of $5.125 million, well below market value for a player scoring 60 points in a season. The Penguins have been looking to add draft capital, and Rust should bring that. Considering they acquired a second-round pick for Anthony Beauvillier, who was a rental player for the Washington Capitals, a player with three years of team control at a solid cost, plus higher production, should bring in more. Rust has been a great player for the Pens, but now is a perfect time to ship him out of Pennsylvania.
Rickard Rakell is at his peak
Rickard Rakell is coming off an amazing season for the Penguins. He scored 35 goals and also added 35 assists, placing him second on the team with 70 points. Furthermore, he added nine goals and ten assists on the power play. It was one of the best seasons of his career. Rakell had a career high in goals while tying his career high in assists. It was also his second-highest power play goal total, and tied a career high in power play assists. He was on the ice for 19:17 per game, which was the second highest of his career.
Rakell was initially a member of the Anaheim Ducks. He had some productive years in Anaheim, most notably a 69-point season in 2017-18. Still, he waned the next two years, and was a pending free agent in the 2021-22 season. This resulted in the Ducks trading Rakell during the season to the Penguins. He put up 60 points in his first full season with the Penguins, while on a new contract. Still, he regressed the next year. Rakell has had a back-to-back 50-point season just once in his career. This is a chance for the Penguins to move a piece while he is at his peak.
Rakell is under contract for the next three years for just $5 million per year. If the Penguins want to move towards a rebuild, it starts now. They need to trade their quality pieces in Rust and Rakell, while shedding the contract of Karlsson to begin the next era in Pittsburgh.
