2 Penguins Labeled As Top NHL Trade Candidates Amid Shaky Start

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a shaky start to the 2026-27 season. At the time of this writing, they have a 5-6-1 record. They have won each of their last two games, though, which is a step in the right direction.

However, with the Penguins struggling with consistency early on, two of their notable players are continuing to create chatter as potential trade candidates.

The Athletic's Chris Johnston includedv both Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson on his latest trade board.

Rakell was given the No. 7 spot on Johnston's trade board. This is not necessarily surprising, as Rakell has been the subject of trade rumors for a while now. Furthermore, with the Penguins having a surplus of NHL-caliber forwards, now could be the right time to deal him. 

In 12 games this season for the Penguins, Rakell has recorded two goals and five points. This is after he posted 24 goals and 48 points in 60 games during the 2025-26 campaign. 

As for Karlsson, he was given the No. 11 spot on Johnston's trade board. Like Rakell, questions about Karlsson's future in Pittsburgh have been lingering for quite some time. Due to this and Karlsson being a pending unrestricted free agent, he could be worth moving if the Penguins are out of a playoff spot closer to the deadline. However, he has a full no-movement clause, so he has complete say over if he will be traded or not. 

Teams looking to improve their blueline could pursue Karlsson this campaign. The 36-year-old is still very impactful at this point in his career, as evidenced by his 12 points in 12 games this season. He also had 15 goals and 66 points in 75 games last season for Pittsburgh.