The Penguins are being floated as a possible landing spot for Elias Pettersson, and the idea comes with a familiar face attached.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman raised the possibility on Monday’s 32 Thoughts podcast, suggesting Kyle Dubas could look at a reunion between newly signed Penguins winger Andrei Kuzmenko and the Vancouver Canucks center. Pittsburgh signed Kuzmenko to a one-year deal less than a week ago, and Friedman said Pettersson’s situation in Vancouver has changed enough to make the conversation worth having.
“The ground has shifted here in a huge way,” Friedman said about Pettersson’s status in Vancouver. “I’ve sat there and I’ve said, where could he go that could be good for him?
I don’t know. I wonder if the Penguins, with Crosby and Malkin, might be good for him.”
Pettersson, who turns 28 in November, would not be an easy player to move. He’s under contract through the 2031-32 season at an $11.6 million AAV, and he has scored 15 goals in each of the last two seasons.
Still, the name has been out there for a while. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said in a June appearance on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer that other teams felt Pettersson was “definitely available.”
The appeal of Pittsburgh, at least in theory, goes beyond the numbers on the contract. Pettersson was a top-10 NHL producer four seasons ago, during the 2022-23 campaign, when he put up 39 goals and 102 points. Most of that production came with Kuzmenko on his wing, before Vancouver traded Kuzmenko the following season.
That old connection is part of why Friedman’s mention of the Penguins stood out. It also feeds the larger question of whether a new setting could unlock more of Pettersson’s game.
Teddy Blueger recently talked about how difficult the culture was in the Canucks organization after he had previously experienced Crosby “setting the tone” in Pittsburgh, according to Dan Riccio. That contrast adds another layer to the idea that a different organizational environment might help Pettersson rediscover his form.
For the Penguins, the fit would be obvious in more than one way. In the short term, Pettersson could deepen the center group behind Crosby and Malkin. Longer term, his contract would give Pittsburgh a possible succession plan at center once the Crosby era ends.
Of course, that kind of move only makes sense if Pettersson actually rebounds in Pittsburgh. It would also depend on whether Dubas would be willing to make that bet without the Canucks retaining salary.
And Pettersson would have a major say in where this goes. He has a full no movement clause, and there is belief his preference would be to stay on the west coast.
Pettersson isn’t the only name tied to Pittsburgh, either. There has been more buzz around Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, and Friedman confirmed the Penguins have spoken with the Stars about him. He also said Pittsburgh remains a “potential option” for Robertson, even after the winger filed for arbitration in Dallas.
“I think they had some conversations with Dallas about Jason Robertson. I don’t know why it didn’t happen, but I heard there were some pretty legitimate talks,” Friedman said Monday.
“So I don’t know if this was the Penguins’ call, or if this was Robertson’s call… the belief is he wants to stay there, so maybe it was Robertson’s call, I don’t know. But that is a potential option, ‘cause I heard they had some pretty serious talks about it, and we don’t know where this is going to go for Robertson in Dallas.”
Friedman also offered a look at how the Penguins view two of their top prospects. He said the team is excited about Owen Pickering, who played an important postseason role for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton despite skating on a broken foot.
“I think that the Penguins are really excited for him,” Friedman said.
As for Ville Koivunen, Friedman described this offseason as a crucial one. Koivunen appeared in 39 NHL games last season but never locked down a permanent roster spot, and Pittsburgh appears to be pushing for a bigger step forward.
“I think they’re hoping that Ville Koivunen can take another step,” Friedman said. “He had a good end to the previous year, he had a rough year this year scoring-wise, and I think they’ve basically told him: ‘You need to have a massive summer, and then we’ll see where we go.’ I don’t think they’ve given up on him by any means, but I think they’ve told him he needs to have a massive summer.”
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