March 2, 2024 | 7:40pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com
PENGUINS OPEN TO MOVING MULTIPLE PLAYERS
Reilly Smith, forward
Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas could be fairly busy over the next six days with the trade deadline fast approaching.
The Penguins have several players they are willing to entertain trade calls about, according to TFP’s David Pagnotta, and Dubas could end up moving multiple assets between now and next Friday’s 3pm ET deadline.
Teams have been calling Dubas and he has been listening on most of his players. Forwards Reilly Smith, Rickard Rakell, Lars Eller and Noel Acciari, defencemen Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel, and goaltenders Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic are among those believed to have generated various levels of discussions with other clubs.
Among them, only Eller, Ruhwedel and Nedeljkovic do not own any no-trade protection. Ruhwedel and Nedeljkovic are also playing on expiring contracts.
Jarry has a 12-team no-trade list as part of his contract, Smith has a 10-team no-trade list, and Acciari, Rakell and Pettersson each have eight-team no-trade lists.
The Vegas Golden Knights are among the teams linked to Smith, while teams like the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers could try to add a centre by the deadline and could explore the option of adding Eller or Acciari.
Dubas is also navigating trade calls for sniper Jake Guentzel, who is in the final year of his contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, like Ruhwedel and Nedeljkovic.
The Golden Knights, Oilers, Florida Panthers and Vancouver Canucks are among the teams interested in Guentzel, though the Penguins have placed a high asking price for his services – believed to be a first-round draft pick, a top prospect and another asset.
Guentzel has been recovering well from injury and is set to come off LTIR March 10.