How Should Penguins Approach the Upcoming Trade Deadline?
p/c: Benjamin B. Braun - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The NHL trade deadline is rapidly approaching - March 7th at 3:00 ET, to be exact.
For the Pittsburgh Penguins, it’s been a season of ups & downs - more so the latter.
Mike Sullivan’s team finds themselves in an interesting position. Although they are currently seven points back of the last wild card spot, in the Eastern Conference, there are seven other teams that they would have to leap frog.
Rumors began to circulate in January of the Penguins planning to go on a fire sale, with president of hockey operations, Kyle Dubas, vehemently denying the reports. However, Dubas has seemed to indicate that the organization would be looking to rebuild on the fly.
With the trade deadline less than two weeks away, how should they approach it?
The Penguins have already made seller moves this season. Most notably the Lars Eller trade in November, and the Marcus Pettersson/Drew O’Connor deal, on the last day of January. Given Pittsburgh’s status as a fringe playoff contender, as well as Dubas wanting to replenish the system, I believe they should continue to go the sell route.
Anthony Beauvillier, Matt Grzelcyk, Matt Nieto, and Ryan Shea are players who on expiring contracts. All of them could be used to dump salary, but more importantly, bring up younger talent from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Veteran forward Kevin Hayes has had a productive season, on the Penguins’ fourth line, scoring nine goals, while posting a 56.6% Corsi, which is on track to be a career best. Hayes does carry a cap hit of around $7.1 million, and is signed thru next season, so Dubas could get some decent, draft capital in return.
Questions of moving Erik Karlsson’s complicated contract has certainly been discussed. Although a trade can’t be ruled out, it’s more likely the former Norris trophy winner stays put.
Perhaps the one Penguins player that has garnered the most trade speculation, especially in recent weeks, is Rickard Rakell. The 31-year-old winger is having a terrific, season for Pittsburgh, as he currently leads the team with 25 goals. Dubas will probably want a massive return, for Rakell, who has three years of control remaining at a reasonable average annual of $5 million.
If Dubas wants to rebuild on the fly, then this deadline is the perfect opportunity to do so. There are quite a few replaceable veteran players on the roster that the Penguins could move on from, in order to give their prospects a chance at the NHL level, and expedite that youth movement sooner rather than later.