The Pittsburgh Penguins may be the next team for one of the top available defensemen.

PITTSBURGH – One of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ biggest needs heading into the 2024-25 season is a restructuring of their defense. Between big paychecks and uncertainty around too many faces, the Penguins could use a splash move to build consistency on the blue line.

Free agency will be here soon, and one of the top players available is defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. Could he be a target for the Penguins this summer?

According to Bet Michigan, the Penguins are among the betting favorites to land the Detroit Red Wings defender. Also a former Philadelphia Flyer, Gostisbehere is expected to hit free agency after one of the best seasons of his career.

Bet Michigan gives the Penguins +1750 odds of signing Gostisbehere, sitting at a 5.4% chance. The only teams ahead of the Penguins are the Washington Capitals (22.2%), the NHL’s upcoming Utah team (16.7%), and the Calgary Flames (8.7%).

Gostisbehere doesn’t fill a need for the Penguins but could add a ton of puck-moving to their back end. After slow offensive seasons from Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson, Gostisbehere just might find ways to provide an extra boost of offense from defense.

In 81 games in 2023-24 with the Red Wings, Gostisbehere notched 56 points, 46 of them assists. His career high came in 2017-18 with the Flyers when he picked up 52 helpers and 65 total points.

A couple of factors may play against the Penguins, however, as Gostisbehere just turned 31 years old. The Penguins want to get younger as a team, and Gostisbehere might not fit that mold.

Another reason for pause is the contract Gostisbehere might be demanding. According to the Athletic, he is the 19^th best available free agent, and his projected contract is three years for $5.187 million. That would make him the third-highest-paid defender on the team behind Letang and Karlsson.

The Penguins are looking to extend Marcus Pettersson as soon as possible, and they’ll need every dime they can get to make a new deal with him work.

The best way Gostisbehere becomes a possibility for the Penguins is if they find a way out of Ryan Graves. That is where most of the possible $5+ million comes from and the roster spot on the left side.

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