If the Boston Bruins truly hope to turn things back around during the 2025-26 season, it would be wise for them to add another skilled forward to their roster before the campaign begins. When looking at teams that could be willing to sell off some of their talent, there is no question that the Pittsburgh Penguins stand out the most.

Because of this, let's discuss three Penguins forwards who the Bruins should consider targeting. 

Rickard Rakell, RW/LW

With the Bruins needing more skill on the wing, a player like Rickard Rakell could grab their attention. With the Penguins rebuilding, the 2011 first-round pick is currently one of the top trade candidates in the NHL right now. 

If the Bruins acquired Rakell from the Penguins, he would give them a true answer for their second-line right wing spot. There is no question that the Bruins have been in need of another legitimate top-six winger since Jake DeBrusk left in free agency last off-season, and acquiring Rakell would give them just that. However, due to his versatility, he could also work at left wing and would be an obvious choice for the Bruins' power play if acquired.

Rakell is coming off an excellent 2024-25 season with the Penguins. In 81 games with the Metropolitan Division club, the 6-foot-1 forward set new career highs with 35 goals and 70 points in 81 games. He is also a three-time 30-goal scorer and has recorded at least 60 points three times during his career, so he certainly would have the potential to provide a serious boost to the Bruins' forward group if acquired. 

Another appealing factor about Rakell is his contract. He has a bargain $5 million cap hit until the completion of the 2027-28 season, which is good value when noting all he provides. Therefore, if the Bruins acquired him, he would be more than just a one-year rental for them, which would certainly be a good thing. 

Bryan Rust, RW

Rakell is not the only notable Penguins winger who has been discussed often in the rumor mill this summer, as Bryan Rust's name is also floating around. The star winger's no-trade clause expired on July 1, so there have naturally been plenty of questions about whether or not the Penguins are going to move him. With the Bruins needing another skilled winger, Rust certainly stands out as a potential target to consider. 

Like Rakell, Rust would offer the Bruins a clear upgrade for their second-line right wing spot. This is because Rust has consistently been an impactful offensive contributor throughout his career. Furthermore, due to his strong two-way play, he would not only be an option for the Bruins' power play but also their penalty kill if acquired. Thus, he would have the potential to be a nice pickup for the Bruins. 

Rust is also coming off a fantastic 2024-25 season with the Penguins. In 71 games this past campaign with the Metropolitan Division club, he set new career highs of his own with 31 goals, 34 assists, and 65 points in 71 games. He has also scored at least 20 goals six times in his NHL career and has had four seasons with at least 56 points, so he has provided solid offense for much of his career. This is especially so when noting that he played no more than 62 games in three of his seasons with at least 56 points. 

Bringing in Rust would also have the potential to help the Bruins for multiple years, as he has a reasonable $5.125 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season. With the salary cap going up, this contract is a good one for a player of Rust's skill level, so he could be an excellent pickup for a Bruins team in need of a second-line right winger. 

Danton Heinen, LW/RW

While not as big of a name as Rakell or Rust, Danton Heinen could be an interesting player for the Bruins to bring back for a third stint. The 30-year-old winger is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) heading into the 2025-26 season and has come up as a potential trade candidate because of it. 

If the Bruins brought back Heinen, he would have the potential to once again be a solid part of their top nine. While expecting him to be a permanent answer for the Bruins' top-six winger problem may be a stretch, he demonstrated during both of his tenures with Boston that he can handle moving up and down the lineup if needed. Furthermore, he would once again offer the Bruins an option to consider for both of their special-team units because of his two-way play. 

Heinen is coming off a bit of a down year split between the Vancouver Canucks and Penguins, however, as he had nine goals, 20 assists, and 29 points in 79 games. While this is the case, he also had 17 goals, 19 assists, 36 points, and a plus-16 rating in 74 games with the Bruins just back during the 2023-24 campaign. Thus, he could be a bounce-back candidate to take a chance on, especially when noting that he has had recent and his most success as a Bruin.

3 Bruins Contract Extension Candidates To Watch The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins">Boston Bruins </a>have multiple pending free agents heading into the 2025-26 season. Due to this, it is certainly possible that we could see them sign some of their players to contract extensions, whether that is during this summer or during the season.

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