July 9, 2025 | 11:20am ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

TEAMS CONTINUE TO HAVE RAKELL, RUST ON THEIR RADAR

Bryan Rust, forward

As teams explore different options up front and try to add to their top-six, many continue to keep tabs on the Pittsburgh Penguins and two of their forwards, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust.

Rakell and Rust each have three years remaining on their contracts. Rust, who has a $5.125 million salary cap hit, no longer owns any no-trade protection, while Rakell ($5 million cap hit) has an eight-team no-trade list as part of his deal.

Penguins GM Kyle Dubas is still open to selling off some of his players, including Rakell and Rust, as the team formally began its rebuild at the start of the off-season.

Forwards Noel Acciari, Danton Heinen and Blake Lizotte, and defencemen Erik Karlsson and Adam Graves are also in play for Pittsburgh, should a team come calling.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are among the teams still in the market for a top-six right wing, but they may not have the assets to acquire either Rakell or Rust from the Penguins. The Los Angeles Kings expressed interest in Rakell this past season under former GM Rob Blake, but it’s unclear if new GM Ken Holland has reached out about Rakell’s availability since taking over in L.A.

Both Rakell and Rust rank among the top-10 on TFP’s Summer Trade Watch List.

Several teams are also trying to upgrade their top-six, including the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres and Seattle Kraken.

With more than $15.8 million in cap space, the Penguins are also willing to take on a contract if incentivized to do so, and that could help facilitate a trade with another club that is up against the cap.

Rakell tallied 35 goals and 35 assists for 70 points in 81 games with the Penguins this past season, while Rust registered 31 goals and 34 assists for 65 points in 71 games.