“Rebuild” is a term that strikes fear into almost any NHL fanbase because it is usually associated with terrible play and almost no chance at watching your favorite team make the postseason. It also is not a short process; it takes a minimum of three seasons, if not more, before a team becomes remotely competitive again. In extreme cases, “rebuilds” seem to last an eternity (I am looking at you, Buffalo Sabres fans), or take significantly longer than three seasons in the case of the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. Not every rebuild takes forever, though. In the case of the Montreal Canadiens, they went from picking first overall in 2022 to making the playoffs last season.
Related: How the Canadiens’ Patience Turned a Rebuild Into a Playoff Push
Rebuilds are not the worst thing if they are done right and the team enters into one at the correct time. In the case of the Pittsburgh Penguins, now is the perfect time for the franchise to enter a rebuild, and this article will outline why Penguins fans should be optimistic about this next stage for the franchise.
Penguins Have Assets That Teams Will Want
During any rebuild, a franchise will inevitably have to offload experienced veterans in exchange for younger players and draft picks. It is a tough process because many cornerstone players from years past are traded for prospects or draft picks, which does not guarantee future success. It can also be painful because sometimes those veteran players who need to be moved will not fetch a high price once they are made available for trade. For example, when the Blackhawks traded franchise legend Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers, they received a 2023 second-round pick, a 2025 fourth-round pick, Vili Saarijarvi, and Andy Welinski. In a vacuum, that is not a great return, and in many other cases, a team’s best player is just not valuable to other franchises.
Luckily for the Penguins, they have some veteran players who will fetch a decent price at the trade deadline and won’t be sold off for scraps. Both Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell score at a high rate. Rust scored 31 goals and added 34 assists in 71 games last season, while Rakell had 35 goals and 35 assists.
Now the issue is that both are under contract until the summer of 2028, and teams usually fear trading for a player with term, but Rust and Rakell make $5.125 million and $5 million, respectively, which, for a 30-goal scorer, is cheap. Furthermore, with the salary cap rising dramatically the next couple of seasons, having a cost-effective scoring winger will be valuable. If both players were traded, the Penguins could get at least one first-round pick and several other selections, and some higher-end prospects. There is also Erik Karlsson, but I am sure people are tired of hearing and speculating about his trade value and who is willing to trade for him.
Penguins Are the Only Team Legitimately Rebuilding
This is the biggest plus in the Penguins’ favor; they are the only legit seller at this point. Yes, the San Jose Sharks and the Blackhawks are still rebuilding, but they are both taking active steps to take the next step. They are trying to significantly improve their position in the standings, while the Penguins are moving in the other direction.
For example, the Sharks signed former Carolina Hurricanes defender Dmitri Orlov to a two-year, $6.25 million average annual value (AAV) deal, and they also signed veterans Jeff Skinner and John Klingberg. I am not saying these players will take the Sharks over the top, but they did make them better. The Blackhawks also brought back Ryan Donato and traded for winger Andre Burakovsky. Am I saying these teams will have a better record than the Penguins this season? No. However, they are also positioning themselves to be massive sellers at the trade deadline.
Why This Is Good for the Penguins
Now is the ideal time for the Penguins to rebuild because they are the only team poised to be a big seller at the deadline, and they have some valuable pieces that playoff teams will want in Rakell, Rust, and Karlsson. Furthermore, there are also not a ton of veteran players who will block the ascension of young players to the NHL roster. After the 2025-26 season, Evgeni Malkin and Kevin Hayes come off the Penguins’ books, and the rest of the roster (except Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang) can be easily moved. The Penguins will be acquiring many younger players, and they will get a chance to play sooner rather than later.
