The Pittsburgh Penguins were adamant about competing for a playoff spot this season. However, the team has gone 3-5-2 over their last ten games, falling to 7th place in the Metro division, effectively falling out of the playoff race. As such, the team could be looking to sell at the trade deadline.
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas recently admitted that the team will likely not be in the playoffs this year. However, he reaffirmed his commitment to making the team contenders again "without them having to go through years of pain to get there."
This does not mean that Dubas is not open to business. However, he did add that the team likely will not be trading away any more draft capital. Rather, it seems some may be coming the other way.
It seems as though the Penguins will be looking to trade off some of their players for future assets this season. One such player is Reilly Smith, whom the team brought in from Vegas in the offseason. NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes the Edmonton Oilers have expressed interest in him.
Smith has ten goals and 23 points in 47 games with the Penguins this season. Notably, he still has a year after this one left on his contract, coming with a 5 million dollar cap hit. Should the Penguins be willing to retain some of that money, they could get a haul for the 32-year-old. Regardless, it will certainly be an interesting trade deadline for the Penguins. Be sure to stay tuned for more updates on the team as major pieces could be moved in the coming weeks.