NHL Trade Rumors: 4 Pittsburgh Penguins Being Shopped on Trade Market
The Pittsburgh Penguins are in sell mode.
According to David Pagnotta for The Fourth Period, the Penguins are looking to sell off multiple assets heading into the offseason, which include the likes of Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Ryan Graves.
Penguins president Kyle Dubas is no stranger to making a bold trade, and with the Penguins in transition, this could be a good year to tank for top pick Gavin McKenna, however, don't expect Dubas to ever admit he's looking to lose hockey games, especially with Sidney Crosby on the team.
The Penguins are a mess frankly, they are below expectations on the ice, and off the ice, their contract situation is a tough sell. Tristan Jarry could also be thrown into this group, but the veteran netminder doesn't have an ounce of trade value, so appears stuck in Pittsburgh, despite getting sent down to the AHL last season.
Pagnotta feels Rust could be the one player who gets the most calls in Pittsburgh:
With the Pittsburgh Penguins leading the seller’s market by a landslide, Kyle Dubas will be a popular man over the next few weeks. Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Ryan Graves are all up for grabs for the right price, and the Penguins may also be willing to take on a contract or two given their cap space.
Rust, to me, is most intriguing. His full no-movement clause expires June 30, end-of-day. He does not own any no-trade protection in the final three-years of his contract. He is one of the most appealing assets on a team going through a rebuild. Just about any contender would like to have him in their lineup.
Keep an eye on the Penguins, they are going to be one the more active teams over the course of the next few weeks, and could be a wild-card team to sign free-agent forward Mitch Marner.
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