While rolling with a rebuild wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Penguins, we still need to remember that they're an aging team that’s loaded with talent. Still. Even if that talent hasn’t translated into a playoff berth it's still capable of snagging, it still puts them in a unique position.
So, how can trading the 11th pick in the 2025 draft set the Pens up for a deep playoff and, dare I say it? Cup run. Honestly, it’s not hard. A lot of teams picking in the top 10 are talent-starved and are either rebuilding or building.
They wouldn’t mind shipping a productive veteran to the Steel City if that 11th pick was involved in a trade package. The Pens could use that pick and take a talented prospect, but if Sidney Crosby’s sticking around, I’m not playing the long game.
Let me give you a rundown of a few players currently on less-than-stellar teams who can land in Pittsburgh for that pick. Oh, and note I’m not talking about a simple swap, but an overall trade package. The pick and those listed below would be the ‘grand prizes’ of such a hypothetical trade.
Players who could end up in Pittsburgh in a package for the 11th pick
- Buffalo Sabres - Jack Quinn
Quinn is a restricted free agent coming off of a rough year in Buffalo. But he’s shown potential in the past, especially throughout an injury-riddled 2023-24 campaign. Overall, he may’ve been a bad fit for head coach Lindy Ruff’s system, and a change of scenery could bring out his potential.
- Boston Bruins - Pavel Zacha
Zacha also didn’t enjoy an outstanding season in Boston, but the Bruins could be heading for a rebuild under general manager Don Sweeney. That could make a player like Zacha, heading into his age-28 season, available. Part of me wanted to put David Pastrnak here, but the asking price would be outrageous.
- New York Islanders - Noah Dobson
Dobson is another pending restricted free agent, and he struggled through a rough year on Long Island. With a new general manager on the way, they may want to start fresh and build this team from scratch. This would leave a player like Dobson expendable, and he’s shown elite potential in the past.
- Seattle Kraken - Jared McCann
The Kraken are in a strange position, since they got a brewing core, but there’s no top-tier talent. That said, someone like Jared McCann, heading into his age-29 season, is in the thick of his prime and probably doesn’t want to spend it with a stagnating team in the Northwest. Offer to put him on the team with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell, and he’ll likely be fine.
Are the Penguins really a player away from Cup contention?
Listen, this team needs one more player capable of scoring, and they’d be smart to get a better goaltender. But if the Penguins traded that 11th pick for any of the above players, I’d be more than confident that they’d skate into the 2025-26 season as a brewing high-octane unit.
Give them a solid goaltender, not even someone who can be a star, and I’m more than confident that they’re a top-three team in the Metropolitan. Still, trading the 11th pick would set this team up, and adding another capable goaltender would be a bonus for the Pens.