- Oct 16, 2026
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The Pittsburgh Penguins are willing to deal veteran players as part of a youth movement, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday on Sportsnet's Saturday Night Hockey segment.
General manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas is prepared to unload experienced players in exchange for younger talent. Friedman said Pittsburgh "would move a veteran forward for draft picks or prospects." The Penguins have stumbled to a 3-5-1 record while dropping three consecutive games, most recently a 6-2 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
Several veterans carry trade appeal. Winger Rickard Rakell, a 30-goal scorer, has two years remaining at $5 million annually with two assists in nine games. Fellow winger Bryan Rust, also a 30-goal scorer, has two years at $5.1 million per season with three goals in six contests. Defenseman Erik Karlsson, 36, has nine points in nine games in the final year of his contract but holds a full no-movement clause. Defenseman Sam Girard, 28, has one goal and seven points in nine games, also in his contract year, and was injured Saturday versus Vegas.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has started 3-2-1. Wingers Avery Hayes (5 goals, 4 assists) and Rutger McGroarty (4 goals, 5 assists) are tied for third in league scoring with nine points each.
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).