The Penguins still have a way to use what’s left of their cap space, and that’s by hunting down teams looking to dump money.
Pittsburgh has $13.67 million in spending change remaining, which leaves Kyle Dubas with room to maneuver even after a quieter offseason than usual on that front. He’s made a habit of turning cap space into assets during his time as general manager, and that kind of move could become relevant again if other clubs start feeling the squeeze before the season. When teams get desperate and need to clear room, bargains can pop up fast.
One of the more intriguing possibilities is Jesperi Kotkaniemi of the Carolina Hurricanes. His remaining contract runs four years at a $4.82 million AAV, and while helping a division rival is never ideal, the Penguins aren’t in a position to act like they’re one move away from contention.
Kotkaniemi flashed big early promise, but after signing his extension, his game has dropped off. He hasn’t matched his career-best 50-point pace in three seasons, and his production has fallen sharply since arriving in Carolina.
He’s still only 22, so a rebound isn’t impossible, but Pittsburgh would need the Hurricanes to make the deal worth its while.
Alex Laferriere might be the cleanest fit if the Kings ever decide to move a player out. He’s 24, he’s producing well, and his cap hit isn’t ugly.
Los Angeles is sitting with just $1.77 million in cap space, so if relief becomes necessary, Laferriere would make a lot of sense as the piece to move. He fits the profile of the kind of cap dump Pittsburgh could chase: young, useful, and still carrying some upside the Penguins might try to unlock.
Toronto is another team worth watching, since the Maple Leafs are $2.75 million over the cap ceiling and will need to do something to get compliant. Morgan Rielly is one of the names that keeps surfacing around the league.
The veteran defenseman has had a strong career, but he’s coming off a down year and the age curve is starting to matter. Toronto would likely want a meaningful return if it moved him, but the cap math suggests a change is coming there sooner rather than later.
Then there’s Elias Pettersson, the swing-for-the-fences option. Rumors have linked the Penguins to him this offseason, and on paper it makes sense to want a young center with star-level upside.
The issue is what’s followed his huge extension: the effort and production haven’t been there in the same way. His remaining deal runs six years at an $11.6 million AAV, which makes him the biggest gamble of the group by far.
If Vancouver were to eat some money, the idea becomes easier to picture, but he would still be a costly bet. If it works, Pittsburgh gets the kind of high-end production it’s hoping for.
If it doesn’t, it could go down as one of the worst moves in franchise history.
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For a franchise that has long leaned on veteran stars and aggressive roster-building, these kinds of evaluations matter because they speak to the pipeline behind the present tense. The broader hockey backdrop only adds to it, with other teams dealing with front-office searches, summer roster shifts and contract uncertainty elsewhere in the league, but for Pittsburgh the real issue remains whether recent draft decisions have given the organization enough to build on going forward. [Read more 🡒]