The Penguins Should Look to the Maple Leafs for Offseason Additions
There might be change on the horizon with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Pittsburgh Penguins should be there to answer the call.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made it official that they will not bring back general manager Kyle Dubas; the first domino to fall, but could other teams, like the Pittsburgh Penguins, be floating around ready to pick up the scraps?
If the Maple Leafs are flying straight into an overhaul at multiple levels, the Penguins should be there to see what options become available.
During his final press conference, Dubas stated that everything was on the table, many concluded that could mean the trade of one of their big core pieces.
The Maple Leafs are beginning an offseason where 10 players are upcoming unrestricted free agents, but there could be a few trades made on the side.
What names should the Penguins target as change begins in Toronto?
Kyle Dubas
It’s not totally unreasonable to kick these tires again, but Dubas seemed sincere when he said it would be Toronto or nothing next year.
Dubas noted that this past season took a toll on him and his family and he wanted his decision moving forward to be what’s best for them.
With Dubas officially out in Toronto, it’s likely Dubas will have a year long vacation to get his mind right.
Dubas will work in the NHL again in the near future, but it’s not going to be with the Penguins this year.
However, everyone knows it’s hard to turn down a big pay check.
William Nylander
Of the Maple Leafs ‘Core Four,’ William Nylander stands out with the lowest salary; the affordable cost and the fact his contract is heading into its final season makes him an attractive trade target.
If the Maple Leafs are ready for massive changes, the Penguins should see what Nylander would cost.
The Penguins have a first-round pick to play with and could totally afford Nylander’s $6.9 million cap hit.
Nylander would bring a much-needed immediate pop of offense; he recorded a career-high 40 goals and 47 assists for 87 points in all 82 games in 2022-23.
The Penguins recently re-signed Nylander’s brother, Alex, to a one-year contract extension; why not give the Nylander brothers the opportunity of a lifetime to play on the same team at the NHL level?
If Nylander is being dealt by Toronto, it’ll have to happen soon as a modified no-trade clause kicks into his contract come July 1.
Sam Lafferty/Zach Aston-Reese
The Penguins had a severe lack of depth in 2022-23 and missed the presence of guys like Sam Lafferty and Zach Aston-Reese.
Lafferty blew up as one of the top trade targets in the NHL at the deadline and Aston-Reese posted his first 10-goal season with Toronto.
Both players are free agents and likely wouldn’t cost much against the cap for the Penguins; taking a stab at one of these two wouldn’t be ‘getting the band back together’ but instead a second attempt with what could be solid bottom-six options.
Ryan O’Reilly
Another free agent option likely leaving the Maple Leafs, Ryan O’Reilly is a player the Penguins should have targeted at the trade deadline.
The Penguins are in need of a consistent third-line center, and O’Reilly fits exactly what was missing from that position.
He is a third center who not only has great offensive instincts, but can stand tall in the defensive zone.
O’Reilly has received Selke votes nearly every year of his career, even winning the award in 2019 all while regularly putting up over 50 points.
He’ll be a hot commodity on the free agent market, but would be a perfect fit in Pittsburgh.
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