Rickard Rakell may be one of the most useful pieces currently in the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup.
When the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Rickard Rakell at the trade deadline last season, the reasoning was to acquire a scoring winger to bolster the top-six.
They gave up a few parts of their penalty-kill and a goalie prospect to do it. What they didn’t have to part with, however, was a first-round draft selection. That was the sticking point.
In return, the Penguins knew they were getting a guy with good play-making ability that could score. Naturally, upon finding a home with Sidney Crosby on the team’s top line, Rakell cashed in and scored a six-year, $30 million ($5 million AAV) contract in the offseason.
Ron Hextall has taken a fair share of deserved criticism in his tenure as Penguins general manager but Rakell has been his finest heist to date without question.
In 51 games with the Penguins since being acquired, Rakell has 17 goals and 35 points. He wasn’t a bad player across his ten seasons with the Ducks but he’s finally being elevated now that he’s playing with elite offensive talents.
Upon being acquired, Rakell was seen as a rental solely because he was in the final year of his contract. With the Penguins’ tight cap situation, it didn’t seem feasible that Rakell could return. Hextall found a way to make it work and boy is it a good thing he did.
Pittsburgh could’ve used Rakell in the playoffs considering that’s a huge reason why he was acquired. Unfortunately, an injury after a high hit from Rangers’ defenseman Ryan Lindgren in game one of their first round series caused Rakell to have to sit out almost the entire series. Never finding a rhythm, Rakell was held pointless in his two games.
His tenure could’ve been seen as a disappointment because he wasn’t able to provide when it really mattered but Hextall wasn’t going to let him get away.
Now, Rakell has made a permanent home on the Penguins’ top line. The trio of Crosby, Jake Guentzel, and Rakell have lit up teams this year and the Penguins are 16-2-2 when they’re rolling as the Pens’ first line.
Not coincidentally, the Penguins turn around seemed to happen when head coach Mike Sullivan moved struggling winger, and fellow long term offseason signing, Bryan Rust to Evgeni Malkin’s wing on the second line. Rust has found his game and the entire top-six is clicking.
An area the Penguins weren’t fully aware that Rakell excelled in is his ability to throw a hit and play physical when necessary.
In the game against the Rangers Tuesday night, Rakell threw the hit that changed the game and flipped the switch for a Penguins team that came out inexcusably lethargic.
Rakell tossed an unsuspecting Filip Chytil into the boards and then drew an interference penalty on the other side of the ice via Ke’Andre Miller. The Penguins scored on the ensuing power play thanks to a screen from Rakell.
How ironic?
Kris Letang fell in the same category as most of us when asked about Rakell’s physicality.
“No,” Letang said when asked if they had known about this element of Rakell’s game. “We all knew him for his skill, shot, and playmaking ability.”
Rakell is a complete player and was stolen from the Ducks on an unreal trade for the Penguins. His presence on Crosby’s wing alone makes the Penguins that much scarier for opposing goalies when the postseason begins, assuming the Penguins can survive the gauntlet that is the Metropolitan Division.
Phil Kessel will ultimately go down as the best modern-era trade for the Penguins organization. Rakell’s impact and whether or not the Penguins can squeeze one last championship out of this core could slot this trade right in behind it.
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