PITTSBURGH – Ever since joining the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2022 NHL trade deadline, Rickard Rakell has been a pillar of consistency. No matter where he slotted in on the Penguins roster, whether on the first line or second line, Rakell has brought a regular pace to the team.
The 2023-24 season has not been the same for Rakell, however, and it might spell the end of him in Pittsburgh. The Penguins still aren’t exactly sure what direction they’re heading, whether becoming buyers or sellers at this deadline, or even kicking off the rebuild for the future. Regardless of what path the Penguins take, Rakell likely doesn’t stick around.
Rakell has struggled this season going his first 19 games without a goal and entering the bye week with another lengthy goal drought. In 34 games played this year, Rakell has picked up five goals and 12 assists for 18 total points and has been demoted to the third line.
The Penguins obviously aren’t seeing the production, but that doesn’t mean he’s cooked as a player. Other teams might still find some kind of value in him, even if it’s been a slow year.
Should the Penguins decide to become buyers this year, Rakell isn’t someone set in stone in this lineup. The trade value may be declining this year, but Rakell isn’t a completely lost cause.
If the Penguins become sellers, that’s a key contract to drop for salary cap space. Rakell earns $5 million against the cap for the rest of this season and the next four following. That extra cap space could be valuable for the Penguins no matter the kind of rebuild they’re planning.
No matter what direction the Penguins decide to take, it’s very possible one of the more useful players finds his way to a new team. Rakell has been holding the Penguins back this year and if they want to compete he either needs to improve or he won’t surive the deadline.
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