Kyle Dubas has been clear about the kind of player he wants to chase, and Simon Edvinsson fits the bill almost too neatly.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking for talent in that young-to-mid-20s range, players who can grow into the next wave of stars. Edvinsson, at 23, checks that box. He also enters the conversation at a tense moment in Detroit, where Elliotte Friedman reported that the defenseman, amid a bitter contract dispute, would rather be traded than remain with the Red Wings.
That has pushed Edvinsson firmly onto Pittsburgh’s radar. The Penguins have the kind of inventory it would take to get serious: draft picks, prospects and NHL players.
But this is not the sort of deal that comes cheap. Any move for Edvinsson would require a significant package, and then Pittsburgh would still need to work out a new contract after landing him.
A mock trade floated as part of that conversation gives a sense of just how steep the price could be. In that scenario, Pittsburgh would acquire Edvinsson along with a fifth-round pick, while sending out an NHL defenseman, two top-tier prospects and a conditional second-round pick. That second-rounder would turn into the highest second-round pick Pittsburgh owns if the Penguins make the playoffs; if they don’t, it becomes the latest of the two second-round picks they have in 2027.
There’s also a notable twist in the proposed deal: Will Horcoff would go to Detroit. His father, Shawn, is the Red Wings’ interim general manager, which could obviously matter if the teams ever got serious about a swap. Rutger McGroarty is also part of the outgoing package, and the idea is that he could be available after struggling to find footing in the organization.
For Pittsburgh, the appeal is obvious. Dubas has said he’s searching for exactly this kind of player, and opportunities to land a young defenseman with Edvinsson’s profile do not come around often. He is only 23, he’s entering his prime, and the contract control attached to him could look especially attractive as the league’s cap picture improves.
If the Penguins could pull it off, Edvinsson would give them what they’ve been missing: a top-pairing left-shot defenseman with long-term value. It would take a heavy price, but this is the type of swing Pittsburgh should at least be willing to take.
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