As Day Two of unrestricted free agency draws to a close, there aren’t too many bigger names left on the market. The biggest name - and only impact name left, really - is forward Nikolaj Ehlers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/nikolaj-ehlers-to-test-free-agency-islanders-past-inquiry], who registered 24 goals and 63 points in 69 games last season with the Winnipeg Jets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets/]. If the latest updates on Ehlers’s situation are to be believed, the Carolina Hurricanes [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes] and the Washington Capitals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/] are the frontrunners to land him. And - as discussed Tuesday with forward Bryan Rust’s situation [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/3-trade-destinations-for-penguins-winger-bryan-rust---and-what-the-return-should-look-like] - Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/]’ phone lines will get a whole lot busier once Ehlers is signed. Rust is one of Pittsburgh’s primary trade targets for other teams, as the 33-year-old veteran put together a career season with 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games in 2024-25. He is highly coveted, but Dubas said that the price to acquire Rust will be very high given his production, the term on his contract, and his tenure with and meaning to the organization. But, there may be a very intriguing second option for teams if they can’t land Rust. And that is forward Rickard Rakell. There has been interest in Rakell [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/penguins-rumors-4-teams-linked-to-rickard-rakell] going back to the trade deadline, and - like Rust - he enjoyed the best year of his career last season. He put together a 35-goal, 70-point campaign - both career-high marks - and it is the third time in Rakell’s career that he hit the 30-goal mark. 30-goal scorers don’t grow on trees in the NHL, and that’s especially true for guys who manage to do it on a pretty consistent basis. And it’s even rarer for 30-goal scorers - especially with the cap skyrocketing - to be locked in for three more years at just $5 million average annual value. Suffice to say, whoever lands Rakell is getting their hands on a proven goal-scoring winger for term and for cheap. And - while that’s going to come at a cost - it’s a price worth paying for teams that are either in win-now mode or that are looking to take the next step. Here are four potential landing spots for the Penguins’ top goal-scoring winger. Penguins Rumors: 4 Teams Linked To Rickard Rakell [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/876329dc-4b19-4077-90f3-8ba55fbae40e.webp] Penguins Rumors: 4 Teams Linked To Rickard Rakell <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> forward Rickard Rakell has been creating plenty of chatter in the rumor mill again now that the off-season is here. With the Penguins retooling their group, questions have naturally come up about the 32-year-old winger's future in Pittsburgh. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/penguins-rumors-4-teams-linked-to-rickard-rakell] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CAROLINA HURRICANES/WASHINGTON CAPITALS We’re going to group them into one here, because - again, if the Ehlers rumors have merit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/latest-news/carolina-hurricanes-in-on-top-free-agent-target-nikolaj-ehlers] - one of these teams is going to lose out on him. And when that happens, either team should immediately be giving Dubas a call. For Carolina, they have been missing out on a lot of the big names on the market, even if they’ve come their way for a brief time. Jake Guentzel decided to walk [https://thehockeynews.com/news/news/trade-of-guentzels-negotiating-rights-latest-in-hurricanes-continued-off-season-of-major-change] after being dealt to Raleigh by Pittsburgh at the 2024 trade deadline. The Canes traded for star forward Mikko Rantanen well in advance of the deadline [https://thehockeynews.com/betting/futures/reports-confirm-mikko-rantanen-not-signing-extension-with-carolina-hurricanes] only to trade him again to the Dallas Stars leading up to this year’s trade deadline. They desperately need a win, and they desperately need top-line scoring help. The Canes are a great team structurally, but they lack oomph on offense and don’t have the high-end talent to get them over the hump. Carolina Hurricanes In On Top Free Agent Target Nikolaj Ehlers [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a4f88375-19e2-4b83-93f4-c19c679b29af.webp] Carolina Hurricanes In On Top Free Agent Target Nikolaj Ehlers The Carolina Hurricanes made quite a splash on Tuesday, landing defenseman K'Andre Miller from the New York Rangers for a package of just picks and prospects. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/latest-news/carolina-hurricanes-in-on-top-free-agent-target-nikolaj-ehlers] While neither Rakell or Ehlers is cream-of-the-crop like Guentzel and Rantanen, they’re still very good players. Carolina was rumored to be in on Rakell at the deadline, and they will probably be again if they lose out on Ehlers. As for Washington? The calculus is simple: They have a lot of supporting cast members and even foundational pieces to keep competing beyond the point of Alex Ovechkin’s retirement. But - even with Ovechkin still in the picture - their most glaring weakness is in their top-six. There was a rotating cast of characters in the top-six for the Capitals in the playoffs that included the likes of Anthony Beauvillier - traded to the Caps by the Penguins at the deadline [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-penguins-forward-anthony-beauvillier-traded-to-capitals] - as well as Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael. While all of those guys are perfectly serviceable, they could still use a more surefire trigger man in their top-six - especially with Ovechkin’s future uncertain beyond next season. They need to start preparing for the post-Ovechkin era. And having another high-end goal-scorer for three more years will help them bridge that gap. Apr 11, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) during the first period against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/29e048cf-870d-4260-a8a7-8dabce59a4d5.jpeg] Apr 11, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) during the first period against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DALLAS STARS In what could be considered cap hell, the Stars are in a bit of a bind because of the Rantanen contract that pays him $12 million annually [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/latest-news/stars-make-huge-splash-sign-top-trade-deadline-target]. They are currently nearly $1.8 million over the cap right now, and they only have 12 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goaltenders signed on for next season. They are going to have to shed salary somewhere, whether that’s by sending one of their defensemen in Matt Dumba or Ilya Lyubushkin packing somewhere else or by shipping out one of their biggest contracts - a la Jason Robertson - and trying to get cheaper talent for similar output. Rakell matched Robertson’s goal total last season, and he makes $2.75 million less for three more years. Robertson is also a pending-RFA next season and will command a hefty raise. If Dallas decides to move out Robertson - and perhaps one of those defensemen - going after Rakell makes a lot of sense. This one will be very situation-dependent, but never say never. With Robertson's Name Out There, Could Penguins Swing Blockbuster Trade? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/853f817f-c52b-402f-a406-caf463576b27.jpeg] With Robertson's Name Out There, Could Penguins Swing Blockbuster Trade? With both the NHL Draft and free agency on the horizon, trade speculation is running rampant in hockey circles at the moment. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/with-robertson-s-name-out-there-could-penguins-swing-blockbuster-trade] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOS ANGELES KINGS It seems like the Kings have been linked to Rakell since, well, forever. And that’s probably because they have been. It’s no secret that Los Angeles seeks a goal-scorer, even after acquiring Andrei Kuzmenko [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/latest-news/breaking-kings-acquire-andrei-kuzmenko-from-flyers] - who, although is a good add, hasn't been able to replicate his 39-goal rookie campaign [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/latest-news/post-draft-priorities-solving-the-kuzmenko-puzzle-in-la]. They made some calls on Rakell at the deadline, and nothing came to fruition. The Kings also have some pieces that Pittsburgh may be interested in - defenseman Brandt Clarke, for example - that a package involving Rakell may be able to net. With a tick under $6 million left in cap space - and a key RFA in Alex Laferriere - the Kings have some decisions to make. If they want surefire goal-scoring help to bolster their top-six and their power play, Rakell can provide exactly what they need. But they’ll need to do a small bit of maneuvering to get that, but - realistically - that shouldn’t pose much of an issue. If the Kings want Rakell, they’ll pay up for him. And they could definitely use him. Kings Trade Target: Rickard Rakell [https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/deweb-519a7.appspot.com/o/posts%2FNHLLAK%2Fcontent-images%2Ff3946124-3fb4-4e53-a818-1ef72a486907.jpeg?alt=media] Kings Trade Target: Rickard Rakell The sun is setting on an incredible era of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey. After making the playoffs for 16 straight seasons and winning Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016 and 2017 on the backs of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Marc-Andre Fleury, they are now headed for their third consecutive playoff absence. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/latest-news/kings-trade-target-rickard-rakell] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS The one thing that makes a move for Rakell a bit tricky is that he does possess an eight-team no trade list, hence, why the Buffalo Sabres [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/] were not included on this list. Sorry, Buffalo. Another team that may or may not be on that list? The Blackhawks. However, if the Hawks aren’t on Rakell’s no-trade list, they figure to be a favorite to land him. They have already been linked to Rakell [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/penguins-rumors-4-teams-linked-to-rickard-rakell], and they are one example of several teams that are looking to take the next step from rebuild mode to “go for it” mode. Chicago already has a good young core of forwards such as Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Ilya Mikheyev. But they could use a surefire goal-scoring talent - as well as a seasoned veteran - to help get them to the next level. Rakell is a fit in a lot of ways, and Chicago has a lot of the assets that Pittsburgh would covet. Keep an eye on them as a potential trade partner for Rakell, as it makes sense in a lot of ways - so long as Rakell is okay with playing there. Blackhawks Are Wisely Headed For Another Development Year [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/44592927-124b-480a-83d8-18663a26c246.webp] Blackhawks Are Wisely Headed For Another Development Year The Chicago Blackhawks are not very active on the free agent front. They may add another piece or two when it comes to NHL or AHL depth, but they are not interested in acquiring bad contracts as the youngsters start to take over the lineup. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks/latest-news/blackhawks-are-wisely-headed-for-another-development-year] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwquDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more! Feature image credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
