The Pittsburgh Penguins are heading into a fascinating offseason after exceeding expectations and getting back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But despite the strong turnaround, their season ended quickly with a hard-fought first-round loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime of Game 6.
Now, GM Kyle Dubas faces a major challenge: keeping the Penguins competitive around Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang while also reshaping the roster for the future.
And one intriguing name is now being connected to Pittsburgh, a veteran Maple Leafs defenseman carrying a massive $60 million contract.
Penguins Linked to Maple Leafs Blue-Liner
The player generating the speculation is Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly, who just finished the fourth year of his eight-year, $60 million contract.
After a turbulent season in Toronto and major front-office changes under new GM John Chayka, there is growing belief the Maple Leafs could explore moving Rielly if he’s open to waiving his protection clause.
Rielly’s defensive issues this season have only added to the speculation, especially after finishing with a career-worst minus-18 rating. He still brings offense and leadership, but a fresh start might benefit both him and the team.
That’s where Pittsburgh enters the picture. NHL insider Ryan Dixon recently connected Rielly to the Penguins, pointing directly to Dubas’s history with the veteran defenseman.
“Rielly’s current contract was inked by Pens GM Kyle Dubas in 2021, when Dubas ran the Leafs. Pittsburgh is coming off a surprise playoff appearance and has only two defencemen inked beyond this coming season… You could see where Rielly might serve as a bridge of sorts between the current blueline corps and the one Dubas is trying to build for the future,” Dixon said.Â
Pittsburgh’s blue line is in transition, with Kris Letang nearing 40 and Erik Karlsson entering the final year of his deal, and Dixon views Morgan Rielly as a possible fit for the current roster.
The Penguins are in a surprisingly strong financial position heading into the summer. With several contracts coming off the books and the NHL salary cap jumping to $104 million, the Penguins are projected to have more than $37 million in available cap space.
That flexibility gives Dubas the ability to take risks that many contenders simply can’t afford.
Even after extending Evgeni Malkin and continuing to carry expensive veteran contracts like Letang and Erik Karlsson, the Penguins still have room to absorb Rielly’s deal without crippling their future plans.
At the same time, there are still questions about whether Pittsburgh would want to commit $7.5 million annually to a defenseman coming off a difficult year.
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Still, with Toronto possibly looking to reshape its core and Pittsburgh seeking veteran help around Crosby, this has quickly become one of the more intriguing trade rumors heading into the NHL offseason.
