Penguins Next Moves Following Trade Deadline — And Their Haul Of 30 Draft Picks

Monday, March 10, 2025

Following the trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Penguins are positioned for a very interesting offseason, with team president Kyle Dubas accumulating a ton of draft capital while leaving some big decisions ahead. 

Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes an Erik Karlsson trade is a real possibility this summer, as the rising salary cap will make his $10 million cap hit easier for teams to absorb. However, Karlsson’s no-movement clause means he must approve any trade, and the Penguins may still need to retain salary. 

Dubas has also given himself options with an impressive haul of draft picks, now owning 30 selections over the next three years, including four first-rounders and 18 picks in the top three rounds. 

“It doesn’t mean they’ll make all of those picks. In fact, they probably won’t,” Mackey wrote. “But Dubas has slowly but surely given himself and the Penguins plenty of options.”

Dubas opted to keep Rickard Rakell despite his strong trade value, a decision Mackey supports. With 29 goals this season, Rakell has been one of Sidney Crosby’s most productive wingers, and Dubas likely felt the return wouldn’t justify creating another hole in the lineup. 

“You can’t keep trading Sidney Crosby’s wings,” Mackey noted, adding that filling Rakell’s spot would have been another offseason challenge. Meanwhile, recent acquisitions like center Tommy Novak and defenseman Conor Timmins could play roles in the team’s transition. 

Novak, acquired from Nashville in the Michael Bunting deal, has struggled this year but previously put up 43 points in 51 games. The Penguins have long lacked a reliable third-line center, and Novak could help stabilize that position.

The Penguins' biggest question moving forward remains in goal. Tristan Jarry, who was reportedly available at the deadline, is back with the team, but Mackey believes his future lies elsewhere. 

“The Penguins need him to play well enough to be tradable... but also not too well to ruin their draft position,” he wrote. Trading Karlsson and moving Jarry’s contract would create significant cap space, potentially allowing Dubas to retool the roster around Crosby and Evgeni Malkin without committing to a full rebuild. 

The Penguins have open roster spots following the deadline, and younger players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton could be given opportunities to prove themselves. 

Dubas’ approach may not have generated headlines, but as Mackey put it, “the more he’s been doing with one, the better I’m beginning to feel about the other.”

Photo Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

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