The Pittsburgh Penguins should not be afraid to add to their roster this off-season. This is especially so if an addition would have the potential to benefit them in the long-term. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal stands out as an interesting potential option for the Penguins to target. The Ottawa Citizen's Bruce Garrioch recently reported [https://ottawasun.com/ottawa-senators/rivals-habs-high-stakes-off-season] that the Islanders are exploring Barzal's market. With Barzal being a top-six forward who is right in his prime and locked up until the end of the 2030-31 season, it would make a lot of sense for the Penguins to at least kick tires on him. If the Penguins signed Barzal, he could slot nicely as their second-line center behind Sidney Crosby. Barzal centering a line with Egor Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin would undoubtedly give Pittsburgh's forward group a real boost. Furthermore, with Sidney Crosby and Malkin both being in their last 30s, bringing in a star center like Barzal would make a lot of sense for the Penguins. In 81 games this season with the Islanders, Barzal posted 19 goals, 53 assists, and 72 points. With numbers like these, he would be a major pickup for the Penguins' top six and power play if brought in. Let's see if they target him from here because of it.
