So you’re waiting impatiently for the Pittsburgh Penguins to trade winger Bryan Rust to get a haul that will help set the team on a path toward being a contender again? And on those coattails, to trade fellow winger Rickard Rakell, too?
You might want to make sure what you’re wishing for.
Trading Rust, in particular, would be throwing in the towel on any sort of retool that falls short of a full rebuild. Trading Rust would signal a full-on rebuild. Trading Rust and Rakell would solidify that path.
If that’s what you want, great.
Just be aware that a total rebuild comes with lots of risk (see, Chicago Blackhawks), where a retool that retains the best of what the current roster has to offer and adds a bevy of youth and competent role players is a better bet (see, Washington Capitals).
Really. Especially with the flexibility of a rising salary cap.
Does Penguins president of hockey operations/general manager Kyle Dubas believe that? His actions will answer that, but he has intimated he’s not looking to tear everything down to the studs (no pun intended) for a total rebuild. He wants to get the franchise not only back to the playoffs — which is a critical step that needs to happen next sprig — but also set up to make some noise in the playoffs as quickly as possible.
For the fans’ sake, here’s hoping Dubas prefers the retool route.
There’s a perception that Dubas will have to have his socks knocked off by an offer to trade Rust, and that he won’t easily let go of Rakell.
Great, but there is almost no way Dubas will get back a player or players who can immediately be the equal of Rust and Rakell’s productivity (30-plus goals), veteran presence and ability to play seamlessly with centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Read: Calculating the Penguins Trade Values for Rakell and Rust
That’s no knock on Dubas’ abilities. It just isn’t feasible. Besides, why would he trade those two players for clones, even if he could? It’s not like he’s going to bring Jake Guentzel back.
Speaking of Guentzel, his trade near the 2024 trade deadline might be a good barometer of what the Penguins could get for Rust. In that deal, the Penguins got Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev and a couple good draft picks.
That turned out to be a good deal, but not for any sort of short term.
It also sent the team into a funk. What do you think trading Rust and, to a lesser extent, Rakell would do?
Yeah, sure, it would heighten the Penguins’ chances of getting presumed No. 1 overall draft pick Gavin McKenna next June. But only heighten.
Just get over that. It would be marvelous, but it’s just not likely to happen. Don’t get greedy over some idea that the Penguins are going to get McKenna. Get greedy over retaining Rust and Rakell.
Besides, tanking – which would also be tied to trading Rust and Rakell – would be an ugly way to try to re-establish contention. Clubs don’t necessarily have to have a generational talent such as McKenna, Auston Matthews or Connor McDavid to win a Stanley Cup or two (see, Florida Panthers).
It worked for the Penguins, of course, when they tanked to get Mario Lemieux and then got lucky to get Crosby. They still have Crosby.
Crosby is signed for the next two seasons. He turns 38 next week. He’s still an incredible player, and intensely competitive and loyal. He fully understands the business side of hockey. Still, trading Rust, in particular, would border on being disrespectful to Crosby, even though he would never publicly acknowledge it.
So go ahead and root for Rust and Rakell trades. Cheer for a tank job that most likely will not net a generational player.
It’s not like you would have to look Sidney Crosby in the eye and tell him you’re trading Rust and Rakell and going into a full rebuild.