For the first time in what feels like forever, it seems like the Pittsburgh Penguins may actually have a plan. Throughout the Jim Rutherford and Ron Hextall eras, it felt like the Penguins’ front office had just been throwing ideas at the wall hoping that they would stick. However, current general manager Kyle Dubas has been busy throughout the summer putting his plan for the team into motion.
Dubas Is Making Moves
When Dubas took the reins last summer, he made it clear that he had a vision for the Penguins. He wanted to make the team younger and start preparing for when the core retired. He has been in charge for a little over a year now and has been methodically carrying out this plan. On Aug. 13, Pittsburgh made a trade with the St. Louis Blues involving draft picks. St. Louis re-acquired their own 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fifth-round pick. Pittsburgh received a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick. At first glance, this appeared to be a relatively small move, but it fell into place with the plan Dubas has had from the beginning. He is continuing to stockpile draft picks and prospects when he can in order to build for the future.
The Penguins also made a trade with the Nashville Predators later on that same day. They traded forward Jordan Frasca in exchange for Cody Glass, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick. Glass has one year remaining on his current contract with a $2.5 million salary cap hit. His best season came in 2022-23 with the Predators when he recorded 14 goals and 21 assists in 72 games.
Last season Glass saw a decline in play, recording only six goals and seven assists in 41 games. He has struggled with injuries for the past few years and last season was more of the same as he dealt with a knee and shoulder injury. At 6-foot-3, 206 pounds, he definitely has the size Pittsburgh is looking for, but he is still struggling to meet his full potential. Right now, his biggest struggle seems to be his own lack of confidence and until he can conquer the mental aspect of the game, he will continue to be a mediocre player.
Pittsburgh Is Planning For the Future
Acquiring Glass fits the mold of what Dubas has been doing in Pittsburgh. He has been orchestrating a rebuild on the fly, and this trade was another low-risk possibly high-reward move. He is going to continue loading up on draft picks whenever he can in an effort to make the transition a bit smoother when the core does finally retire.
Dubas has been vocal from the beginning about building for the future, and his goal for this season may not necessarily be to win it all. Of course, he wants his team to be competitive, but it seems like his focus is on making it good down the line. Pittsburgh has a lot of center depth in the bottom six right now so there is a good chance Dubas is not done conducting business. Another trade could happen at any point and Lars Eller may be on the hot seat. One thing is for sure, the Penguins will in no way be short on options heading into training camp.
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Dubas has brought a new approach and a very different operating plan to Pittsburgh. It may not be the flashiest plan but it’s a plan. If it works, he could go down as one of the best GMs in team history, but only time will tell.
