The Penguins may not be far enough into the season to start making noise, but they do look like a team that could use help - especially on the left side of the blue line. At 5-6-1 and sitting sixth in the Metropolitan Division, Pittsburgh is still close enough to the pack that a move could matter. They’re only three points behind the third-place New Jersey Devils.
That backdrop makes Nashville Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague a name worth watching. On Tuesday, The Athletic’s Chris Johnston placed Hague on his latest trade board and noted that his name is already circulating in trade discussions.
"The Predators are looking to remodel their blue line, and Hague’s name has surfaced in some talks," Johnston wrote.
For the Penguins, the appeal is pretty straightforward. Hague is a big, shutdown-style defenseman who could help shore up a side of the defense that needs a boost. At 27, he’d bring the kind of steady, defense-first game that could fit into Pittsburgh’s top four and give the penalty kill another trusted option.
There’s also the longer-term angle. Hague isn’t a short-term rental; he carries a $5.5 million cap hit through the 2028-29 season. For a Penguins team that has to balance the now with what comes next, that kind of contract can carry real appeal.
Hague’s production this season hasn’t jumped off the page, but his defensive work has been there. In 11 games for Nashville, he has one assist, 15 blocks and 15 hits. Last season, he finished with three goals, 15 points and 76 hits in 62 games.
In Other News...
Penguins Latest Malkin Line Test Says A Lot About Their Young Forwards
Early in the 2026-27 season, Dan Muse is already in lineup-reshuffling mode, with injuries and uneven play pushing the Penguins to keep searching for the right combinations. That search has made the young forwards especially important, and it has also underscored how much Kyle Dubas has been willing to adjust the roster after bringing in defenseman Spencer Stastney from Edmonton while losing Filip Hallander.
One of the more interesting tests has come with Ben Kindel centered between Egor Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin, a trio that did not offer much in limited looks last season. Muse has also had reason to lean into Hendrix Lapierre at center, where he has looked more productive and shown real chemistry with Ville Koivunen, while Andrei Kuzmenko has not found the same level of effectiveness so far. For a Penguins group trying to sort out its depth, those combinations may say as much about the young players as they do about Malkins line. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Prospect Carter Sanderson Is Forcing A Bigger Conversation
A year after hearing his name called in the 2025 NHL Draft, Carter Sanderson is starting to make the kind of noise that gets noticed far beyond junior hockey circles. The Penguins prospect arrived in Calgary and immediately looked like more than a developmental project, bringing the same blend of edge and skill that helped him captain the Muskegon Lumberjacks to a USHL Clark Cup and earn a spot at the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase.
Whats turning heads now is how quickly Sandersons game is translating in the early going of the WHL season, where he has piled up production at a pace that demands attention. For Pittsburgh, the bigger question is no longer simply whether the 169th pick has upside, but how much traction hes gaining in the conversation for Team USAs World Junior Championship roster. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Roster Shuffle Puts New Focus On Whos Available Next
Justin Brazeau is finally back in the mix for Pittsburgh after spending the start of the season on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, giving the Penguins another forward option as they continue to sort through an early-season roster. To make room, the team placed Elmer Sderblom on injured reserve after an upper-body injury, while also sending Avery Hayes and defenseman Chase Pietila to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
The shuffle leaves the Penguins with a little more clarity on the immediate lineup picture, but not much margin for error as the injuries keep stacking up. Brazeaus return is a timely boost, yet the roster movement also opens the door to more questions about who might be available next and how long Pittsburgh can keep piecing things together without further setbacks. [Read more 🡒]