Penguins GM Outlines Offseason Plans

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in for an entertaining offseason after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight year. While the expectations will be low for the 2025-26 season Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas is hopeful he can build a team that is ready to compete in the very near future.

Dubas has been laying out his plans for the Penguins this offseason and it’s safe to say there are quite a few changes on the horizon.

The first and most notable area that Dubas plans on shifting his roster is a new focus on younger players. The Penguins have been one of the oldest teams in the NHL since well before Dubas arrived, and part of his plan is to build a team for a successful future.

Part of building for the future is giving prospects and younger NHLers more time in the lineup to continue developing at the highest stage. Names like Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty, and Joel Blomqvist are sure to see a huge increase in NHL time in 2025-26, including whoever Dubas adds during the summer.

Speaking of adding to the Penguins roster, Dubas says his plans for roster change will mostly focus on trades rather than free agency. Unless there’s a young name on the free agent market, expect Dubas and the Penguins to be more active on trade calls.

“I would say that, probably with the UFA stuff (the July 1 signing period), we’re probably not (going to be aggressive) unless there’s someone young enough who maybe deserves a little bit more term,” Dubas said.

Dubas has already started fielding trade calls regarding some of the Penguins’ veteran stars.

“There are teams that have been rebuilding for a while that are looking to take steps,” Dubas said. “They are interested. That’s potentially a good fit with us.”

No specific names were mentioned but Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust were just a couple of the names catching attention at the trade deadline. Expect those two plus possibilities like Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang to hear trade chatter.

Not only is Dubas focused on building a younger roster, but he also wants to add some size and grit. The Penguins have had their eyes on draft eligible players like Porter Martone and Kashawn Aitcheson.

Both Martone and Aitcheson are over six-foot-two and have room to exceed their 200-pound frame.

Hiring a new coach was just the first of many changes coming the Penguins’ way as they look to get younger, bigger, and better. They may not be a Cup contending team in 2025-26, but they want to get back to the mountaintop quickly.