3 Penguins Trade Candidates Linked to Red Wings

Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins Defenseman skates in warmup

The Pittsburgh Penguins are still the Team Most Likely To Swing a Deal before the 2025-26 season begins, with a number of notable trade candidates being shopped around the NHL.

After a pretty quiet offseason, the Detroit Red Wings should be one of the teams most likely to try to get in on that. The Wings are still in need of a top-four defenseman and a top-six forward (as they were going into the summer). It just so happens that the Penguins can meet both of those needs, in the right deal.

Max Bultman of The Athletic has suggested that the Pens' three biggest names on the trade market could be Red Wings' targets.

Bryan Rust, Forward

"Rust would fill a clear need for Detroit on the top line, bringing some needed hard offense to the top six," writes Bultman. The 33-year-old topped the 20-goal mark for the 6th straight season last year, and even cracked the 30-goal mark for the first time, with 31, to go with another career-high, in points, with 65, in 71 games.

The problem here, however, is what is the cost? Bultman adds that because of Rust's age, with three more years to run on his $5.125 million cap hit, "he’s probably not a player the Red Wings should be giving up a first-round pick for — and I think Pittsburgh could plausibly get that price."

Rickard Rakell, Forward

With similar stats, a similar cap hit and a similar age (Rakell is 32), and also coming off a career year, would the argument against using a first-rounder here be any different?

Erik Karlsson, Defenseman

The three-time Norris Trophy winner is 35 now, but would be a significant addition to the team's blueline. He would come at a cheaper price, Bultman reasons, as the Pens would need to lower their expectations on a return due to Karlsson's two seasons remaining at a $10 million cap hit.