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Pittsburgh Penguins Weighing Offseason Trade Options for Two Veterans

Originally posted on Hockey Unplugged | By Daniel Lucente | Last updated Mar 13, 2025 9:39 AM ET

The trade deadline may have passed, and Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson may still be with the Penguins, but that doesn't mean they won't possibly be traded later.

Penguins GM Kyle Dubas and head coach Mike Sullivan recently complimented Erik Karlsson. But NHL insider Josh Yohe gets the feeling the Penguins are going to trade Karlsson this offseason.

There isn't a pressing necessity, but trade discussions will be coming. At 34, Karlsson isn't going to change his style of play, and that style doesn't seem to be what the Penguins require in the long run.

Pittsburgh's defensive issues are well-documented, and they aren't built to fit a player who doesn't care about keeping the puck out of the net. Karlsson only makes their issues worse, and after nearly two years, the Penguins know it.

All that being said, Karlsson still has tremendous trade value. His puck skills and playmaking ability are still elite, and there are many around the league who think he could excel on a more disciplined team where his flaws could be covered up and his positives could be maximized.

Two sources in the league informed Yohe that if Dubas is able to retain roughly $3 million of Karlsson's $10 million cap burden on his contract (he has two remaining years on his contract), it wouldn't be difficult to find a trade partner.

Yohe revealed he looks forward to seeing that trade take place this summer, and pretty much guarantees it.

The Penguins will likely hang on to Letang over Karlsson

That being the case, it would be a big surprise to Yohe if the Penguins traded both Karlsson and Kris Letang during the same offseason.

It would be surprising to see the Penguins move on from Karlsson and Kris Letang in the same summer.
- Josh Yohe

Letang would need to waive his no-movement clause to go, and someone would need to be willing to take on the 38-year-old's contract, which still has three full seasons left.

Nevertheless, Yohe expects Dubas to sit down with Letang and make sure he intends to complete his career in Pittsburgh. So clearly in all of this, the odd man out is going to most definitely be Karlsson.

This article first appeared on Hockey Unplugged and was syndicated with permission.

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