Report: Penguins Ready to Trade Veterans

October 18, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

The Pittsburgh Penguins could look quite different sooner rather than later. On Hockey Night in Canada Saturday, Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman reported that the Penguins’ general manager is ready to make the franchise-altering move to trade veteran players in exchange for future assets.

Friedman reported Dubas is willing to trade veterans specifically to open spots for the gaggle of young players who have been sent to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, such as Harrison Brunicke and Rutger McGroarty, and those who have been rotating in and out of the lineup, such as Ville Koivunen and Hendrix Lapierre.

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In the quick bombshell during the Headlines Segment, Friedman was direct.

“The other team that is interested in opening up spots for youth is Pittsburgh,” the reporter said on the national broadcast. “Pittsburgh has made it clear that they would move a veteran forward for draft picks or prospects to give their younger players more opportunity as they continue to transition to a younger roster.”

In other words, it would seem the Penguins rebuild is at hand.

On July 1, Dubas signed veteran players Andrei Kuzmenko, 30, and defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, 35, to contracts, but they would not hold much trade value. The veterans who would draw the largest returns are 34-year-old winger Bryan Rust and 33-year-old Rickard Rakell. Erik Karlsson is also on an expiring contract and throughout his career has made no secret that winning a Stanley Cup is his priority, regardless of location.

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