After another tough season in 2024-25, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be a team to watch this summer. With the Penguins missing the playoffs for the third consecutive year, there has naturally been chatter about the possibility of the club making changes to their roster this summer. 

In his latest trade board for The Athletic, NHL insider Chris Johnston listed two big-name Penguins as potential trade candidates this summer - defenseman Erik Karlsson and forward Bryan Rust.

Karlsson, 35, is no stranger to the rumor mill, so it is unsurprising that he is once again coming up as a potential trade candidate. With the veteran blueliner in the later stages of his career, he would likely love the opportunity to play for a legitimate contender. This is especially so when noting that he has yet to win the Stanley Cup in his 16-year NHL career.

Teams looking for more offense from the point could certainly consider pursuing Karlsson, as he can provide a good amount of it at this juncture of his career. In 82 games this season with the Penguins, he posted 11 goals and 53 points. However, as Johnston noted, Karlsson's expensive cap hit undoubtedly makes things complicated with a potential move. 

As for Rust, if the Penguins traded him this summer, they would be selling high. The Michigan native thrived this season for Pittsburgh, setting new career highs with 31 goals and 65 points in 71 contests. With numbers like these, he would be a major pickup for a team needing a top-six right winger.

However, given Rust's extreme importance to the Penguins' roster, trading him would come with serious risk. He is one of Pittsburgh's best players, and they would miss him tremendously if he was dealt. They also do not need to rush any potential move, as he carries a bargain $5.125 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season. 

Nevertheless, it will be intriguing to see if the Penguins end up moving either of these two this summer from here. 

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