'I'm Still Learning So Much': Rakell Continues Growth As Leader, Player Later In Career

When wandering into the locker room after a game - whether a hard-fought loss, easy win, tough loss, or anything in between - it's relatively common to see some different faces in the Pittsburgh Penguins' locker room. 

And that's the case with the losses, especially. There is usually one guy, though, who always hangs around regardless, ready to have a thoughtful, honest conversation.

At practices, there are a plethora of hard-workers, but one guy - usually, one of the last off the ice - always works his tail off with a smile and an infectiously positive attitude.  

When people talk about the Penguins' leadership group in the room, they often talk about Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Bryan Rust. Erik Karlsson, too, as he is a future Hall-of-Famer on the blue line. 

You don't hear too much about Rickard Rakell. But, in his sixth season as a Pittsburgh Penguin, the 33-year-old has become just as much a fixture of the locker room as some of the other veterans occupying it. 

And Rakell himself admitted that assuming a leadership role in a locker room full of living NHL legends is something that he's had to work on over time, especially since he isn't necessarily the most vocal of the bunch.

“I feel like that’s one part of my personality that I try to grow more into," Rakell said. "Before, I was just in my own head, worrying about myself. But I feel like learning from the guys that we have in this room, and just how important it is with communication and talking in the locker room to not only be better for myself but be better for others, is going to help everybody in the end.

"I think that’s something that's probably getting out of my comfort zone a little bit, too. Hopefully, I can help everybody in this room, including myself.”

Of course, things weren't all smooth-sailing for Rakell to begin the 2026-27 season. He had no goals and just two points in his first nine games, even if, since then, he has four goals and six points in five games. 

But something that has remained consistent is the fact that, despite being in his mid-30s, he's continued to grow his game. A few years ago, he wasn't playing center like he did with frequency last season. A few years ago, he wasn't killing penalties, and now, he's a fixture on the Penguins' PK and has two shorthanded goals on his resume.

Before coming to Pittsburgh, he had a few anemic offensive seasons, and since left wing Jake Guentzel departed at the trade deadline in 2024, he's been one of the team's most prolific producers, registering 110 goals and 236 points in 326 games with the Penguins.

Rakell has played different roles throughout his career - even with the Anahiem Ducks - but having the chance to expand on that has helped him grow as a player and as a person. 

“I feel like my whole career I’ve been slotted in different positions and different opportunities. And I think you kind of learn to adapt," Rakell said. "But, I think, to do it now, to do it when I’m as established as I am on this team, it’s even more special to get those kinds of opportunities. And I feel like playing with these kind of players that are in this room, I’m still learning so much.

"I’ve learned from the young guys coming in. I’ve learned from the veterans who have been here for a long time. It’s been so much fun, and everybody keeps talking about age all the time, but I keep feeling like I can only grow my game and I have every opportunity here to try and get better and reach my full potential.”

And he likes being a jack-of-all-trades type, too.

“Yeah, honestly, I do enjoy that," he said. "I think a different position gives you different opportunities to play a different style of game. And it can be really fun, and especially since we’re playing such a long season, it’s kind of nice sometimes to do something else for a little bit and then come back. It’s kind of like if you’re struggling on some parts of your game, and then you switch positions - or you switch right side, left side, center - you’re going to see the game from different view.

"So, you can always learn from those and try to implement that into your strengths and weaknesses. I see it as an opportunity to just try to get better.”

And Rakell's positive growth mindset and get-to-work attitude has not gone unnoticed. If there is a player in the Penguins' locker room who takes instruction and runs with it, it's Rakell. If there's a player being asked to fulfill a role he's not necessarily comfortable in or has limited experience in, it's Rakell.

He's a very coachable player, he embraces new opportunities, he communicates, and he takes every assignment with a positive approach. And these are some of the many ways he goes about leading quietly yet intentionally.

“I think you’ll see that, number one, is the way he can lead by example," head coach Dan Muse said of Rakell. "He’s obviously been doing it a long time in this league. He’s a guy that everybody has a lot of respect for just in terms of how he carries himself day-to-day, so I think that’s the number one thing that stands out.

"Then, I also think just him as a person, like, his personality. He’s a guy that gets along with everybody. He’s a guy who’s always got a smile on his face. The way I think he just approaches every day, he’s a big part of the group, and those are the ways he shows that veteran leadership.”

Hard work and leadership aside, it hasn't gone unnoticed by Rakell - or, by anyone, for that matter - that the Penguins are in a unique place organizationally. They made the playoffs last season and were ousted in six games by the Philadelphia Flyers, and the players in the room feel they can build off of what they accomplished in 2025-26. 

But there is also a glaring need to get younger. Rakell is one of several Penguins' veterans in his mid to late-30s, and given the team's 5-7-2 record to begin the season, it's tough to say where the Penguins will be a few months from now and how guys like him fit into the team's future. 

Even before the season began, though, players were aware that nothing was going to come easy and that change could come about at any given moment. Despite any outside noise or expectations, Rakell knows it's the team's job to play connected and remain on the same page on and off the ice.

"Hopefully, we’ll just keep getting better," Rakell said. "We know it’s going to be ups and downs. We know it’s not going to be perfect. But the biggest thing is that you learn something from it, and you come together as a group. And you’re going to need the whole team to be successful to reach the playoffs and other goals, too.”

Whatever happens longer-term, Rakell is just happy to be in Pittsburgh and contributing as part of its core leadership group. He can't control the trade rumors that swirl outside the walls of the rink. He can't control what, ultimately, happens to him as the team works its way through transitioning onward and younger.

But he can control what he does day in and day out. He wants to be part of another playoff team in Pittsburgh, and he is proud to call this city "home" for him and his family.

“I feel like it’s just growing on me more and more for every year, and it feels more and more like home to us," Rakell said. "Me and my family are really fortunate to live here and to be a part of our community where we live and have grown some friendships there, and just to be part of this organization and having the teammates that I have.”

Whether Rakell remains in Pittsburgh for the entirety of the two seasons left on his contract remains to be seen. But, regardless, one can expect him to keep growing, progressing, and leading in the process, all with a smile on his face.

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