As the trade deadline nears, there are multiple Pittsburgh Penguins that shouldn't be hitting the road any time soon.

PITTSBURGH – With the All-Star break ready to take full swing, teams around the NHL are preparing for their plans of action for the upcoming trade deadline. The Pittsburgh Penguins will be of great focus for the next few weeks, thanks to the possibility of Jake Guentzel hitting the trade market.

While nothing is yet certain about the Penguins eyeing a deal for Guentzel, there have been reports that they could be heading for some sort of rebuild. If that’s the direction Kyle Dubas is taking the team, there will be plenty of faces departing Pittsburgh.

Even with the possibility of a rebuild, there are still a handful of players that the Penguins shouldn’t move on from and focus on to build a future with.

The Core

A guy like Sidney Crosby will stick around with the Penguins no matter what. Longtime teammates in Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are more likely to see the door, but highly unlikely. All three of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are almost certainly beginning and finishing their career with the Penguins.

Even if the Penguins need to tear things down and restart, it will likely never be a full rebuild with these three around. No matter his age, Crosby has a chance to continue performing like a top player in the league.

Malkin might be seeing steps back, but he’s still a reliable forward who can’t be stopped when he’s hitting his stride. Letang might not have the same offensive firepower, but his defensive game has hit a new level.

Marcus Pettersson

A new entrant to the untouchables list, Marcus Pettersson has set himself apart as one of the best defensemen on the roster. Earning his way to the top defensive pairing, Pettersson is suddenly a player that couldn’t easily be replaced.

Pettersson had himself a great year last year, but 2023-24 has been a different animal. He paired well with Marcus Pettersson and has covered for the mistakes of Ryan Graves, ultimately taking his spot.

Top Prospects

The Penguins' prospect pool is shallow, but they have a few key prospects that they can build a future around. Brayden Yager and Owen Pickering are a pair of recent first-round picks that could be far closer to the NHL than originally expected.

Sam Poulin is on a heater at the AHL level and could see the Penguins roster as early as their return to play after the bye week.

Goaltender Joel Blomqvist is putting together a fantastic first full season on North American ice and could very well be the Penguins goalie of the future.

Pretty much everyone else in the organization, including names like Guentzel, Tristan Jarry, and even Erik Karlsson could be handed their walking papers if a complete rebuild arrives. The direction of the Penguins is still up in the air, but these are names that should be sticking around and could be huge keys to the franchise’s future success.

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