The Pittsburgh Penguins were much quieter than everyone was expecting heading into the offseason.
With the organization in a state of transition, prioritizing the future with young players, prospects, and draft picks atop their wish list, several veteran players were said to be available on the trade market.
Despite that, goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was the only player of substance to be moved this summer; however, that doesn’t mean general manager Kyle Dubas is done selling.
On Friday, NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that Dubas remains open for business, with names such as Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Erik Karlsson, and Tristan Jarry among those he is willing to listen on.
“With NHL training camps set to begin in less than two weeks, the Pittsburgh Penguins will take the next steps in their rebuild, and GM Kyle Dubas is still open to moving out some of his talent for future assets,” Pagnotta wrote.
“Forwards Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Noel Acciari; defensemen Erik Karlsson and Ryan Graves; and goaltender Tristan Jarry are among the players the Penguins remain willing to move, and trade discussions could resume this month and carry into the season,” Pagnotta added.
Penguins remain open for business as camps near https://t.co/u8W1aEkVdm
— The Fourth Period (@TFP) September 5, 2025
All of these players have years of term remaining on their deals in Pittsburgh, aside from Acciari, who is entering the final season of the three-year, $6 million deal he signed to join the Penguins in free agency of 2023.
Rust and Rakell will net the best returns
As Pagnotta refers to, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell have the most value of any of the Penguins’ trade chips and could bring back the exact type of haul Kyle Dubas is seeking in return.
Both have three years remaining on their contracts, which gives Dubas time to wait out for the best possible return package, likely why nothing has come to fruition despite months of speculation and rumors thus far.
Karlsson, Jarry, and Graves are much more difficult to move, given their hefty cap hits and concerns around their inconsistent play. Meanwhile, Acciari feels like a prime candidate to be moved closer to the trade deadline as a pending UFA that will interest playoff contenders.
While the offseason didn’t result in fireworks in Pittsburgh, they remain one of the more interesting teams to keep an eye on in 2025-26.
