Is Kyle Dubas Waving The White Flag In Pittsburgh?

Is Kyle Dubas Waving The White Flag In Pittsburgh?

Kyle Dubas walked into a tenuous at best situation with the Pittsburgh Penguins and hasn’t exactly done much to improve it. Currently, they sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference with only 46 points in 48 games. As February and the trade deadline loom, so too does decision time for many teams on the outside looking in. Earlier today we were potentially given a glance into what Dubas and the Pens front office are thinking:

The harsh reality is that if this should’ve occurred two or three years ago. If Sidney Crosby decided he wanted to play for a winner instead of mediocrity then everyone’s job becomes much clearer. Even at age 37, Sid the Kid would fetch a king’s ransom on the trade market. His 49 points in 48 games with next to no depth is borderline impressive at this point. All the credit in the world goes to him for wanting to go down as one of the icons of Pittsburgh sports. But, as Trey mentioned, at what point does it become foolish for clinging onto a losing team?

Outside of Crosby, there are a number of pieces teams might find attractive. Crosby’s co-star Evgeni Malkin is making $6.1 million against the cap until 2026. Kris Letang has the same cap hit but for another two years. And of course, former three-time Norris winner Erik Karlsson. The Swedish defenseman is making $11.5 million for the next three seasons. However, as D’Amico mentioned, Dubas might be interested in retaining salary in a potential trade. A move that the hockey media were so quick to glaze him over is now blowing up in his face. Who could have guessed?

The Golden Goose

If teams are smart they should find a way to pickup Rickard Rakell. After some up and down years with the Penguins the forward is finally starting to hit his stride. 40 points in 48 games put him on pace to match his career-high of 69 points in a season. At 31, he makes a manageable $5 million for three more seasons after this. He’s got plenty of postseason experience from both Anaheim and the Pens and can add a scoring touch to a middle-six group as a center or wing.

Another name of course is Marcus Pettersson. After frustrating fans for years the pending UFA defenseman is finally putting it together. A rental this Summer, a number of contenders will likely be calling Dubas up for a guy who can play solid third-pair minutes and man a powerplay.

The big names could very much be thrown into the rumor mill but it makes more sense to start small with guys like these. Lower tier players that do some stuff well that also helps in the playoffs.

Kyle Dubas has done a disaster of a job running the Pittsburgh Penguins. As we inch closer to the trade deadline, the chance of him blowing it all up becomes more and more likely.

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