TSN revealed the top 10 players on their NHL trade bait board for the 2026 NHL off-season. A Pittsburgh Penguins forward was among the players listed, as Rickard Rakell made the cut.
Rickard is no stranger to being the subject of trade rumors, as he was one of the most-talked-about trade candidates during this past off-season. While trade speculation surrounding him died down a bit during the 2025-26 season due to the Penguins being a playoff team, he is finding himself right back in the rumor mill this summer.
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With the Penguins being a team that is focused on the future, it is fair to wonder if they could trade a solid veteran forward like Rakell. This is especially so when noting that he has good trade value after having another strong season in 2025-26. In 60 games this campaign with the Penguins, he had 24 goals and 48 points.
This year’s pending UFA forwards are not the strongest, either, so it would make sense if Rakell generated a lot of interest during the off-season. This is especially so when noting that he has a bargain $5 million cap hit through 2027-28.
Yet, given how well Rakell has continued to play for the Penguins, there is no question that trading him would hurt their top six. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what the Penguins decide to do with Rakell from here.
