The Pittsburgh Penguins are off to a rocky start to the 2026-27 NHL season. Pittsburgh is just 3-6-1 through their first 10 games. As a result, the Penguins are reportedly looking to shop two forwards.
Those players are Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, per league insider Elliotte Friedman. The Penguins reportedly want to get younger via a trade. Friedman revealed that information on Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts podcast.
Pittsburgh is one of the oldest teams in the NHL. The Penguins are led by veterans Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The franchise is trying to put a championship roster around them, before they both retire from hockey.
This season has not been kind to Pittsburgh so far. The Penguins have allowed 38 goals already this season. This is a recurring trend, as Pittsburgh struggled to stop goals last season as well.
Both Rust and Rakell are veterans who have given a lot to Pittsburgh.
“Rust has been a true soldier for the club that drafted him. A former 3rd-round pick in 2010, he hasn’t known any other sweater other than Pittsburgh’s,” Pro Hockey Rumors reported.
Rakell meanwhile has posted four points so far this season.
Article Continues Below“The 33-year-old Rakell is in the fifth year of a six-year contract that pays him $5.0MM AAV, signed back in 2022. Throughout that time, his payment has appeared like a steal for this team, as Pittsburgh has enjoyed his presence on ice, with a +20 goal differential, -5 when off the sheet,” Pro Hockey Rumors reported.
Pittsburgh has dropped four games in a row. The Penguins will try and end that losing streak when they next play the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
This NHL season, the trade deadline is on March 1.