Kyle Dubas has already shown what the Penguins can do when they use cap space as currency, and the Anaheim Ducks might be the next team worth calling.
Dubas hinted earlier this offseason that if Pittsburgh can’t land a major blockbuster, the rebuild may have to keep coming one brick at a time. For the Penguins, that has meant being willing to absorb unwanted contracts, help other clubs clean up their cap books, and collect draft picks in return. It’s not flashy, but it has worked.
There’s a recent track record to point to. In the summer of 2024, Dubas picked up a 2025 second-round pick from the St.
Louis Blues by taking on the rest of Kevin Hayes’ contract. He later sent that pick back to St.
Louis for a 2026 second-rounder and a 2025 third-round pick so the Blues could offer sheet Dylan Holloway, and that still ended up helping Pittsburgh, especially when that 2026 second-rounder became part of the package used to acquire Egor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
That same offseason, the Penguins got third- and sixth-round picks from the Nashville Predators to take on the remainder of Cody Glass’ deal. Glass was later moved to the New Jersey Devils for another third-round pick in a larger trade that also brought John Gruden and some minor leaguers back to Pittsburgh. Jordan Frasca, who went to Nashville in the original Glass deal, eventually turned into three draft picks, including two third-rounders.
More recently, Pittsburgh picked up future second-round picks for taking on Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba. During the season, the Penguins also took on Sam Girard’s contract from Colorado in exchange for a second-round pick, while Brett Kulak’s expiring deal went the other way.
Those aren’t all identical deals, and some involved more moving parts than others. But the pattern is clear: Pittsburgh has been using its cap room to buy draft capital.
The Ducks look like one of the few teams this summer that could use that kind of help. The Leo Carlsson offer sheet, plus the threat of an offer sheet for defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, has burned through most of Anaheim’s available cap space. On top of that, the Ducks still need to re-sign Cutter Gauthier and find ways to improve their defense.
That leaves a possible opening for the Penguins, especially with Anaheim holding three second-round picks in 2027.
The names that make sense on paper are veterans with money attached: Alex Killorn, Chris Kreider, or the final two years of Frank Vatrano at a little more than $4.5 million per season. The Ducks might be willing to move one of those picks if Pittsburgh is willing to take on one of those contracts.
The obvious pushback is that the Penguins already have plenty of forwards and may even need to move one or two just to clear room. They do not exactly need more bodies up front.
But the bigger point is hard to ignore: Pittsburgh seems to be building for what comes next, not just what happens this season. Even if the goal is to stay competitive and avoid a full tank, there’s still value in adding more future assets whenever the opportunity appears.
That’s why a deal like this makes sense. If the Penguins could pry away a second-round pick from Anaheim - even one that originally belongs to Detroit - it would be worth considering. And if the veteran they absorb can rebuild enough value, Pittsburgh could potentially flip him again at the trade deadline for even more picks.
That’s the real appeal here. It’s not just about adding another draft choice.
It’s about creating more trade chips, more chances to find a useful player, and more flexibility for a future move. It’s practical, not glamorous.
But for the Penguins, it might be exactly the kind of business that keeps the rebuild moving.
In Other News...
Penguins May Have Found A Goalie Prospect Worth Watching Closely
The Penguins added a goalie prospect worth a closer look in Matvei Nikonovich, the Minsk-born netminder they took in the fifth round of the 2026 NHL Draft. At 160th overall, he was not the kind of pick that turns heads immediately, but his recent work in the Rus-MHL with Tolyatti Ladia gave the organization a reason to pay attention.
Nikonovichs numbers last season were strong enough to stand out, and his development now comes with a layer of uncertainty because of what happens next in Russia. He could remain overseas for a while before the Penguins even begin thinking about bringing him to their North American pipeline, which makes him one of those late-round goalie bets that can take patience before the payoff comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins May Have Found A Trade Fit For Life After Crosby And Malkin
As the Penguins keep sorting out what life will look like after Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, one recent trade idea points them toward a younger center with some offensive upside. A Daily Faceoff piece from Mike Gould named Pittsburgh as a possible destination for a Seattle forward who could help bridge that gap, the kind of move that would fit a team trying to stay competitive while also thinking a step ahead.
The appeal is obvious enough: the Penguins need more long-term help down the middle, and this player has already shown he can contribute at the NHL level. He put up 12 goals and 27 points in 74 games last season, and after a stronger scoring year before that, he looks like the sort of upside swing that could make sense for a club trying to balance the present with whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]