Penguins at the Crossroads: Could Pittsburgh Be Both Buyers and Sellers at the Deadline?
As the NHL trade deadline inches closer-and with the Olympic break looming large-teams across the league are beginning to define their direction. But when it comes to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the path forward is anything but clear.
With nine pending unrestricted free agents on the roster, the assumption for much of the season was that Pittsburgh would be sellers come deadline time. But now, with the team hovering in the playoff mix and showing signs of life, the picture is starting to blur. Could the Penguins actually straddle the line between buying and selling?
It’s a unique situation, and frankly, not one we’ve seen often in Pittsburgh during the Sidney Crosby era. But this is a different Penguins team-older, more calculated, and under the guidance of a front office that’s trying to balance the present with a long-overdue eye on the future.
Dubas’ Dilemma: Stay the Course or Shake Things Up?
President of Hockey Operations and GM Kyle Dubas has a decision to make. The Penguins have managed to stay competitive in the Metropolitan Division, but they haven’t exactly looked like a team poised for a deep playoff run. That puts Dubas in a tricky spot: does he treat this deadline as a chance to cash in on expiring contracts, or does he hold onto key veterans and treat them as his own internal rentals?
Players like Evgeni Malkin, Kevin Hayes, Anthony Mantha, and Connor Clifton could all hold value on the market. But they also hold value in Pittsburgh’s lineup. If the Penguins believe they can make a push-even if it’s just for a wild card spot-there’s a case to be made for keeping the band together.
The idea here isn’t about going all-in. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
It’s about preserving what’s already in place without sacrificing future assets. And for the first time in years, the Penguins are actually positioned to build through the draft.
They’ve got their first-round picks intact for the next few years, along with a healthy stockpile of second- and third-rounders.
That’s not something you want to mess with unless you’re making a move that truly shifts the needle.
A Team in Transition, Not a Tear-Down
This isn’t a tear-down scenario. The Penguins aren’t looking to blow it up.
Instead, they’re trying to thread the needle between staying competitive now and setting themselves up for what comes next. And that’s a tightrope walk few teams manage successfully.
The reality is, the Penguins are a playoff-caliber team-nothing more, nothing less. In the wide-open Metro Division, a second-round appearance isn’t out of the question.
But contending for a Stanley Cup? That’s a tougher sell.
That’s why Dubas may ultimately decide to stand pat. Let the roster play it out.
Keep the UFAs unless a can’t-miss offer comes along. And most importantly, don’t mortgage the future for a short-term boost that may not move the needle.
Walking the Line
So yes, the Penguins could be both buyers and sellers at the deadline-but maybe not in the traditional sense. They might sell off a piece or two if the return is right. They might also hold firm and treat their own players as rentals, betting on chemistry and continuity rather than shaking things up.
It’s not the bold, headline-grabbing strategy fans might expect. But it could be the smart one.
In a season that’s been anything but predictable, the Penguins are choosing patience over panic. And that, in itself, might be their most calculated move yet.