The Pittsburgh Penguins might be a quiet team as the trade deadline approaches.
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins are lining up to be one of the most interesting teams across the league as the All-Star break and trade deadline approach. The Penguins are a hair out of a playoff spot and could have one of the hottest players on the trade block, if they decide it’s the right time.
Without a decision made on Jake Guentzel, the Penguins still need to figure out what direction they will be taking at the deadline. Still in the heat of the playoff race, they aren’t in any position to start subtracting.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman believes, however, that the Penguins might not add much at the deadline, either. Friedman told NHL Network that they might not appear much in the trade market.
“They’ve put themselves back in a playoff run this year, they deserve a lot of credit for it,” Friedman said. “But I don’t think they’re necessarily going to be huge players for adding.”
The Penguins have been rumored to be looking into defensemen and were already linked to blue liner Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks. Any other name that has been floated around has mostly been a theory.
Friedman noted that if the Penguins do decide to add, it will have to be younger players with some term or the likelihood of them staying multiple years. The Penguins might not have a choice but to rebuild on the fly this year and they need assets who can stick around.
“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. I don’t know if they think trading those things makes any sense for them.”
The Penguins might have their targets on guys with some youth and staying power. Their one connection in Lyubushkin is 29 years old and is in the final year of his contract. Him remaining in Pittsburgh after this year wouldn’t be a guarantee.
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