Overview
- Multiple reports citing The Athletic’s Josh Yohe say Pittsburgh has told teams that Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell are available for trades if the return is compelling and fits the club’s timeline.
- Both players remain under multi-year deals with meaningful cap hits: Rust carries roughly a $5.125 million average annual value and Rakell about $5.0 million.
- Rust finished the season with 29 goals and a career-high 65 points but is nearly 34 and has a history of missed games, while Rakell produced 24 goals and 24 assists in 60 games, making each a valuable yet movable asset.
- The reporting is based on anonymous team sources and there has been no official Penguins confirmation and no public, completed trades or firm offers.
- If Dubas trades either player it could free short-term money and replace veteran scoring with younger, NHL-ready players, a shift that would reshape Pittsburgh’s roster balance and influence cap decisions this offseason.