Pittsburgh Penguins Seek Huge Return as Trade Interest in Star Forward Heats Up
Photo credit: AP/Gene Puskar
Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins reportedly want a massive return if they are going to move one of their key players at the trade deadline this year.
As this year's NHL trade deadline inches closer, teams around the league are starting to make their moves.
Just today, we saw the Minnesota Wild acquire Gustav Nyquist from the Nashville Predators and former Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren was moved to the Colorado Avalanche.
The Penguins have already made a major move of their own, sending Drew O'Connor and Marcus Pettersson to the Vancouver Canucks.
However, another major deal could be upcoming.
As per the Fourth Period's trade board, Penguins forward Rickard Rakell is garnering major interest from around the league.
However, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas reportedly is a big fan of Rakell, and would have to be blown away by an offer in order to move him.
"There seems to be plenty of interest in Rakell, but unless a team is willing to give up a king's ransom for him, Pittsburgh would prefer to hold on to him. He's a sexy name to have on any list or board, and he's on our because there is legitimate interest, but the Penguins will need to be blown away to move him."
Dubas is justified in wanting a huge return for the 31-year-old. Rakell has 25 goals and 49 points in 60 games this season, and his advanced analytics paint him in good light.
He is a legit top-six player if not a top-line forward and comes with a very reasonable 5 million dollar cap hit, that could be reduced even further should the Penguins elect to retain salary on the deal.
Rakell is certainly one of the Penguins' most valuable trade assets, but with three years left on his deal, there is no pressure to move him immediately,
Stay tuned to see what Dubas decides to do in the coming days.
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