Penguins Top Trade Targets

Kyle Dubas has remained silent, at least publicly, about whether the Pittsburgh Penguins will be buyers or sellers at the NHL trade deadline. If the Penguins decide to add to their roster before March 8th, they have very few assets to utilize, likely taking them out of the running for any big fish this Spring.

What the Penguins currently have is an abundance of defense-first forwards, a few underperforming goal scorers, and a shaky blue line.

Dubas has a few triggers to pull within the organization to address his forwards. Reilly Smith and Matt Nieto will get opportunities to change the narrative surrounding their performance upon return from injury.

Meanwhile, Sam Poulin and Jesse Puljujarvi are making noise at the AHL level and should get a chance to translate that into an opportunity at the NHL level.

Defensively, the Penguins have received underwhelming performances from Ryan Shea and P.O. Joseph. Chad Ruhwedel has done little to separate himself from the pack vying for playing time on the third defense pair.

The third defense pair could be upgraded before the deadline in five weeks. Defensemen like Ilya Lyubushkin (Anaheim), Alexandre Carrier (Nashville), and Matt Dumba (Arizona) all fit the Penguins' needs and are solid options for Dubas at the deadline.

Lyubushkin has already been connected with the Penguins by David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period and would bring a physical style of play that would mesh well with John Ludvig once he returns to the lineup.

Chris Johnston of the Athletic has Lyubushkin ranked 11th on his trade board. "A physical defenseman best suited for a third-pairing role, what you see is what you get from Lyubushkin," Johnston writes. "He’ll kill penalties, finish checks, and try to keep the play in front of him. Let’s brand it meat-and-potatoes hockey."

Carrier, who is currently injured, and Dumba fit a similar mold and solidify the right side for the Penguins defense.

Another name of interest has been Jakob Chychrun. From a pure fit standpoint, Chychrun checks all of the boxes. Unfortunately, the Penguins may be a year late on acquiring the 25-year-old blue liner. They already have $24.6 million (29% of Penguins salary cap) invested in four defensemen through next season.

Chychrun's $4.6 million cap hit, not to mention the substantial pay raise he may require in 2025, would further an already worrisome issue for the Penguins blue line. Adding a depth defenseman may be the Penguins' best option ahead of the Trade Deadline.