The NHL Trade Deadline came and went on Friday and the Penguins decided to hold on to winger Rickard Rakell rather than trading him to another team and it has some fans upset. Yes, Dubas could have cashed in on the season Rakell is having and gotten a ransom for him, but fans have no idea what the offers were.
Dubas likely did not get the offer that he was looking for and decided that keeping him was the best choice for now because it would have made Crosby mad and the fact that they can always wait till the offseason.
What Seattle got for Bjorkstrand and Gourde likely set Rakell's price even higher
On Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning decided to trade for Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde from the Seattle Kraken, and they paid a high price.
The Lightning sent the Kraken winger Mikey Eyssimont, a 2025 2nd round pick, a 2026 1st round pick, and a 2027 1st round pick in exchange for Bjorkstrand, Gourde, and a 2026 5th round pick.
That is a very high price that the Lightning paid for 2 players that played in the Kraken bottom six and that likely set Rakell's price even higher. Rakell is on the cusp of 30 goals and almost 60 points and he plays first line left wing.
Dubas likely saw this trade and really upped the price and that price likely did not get met. The Lightning broke the market Wednesday into a true sellers' market.
Teams will still come calling in the offseason about Rakell's services
There will be no shortage of suitors come the offseason and the NHL Draft and Dubas can cash in on Rakell's services around that time.
Teams likely did not want to meet the price before the deadline plus it will be a lot easier to trade him in the summer than it was to do it now.
Penguins fans should not be upset that the Penguins are choosing to wait till the summer to see if they can trade him to another team. It keeps Crosby happy for the rest of the year and then see what you can get for him come June.