NHL Insider Gives His Take on What the Pittsburgh Penguins Will Do Before the Trade Deadline

On the NHL Network, Insider Elliotte Friedman gave his thoughts on what he thinks the Penguins will look to do before the trade deadline.

Friedman feels that the Penguins will not be buyers this year. In fact, they will be doing a 'soft rebuild' for the course of the next couple of years.

Friedman on the Pens (NHL Network): "I don't think they're going to be buyers... Pittsburgh is not going to be trading 1st RDers or 2nd RDers or their best prospects for short-term fixes. I think this is a team that realizes it needs to rebuild some of its capital"— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) January 30, 2024

Friedman goes on to say exactly what he thinks they will decide to do.

Cont'd: "...I think they'll try to do a "soft rebuild", strengthen up over the next 2 or 3 years and see what they can do and we'll see what that means for some of their star players"— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) January 30, 2024

There are some opinions out there that oppose something like a soft rebuild. What would that really mean for players like Crosby, Letang and Malkin? Where will they be in 2-3 years?

Saw Friedman talking about a "soft rebuild" he thinks the Penguins might do and I just want to say what a bad idea that is. You don't half ass a rebuild, that's how you end up like the Hawks (before Bedard) and they ended up getting Bedard once they committed to the full rebuild.— nhlpens (@nhlpens) January 30, 2024

We will have to wait and see if this is the route that Kyle Dubas and the Penguins look to take. Personally, I agree that a soft rebuild will only prolong the agony of a possible overhaul. At this point you will need to go all in, or all out.