With the Pittsburgh Penguins finding themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas has to decide who to keep and let go. The trade deadline is one of the next biggest dates on the league calendar (March 7). A handful of players on the Penguins roster could be of interest to many teams across the league.
D Matt Grzelyck
A bit of a surprise from the backend of the ice this season has been Matt Grzelyck. Not known as an offensive defenseman, he is on pace for a career year in the offensive numbers department. He has only scored one goal so far but has been strong for the Penguins’ second power play unit at the point spot. Of the 24 assists he has, 10 have come on the man advantage. Defensively, his numbers have not been the greatest, but the Penguins’ defensive play as a whole has not been very flattering as a team.
Grzelyck would be a player on the Penguins roster who would be a rental for any team interested in him, with a $4 million expiring contract after signing a one-year deal in the offseason. The return would not be as great for him as for Marcus Pettersson. Still, it would help clear the logjam at the position and give the Penguins a better look at younger defensemen like Owen Pickering and possibly Jack St. Ivany.
Likelihood of being traded: 2.5/5
D Erik Karlsson
The biggest longshot of being traded of anyone in this piece, Erik Karlsson, whose time with the Penguins has overall been a disappointment, has gotten his game back on track for the most part as the season has progressed. Offensively, the 16-year veteran has been more of a distributor than a goal-scorer, with four goals and 28 assists (ten assists on the power play). Defensively, he has never been known to be a lockdown defender, which has not changed at this stage of his career. Any team interested in Karlsson will be looking at the offensive and power play side of his game as the biggest reason to trade for him.
The biggest hurdle of moving Karlsson is his contract, which still has two years and a cap hit of $10 million a year (San Jose Sharks are retaining 13% after last offseason’s trade). Along with that comes a full no-movement clause, meaning he has complete control of any move happening. The Penguins would likely have to retain a percentage of his cap hit for a team to give them a return that would make a move worth it. Karlsson could serve as both a positive asset on the offensive side of the puck for a contending team and a mentor for a team with younger players in their organization.
Likelihood of being traded: 1/5
LW Drew O’Connor
After a breakout season in 2023-24, there had been hopes that Drew O’Connor would take another step in becoming a player the organization can rely on as a building block. That has not been the case this season, as O’Connor has struggled offensively and continues to bounce around in the middle-to-bottom six of the forward lines.
That said, O’Connor could be a player who teams look at as a depth-scorer with a cap hit of only $925,000 for the season and is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the season. He would draw the eye of teams that are missing that middle-six type of player who can score goals and grind it out in the dirty areas of the ice. Dubas will be selective and picky when ensuring he gets a strong enough return for the 26-year-old if he decides to move him. He could easily extend him to a deal this offseason, showing faith in O’Connor to bounce back. On the flip side, the depth that the organization has prospect-wise at the forward position could play a factor as they have a handful of top prospects who could fill in a bottom-six spot if Dubas moves him.
Likelihood of being traded: 3.5/5
D Marcus Pettersson
As a pending UFA, Marcus Pettersson and the Penguins organization have not had much talk of extending his contract beyond this season. While the numbers do not jump off the screen, he is a defenseman who can eat up minutes while also being solid in his end of the ice.
As an expiring contract, Pettersson would likely serve as a rental for a contending team looking to solidify the backend of their lineup. Dubas and the Penguins would likely get a return of a second-round pick and a mid-level prospect for the 28-year-old defenseman. Moving on from Pettersson would give the organization more future assets and clear up a bit of a logjam at the defense position.
Likelihood of being traded: 4.5/5
RW Rickard Rakell
One player who has seen their game taken to another level has been Rickard Rakell. After a down season last season, he has become one of the Penguins’ most consistent forwards. He has recorded points in all but two games in January and has tallied 42 on the season. His strong play has helped solidify the top line with Sidney Crosby. He has also been strong on the power play and is third on the team in the goal department on the man advantage with five goals.
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Unlike the rest of the players in this article, Rakell has term to his contract. He has three years left on his deal, with a cap hit of $5 million annually. He also has an eight-team no-trade list. A team looking to trade for him will likely have to put together a strong package for Dubas to get him to trade away the 31-year-old forward. He has made it known that he wants to add assets for the future, both in the form of draft picks and prospects, but having a player like Rakell on the team who has proven to be a top-six forward this season may be too hard to part with.
Likelihood of being traded: 1.5/5
Other Names to Consider
- W Anthony Beauvillier: After signing a one-year contract with the Penguins in the offseason, Beauvillier has had a strong season and could be another rental for a contender looking for a depth forward. He could net a mid-round pick in return.
- W Cody Glass: Unlikely to be moved due to being acquired earlier this season by Dubas, the pending restricted free agent (RFA) could be an outside shot for a team to take a swing at like the Penguins did.
Plenty to Think About For Dubas
With things seemingly not heading in the right direction, Dubas and the Penguins organization have plenty to think about and ponder as the trade deadline slowly creeps up. The goal will likely continue to be keeping a competitive team on the ice while also building for the future.
