The Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves at a crucial point as they build their roster for the upcoming NHL season, and all eyes are on their captain and biggest star, Sidney Crosby. After several years without a deep playoff run, the franchise is focused on keeping key pieces, especially one player who has reportedly drawn interest from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Crosby does not want to lose any of his most valuable teammates, especially not to a potential contender like the Maple Leafs. In that sense, the Pittsburgh front office will need to act decisively if they want to maintain their core and avoid repeating last season’s disappointing results.
Forward Rickard Rakell is the player reportedly targeted by the Maple Leafs to help fill the void left by Mitch Marner’s departure. His name has become a hot topic among Pens fans, as the organization has just received an update regarding the future of one of its key figures.
Will Rakell leave the Penguins?
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman was clear when addressing the situation. “I’ve heard Rickard Rakell would prefer to stay in Pittsburgh; it’s not his call…I’ve heard he’s not averse to staying,” he said on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. For now, despite interest from other teams, his future appears to remain alongside Crosby.
Rickard Rakell of the Penguins
Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported on July 7 that there is considerable league-wide interest in Rakell, but Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is not under pressure to move him this offseason. Rakell is coming off a career-best season with 35 goals and has three years remaining on his contract at an average annual value of $5 million.
see also
NHL News: After Mitch Marner was traded by Auston Matthews’ Maple Leafs, report confirms Canadian star could have joined another team
Bryan Rust also involved in offseason rumors
Recently, insider Sonny Sachdeva also mentioned forward Bryan Rust as a possible trade candidate for the Penguins. Rust also has three years left on his contract, with an annual cap hit of $5.125 million. While his name has been circulating in trade rumors, his situation appears similar to Rakell’s.
