Penguins Trade Rumors: Updated Status on 3 Pittsburgh Trade Candidates

Three names have been making the rounds on the rumor mill from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Trade talks are at significantly different stages surrounding Reilly Smith, Tristan Jarry and Ryan Graves.

Rob Rossi has reported in The Athletic that the most urgent talks surround Smith.

Several teams believe (GM Kyle) Dubas is trying to trade forward Reilly Smith, who did not fit as hoped upon his acquisition at the 2023 NHL Draft, league sources said.

Smith was on the trade block back at the deadline in March as well, though nothing came to fruition. The veteran forward never fit in in his one season in the City of Bridges, and finished with a career-low 13 goals (since becoming a regular 11 years ago) and 40 points in 16 minutes a night. His shot percentage was also at an all-time low for the 33-year-old, at just 8.6%. Things just never clicked.

Smith is entering the final year of his contract, with a $5 million cap hit.

As for Jarry, there's "a sense" among other teams around the league that the goaltender is available, per Rossi. The team's front office was disappointed that the presumed No. 1 netminder was unable to wrestle the top job from Alex Nedeljkovic late in the season. But still, they'll only trade Jarry if they can use the deal to "directly or indirectly (through cleared cap space)" land themselves a top-six forward or top-four defenseman. Jarry has four years remaining on his deal with a $5.375 million annual cap hit.

As for Graves, it doesn't sound like there's a trade to be had. "His first season with the Penguins was perceived internally as a bust," writes Rossi. "Dubas does not believe there is a market for Graves without the Penguins eating significant salary, so the hope is Graves rebounds in his second season." Despite the five years remaining on his contract with a $4.5 million cap hit, it sounds like Graves will be demoted to a third-pairing role this season.