5 Forwards Penguins should pursue on the trade market

Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager and POHO Kyle Dubas has been quite active over the past few months in terms of trade activity.

And people probably haven’t seen the end of it.

His most recent trade involved forward Philip Tomasino, a former first-round pick, whom he acquired from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. And other recent acquisitions – such as Cody Glass this summer and Jesse Puljujarvi via free agency last winter – suggest he’s looking to buy cheap on young players in hopes of getting an advantage.

With the Penguins sitting at the bottom of the standings but riding a three-game winning streak that has them just three points out of a playoff spot – and the organization’s desire to rebuild on the fly – there may be other players worth betting on.

As it stands, the Penguins have just over $2.5 million in cap space. To add a forward, keep in mind that they would also have to subtract one, since their roster is already at a 23-man capacity and Glass’s return from injured reserve is also imminent.

Here are five young forwards – three “buy cheap” options and two “go bigger” options – that Dubas should consider adding to bolster the Penguins roster now and, potentially, for the future.

Buy Low: Nils Hoglander, LW – Vancouver Canucks

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has reported that the Penguins are interested in Hoglander and – interestingly – Vancouver is one of the teams reportedly interested in Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson.

Hoglander is in the second year of a two-year contract that pays him $1.1 million per year, and he has already signed a three-year, $9 million extension that takes effect next season . For the upside the left winger can provide – he got off to a slow start this season (two goals, five points in 23 games) but had 24 goals and 36 points last season – his ceiling is low enough that he’s worth the punishment. the risk.

Hoglander would be a low-risk, high-reward addition for the Penguins and could fit on the second line alongside Evgeni Malkin and Tomasino. He could be part of a potential trade with Pettersson, as the Canucks will likely be looking for some value in return.

Low Buy: Nicholas Robertson, LW – Toronto Maple Leafs

Here at THN – Pittsburgh we have written about Robertson many times. And we will continue to write about him.

In fact, this situation is almost identical to that of Tomasino.

Tomasino is 23, has just one point in 11 games with the Predators and signed a one-year deal that pays him $825,000 before becoming an RFA this summer. He also reportedly had a relationship with the Predators that soured before his trade, and he had 11 goals and 32 points in his first full NHL season before being buried and going down.

Robertson is 23, has just two goals for two points in 20 games with the Leafs and signed a one-year deal that pays him $875,000 before becoming an RFA this summer. He also has a rocky relationship with the Leafs – dating back to his trade request earlier this summer – and he had 14 goals and 27 points in 56 games in his first full NHL season before being buried and falling.

This is literally a copy-and-paste situation that speaks for itself, and Dubas has a history with Robertson, as he was the one who drafted him. Just like Tomasino, the Penguins general manager should take care of all of this.

Low(ish) Buy: Kaapo Kakko, RW – New York Rangers

This one would cost a little more than the other two, but Kakko would be a solid addition to the Penguins’ middle six. He scored a career-high 18 goals and 40 points in a full 2022-23 season for the New York Rangers and followed that up with 13 goals and 19 points in 61 games in 2023-24.

This season? He has four goals and 13 points in 23 games – on a pace of 14 goals and 47 points – which is right on his career pace. He has some skills as a high-IQ playmaker and puck possession monster, and is a defensively responsible player with some size, which would be valuable to the Penguins in a second or third line role.

Kakko signed for $2.4 million this season before becoming an RFA in 2025. And a trade could be feasible, considering the struggling Rangers are reportedly turning to the trade market for some of their players, including Kakko.

The Penguins would have to get a deal done through trade or waivers for this to work, but he would be an interesting addition to their roster. The Rangers may ask for a bit more than they’re comfortable with, though, so this is probably the least likely of the three options so far.

Go Big: Joel Farabee, LW – Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers are currently in the thick of the playoff race, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to part ways with some players they don’t see as part of their future.

And Farabee has struggled to find his footing this season.

The left winger has only three goals and eight points in 25 games. With the emergence of other young players on the Flyers’ roster – as well as their desire to continue retooling – Farabee could still be on the verge of being traded, as previously reported.

Farabee, 24, had a career-high 22 goals and 50 points for the Flyers last season. He’s in the third year of a six-year contract that pays him $5 million per year, so the Penguins should probably send something back to the Flyers since they’re unlikely to retain him.

But he’s a smart, gritty 200-footer and could very well thrive in Mike Sullivan’s system. If the Penguins want to shoot higher, Farabee is a somewhat risky but very interesting option.

Go big: Trevor Zegras, C – Anaheim Ducks

Like Farabee, Zegras has a larger contract — he’s signed through 2025-26 for $5.75 million AAV — and he may not figure to be part of the Ducks’ long-term rebuild plan from Anaheim, although he has reportedly made progress with the Ducks from an organizational standpoint. He was injured for much of last season and has struggled so far this one, collecting just four goals and 10 points in 23 games.

But Zegras is only 23 years old and he has shown promise in the past: he scored 46 goals and 126 points in 156 games in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons and has enough skills and ability to game for either center. the Penguins’ second line or playing on the left side of Malkin or Sidney Crosby.

It seems like Zegras has been involved in trade rumors forever because he has. A change of scenery may be the best thing for the young forward right now, and his high potential is a gamble worth taking – even with his salary – for the next two seasons.