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Penguins Unlikely to Trade $30 Million Forward Before Deadline: Report

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jan 10, 2025 10:15 AM ET

As the Pittsburgh Penguins navigate a challenging season, questions will be asked about the short-term future of the team and what the franchise will do with some of their players.

Regarding speculation involving one of the Penguins veterans, Josh Yohe of The Athletic clarified on Wednesday that Rickard Rakell is unlikely to be traded before the March 7 trade deadline.

“The idea that the Penguins are going to hold a fire sale, however, is a bit misguided,” Yohe wrote. “In the case of Rickard Rakell, it might be flat-out wrong.

“Rakell’s name often arises in discussions about Penguins’ trade pieces. Dubas doesn’t feel any extreme desire to deal Rakell.”

Rakell, 31, is in the third year of a six-year, $30 million contract with a $5 million annual cap hit and an eight-team no-trade list.

While his term and salary would usually make him a less likely deadline target, the expectation of a rising salary cap this offseason could make him a more attractive asset in the summer for those interested in acquiring him.

“Remember, the salary cap is likely to rise substantially next season, which means teams will be far more willing to court players such as Rakell when summertime arrives,” Yohe said.

Yohe's report aligns with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman's, who included a bullet point about the Penguins in Wednesday's "32 Thoughts" column.

"Pittsburgh’s made it clear it has forwards, defencemen, and goalies available," Friedman wrote. "The Penguins are willing to use their cap space to take on contracts, as long as it gets what they really desire: young players, prospects, and draft picks (in that order)."

Rakell has been good for the Penguins this season, scoring 21 goals and 15 assists in 43 games. Despite his strong play, the Penguins are still outside of the playoff picture, albeit tied in total points (44) with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the race for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

While Dubas might not actively pursue a trade, it's possible that a move ends up happening if a suitor presents a strong enough offer for the Penguins to pass on.

"If a team made an outrageous offer for Rakell, then sure, Dubas would be more than willing to listen," Yohe wrote. "That’s his job."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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