Penguins Should Trade Rickard Rakell Before Free Agency

The reason to trade Rakell is straightforward: he does not fit this current iteration of the Penguins. Is it nice to have a 30-goal scorer who averages nearly a point per game on the team? Absolutely, but the Penguins are not close to being competitive for a playoff spot, let alone the Stanley Cup, so Rakell is just a great goal-scorer on a bad team. If the Penguins were contending, Rakell is a great player to have on the roster, but the way the Penguins are currently constructed, he does not do them much good.

Trading Rakell could also net the Penguins some valuable assets. Rakell is easily worth a first-round pick and a top prospect, a first-round pick and other mid-round picks, or several lower-tier prospects.

Why Would Other Teams Trade for Rakell

Why should a team trade for Rakell? The Swede scored 35 goals last season and had 35 assists, totaling 70 points – his career best in both categories. He is also only 32 and will earn $5 million per year for the next three seasons. While teams usually do not like to trade for players with term left on their deals, there is another angle worth examining, which is the salary cap. The cap is set to explode over the next three seasons, and having a 30-goal winger making $5 million for the next three years is very appealing for an organization. In two years, a free agent with the stats and bona fides of Rakell would easily make significantly more than $5 million. A cost-controlled winger on a team-friendly contract for multiple years will be hard to come by in the upcoming summers, making Rakell all the more valuable.

Potential Trade Partners

New Jersey Devils

Rakell would fit best on a team where they have a playmaking center who can consistently get him the puck. That is why he played so well in Pittsburgh; he had Crosby as his center. Rakell would provide valuable scoring depth to a contender. The one contender I have in mind is the New Jersey Devils. After they lost Jack Hughes to a shoulder injury, the Devils’ offensive output decreased significantly, thus illuminating their lack of scoring depth. A realistic trade would be New Jersey sending defensemen Simon Nemec and a 2026 second-round pick in return.

Nemec is a polarizing figure in New Jersey, and many fans and the front office have expected more from the 2022 second-overall pick. Unfortunately for the Devils and Nemec, he has struggled to consistently break into the Devils’ lineup, and he has become frustrated. The Devils’ defensive right side is set as Dougie Hamilton is under contract until 2028 and Brett Pesce is locked up until 2030. They also have 2024 first-round pick Anton Silayev on the way, while Seamus Casey, who was also drafted in 2022, is ahead of Nemec on the depth chart. Nemec is potentially expendable, and he is the type of player the Penguins should take a shot on for the future.

Los Angeles Kings

Another team that could use Rakell’s services is the Los Angeles Kings. This is a more appealing team for Pittsburgh; they are in the Western Conference, so they would only have to play Rakell twice a season. The Kings need scoring depth, and they have a significant shortage of right-handed players; they only have two right-handed forwards on the roster. The Kings are also sick of losing in the first round to the Edmonton Oilers, and they are going to be aggressive this offseason. Rakell would be a cheap option that would also leave room for the Kings to make additional moves. A possible trade would see the Kings send their 2025 first-rounder (Henry Brzustewicz) and prospect Liam Greentree to Pittsburgh. The Penguins desperately need defensive prospects, especially right-handers. Their only two notable blueliners who fit that billing are Harrison Brunicke and 2025 selection Peyton Kettles.

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings have not made the playoffs since 2016, an agonizing drought for the proud franchise that had a mini-dynasty in the 2000s. It has been a long and painful process. When Steve Yzerman took over the reins, the Red Wings had no prospects and very few high draft picks. It has taken years, but the Red Wings have a litany of prospects that would make many GMs jealous.

It was reported by Sportsnet‘s Elliotte Friedman that the Red Wings were aggressive this offseason in pursuit of a stud winger who can put the puck in the back of the net. He said that Yzerman pursued Steven Stamkos with vigor. As everyone knows, Stamkos signed with the Nashville Predators. This forced Yzerman to pivot and sign Vladimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko had a pretty forgettable season, scoring only 11 goals and adding 22 assists. The Red Wings need a winger in the worst way, and luckily for them, the Penguins have a winger who can help them.

Rakell would make a lot of sense as a replacement for Tarasenko. The Penguins can also afford to absorb Tarasenko’s $4.75 million contract, and also likely acquire defender Justin Holl, who has been rumored as a buyout candidate. In exchange for the Penguins taking on these two expiring contracts, Pittsburgh should ask for the 13th-overall selection in this draft, Carter Bear. This hypothetical move would significantly enhance their prospect pool. Tarasenko is not a long-term answer, and he is a player the Penguins can flip at the 2026 Trade Deadline for additional assets as well. The Red Wings would open up $3.1 million in cap so they can take some swings in free agency, potentially for a defender or other big-name players.

Another Red Wing the Penguins should target is one of Detroit’s young goaltenders, either Sebastian Cossa or Trey Augustine. The Red Wings acquired Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson before Round 2 of the draft started. Gibson is under contract until the summer of 2027, and only one of the aforementioned goalies can be the tender of the future. The Penguins should try and capitalize on that.

It is important that the Penguins trade Rakell before free agency begins on July 1. Once that day comes, teams will try and solve their issues on the open market. Rakell can be a cheaper alternative for teams seeking help on the wing.