The Penguins expected to pull off one or two major trades before training camp

With just a few weeks to go before NHL training camps open, many unrestricted free agents still haven’t landed a contract, suggesting that several teams around the league aren’t done shopping yet. The Pittsburgh Penguins are certainly one of those teams.

They’ve been the subject of several rumors in past weeks, and chatter could get louder in Pittsburgh in short order as general manager Kyle Dubas has officially launched the team’s rebuild. The Penguins could even be willing to tank to win the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes as the projected first overall pick in the upcoming draft.

On that note, insider Josh Yohe of the Athletic expects some big moves to come out of Pittsburgh in the near future.

“A big trade or two feels likely before training camp” “Dubas hasn’t received offers that meet his liking yet but he is fully committed to a rebuild.”

Among the players most likely to be traded by the Penguins are star defenseman Erik Karlsson, as well as forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell.

It’ll be fascinating to watch how this unfolds, especially since captain Sidney Crosby may start the season at the center of a lineup even more depleted than it already is. We can only expect the rumours of his potential departure to gain even more traction in the coming months. Though Crosby has extended his contract to 2027 and many fans and pundits do no expect him to leave the Penguins, trade rumours have linked him to the Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and just recently the Los Angeles Kings. But his loyalty to the team has been mentioned every single time a trade rumour has come up.

Until Crosby is the one saying anything about the possibility of leaving the Penguins, there is no truth to the rumours buzzing around the league…

But the same cannot be said of Rust and Rakell, who could be out of Pittsburgh before the start of the 2025-26 season. Rust has been a reliable fixture in Pittsburgh for nearly a decade, a gritty, experienced forward with a proven track record alongside elite talent. Rakell, meanwhile, is coming off a career-best 70-point season and brings a rare mix of physicality, defensive awareness, and scoring touch. A lot of teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, are believed to be highly interested in one or both players.

If the Penguins are truly leaning into a full teardown, we could have major trades being pulled sooner rather than later.