After 10 years, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Mike Sullivan have parted ways. Sullivan led the Penguins to two Stanley Cup titles during his tenure.
The Penguins have now missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs three years in a row. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2018. As the organization searches for a new head coach, they’ll also make other moves this summer to strengthen the team.
The Penguins are trying to rebuild and get younger. We’re likely to see a retooling of the team’s defensive core in particular with all the struggles they’ve had. Which Penguins players are on the chopping block this summer?
3. Ryan Graves
Ryan Graves may be on the chopping block this summer. He has not played well in his first two years with the team, sometimes even ending up a healthy scratch. 2024-25 went better for him than 2023-24 but not well enough to say he’s done himself any favors in fitting in with the Penguins’ future plans for their defensive core.
With four years left of a six-year contract and a $4.5 million cap hit, Graves is a trade candidate. The Penguins could look to dump his contract this offseason in order to free up cap space and continue to build a younger core. A buyout is not a desirable option given that it would leave the Penguins with a cap hit for Graves until 2033 per PuckPedia.
Graves, who will be 30 years old next season, is making too much money for someone who isn’t playing well enough to be a top-four defenseman. On the other hand, Graves struggled under Mike Sullivan’s system. He was a more consistent performer during his time with the New Jersey Devils. With a new head coach to be hired, the organization might hold off on this move. It depends on their other plans for the offseason.
A Graves trade would likely include a prospect or draft pick to the team receiving him. The Penguins would probably have to retain salary. This is a possibility because they have 18 draft picks in the first three rounds over the next three drafts. If they can find a trade partner, this would be a smart move for the Penguins.
2. Noel Acciari
Another player the Penguins could ship out this offseason is Noel Accirari. Unlike Graves, Acciari is set to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. He has generally played well for the Penguins, taking on a role as a physical player with strong defensive responsibility especially on the penalty kill.
A common thread on this list is age. The Penguins are trying to get younger and build for the future. Acciari is 33. He has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $2 million. It’s unlikely Acciari is in the Penguins’ future plans.
Acciari’s versatility in playing center or wing makes him valuable. He can get scooped up in free agency next summer by a team looking for a solid veteran to slot into their bottom six. To avoid potentially losing him for nothing in a year, the Penguins may look to trade him now and get a return.
There was talk that Acciari might get traded ahead of the trade deadline during the 2024-25 season. Since that didn’t happen, it makes sense to revisit this idea in the summer. If a trade doesn’t happen this summer, it will probably remain on the table during next season.
1. Erik Karlsson
After being a trade candidate throughout the 2024-25 season, Erik Karlsson continues to come up in these conversations. The offensive defenseman has not brought his Norris Trophy-winning level of play to the Penguins. GM Kyle Dubas put Karlsson on notice after the season, sending a message that he needs to be more consistent. Karlsson’s -24 rating for the season was the second-worst of any Penguin.
Karlsson will be 35 next season. The possibility of shipping him out to free up space and make room for someone younger with room to develop is enticing. So why didn’t he get traded this past season?
With his no-move clause, Karlsson ultimately has to agree to a trade, so it will have to be somewhere he wants to go. There’s also the issue of his salary. His remaining contract is two more years with a $10 million cap hit. The San Jose Sharks are still paying $1.5 million of his initial $11.5 million salary that they retained in his trade to Pittsburgh. Like with Graves, this is another case where retaining salary is a likely component of a trade.
This would be a tough move to make, although it’s one worth exploring. Karlsson may be on the chopping block, but the Penguins will have to be strategic about it.
These three Penguins players are in danger of being on the chopping block this offseason.