Penguins GM Reportedly ‘Asking for a Ton’ in Trade Talks for Two Veteran Players originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are listening to trade offers, but according to the latest reports, the lack of activity has to do with the franchise’s unwillingness to give away talent cheaply.
According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, general manager Kyle Dubas has set a “pretty high” asking price for veterans Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, both of whom are coming off career-best seasons.
In a video shared by B/R Open Ice on X, Seravalli explained Dubas’ mindset regarding the trade market.
“What’s going on? What’s the asking price for Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell? The answer is, it’s pretty high.”
The asking prices for Rust, Rakell, and Karlsson all remain high as the Penguins look to retool (w/ @frank_seravalli) pic.twitter.com/rGRtXg7cnW
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) July 15, 2025
The Penguins are reportedly targeting “real significant value” for either forward, and Seravalli noted that Pittsburgh is leveraging a market lacking in top-six wingers.
“Rust and Rakell are both coming off of very strong seasons,” Seravalli said. “Both of them more than lived up to expectations. And Pittsburgh is looking at this market inefficiency and saying, ‘No one else can get their hands on these top-six guys, (so) we’re not going to give them away.’”
According to Seravalli, Dubas has been “asking for a ton” for both Rust and Rakell, and he’s still “asking for a lot” for Karlsson, considering the Penguins are expected to do the acquiring team a favor in retaining some of the defenseman’s salary.
Rakell, 32, tallied 35 goals and 70 points in 81 regular-season games last season, and carries a $5 million salary cap hit.
Rust, 33, scored 31 goals and added 34 assists for 65 total points in 71 regular-season games, and carries a $5.125 million cap hit.
Both have three years left on their deals, while the Penguins have a huge $13 million in cap space with most of this offseason’s free agents already off the board.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.