A defenseman the Pittsburgh Penguins targeted before fits exactly what they're looking for this time around.

PITTSBURGH – The chatter around the NHL trade deadline has started to heat up and the next couple of games will decide how the Pittsburgh Penguins play in the market. The Penguins aren’t expected to be huge buyers but could become sellers if the playoffs seem too far out of reach.

If the Penguins fall into the seller’s category, the biggest expectation is that Jake Guentzel will finish the season in a different uniform. If they become buyers, however, there are certain criteria they will be hunting for.

Early reports have indicated that the Penguins are looking to bolster their blue line and an early target has been Ilya Lyubushkin of the Anaheim Ducks. Penguins president and GM Kyle Dubas has some familiarity with Lybushkin, but other factors could push the team away from such a move.

While the Penguins are in need of some defensive help, Elliotte Friedman previously told NHL Network that if they are going to add, they’ll look for younger players with some time left on their deal.

“I think the Penguins are reluctant to be trading for short-term fixes,” Friedman said. “Or their young assets and draft picks for guys that are a little bit older.”

Lyubushkin is in the final year of his contract and will be turning 30-years-old before the season ends.

It seems like the Penguins have their eyes on targets that are youthful skaters who can provide help to the lineup right now and carry some term left on their contract. Tack on some blue line help for good measure.

All three of those factors combined bring one name to mind right away, and that’s Jakob Chychrun. The Penguins targeted Chychrun last year, as did Dubas with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Chychrun is 25-years-old with a contract that runs through next season and can provide an immediate spark to the Penguins blue line. As a top four, left-shot defenseman, Chychrun has notched seven goals and 20 assists on a struggling Ottawa Senators squad.

Head coach Mike Sullivan pushed for Chychrun last year but was overruled by Ron Hextall in the front office. If Sullivan still has that desire, the timing might be perfect.

Chychrun fits exactly what the Penguins are looking for in more ways than one and is someone that has been targeted before by the right people. The fit has never been more ideal.

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