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Elliotte Friedman Shares Difficult Ultimatum Penguins are Facing With Rickard Rakell
The dog days of the NHL offseason are now upon us, and over the next six to eight weeks, the Penguins have a tough decision to make with Rickard Rakell.
Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins might be making and receiving even more calls sooner rather than later with the NHL off-season in full swing, and Rickard Rakell's name is a very hot topic.
Interest in Rakell went back to the trade deadline, and for good reason. The veteran right-winger is fresh off a career-high 35 goals and 70 points, his third season with 30 goals or more.
With goal scorers not easy to come by in today's league, Rakell's consistency is notable.
Rakell's budget-friendly salary will have many teams very interested
Even more value is his contract: three more years at a cap hit of only $5 million per year. With the salary cap increasing, that's a bargain for a goal-scorer such as Rakell.
Any team that signed him would be getting top-six goal-scoring ability on a value contract, a hard combo to come by, especially for contenders or teams hoping to make a serious push.
In spite of the trade speculation, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman recently said he's been told Rakell would actually prefer to remain in Pittsburgh.
Friedman did say, however, that it's not his call, indicating the decision might ultimately rest with Dubas and the front office as they consider long-term roster construction and cap management.
"I've heard Rakell would prefer to stay in Pittsburgh, it's just that it's not his call."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
Rakell's worth is obvious; he's productive, budget-friendly, and a true veteran. But whether that will be sufficient to retain him in black and gold is yet to be determined.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 6 | 138 ANSWERS Elliotte Friedman Shares Difficult Ultimatum Penguins are Facing With Rickard Rakell Should the Penguins trade or keep Rickard Rakell? | ||
| Trade | 67 | 48.6 % |
| Keep | 71 | 51.4 % |
| List of polls | ||