Pittsburgh's Slow Start Forces Kyle Dubas Toward Difficult Decisions
AI-generated image · US National Wire
With the Penguins sitting 15th in the Eastern Conference, GM Kyle Dubas may have to weigh a fire sale against the team's aging core.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled through the first month of the season, sitting 15th in the Eastern Conference and three games below .500, as CBS Sports first reported. This slump puts general manager Kyle Dubas in a precarious position as the team struggles to recapture the success seen during the 2025-26 season.
CBS Sports notes that the Penguins possess one of the oldest cores in the NHL, raising concerns that age is impacting their performance. This demographic shift puts several high-profile players with expiring or soon-to-be-expiring contracts in the spotlight as potential trade candidates. Specifically, CBS Sports identifies Erik Karlsson (36), who is on a one-year, $10 million deal, and Rickard Rakell (33), who has two years remaining at $5 million per year, as obvious candidates for a move.
If the team continues to slide, Dubas may face the ultimate dilemma: whether to initiate a fire sale that could include franchise icons. Current veteran contracts include Sidney Crosby (39) at $8.7 million for one year, Evgeni Malkin (40) at $5.5 million for one year, and Kris Letang (39) at $6.1 million for two years. Other notable contracts include Bryan Rust (34) at $5.13 million over two years.
Despite the grim outlook, CBS Sports reports that the Penguins' five-on-five metrics are stronger than their record suggests, offering hope that Crosby can lead a turnaround.