Several Penguins Secure From Offseason Trades

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PITTSBURGH – For the second straight season, the Pittsburgh Penguins missed their chance to compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Penguins not only failed to look like a playoff team for most of the season, but it was the first year with Kyle Dubas as the man in charge as president of hockey operations.

Before the Penguins can kick off Dubas’ second season at the helm, there is a ton of change expected with the lineup. Dubas wants to see younger talent take over areas of the roster while possibly looking to shed extra salary cap space.

While a lot of movement is anticipated, a handful of names won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Which members of the Penguins are certainly not being dealt this offseason?

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang

Obviously, no matter how old they get, the Penguins will never trade away their core veterans. Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are locked in for life as Penguins, while Crosby is expected to sign an extension this summer.

These three are the most iron-clad players on the Penguins roster, and no one plans to see them wear a different uniform in the NHL.

Erik Karlsson, Marcus Pettersson

The Swedish defense duo of Erik Karlsson and Marcus Pettersson showed great chemistry on and off the ice. A harsh spotlight was on Karlsson for much of the season, but he played well enough to be a valuable blue-liner for the Penguins. Karlsson won’t be going anywhere and has the backing of Dubas, who is expecting a better year in his second season in Pittsburgh.

Pettersson may not have had as much spotlight, but he stole the show defensively. Looking like one of the best defensive defensemen on the team, Pettersson is also eligible for a contract extension this summer and will be worth every dime.

Bryan Rust

The team may be trying to get younger, but Bryan Rust is a true leader in the organization and not someone they can give up on just yet. In about 20 fewer games played this past season, Rust bounced back from a disappointing 2022-23.

In 62 games, Rust scored a clean 28 goals and 28 assists for 56 points—a 10-point increase from the previous year. Rust is a veteran on and off the ice and an essential voice as the Penguins look to quickly find their way back into Stanley Cup contention.

Mike Sullivan

Rumors ran wild that Mike Sullivan might be open to a departure from Pittsburgh, but there is about a 99% chance he will stick around. A possible rift has been debunked, and any sort of tension appears to have been greatly exaggerated.

Despite everything that floated around, Sullivan isn’t going anywhere. That doesn’t mean he won’t be put under a microscope in 2024-25, though. Sullivan is one of the best coaches in the NHL, but he hasn’t looked like it for two years.

With new assistants and AHL voices soon joining the organization, Sullivan should find a way to step up his game as soon as possible, not just for the team but for his job.

Honorable mention: Michael Bunting

Michael Bunting is a recent addition, having been acquired in the Jake Guentzel trade. He and everyone are excited about a full season in Pittsburgh.

Outside of these few names, just about everyone may be up for grabs. There are obvious names that fans want to be shipped out, while there may be an unexpected move or two. It’s Dubas’ job to revamp the Penguins, and there should be plenty of opportunity to construct a new winner.

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