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The Pittsburgh Penguins began what can only be described as an on-the-fly retool with the trading of defenseman Marcus Pettersson last week. But there’s another Pens veteran who could be moved by or before the NHL’s March 7 trade deadline – and that veteran isn’t part of Pittsburgh’s ‘Core Four’ group of elite talent (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson).
That player we’re referring to is right winger Rickard Rakell. The 31-year-old didn’t have the best performance last season – posting just 15 goals and 37 points in 70 games – and he has another three years left on his current contract, which carries a salary cap hit of $5 million per season. But if you combine Rakell’s rebound season this year with his performance in 2022-23, he’s produced 53 goals and 107 points. Clearly, there’s a lot of talent there with Rakell. And if Pens GM Kyle Dubas does deal Rakell, it will be far easier to retain Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Karlsson.
If they do trade Rakell, the Penguins could expect a return that includes a high draft pick, an elite prospect and an NHL player who can contribute right away. And while Rakell’s current contract has no-trade protection that allows him to veto a trade to eight teams of his choice, that still leaves 23 teams he could be dealt to. Dubas should be able to use that fact to drive up the market for Rakell, and that will be good news for the Penguins’ long-term future.
Related: Penguins’ Latest Trade Keeps An Urgent Turnaround In Mind, But It Seems Unlikely
Rakell has twice been a producer of at least 33 goals in a single season, and while that was back in 2016-17 and 2017-18, on the right team, he still can be a solid offensive generator. The term left on his contract may scare off some teams from acquiring him, but we’re confident there’d be a robust market for him if the Pens put him on the trade block. We’re also confident Pittsburgh wouldn’t have to retain any of Rakell’s salary in a trade. You can make a deal for him that’s a straight-up exchange of young talent for the experience Rakell brings to the table, and that would please Penguins fans who want their team to focus on the future.
Dubas may wait until the deadline to drive up the asking price for Rakell, and that may prove to be a good strategy to maximize the return for him. But the dealing of Pettersson made it clear that Dubas will listen to offers on some of his veterans, and Rakell definitely falls into that category. At the end of the day, Pittsburgh doesn’t need Rakell in their long-term plan, and that’s why trading him before the season ends would be a very savvy move.
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